ZERNOTT, Robert, Prussia then St. Landry Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Mike Miller


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ROBERT ZERNOTT, WASHINGTON.--Robert Zernott is a native of Prussia, born
January 22, 1836.  He is the son of August and Anistena (Falk) Zernott,
both of whom are natives of Prussia.

The subject of our sketch was reared and educated in Prussia, was a
soldier in the Prussian army, and served in the Italian war.  At the
beginning of the Civil War he came to New York, and shortly after
arriving enlisted in the Second Rhode Island Regiment, and served in
this and the Third Rhode Island during the whole of the war.  His field
of operations was principally in Louisiana.  He enlisted as a private
and subsequently was made sergeant.  At the close of the war he was
stationed at Washington, where he remained a short time after the war
closed; his stay embracing in all a period of about six months.  During
this time he was so favorably impressed with the country and the people
that, at the earnest request of many of the good citizens, he located
here permanently.  He first began business as a planter, but the first
year he was unfortunate in suffering a loss of everything invested from
an overflow, and he subsequently embarked in livery business and
carriage manufacturing.  Mr. Zernott is a man of remarkable genius for
mechanism, and has never attempted anything in that line that he has not
accomplished.  From being thrown from a horse he lost his left arm, but,
notwithstanding this, he conducted his business and did most of the fine
work himself.

During the time he was engaged in carriage manufacturing he built up an
extensive trade over Louisiana, and the demand for his work was greater
than he could supply.  From a partial loss of eyesight, he was forced to
retire from the business in 1887, since which time he has devoted
himself to constructing and building bridges, buildings, etc.  He
married in 1869, Miss Emma Millspaugh, a native of Washington.  She died
four years after their marriage, having become the mother of three
children, two sons and one daughter.  Mr. Zernott married, in 1871, Miss
Grace Millspaugh, sister of his former wife.  This union has been
blessed with two sons and two daughters.

Washington has never had an enterprise since Mr. Zernott has resided
there in which he has not been an active participant.

Southwest Louisiana Biographical and Historical, Biographical Section,
pp. 91-92.  Edited by William Henry Perrin.  Published in 1891, by The
Gulf Publishing Company.