A KIN HUNTERS STORY

BY

Verna Williams Pugh

Willard, OH

Shared with us by:

Don Steinman

:”A people that take no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote generations.”  Macduley

 

     This is the story of an ordinary, middle-class American family and is being written for a particular family’s reading, enjoyment and appreciation of heritage. Well, no it isn’t just an ordinary family at that, for it is your family and mine.  Does that remove it from the ordinary?

     There is a difference in the past and the present and all too soon the present becomes the past.  We are all sharing in the blessings of the present.  The knowledge of the trials, hardships of the past and its struggles bravely met should make us more content with conditions of our present living.  It is said one is wise who knows his ancestors were human beings and that they had human attributes and shortcomings, and the, accepting them for what they were, he tries to determine his heritage from them.

     Gilbert H. Doane writes, “All in all you cannot escape the fact that your ascendants were human beings, not merely names which have survived in musty old notecards.  They lived and breathed, had their joys and pleasures, their trials and tribulations, their work and play, however different these may by from your.  However, you will find that they, obscurely or prominently, took their part in the affairs of their times and contributed in some way to the development of civilization.  Be learning more about them and their times,  you’ll be the wiser in knowing  how we got this way “

     Surnames started in Biblical times at the time of Moses.  In the height of Roman history individuals had three names as Roman culture fell, custom went back to the simple standard.  England adopted surnames about the time of William the Conquer.  The Doomsday Book reveals the early use of family names.  Surnames were derived from various means:  father’s names, locality, property, possession, occupation, office and even nicknames.  Since our family was of Welsh heritage, it is interesting to note that “In Wales was used the word “ap” meaning son of…when “ap” came before a vowel-sound the two words were combined, resulting in a new name as Pugh from Ap-Hugh.

     Our first ancestor at this time substantiated by record is Hugh Pugh who came into the area of what is now Hancock County, West Virginia.  This was before the Commonwealth of Virginia was divided and that is the reason that in later Federal  Censuses, descendants stated their origin as Virginia.  The first Federal Census was taken in 1790 by Act of Congress.  One cannot escape a thrill in finding one’s ascendants listed as American citizens, however brief in accordance with the form for that particular census.  To date, the Hugh Pugh family has not been found in the First Census.

     Historical records of Hugh Pugh are very brief and here are those found to date: “Hugh Pugh in 1800 settled on a four hundred acre tract where Fairview is now situated”.

     “Pugh family is of Welsh descent and its founder in this portion of the country was Hugh Pugh who located here prior to the Revolutionary War”.

     “In 1800 Hugh Pugh located four hundred acres including the site of Fairview”.

     “Hugh Pugh from William Randolph, dated February 10, 1806, four hundred acres of land in Deep Gut Run”.

     “Hugh Pugh had purchased land where Pughtown, earlier known as Fairview, is now situated and was running an inn there before 1800”.

      

     In a biographical sketch of Peter Pugh, son of Hugh, it is recorded that Peter was born in New Jersey and migrated with his parents ( Hugh and  Elizabeth Pugh) to Burgettstown, Pa in 1785.  About the year 1800 they came to what was to be known as Fairview and located on a tract of land containing four hundred acres.

      

     So, the only constants in these records are the name Hugh Pugh and the four hundred acres.

      

     The first legal record found to date is the Tax List for 1800 of Brooke County Virginia.  It shows: Hugh Pugh Sr.  3-3-….the first number shows adult white males, including the head of the family, and the second number shows horses.   Women’s suffrage and modern liberation had not even been dreamed of back then!   Hugh Pugh Jr. is listed as 1-2.  Perhaps this is the first inkling of one of the traits of the Pughs., .they loved good horses and were good judges and drivers of them.  Of course in this space age we cannot fully realize the importance of horses to these early settlers and to out country’s development.

      Brooke Count Land Books then pick up the story

     1806, 1807, 1808            Hugh Pugh     400 acres    at 25 cents

     1810                            Hugh Pugh     333 ½ acres    at 25 cents

                                         David Pugh     76 ½ acres    at 25 cents

      

     Lets go back to 1806 for the deed from the William Randolph Patent to Hugh Pugh.  Its is fascinating reading:

     “THIS INDENTURE made this tenth day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and six between William Randolph and Hannah his wife of Washington County and State of Pennsylvania of the one part and Hugh Pugh of the County of Brooke and State of Virginia his wife for and in consideration of the sum of two thousand dollars to us in __ paid the receipt is hereby acknowledged and we fully satisfied and the said Hugh Pugh forever exonerated and clearly discharged (?) Bargained and sold and by these present do bargain and sell make over and deliver unto the aforesaid Hugh Pugh a certain tract or parcel of land situated lying and being in Brooke County and state of Virginia upon the waters of Deep Gutt joining lands of Alexander Scott, Roger Hill, Henry Kryteser and lands of the heirs of Dr Johnson and held by patent under the hand and seal of Patrick Henry, Governor of the state of Virginia and Bearing date the eighth day of March, one thousand seven hundred and eighty five and ninth of the Commonwealth unto William Randolph and his heirs and land bounded as follows: Beginning at a Hickory, thence South, seventy degrees, East one hundred and forty poles to a Black Oak, thence South thirty degrees, East eighty poles to a Red Oak, thence South twenty degrees, West one hundred and thirty four polls, thence North seventy degrees, West Sixty poles to a White Oak, Thence same course continued two hundred and forty poles north seventy degrees , West three hundred polls to a White Oak, thence North twenty degrees, East two hundred polls to the place of beginning ( containing four hundred acres to have and to hold the above described land and premises with all and every appurtenance thereunto belonging or in ways appertaining reputed take ___ or known to belong unto the before mentioned land and premises unto the aforesaid Hugh Pugh together with all all and singular the Houses, Buildings, Orchards, Gardens, Pasture, Woods and under woods waters and springs mineral profits  commodities hereditanebts abd all and every appurtenance whatsoever unto the aforesaid Hugh Pugh his heirs administrator assigns and the aforesaid William Randolph and Hannah his wife for themselves their heirs and administrators and every of them and every person or persons claim or claiming by or under them together with all deeds, evidences writings touching and concerning the land and premises and every part of parcel of the same as full as may be expresses by words to themselves their heirs and all manner persons whatsoever do give a pure and absolute estate in fee simple without any condition or reversion unto Hugh Pugh his heirs administrators and assigns forever and we the aforesaid William Randolph and Hannah his wife our heirs administrators will against ourselves and against all manner of persons claiming by from or any of them with warrant and defend the same in testimony we have hereunto ser our hands and affixed our seals the day and year before written

Signed sealed and delivered                            William Randolph (Seal)

Before us                                                                      her

                                                                        Hannah X Randolph (Seal)

                                                                                   Mark

Anthony Wilcoxen

John Swearngen

Philip Beall                                                       Brooke County Aprile Term 1806

                                                            The foregoing is a true copy from the Original Deed

            Acknowledged in Court by the said William and

Hannah  and ordered to be recorded

            Testis                        S Connell

                        For       John Connell C.B.C.

     Thus it would seem, just as in many other instances at that time, that the first of our family line had come into an area looking for a suitable and profitable location, especially for productive soil if a farmer.  Hugh Pugh and his family had crossed the mountains and no doubt had weighed two alternatives…of moving farther westward or of remaining in this area.  Burgettstown in Washington County, PA is approximately twenty miles away from Fairview, later Pughtown and on today’s maps, New Manchester.  Perhaps he had waited for a few years for this property for various reasons of course.  There seems to be another purpose other than farming land, however, in locating at this particular site.  He purchased the land as recorded in 1806 and land title as granted to his son, David I, on the twenty fourth of April 1908 for seventy six and one half acres of land for $535.50.  In 1810 David I began selling lots for a community.  So this could have been the real motive for settlement here.

     After studying the deed one is convinced that this four hundred acres was quite an expansive farm in a beautiful setting.  Interesting to learn it was granted as a patent by Patrick Henry, Governor of the State of Virginia.  If you note that included in the deed land description are mentioned houses, buildings orchards, gardens, pasture, woods, under woods water, springs, mines and mineral profits.  It must have been quite a farm.

     Then in New Manchester during the fall of 1970 we approached an older gentlemen and asked if he knew of the early settlers, the Pughs.  He did.  When asked if they were horse traders, he laughingly replied “Every one of them”. He also told us to drive out to the County Children’s Home which farm had been donated by the Pughs for that purpose.  It was a very lovely setting.  We did not learn whether this was a part of the original acreage or acquired in later years.  It could have been a farm purchased by David, son of Peter and Ann Pugh, as he was quite an influential personage.  We also discovered in a description of this original tract that it as a part of what is now known as Tomlinson Run State Park.  Time did not permit a visit to the Park.  Perhaps this locale can be revisited which would be most interesting to the writer.

     As descendants of this Pugh family we cannot but be interested in this community.  An early historical paragraph reads: “The location of Fairview is upon a prominent eminence four hundred and twenty feet above the level of the Ohio River, and is surrounded on three sides by still higher hills, which break off with regular and sometimes abrupt indentations.  These points are eligible for observation, and the scenery afforded from their tops and the town is picturesque….being well diversified by hills and valleys and possessing none of the monotonous sameness which characterizes towns located on western prairies.

     As far as the eye can carry the beholder, are seen beautiful, valuable and well improved farms, whilst here and there are found narrow strips of timber intertwining the cultivated lands.  While Fairview can’t boast of a large town, it can rejoice at having one of the healthiest situations of any in the State.  Since the creation of Hancock County in 1848, it has been made the seat of justice for the county”.

     The Weirton Daily Times of Weirton, WV in its issue of October 2, 1967 reports about this “Historical Community…now that the mid-Hancock community of Pughtown has acquired it original name of New Manchester, there is a movement there to restore some of the historical atmosphere.

     The Post Office  Department has approved changing the Pughtown Post Office to New Manchester Post office, effective yesterday, and it is now up the County Court to change the name of the unincorporated community to match that of the Post office.  New Manchester as settled during the Revolutionary War period.  In 1810 David Pugh laid out one hundred thirteen lots and called the town New Manchester, after Manchester, England from where some of the settlers migrated.  The Post Office that was established eight years later went by the name of Fairview.  Later both the Post office and town were changed to Pughtown.  However, there no longer are any Pughs in the community and residents felt that the more sedate New Manchester name better suited the town. Many people in New Manchester can remember the romantic and historical aspects of New Manchester as these were handed down from generation to generation.  Plans are being made to erect street names as they were known back in the pioneer days to lend an air of romantic history to the town. Historical markers could be posted at the Old Virginia Inn, the Manchester Inn, the Blacksmith shops, Courier Newspaper, Early Churches, the old County Courthouse, the Tri-State Norman School and Business College, the first elementary school of 1818, the woolen mills and the grist mills.

     Pughtown was the original county seat. An election transferred the seat to New Cumberland; a second election moved it back to Pughtown, and finally another election decided it finally for New Cumberland.  Manchester has many families whose ancestors were among the pioneer settlers.  The community is located on Rt 2 and is near Tomlinson Run State Park and Oak Glen High School.  Its is a neat community of fine homes and fine people and the finest of American Heritage.

     Mention must be made of two buildings of which we can be certain our forefathers were a part…The elementary school, for these early parents fully realized their lack of schooling and the necessity and advantage of even a limited knowledge that their children might secure as reading, writing and arithmetic no doubt comprised their studies.  The Christian Church for it was founded in 1830 by Alexander Campbell when Hollidays Cove was comprised of a few houses and a store.  The first church was a one-room frame building with board benches.  The membership rolls listed fifteen members.  We find our third generation ascendent adhering to this faith in Ohio

     1810 Federal Census shows Hugh Pugh, Peter Pugh and Moses Pugh living close together.  Of course they could have lived in a town and yet, they could have been living separately on the large acreage of original land.  We must remember that the son David purchased 76 ½ acres of land in 1809.  This 1810 Census reads:

     Hugh Pugh and wife 45 years and up  and one female 16-26 and one smith

     Peter Pugh and wife 26–45 years, two males and one female 16-26, 3 males and one female 10-16, one male and three females 0-10.

     Moses Pugh and wife and another male 16-26, one male and one female 0-10, one slave and one smith

      

     Perhaps here is shown another trait of the Pugh family, strong family ties. Elizabeth Pugh, wife of Hugh1, by her mark signed the deed of 76 ½ acres to their David1 in 1809 but was not included in later documents although the 1810 Federal census , as noted above, included Hugh and wife.

     The last legal record found to date of Hugh Pugh is an inventory of his personal property recorded 18 April 1818.,  Wouldn’t you like to possess the cupboard, the(?) and six indsor chairs, inventory total $26.50, or a pair of andirons $2.00,  clocks $5.00, chest of drawers $8.00..one mare $50.00 ( must have been a beauty) and a colt $25.00..bedstead and furniture $30.00…cow $14.50…8 sheep $8.00.

     We are assuming that Elizabeth Pugh had preceded her husband in death and that perhaps much personal property had been given to the children.  Hugh could have been residing in one of the tenement houses or a smaller house on the farm as the listed houses

     Aren’t  we fortunate to have found these records of just an average, middle-class, early American family!

      

     You can find additional information on this PUGH family in the Brooke County Court order books, available at the Brooke County Genealogy section of the Wellsburg Library.

      

     If you would like to contact the man working on this line he can be reached at this E Mail address:       [email protected]