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Frank Poignee When O’Fallon was incorporated as a village in 1874, the first person elected President of the Board of Trustees, a position much like that of mayor, was Frank Poignee. Born in 1831 in Oggersheim, Bavaria, he was the oldest son of Frank Poignee, of French descent, and Anna Maria Kempf. After receiving a good German education, he left for the U.S. with his family at age 16 where he learned English. Landing in New Orleans, they traveled up the Mississippi by boat to St. Louis and quickly settled in the O’Fallon area where his father purchased a small farm. By the time he was 21, he moved back home to help his father improve additional land he bought for cultivation. There he lived until he married Salome Daehn, a native of Hattmatt, Alsace, France, in 1854. They had 8 children. After his marriage he went into farming for himself about 3 miles northeast of O’Fallon until 1869 when he moved into town. His interest in politics began with his first vote for president in 1852—he voted for Democrat Franklin Pierce and was said to have voted for the Democratic ticket till his death. His political career began in 1865 with his appointment as deputy assessor—a position he held until 1875. On moving to O’Fallon, he was elected constable and then, in 1871, Justice of the Peace. In 1874 he was elected to a one year term as first village board president. He was elected to another 1 year term in 1878. In 1875 he ran as an independent for county commissioner and was elected with a 1000 vote majority. He was re-elected in 1879, this time running as a Democrat, with a 1700 vote majority by picking up Republican as well as Democratic votes.
He died in O’Fallon in 1883.
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