Henry Pigney Biography


	This biography appears on pages 774-775 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				HENRY PIGNEY

	Henry Pigney, who is successfully engaged in blacksmithing in 
Blunt, Hughes county, is a native of England, born in Westmoreland 
county, November 3, 1838. His parents, Nicholas and Jane (Kershew) 
Pigney, were also born in that county, where they passed their entire 
lives. The father was also a blacksmith by trade. Henry Pigney, who is 
the second in order of birth in a family of five children, attended 
school in England and remained under the parental roof until he was 
twenty-two years of age. In 1860 he emigrated to America, locating at 
Kalamazoo, Michigan, where he conducted a blacksmith shop for two 
years, after which he removed to Mendota, Illinois. He followed 
blacksmithing there for one year and then returned to Michigan, where 
he remained until 1867. In that year he took up his residence in Vienna 
township, Grundy county, Illinois, where he continued to reside for six 
years, after which he went to Morris and thence to Maple Park, Kane 
county, that state. where he remained for four years. 

	In 1884 Mr. Pigney became a resident of Blunt, South Dakota, and 
engaged in blacksmithing there for some time, after which he returned 
to Maple Park, Illinois. He continued to follow his trade there until 
the spring of 1912, when he again located in Blunt. He has since 
resided in that city and is successfully engaged in the blacksmithing 
and general repair business. He owns a large and fully equipped shop 
and has gained a large and lucrative patronage, as it is known that he 
does excellent work and is reasonable in his charges. 

	Mr. Pigney was married on the 4th of January, 1862, to Miss 
Lusina McConnell, who was born in Youngstown, Ohio, of the marriage of 
Louis and Anna (Goff) McConnell, both natives of the state of New York. 
Her father followed shoemaking in early life but later turned his 
attention to agricultural pursuits. For some time they resided in 
Michigan, whence they removed to Ohio, and later to Illinois and 
afterward to Iowa, where the father passed away. The mother returned to 
Illinois and her demise occurred there. 

	To Mr. and Mrs. Pigney have been born five children: William 
Henry, who is engaged in teaming in Blunt; Fred L., also a resident of 
Blunt, who is engaged in draying and gives some attention to farming; 
Ella J., who died in Rockford, Illinois, on Christmas Day of 1907; 
Minnie S., who died in 1897; and Frank, who is living in Blunt and in 
addition to farming assists his father. 

	Mr. Pigney is a republican and has served as justice of the peace 
in Blunt and also as a member of the town board and the school board. 
While living in Maple Park, Illinois, he held the office of justice of 
the peace and for one term was president of the town board, while for 
ten years he was a member of the school board. Fraternally he is well 
known, belonging to the Masonic blue lodge at Blunt; the Royal Arch 
chapter and the Knights Templar commandery at Sycamore, Illinois; the 
Medinah Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Chicago; and the Ancient Order 
of United Workmen at Blunt, of which lodge he is a charter member. He 
has been successful in business and has at the same time gained the 
unqualified respect and esteem of all who have been associated with 
him.