BIO: John H. PUCKEY, Huntingdon County, PA

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Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley: 
Comprising the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata and Perry, 
Pennsylvania, Containing Sketches of Prominent and Representative 
Citizens and Many of the Early Settlers.  Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. 
Runk & Co., 1897, pages 329-330.
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  JOHN HENRY PUCKEY, Rockhill Furnace, Huntingdon county, Pa., was born 
July 12, 1854, on the Scorries estate, Cornwall, England. His 
grandfather, Ralph Puckey, was a native of England, and married Miss 
Trevanion. His lifelong employment was gardening. To the same vocation 
he brought up his son, the father of John H. Puckey, after giving him a 
national school education. Mr. Puckey's father and mother still reside 
on the same estate where their children were born, and where the father 
has long been employed in the care of the gardens. Their children are: 
Mary Jane (Mrs. Wesley), who came with her husband to America, went to 
California, and some years ago returned to Cornwall, England, where 
they now reside; John Henry; Thomas N., coal worker at Robertsdale, 
Pa.; and William, employed as a butler in London, England.
  Mr. Puckey attended school until he was sixteen years of age. He then 
went to live with a certain Dr. Mitchell, as groom, at a compensation 
on $3.50 per week, and two suits of clothes each year. He remained with 
Dr. Mitchell for a year and a half, and was then employed for a year, 
in the same capacity, by Dr. Hudson. His next employer was Capt. 
Townley Parker, with whom he remained until he emigrated to America. 
John Henry Puckey, now in his nineteenth year was married in the Church 
of England, at Camborne, England, on Saturday, May 24, 1873, to Eliza, 
daughter of John and Mary (Trevarthen) Green. On the 29th of the same 
month, the young couple sailed from Liverpool on the "City of 
Montreal," a vessel which, on a subsequent voyage, was destroyed by 
fire in mid-ocean. After a passage of eleven days, they landed at New 
York, whence they proceeded directly to Harrisburg, Pa., and after 
stopping there for one day, went to York, Pa. Here the active young 
Briton speedily found employment, under the Thomas Iron Company, in 
loading ore, at $1.50 per day; he was afterwards employed in the 
Gladfelter ore banks at $1.75, which in 1876 was raised to $2.00. In 
September of that year, however, his pay was cut down to $1.75, and 
then dropped by degrees to $1.25. The mines were soon shut down; for a 
short time Mr. Puckey remained in charge of them, but in October of 
that year, 1876, he removed with his wife and infant child to 
Orbisonia, where he engaged in mining on contract. In 1883, Mr. Puckey 
became superintendent of the ore mines at Easton, Pa., but at the end 
of a year he returned to Orbisonia, and was for a short time foreman in 
the mines there. His next position was that of ore inspector at 
Rockhill Furnace, in which he continued until 1893. in that year he 
became senior partner in the newly constituted firm of Puckey & Co., 
dealers in coal, lumber and grain, his partners being Messrs. T.J.C. 
Ripple and B.F. Ripple. The firm is doing an extensive and thriving 
business. From 1888 until April, 1896, Mr. Puckey conducted what is 
known as the Markle Hotel, at Rockhill. He is a Republican, and has 
taken an active part in political affairs. He has been chief burgess of 
Rockhill borough for one term. Mr. Puckey is affiliated with the 
Masonic lodge at Orbisonia.
  The children of Mr. and Mrs. Puckey are: Alfred L., born in York 
county, Pa., in 1874, is a graduate in dentistry of the Medico-
Chirurgical College of Philadelphia, now practicing at Waterville, 
N.Y.; John Arthur, born in Orbisonia, Pa., January 21, 1877, is a 
student in the University of Pennsylvania; Annie, born at Orbisonia, 
May 24, 1880; Mabel Eliza, born in Fleetwood, Berks county, Pa., in 
1884. The family reside in Orbisonia, where Mr. Puckey built a 
beautiful home in 1884. They are members of the Episcopal church. In 
1890, Mrs. Puckey visited friends and relatives in England, sailing 
from New York in April, by the White Star Line steamer "Teutonic," and 
returning three months later on the "City of New York."