Famous Quakers from Southwest Ohio ~ Esther Pugh, Quaker Minister & Tireless Worker in the WCTU

The following is the obituary of Esther Pugh taken from the Orthodox Quaker publication "The American Friend", Vol. 15 (1908), pp. 329-330:

ESTHER PUGH ~ Esther Pugh, daughter of Achilles and Anna Maria Pugh, was born in Cincinnati, Eight month 31, 1834, and gently fell asleep in Philadelphia, Third month 29, 1908. Her ancestors for generations had been members of The Society of Friends, and she was an ardent and most loyal one. She shared in the blessing of the "Great Revival," and ever after was conscientiously engaged in promoting the work of the Church in educational, Sabbath-school, temperance, missionary and church extension lines by giving her time, her means and her prayers.

It was her pleasure to entertain and encourage the ministry of the church in the old days of large Quarterly Meetings, and later in her own home, at Selma, Ohio (Clark County), where she was an esteemed Elder. She was selected by Indiana Yearly Meeting (Orthodox) as one of the trustees of Earlham College, and held that position until failing health made it necessary for her to resign.

Her work in the Women's Christian Temperance Union, beginning in Cincinnati, caused her residence at different times to be in Columbus and Cleveland, Ohio; Brooklyn, N.Y., and Chicago, Illinois. Her association with Frances E. Willard, was intimate and enduring. In a package of letters marked "Last letters from F. E. W.," we find Frances Willard saying, "We have summered and wintered together in honest, hard work for a great cause too long to be lightly parted. For myself, I feel the 'tie that binds' more strongly through the added years, and as the blessed ties that held so long and fast are slipped into the Land unseen."

A tender and appreciative funeral service was held at the home of her sister, Mary T. Wildman, in Philadelphia, at which John B. Garrett spoke most feelingly and confidently of the glorious victory of her life and death. She was then taken to Waynesville, Ohio, where the funeral was held in the Friends meetinghouse. The body was interred in Miami Cemetery, in the family lot, Fourth month 1, 1908.

Following in her father's footsteps, Esther also remained interested in the Quaker ministry to Native Americans. In 1888 she wrote a report "A Brief Account of the Work Among the Shawnees" which summarized the Quaker mission to the Shawnees in both Ohio and Kansas. It was published in "Indian Education and Civilization, 1888: A Report Prepared in Answer to Senate Resolution of Feb. 23rd, 1885" (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1888), pp. 685-686.