Kentucky: A History of the State, Perrin, Battle, Kniffin, 8th ed., 1888,
Jefferson Co.

PAUL F. SEMONIN, a native of "Sunny France" was born September 17, 1829,
and is a son of John and Jane (Bourey) Semonin, of Arcy, France, who came
to America in 1834, and from New York to New Albany, Ind., in 1836.  The
elder Semonin served eight years under the first Napoleon in his numerous
wars, mostly in Spain; he died in Henderson, Ky., in 1856; his widow is
now ninety years old.  Paul F., the subject of this sketch, was but five
years old when the family immigrated to the United States.  He received a
common school education, and at the age of thirteen commenced clerking in
New Albany, In.  In 1845 he went to Henderson, Ky., and was for eight
years connected with the mercantile business in that city.  He then sold
out and engaged in steamboating, and built the "Gov. Powell" in 1856,
which ran in the trade from New Orleans to St. Martinsville, La.  He
finally, about 1861, engaged in the exporting of tobacco at Uniontown,
remaining there and at Henderson until 1867, when he came to Louisville,
Ky.  He was then employed as a buyer for a number of years, and then
formed a partnership in the tobacco drayage business with R. E. Gilbert,
his brother-in-law, and in which they are engaged under the firm name of
Semonin & Gilbert, with a bright prospect for a young firm.  In 1883 he
became business manage of the Todd Tobacco Warehouse Company, which makes
a specialty of the sale of leaf tobacco, and is one of the largest houses
of the kind in the city.  Mr. Semonin was married in 1854 to Miss Sarah
G. Rouse, daughter of James Rouse, of Henderson, Ky.  They have six
children, viz: William J., manager of the Kentucky Teaming Company for the
last nine years until three months ago, when he resigned; Mattie, wife of
R. E. Gilber, of Louisville; Celeste, Mary J. and Jean, teachers, and Ray,
the baby.  Mr. Semonin is also a stockholder and manager of the Old
Deposit Natural Gas and Mining Company, and has a considerable interest in
some of the territory in the gas-bearing districts of Meade County, near
Pilchers Landing, twenty-four miles from Louisville; as also near
Muldraugh, Ky., where there are some of the largest wells in the State,
some comparing favorable with some of the best wells in Pennsylvania,
near Pittsburgh.

Semonin Bourey Gilbert Rouse Gilber
=
Henderson-KY Meade-KY NY IN France

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/jefferson/semonin.pf.txt