William J. Pugh was born in Preble County, Ohio, in 1836, and is a son of Willianson and Sarah Thigh with whom he moved, at the age of three years, to Rush county, Indiana, where he resided until 1872, when he removed to Harrison county, Missouri, and five years later to his present residence in Salem. Mr. Pugh was educated in the common schools of Rush county, Indiana, and at the Fairview Academy in the same county, which institution he attended ten months. Mr. Pugh commenced teaching at the age of eighteen years, and’ taught for thirteen winters, working a farm during the summers. He has not taught since 1866. Mr. Pugh was elected justice of the peace in Indiana in three weeks after he had attained his majority. He served in this capacity for fifteen consecutive years, and resigned the office when he moved to Missouri in 1872. Before he had resided in Harrison county two years he was elected to the office of township clerk, which office he held two years. He was then elected township collector and served one year and refused a reelection to the same office. In April, 1881, he was elected constable and collector of Salem township, Daviess county, which office he now holds. Mr. Pugh has been in office ever since he was twenty-one years of age, with the exception of intervals amounting to about four years, a part of which time he was ineligible for want of legal residence.
Mr. Pugh was married, in Indiana, on November 16th, 1856, to Miss Melinda Ginn, of Franklin county, Indiana. They have three children; namely, W. Thomas, S. Anna and George E. Mr. Pugh has been a member of the Christian Church since 1856, his wife has been a member of the same church since 1853, and he is now an elder in that church.