My Genealogy Hound

John D. Pugh. Prominent among the dry goods merchants of Hamburg, Ark., stands the name of Mr. Pugh, and his brother, who have been connected with the mercantile interests of the place since 1882. Mr. Pugh was born in Marshall County, Miss., May 28, 1839, being a son of Greenwood and Albena (Low) Pugh, who were Georgians, and moved to Mississippi about 1830, where they reared a family of twelve children, eight of whom are living. The Pugh family came to America from Wales, about 1690, and settled in North Carolina, one branch afterward going to Ohio—James L. Pugh, of Georgia, being a member of another branch. Whether or not any members of the family participated in the Revolutionary War, has never been ascertained to a certainty, but James R. Pugh, the grandfather, was a soldier in the Creek and Seminole Wars. Greenwood Pugh moved to Ashley County, Ark., in 1850, and settled ten miles west of Hamburg, where he entered land, and opened up a farm, living there until his death, in 1883, he at that time being a member of the Primitive Baptist Church. In this county John D. Pugh grew to manhood, his schooling being limited to twelve months. When about eighteen years of age, he began clerking for Christian & Norris, in a warehouse at Marie Saline, but at the end of two years began following the same calling in Three Creeks, Union County, but on May 20, 1861, gave up this calling to enlist in the Confederate service, becoming a member of Company A, Third Arkansas Infantry, and was in the Army of Virginia, first, under Hood, then under Longstreet, taking part in the battles of Greenbrier, seven days’ fight at Richmond, Gettysburg, Antietam, Fredericksburg and the Wilderness. He was wounded so severely at Gettysburg that he was off duty for seven months, after which he rejoined his command in time to take part in the battle of the Wilderness, only to be once more wounded. This closed his career as a soldier, and in 1865 he returned to his home in Arkansas, and began selling dry goods at Orion, but a year and a half later moved to Johnsville, Bradley County, where he was engaged in merchandising from 1868 to 1882. He then closed out and came to Hamburg, and here, in connection with his brother, he has been in business ever since. On January 29, 1867, he was united in marriage to Miss Lottie Hampton, of Bradley County, and by her has a family of eight children: Frank N., George B., Robert E., Thomas Hampton, Susan E., James L., Eflie and Lottie L. Mr. and Mrs. Pugh are worthy members of the Presbyterian Church, and he belongs to the K. of H., and in 1884 was a member of the Town Board.