William J. Bugh

    William J. Bugh, retired farmer, was born in Perry County, Ohio, February 8, 1830, his parents, B.W. and Hannah (Coddington) Bugh, being born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. They removed to Perry County, Ohio, when young, being married in that county. In 1848 they came with their family to Indiana, making the journey by team, and located on a tract of 320 acres of land in Washington Township, Blackford County, which the father had previously entered. He had some of this land deadened and cleared, and when he brought his family to their new home there was a small log cabin on the place. Wolves and deer roamed through the forests when they first settled in the county, and wild turkeys were also very numerous. Mr. Bugh and his son, William J., were both quite successful hunters, and killed many deer. The father occupied the land on which he first settled until 1871, when he removed to Hartford City, and died here in his eighty-third year, April 1, 1887. His widow is yet a resident of Hartford City.     In politics Mr. Bugh was formerly an old-line Whig, but became identified with the Republican party on its organization. He was county commissioner of Blackford County two terms. He joined the Masonic fraternity in 1850, of which he was a member of until his death. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for over twenty years.

    William J. Bugh, whose name heads this sketch, was in his eighteenth year when he came with the family to Blackford County, and here he has since made his home. He made his home with his parents until his marriage, in August, 1854, to Miss Sarah Brubaker. She was born in Perry County, Ohio, a daughter of Martin and Nancy (Neal) Brubaker, who were natives of Pennsylvania. Both died in Ohio, the mother when Mrs. Bugh was seventeen years old. She came to this county in the fall of 1852. Mr. and Mrs. Bugh are the parents of five children -Hannah Jane, wife of S.M. Wilson, of Washington Township; Emeline, wife of C.W. Mustard, also of Washington Township; James H., married Alice Williams and lived on his father's homestead; Carrie, and Etna.

    Mr. Bough followed the plow for over forty years, commencing when a boy of ten years. In September, 1885, he gave up farming, leaving his farm of 200 acres adjoining the old homestead of his father, in charge of his sons, and removed to Hartford City, where he now resides. For a few years after his marriage he lived on rented land, then purchased eighty acres of wild land, and to this he afterward added 160 acres, which has since been brought under cultivation. His land is well ditched and drained, he having paid out over $1,000 on one ditch alone.

    In politics Mr. Bugh is a Republican, but is independent in his convictions. He has held the office of township trustee, and was township assessor for two years, filling both offices with credit to himself and satisfaction to his constituents.

Source: Biographical and Historical Record of Jay and Blackford County, Indiana. The Lewis Publishing Co., 1887, page 825.