Ernest Samuel Moultrie was born on May 5, 1932, in Summerville, SC to David and Mollie Moultrie. The youngest of seven children, he graduated from Alston High School where he played football and basketball.

After Graduation he joined the Unites States Air Force during the Korean War. He took his basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas and schooling in Cheyenne, Wyoming. During his tour he was stationed in Tokyo, Misawa, Japan, Hickam Air Force Base, Honolulu, Hawaii, and Midway Island.

After returning from the service, he became a master brick mason and married his high-school sweetheart, Geraldine Simmons in 1955. They were married for sixty-three years until her death in 2018. From this union three children were born, Perida Sonia, Julie Marie, and Ernest Barry. His heart was broken once again when he lost his daughter, Julie Marie Belton, in 2023.

In 1968 he entered law enforcement where he became the first full-time Black Deputy Sheriff for Dorchester County. Later he was promoted to Detective Sergeant, making him the first Detective in Dorchester County including cities of Summerville, And St. George. He was later promoted to Lieutenant, Captain, Major and then Chief Deputy Sheriff of Dorchester County, where he was second in command to Sheriff Carl Knight. He retired in 1977 for one whole day. He returned to work for the Sheriff’s Department in Court Security until his retirement in 2022.

He has served under six consecutive Sheriffs in Dorchester County; Carl Knight, J.C. Woodberry, John Sutherland, Ray Nash, L.C. Knight, and Samuel Richardson. He had the honor of swearing into office Sheriff Ray Nash for both terms. At the time of his retirement, he had the distinction of being the longest serving and oldest active law enforcement officer of the State of South Carolina.

As a child, Ernest grew up in First Baptist Church. After his marriage he began to attend Baum’s Temple A.M.E Zion Church with his wife and many of her family members. He later became a founding member of Blessed Vison Ministry but eventually returned to Baum Temple. He was a member of New Eden Masonic Lodge #329, Summerville, SC. He also served on the board that helped build a chapel at Lieber Prison, the Dorchester District II School Sports Hall of Fame Board and the selection board of Habitat for Humanities.

In 2015 the South Carolina State Legislature passed a bill naming the intersection of Highway 78 and Deming Way in Summerville, the Major Ernest Samuel Moultrie Intersection. The Department of Transportation erected a street sign to reflect the same.

His memory, love, and devotion will be cherished by his children, Perida and Barry, a very special and devoted granddaughter, Yvonne Harrison-Simmons, many other grands and great-grands, his brother David(Lucille) Moultrie and many nieces and nephews. He will be missed by many devoted friends and associates to include Dale Nevins, Arthur Lee (Smitty) Smith, Sheriff Sam Richardson, Vera Jenkins, Irene Clark, Oliver and Janice Nolan, Marie McMichael, Leah Duggins, and Deloris Lambright.