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It is with hesitancy that we approach the work
of sketching the history of him whose name is at the head of this article. A man
who delights in doing good to others in a quiet and unostentious way; that
shrinks from publicity and notoriety; of deep religious character; that prefers
that his right hand should not know what his left doeth; to give to the public
our knowledge of his life is a pleasant and delicate task.
Mr. Pugh is a native of Pennsylvania, born in Luzerne county, August 5, 1824. He
removed to Mason county, Illinois, in 1850; like many others, attracted by the
fertility of the soil, healthful climate, though at the time not possessing the
advantage of churches, schools, etc., afforded at the present day. He has been
engaged in farming, practically and successfully.
He was married in 1854 to Miss Sarah Apple, daughter of Major Apple, of
Lewistown, Fulton county, Illinois, hence for twenty-two years they have
together traveled life’s pathway, on the borders of which few have found more
flowers or become less wearied. His official career is alike creditable to his
head and heart. Seldom has the time arrived since his residence in this county
that he was not trustee of town or school or both, as every good citizen is
expected to give his time freely to these non-paying but useful and
indispensable positions. For nine years he has been a member of the county board
of supervisors, and is the present incumbents and one whose influence and
judgment has much to do in the legislation of the affairs of the county.
He was elected to the legislature and served the last session, and his term
includes the years 1874 and 1876,. Here, as in the county board, his influence
was felt, and his votes stand recorded creditably to himself and constituents.
The year following his marriage, (1855) he united with the Methodist Episcopal
Church, of which he remained an honored and influential member till 1873, when
he transferred his membership to the Presbyterian Church, in his immediate
neighborhood, and for more convenient attendance. This transfer of Mr. Ugh of
his church relations from one organization to another, is only an illustration
of a very pleasant fact, which is this: That as education and intelligence
increase, the partition walls between church organizations become lower, and the
higher a man stands in education and intelligence the sooner he is able to look
over these walls, and they finally lose their dividing power, and the upper
strata of intelligence and piety find themselves Equally at home on either side
of where the walls once stood, as they become invisible and crumble away. It is
not true that “ignorance is the mother of devotion,” but it is true that
ignorance is the mother of bigotry and superstition; and bigotry and
superstition are the foundations on which rest the partition walls of religious
organizations, which are fast disappearing. It is the pride and glory of this
century that science and arts are moving forward to the annihilation of time and
space; that educated intelligence is the helm of civil government (the people):
that the revelation of God’s word and His works are in happy unison, and science
and not ignorance is the handmaid of religion.
But we digress. We allude briefly to the usefulness of the subject of this
sketch in the Sabbath-school work and the benevolent enterprises of his
neighborhood; and to enlarge on this topic is unnecessary; we will say, however,
that he takes a great interest and pleasure in these commendable enterprises,
and his duty is his greatest pleasure.
“May never wicked fortune trouble him;
May never wicked men bamboozle him,
Until his head’s as old as old Mathusalem;
Then to the blessed new Jerusalem,
With fleet wings away.”
Contributed by: Jeanie Lowe |