Historical marker tells of early Clarke County soldiers, settlers

'Elijah & Isaac Pugh' historical marker. 

This week’s featured historical marker is the “ELIJAH & ISAAC PUGH” marker in Clarke County, Ala. This marker is located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 84 and Crescent Road, which is a few miles west of Grove Hill, Ala., between Grove Hill and Coffeeville.

This marker was erected by the Clarke County Historical Society in 2012. There’s text on both sides of the marker, and both sides are unique. What follows in the complete text from the marker:

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“ELIJAH & ISAAC PUGH: Near this spot are the graves of American Revolution soldier Elijah Pugh and his son, Isaac, a War of 1812 veteran. Elijah, born in Guilford Co., N.C. in 1760, was 18 when he joined a patriot band led by Col. Elijah Clarke at the end of 1778. He saw fierce fighting for three years, most notably at Kettle Creek in Georgia where his life was spared when a pewter flask on his body deflected a bullet. In 1784, he married Ruth Julian, a fellow patriot who as a teenager carried messages between the rebels. They had seven children: Isaac, Rezin, Miriam, Jesse, Achsah, Alviah and Stephen. (Continued on other side)

“ELIJAH & ISAAC PUGH (Continued from other side) Isaac, born March 9, 1785 in Wilkes Co., Ga., came to the Mississippi Territory in 1810, settling in an area soon to become Clarke Co. He lived a year with the Choctaw Indians and became a friend of Pushmataha, the tribe’s paramount chief. In 1811, he brought his wife, Hannah Baskin, who he married in 1809, and his parents and siblings here. During the Creek War, the southern campaign of the War of 1812, he fought in the Battle of Burnt Corn and was later picked by Pushmataha to train 3,000 warriors.

“A marker honoring other local American Revolution veterans is at the Clarke County Museum in Grove Hill.”

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According to Findagrave.com, Elijah Pugh died on June 23, 1824 and is buried in the Pugh Cemetery in Clarke County. Information on that site also indicates that he was born in Randolph County, N.C. and began serving in the Revolutionary War at the age of 15. The Battle of Kettle Creek took place on Feb. 14, 1779 near present-day Washington, Ga. and was an American victory.

Elijah’s wife, Ruth Julian Pugh, was born on Sept. 27, 1763, and she passed away at the age of 88 on March 13, 1852. Elijah’s son, Isaac, passed away at the age of 54 on Sept. 8, 1839 in Clarke County. Isaac was also buried in the Pugh Cemetery. Hannah Baskin Pugh was born on Oct. 23, 1793 in Abbeville County, S.C. and she passed away at the age of 67 in Clarke County on June 23, 1861.

In the end, visit this site next Wednesday to learn about another historical marker. I’m also taking suggestions from the reading audience, so if you know of an interesting historical marker that you’d like me to feature, let me know in the comments section below.