Thomas H. Pugh

Regions: Augusta, Oneida Co., NY; Frankfort, Herkimer Co., NY; Walworth Co., WI

From History of Walworth County Wisconsin by Albert Clayton Beckwith, Vol. II, Publ. 1912 - Page 976-978 THOMAS H. PUGH. This well known citizen is another of the old soldiers who went out to fight their country's battles a half century ago. What a splendid sight it is at the present day to see a company of these honored veterans go by on Decoration day or the Fourth of July, in their blue uniforms and with their tattered flags flying. But they will all be gone in a few more years, and nothing will be left but a memory. That memory should be something more than a sound. Their deeds should be perpetuated in song and story, in monument and perpetual commemoration, so that future generations may draw inspiration from their patriotism and gallantry. After an eminently successful, active and useful business career, Mr. PUGH is now living in retirement in his pleasant home in the town of Walworth, in the general development of which he has ever stood ready to assist; and as a result of his pubic spirit, his genial address and obliging nature he enjoys the confidence and esteem of all who know him, having a wide acquaintance throughout Walworth county. Thomas H. PUGH was born in Frankfort, Herkimer county, New York, April 20, 1841. He is the son of Stephen and Mary (HAMER) PUGH, both born near Newton Wales, of a long line of sterling ancestry, and there they grew up and were married, emigrating to the United States soon afterward and located in Herkimer county, New York, where they followed farming. In 1850 the family moved to Augusta, Oneida county, that state, and established their home. Thomas H. PUGH, of this sketch, grew up on the homestead and received such education as the public schools of his day afforded. On December 16, 1863, he enlisted in Company B, Twenty-second New York Cavalry, and was assigned to duty in the Third Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac, and, according to his comrades, he proved to be a most faithful and gallant soldier, seeing much hard service. He was in the battle of the Wilderness, White Oak Swamp, Hanover, Stoney Creek, and was on the famous Wilson raid and a number of battles in the Shenandoah valley, including Winchester, Cedar Creek, Fisher's Hill, Newmarket, Waynesboro, and others, finally joining Grant in front of Richmond and followed up to Appomattox and Lee's surrender. He was discharged at Winchester, August 1, 1865. After his military career Mr. PUGH returned to Oneida county, New York, and operated the home farm for his mother, his father having died when he was eleven years old. The death of the mother occurred in 1894. To Stephen PUGH and wife were born three sons and six daughters, two of the latter dying in young womanhood. In 1870 Thomas H. PUGH came west and located in the town of Walworth, Wisconsin. He began at the bottom of the ladder, and in order to get a start worked out by the month at farm work. He had not accumulated anything for himself during his residence in New York in view of the fact that he had worked on the home place, assisting in the support of the family. After he had been in Walworth county some time he rented land, which he worked on the shares, and, managing well, he was enabled to buy a farm of his own, of one hundred and sixty acres in 1880, one mile west of the village of Walworth. This was the place he had been renting. Here he continued to reside until 1887, when he rented his farm and moved to Fremont, Nebraska, where he spent four or five years, then returned to the village of Walworth, and here he held various town and village offices, such as town assessor and village assessor, and president of the village board. He was also secretary and agent of the Walworth Mutual Fire Insurance Company several years. In 1903 he removed to Oklahoma, where he spent about seven months. Returning to Walworth, he remained here until the fall of 1907, then went to South Dakota, in which state he lived two years, then went to Florida, spending two winters and one summer in that genial land of flowers; he then returned to Walworth, where he has since resided. Thus, after a residence here of practically forty-two years, he is deserving of a place in the county's history and to rank as one of her representative citizens. On September 12, 1871, Mr. PUGH was united in marriage with Mary R. McCARTY, daughter of T. McCARTY and wife. She was born at Glover, Vermont, and when ten years of age came to Walworth county, Wisconsin, with her uncle, James SHERBURNE, with the intention of making it her future home, and she lived with him until her marriage. This union resulted in the birth of two children, namely: Mrs. Mary G. BRAINARD, of Walworth; she has one son, Rexford, now nine years old and in school at Walworth; and Frank T. PUGH, now residing in Alberta, Canada, engaged in farming near Edmonton; he is married and has two children, Dorothy and Thomas Holgate PUGH. The death of Mrs. Thomas H. PUGH occurred on February 15, 1911, while she and Mr. PUGH were in Florida. She is remembered by a wide circle of friends as a woman of amiable dispotion, gentle nature and of high mental endowment. Thomas H. PUGH has figured in numerous enterprises of this community during his long residence here, and it should be known that in 1891 he helped organize the Geneva Land Company, that established Glenwood Springs, and he was president of the company two or three years, and had charge of the surveying and laying out the place, building bridges and improving the place and was largely responsible for its prestige and its excellence. He is to be highly commended for his work in this connection. For several years he was a member of the executive committee of the Walworth County Agricultural Society, and for a time he was township assessor; he was often importuned to accept nominations for various offices, and he refused a number of township offices. Submitted by Carol