Frederick de Funiak

Legend has it that Frederick de Funiak, who immigrated from Europe in 1861, won the right to name the town that now bears his name in a card game. Many prominent newspapers across the country published his death notice or obituary.

“Louisville, Ky., March 29. — Col. Frederick de Funiak, capitalist and distinguished citizen, died at his residence here to-day. Col. de Funiak was born in Rome, Italy, sixty-five years ago, and was a veteran of Garibaldi’s army. He was for a long time chief engineer of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, and had been connected with railroad building in many parts of the country. He was a member of the New York Yacht club, of the old Southern Yacht Club and of the Philadelphia Yacht club.

“Besides his wife, Mrs. Olivia de Funiak, he is survived by four sons, Ernest de Funiak, general agent or the Louisville and Nashville Railway south of Decatur, Ala., Lieut. Fred. R. de Funiak, Jr., of the United States regular army, stationed at Fort Russell, Wyo.; Albert de Funiak, agent for the Southern Railroad at Birmingham, Ala., and Herbert de Funiak, a student at Cornell.”

Obituary: The Times-Democrat, New Orleans, Louisiana, March 30, 1905, Page 7.

Burial: Cave Hill Cemetery, Louisville, Kentucky