Pugh, Jonathan G.

PUGH, BAKER

Posted By: Gary Norris (email)
Date: 1/7/2013 at 07:41:47

The History of Poweshiek County, Iowa
Des Moines: Union Hist. Co., 1880.

PUGH, JONATHAN G.—Deep River Twp—pg 740-1. Section 34, P.O. Thornburg, Keokuk county. His ancestors were from England, and came to America with William Penn. His grandfather was born in Virginia, and was raised in Hamilton county, of that State, where he was a farmer and slave-owner all his life; he also served as a commissioned officer in the British army during the Franco-Indian War, and died in 1793. His father was born in Hampshire county, Virginia, September 12, 1782. When a young man he moved to Ohio, where, in Mansfield, he engaged in the tannery business and hoteling for the rest of his life. He built the first tannery ever erected in that city. Here he also married Florenda Murphy, a lady of Irish extraction, who was born January 12, 1797. She died August 23, 1847, and was followed by her husband in January, 1860. The subject of this sketch was born in Mansfield, Ohio, January 12, 1825, and was there raised and educated. When of age, he enlisted in the Mexican War, and served on year under General Curtis. In 1849 he went to California, where he bought a large tract of land and ranched successfully for three years. Having, in 1852, returned East, he again went to California, this time conducting a large train of prospective gold-miners across the plains. At the end of two years he returned to Ohio, where he remained until 1856, when, with G.F. Carpenter, an old school-mate, he came to Iowa and entered over 900 acres of land. He also entered, in 1857, 160 acres in Kansas, and improved it, while living a short time in Emporia. He settled and farmed for twenty years in Mahaska county, and in March, 1876, moved to his present place. He is at present engaged in mining in Gunnison county, Colorado. He married, in Muscatine, November 25, 1857, Miss Harriet V. Baker, of Muscatine county, who was born in Bainbridge, Ohio, March 2, 1836. The children of their union were born as follows: Robert Wood (born August 29, 1858), George H. (born March 31, 1860), Clara (born September 3, 1861), Frank E. (born March 5, 1863), Elverda (born February 20, 1865), Albert D. (born April 5, 1868), Effie (born October 28, 1870), Zada (born January 15, 1873), Harriet (born November 2, 1874) and Clementine (born November 29, 1877). Mr. Pugh’s sons are at present managing his farm, which comprises 160 acres of good land, and is in splendid condition. He has the reputation of being a man of enterprise, intense and ever-active energies and remarkable endurance.