Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 445
GEORGE PUGSLEY

George PUGSLEY, a resident of section 11, Boyer Township, was born in Athens County, Ohio, March 17, 1850. At the age of five years he came with his parents to Harrison Cony, Iowa, arriving in the autumn of 1855. They came overland with teams and crossed the vast country with but little settlements here and there. His father entered land in what is now Douglas Township. Our subject remained with his parents on the farm until 1877, having bought land however in this township as early as 1872. This land was on section 6, and was unimproved. At first he bought eighty-eight acres, but added to it until he had two hundred acres.

In the summer of 1876 he erected a house upon this and, into which he moved in the autumn of 1877. It was a frame house sixteen feet square and one story and a half high, to which in 1877, he added an apartment 14x28 feet and one story high.

Mr. Pugsley remained on this farm until the spring of 1882, when he sold his farm and purchased another in Lincoln Township, the same being situated on section 6, and also on section 31, in Willow Township, Monona County, the county line dividing his farm. This farm comprised nine hundred and sixty acres of land, six hundred and forty of which was in Monona County and three hundred and twenty in Harrison County. He built on this farm a house one story and a half high, the upright of which was 16x28 feet, together with a lean-to sixteen feet square.

The land was just as the hand of nature had left it and our subject had all the improving to do himself. That portion of the farm which is in Monona County is used for grazing purposes and of the portion in Harrison County ninety acres are under cultivation and the remainder about equally divided between meadow and pasture land. In the fall of 1882 he built a well arranged barn forty feet square. He aims to keep on hand at this place about three hundred head of cattle. In the spring of 1885 he moved to Moorhead, on John B. Moorhead's farm, over which he was manager until the spring of 1888, when he moved back to his won place, remained that summer, and the following winter visited his parents in Florida, and in the spring of 1889, returned to Harrison County and moved to the place upon which he now lives, which he had bought in 1888. This place is situated on section 11, of Boyer Township, upon which there was built a good brick farmhouse. It was also provided with a barn 30x50 feet. This farm contains two hundred and thirty actes, about one hundred and twenty acres of which are under the plow. Our subject was married September 20, 1877, and by this union three children were born- Charles W., born August 12, 1878; Sadie E., January 5, 1882, and one who died in infancy.

Mrs. Pugsley's maiden name was Ida KENNEDY, born in Crawford County, Iowa, March 20, 1858. Her father was Samuel Kennedy, who died when she was one year old. The mother was Mary (Howarth) Kennedy, who after her husband's death remained a widow several years, and then married John B. MOOREHEAD. Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Kennedy were the parents of two children, Mrs. Pugsley being the youngest and remained with her mother until the date of her marriage.

The father of our subject, George W. Pugsley, came to Harrison County in 1855, settling in Douglas Township, where he built a log cabin sixteen feet square, in which he lived for seven years and then traded his farm for another near Whitesboro, between Logan and Woodbine, the same being in Jefferson Township. The last named place was improved, had a log house upon it and consisted of eighty acres of plow land and forty acres of timber. He remained there until the spring of 1872, and then moved to Woodbine, where he traded for the hotel property, which he operated for nine years, after which he rented the hotel and bought a residence, but looked after a small farm in the valley near Woodbine. After renting his hotel property two years he disposed of it. He remained in Woodbine until the autumn of 1882, when he removed to Putnam County, Fla., where he now owns a ten-acre orange grove, which he planted after going there.

He was born in Athens County, Ohio, in 1816, and remained there until the time of his coming to this county. Upon his arrival here he had three horses and a wagon and less than $1 in money, and that being the memorable winter for deep snow and cold weather, the family had but little to eat but corn bread and venison.

Mr. Pugsley was married to Rachel FRANCIS, in Athens County, Ohio, about 1841. By this union eight children were born- the subject of our sketch, George, being the fifth child. The mother was born in Ohio about 1821, and her mother died when she was a small girl.

Politically our subject is in sympathy with the Prohibition party, and in religious matters is a Christian.

Return to 1891 Biographical P Surnames Index

Back to 1891 Biographies Index