Henry Peronneau

Henri Peronneau (1667–1743), born May 28, 1667 in La Rochelle, Aunis, France, was the son of French Huguenots Samuel Peronneau and Jeanne Marie Collin. To escape religious persecution after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, Henri immigrated from France to Charleston, South Carolina in 1687 at age 20.. His parents also immigrated to Charleston. His sister or niece, Marie Peronneau (1685-1773), was married to Pierre Bacot, a prominent Huguenot planter in the South Carolina colony.

He was a merchant and businessman in rice plantations and wine importing. He is thought to have been the wealthiest man in the Thirteen Colonies at one point..

Henri married Desiree Barraud (1680, Burgundy - 1740 South Carolina). He and his family were among the earliest Huguenots in the colony and members of the Circular Congregational Church in Charleston, where Henri Peronneau is buried. Tombstone: "Here lies buried the Body of Mr HENRY PERONNEAU Sen.r Born at ROCHEL in FRANCE, May the 28th, 1667, who Arriv'd in This Province August 1687, Where He Lived Almost 56 Years and departed this life May 31, 1743, Aged 76 Years."

Among their children were Henry II (1700-1754), Elizabeth (1704-1773, wife of Isaac Holmes Sr and mother of South Carolina Lieutenant Governor Isaac Holmes Jr. and John Bee Holmes, mayor of Charleston), Alexander (1709-1774), and Charles (1712-1740) Peronneau.