James-Ferdinand de Pury

He amassed a large fortune through his business in the Brazilian tobacco trade, and was knighted by Pedro II of Brazil.

[2] While a relative of the philanthropist David de Pury, he was not a descendant of the same family line.

[1] He was made a knight of the Order of the Rose by Pedro II of Brazil for his contributions to the tobacco trade.

In 1872, de Pury had a grand villa built on the Hill of St-Nicolas in Neuchâtel, designed by the architect Léo Châtelain.

[2] Left without an heir, he bequeathed his villa to the city of Neuchâtel so that it could be made into a museum.