Bartholomew-Jefferson-Jennings County IN Archives Biographies.....Pugh, Francis 1824 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/in/infiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 27, 2007, 5:49 pm Author: B. F. Bowen (1904) FRANCIS PUGH. Among the sons of Ireland who have sought homes in America and have here taken advantage of the business opportunities, thereby winning success, is Francis Pugh, who was born in County Mayo, Ireland, in the year 1824. He is now nearly eighty years of age and in the evening of life he is enjoying the fruits of his former toil, having gained a comfortable competence by his perseverance, industry and capable management. His parents were John and Elizabeth (Shannon) Pugh and the father was a stonemason who lived and died in Ireland, both he and his wife passing away when comparatively young. They had a family of six children: Elizabeth, who became the wife of William Wales; Margaret, who married Edward Kelley, a farmer; John, who married Hettie Bostick; Arthur, who is engaged in wagon making; Francis; and one that died in Ireland. Francis Pugh spent the first fifteen years of his life in the land of his nativity and during that time attended the public schools. He was desirous of earning his own living in the new world for he had heard that here better business opportunities were afforded men. In 1839 he crossed the Atlantic, landing at Quebec. He made the voyage with his sister and spent six months in the city of Quebec, after which he removed to the state of New York, where he remained for three years. On the expiration of that period he took up his abode in Pike county, Ohio, where he was engaged in farm work for seven years. On leaving the Buckeye state he came to Indiana, settling first at Madison, where he conducted a hotel for four years. He next removed to Vernon, riding to that place on the first passenger train to run in Indiana, and in the vicinity of that town carried on general farming for ten years. In 1861 he took up his abode in Flat Rock township, Bartholomew county, near the village of Clifford and in 1872 came to his present farm. He is to-day the owner of one hundred and eighty-eight acres of rich land near St. Louis Crossing and all in good shape. He has cleared a large amount of land, and, rolling the logs and burning the brush, he performed much arduous labor as the years passed by. Hard work has been the basis of his success and he certainly deserves much credit for what he has accomplished. April 27, 1865, Mr. Pugh was united in marriage to Miss Minerva Hager, daughter of David Hager, who is mentioned on another page of this work. They have a good home, which was erected by Mr. Pugh in 1882. He has also made other substantial and desirable improvements upon his farm which add to its value and attractive appearance. His life has been characterized by earnest and persistent toil and his history proves conclusively that success may be thus obtained, because when he came to America he was empty handed and it was necessary that he work for others until he could gain capital sufficient to enable him to engage in business on his own account. He has long been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, active in its work and doing everything in his power to promote its growth and improvement. The hope that led him to leave his native land and seek a home in America has been more than realized. He found the opportunities he sought—which, by the way, are always open to the ambitious, energetic men—and making the most of these he has steadily worked his way upward. He possesses the resolution, perseverance and reliability so characteristic of people of his nation, and his name is now enrolled among the best citizens of Bartholomew county. Having no children of their own, Mr. and Mrs. Pugh have performed a duty to others, affording homes for five needy children, Arthur and George Pugh, his nephews, from small boyhood, Horace J. and Nellie M. Puffinbarger, orphans, taken at three years old, and Augusta W. Ziegner, taken at six years old and now a girl of fourteen. All the first four have reached maturity and are settled in life, two of them, Arthur Pugh and Horace Puffinbarger, now operating Mr. Pugh's farm. Additional Comments: Extracted from BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY INDIANA INCLUDING BIOGRAPHIES OF THE GOVERNORS AND OTHER REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS OF INDIANA ILLUSTRATED 1904 B. F. Bowen PUBLISHER File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/in/bartholomew/bios/pugh816gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/infiles/ File size: 4.8 Kb