Pugh Family Tree

A Pugh Family Story
     The following story was handed down to me by my cousin Esther, who received it in the form of a letter from Myrtle Pifer Pugh Henry Snyder Humbert. The author of the story is unknown.

     Nearly two centuries of living rest lightly and gracefully on the old logs of a pioneer cabin. It was the home of John Pugh and Elizabeth Pifer and is still owned by one of their great grandsons.
     When some folks migrated to America, they brought hired help with them. That is how John Pugh reached America's shores. At first believed he came from Ireland, but was learned later that his native country was Wales. He settled near Chambersburg, Pennsylvania in the historic Fort McCord area. [This detail of John Pugh being an immigrant does not jibe with the records, which show him born February 1, 1801 in Shippensburg, Lancaster Co, Pennsylvania. Might the John Pugh referred to here be his father or grandfather? -SAJ}
     There is a legend handed down by the family about his wife Elizabeth Pifer. As a girl in her late teens, she worked as a maid in a Chambersburg Inn which served as an overnight stop for the Philadelphia stage coach. Elizabeth and the other young maids was told by the hotel owner that a new driver was bringing the stage coach into town, All the girls clustered about the windows for a first glimpse of the young man John Pugh. As the horse drawn coach drew to a halt, the driver dismounted. He was a big strong man. Elizabeth spoke up and said "If nobody else minds, I'll take him," and she did. [Esther talking: I remember this tale well, only the way it was told to me was: When the girls watched him climb down from the coach, one of them said, "My, he is an ugly bugger." Then Grandma spoke up and said, If no one else wants him. I will take him." And she did. Back to the letter.]
     The log walls of the pioneer cabin are chink with mud. For years, spring housecleaning included the chore of white washing walls and ceiling, as well as the picket fence. All field fences were built of native stone. On Monday, neighboring housewives gathered at the nearby creek to wash the family laundry. Linens were scrubbed vigorously on a board and then boiled in big pots over huge fires.
     John and Elizabeth Pugh had 12 children. Five of the sons enlisted in the Civil War. Tradition has it that the sons whistled merrily as they walked out of sight into the woods on their way to Chambersburg. The brave gesture was intended to relieve their mother's mind and heavy heart as she watched them out of sight. All returned home safe. One of these boys, Bartley, died one month later at the age of 21. He was called back into the service and when he did not report, an army officer came for him. His Mother told the officer where to find him. She pointed out his grave.
     Seven times, Chambersburg was besieged and burned. The Pugh family had to hide their horses and cattle many times.
     Most of the Pughs are buried in Cedar Grove Cemetery in the borough of Chambersburg, Pa.
     Samuel, Henry, Reed, Maggie and James migrated to Ohio when they were young and settled on farms in Richland Country, "because one can plow all day without hitting a stone."