DUGAN BIOGRAPHIES, Henry County, Missouri ==================================================================== DUGAN, Robert H. - b: 1844 Bureau Co, IL source: 1919 History of Henry Co MO, Uel W. Lamkin, Historical Publishing Co - page: 413 residence: Montrose, Deepwater Twp Robert H. Dugan. The life story of Robert H. Dugan, Union veteran and president of the Montrose Savings Bank, is an interesting one which borders upon the romantic in many instances, especially during his youthful days when he was obsessed with the idea of joining the Union forces. Mr. Dugan began his career in Henry County as a farm hand and secured his first job with J. D. Brown, south of Montrose. Upon arriving at Germantown, he learned that Mr. Brown was a former Illinois man, and he hastened to the Brown place, remarking in later years, that it was the only place he ever worked where a man could get breakfast, dinner and two suppers after working hours. Mr. Brown is fond of telling their mutual friends that "Bob Dugan is one of my boys; who got his start while working for me." Robert H. Dugan was born in Bureau County, Illinois, January 27, 1844, and is the son of Thomas and Pyrena (Ellis) Dugan, natives of County Down, Ireland, and Virginia, respectively. Thomas Dugan was born in 1809 and died in 1849. He was reared to young manhood in Ireland and crossed the ocean to America, locating in Illinois, where he was married to Pyrena Ellis (born 1830, died September 9, 1902). Mrs. Pyrena Dugan was the daughter of Virginia parents. Thomas Dugan died in Grundy County, Illinois. Mrs. Dugan spent her last days at the home of her son, Robert, in Henry County. There were but two children in the family, a brother of Robert H., dying in his youth. Four times after the breaking out of the conflict between the North and the South, Robert Dugan tried to join the Union forces, running away from home and joining the army against the wishes of his mother and the home folks. He was three times sworn into the service, and twice he was compelled to return home on account of being under the required age for enlistment. At last, in June, 1864, he realized his heart's desire and having enlisted at Morris, Grundy County, Illinois, in June, 1864, he was mustered into the service as a member of Company H, 138th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and served for six months. He saw service in Kansas and Missouri on provost duty, mostly. After his honorable discharge from the service he returned to his old home in Grundy County and remained there until 1868, when in March of that year he came to Henry County. Sometime after coming to this county he bought eighty acres of land located two and a half miles northeast of Montrose. This land cost $7 an acre and Mr. Dugan had a cash capital of $700. In 1869 he erected a cabin on the place and broke up the ground with an ox-team, having driven through from Illinois in the fall of 1868. He spent the spring and summer of that year working on the J. D. Brown farm as previously stated. Mr. Dugan increased his holdings to 175 acres in his home place upon which he made his home until 1900. He accumulated a total of 300 acres and made a profitable business of buying and selling farm land in Henry County. He owns eighty acres in Oklahoma and has given farms to each of his children, to the extent of from forty to 120 acres. He gave his home farm to his sons. Mr. Dugan owns considerable town property in Montrose. He owns a large brick business block, a hotel, and has a handsome brick residence which sets in a park which Mr. Dugan purchased and laid out fronting the railway depot. He erected the City Hotel and operated it for one year. Mr. Dugan is one of the principal organizers and is president of the Montrose Savings Bank. On February 2, 1871, Robert H. Dugan and Clara Miller, were united in marriage. Mrs. Clara Dugan was born in 1852 and departed this life on April 6, 1909. She was a daughter of James Miller, a pioneer of Henry County. James M. Miller, father of Mrs. Clara Dugan, was a veteran of the Mexican War who enlisted with Illinois troops at Paris, Illinois. He came to Henry county in the fifties and made a permanent settlement in the vicinity of Montrose. Eleven children were born of this marriage: Mrs. Cora Dunlap, living five miles southeast of Montrose; James, Albuquerque, New Mexico; Mrs. May Kelland; Montrose, Missouri; Mrs. Mary Burnaugh, Lebanon, Laclede County, Missouri; Mrs. Ida Pumphrey, Paola, Kansas; Mrs. Margaret Warner, Paola, Kansas; Mrs. Beulah Petty, who died at Paola, Kansas; Thomas, a farmer located three miles southwest of Montrose; and Edward, a farmer living four miles southwest of Montrose; William, residing six miles northwest of Appleton City, Missouri. In politics, Mr. Dugan has always been a Republican. For many years he has been a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and is affiliated with the Grand Army of the Republic Post, Appleton City, Missouri. Personally, Mr. Dugan is a kindly, intelligent citizen of the old school whose last days are being spent in peace and comfort in the city which he has seen grow from its very inception and in which he has been such an important factor in upbuilding. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by the Henry County MOGenWeb http://www.rootsweb.com/~mohenry/henryco.html Contact the Henry County Coordinator for comments or corrections. ====================================================================