February 23, 1758, Vasily Kapnist, poet and playwright were born Personal business Vasily Vasilievich Kapnist (1758 - 1823) was born in the village of Obukhovka, Mirgorodsky district of the Poltava province. His father was a colonel of the Mirgorod regiment and died before the birth of his son, in the battle with the Prussians near the village of Gross-Egersdorf in East Prussia. Initial education, Vasily Kapnist received at home. At the age of thirteen, he was sent to St.