WILLIAM H. BUBB, one of the leading business men and citizens of
Brazil, was born in New Berlin, Union county, Pennsylvania, December
20, 1844, a son of Harry and Esta Ann (Whitman) Bubb. The father,
born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, was a contractor and builder and
came to Brazil, Indiana, in the spring of 1867 and assisted in building
the -first blast furnace erected in the west. After spending about four
years in Brazil he returned to Pennsylvania, erecting many blast furnaces
in that state, and he was an expert in that line of work. He spent his last
days in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, and died at the age of fifty-eight years.
He was a member of the Masonic fraternity and of the German Reformed
church, and was a Democrat politically. Mrs. Bubb was born in Mont
gomery county, Pennsylvania, and died when eighty years of age. They
were married in Pennsylvania and became the parents of six children,
five daughters and a son, but only three, Elizabeth, Emma and William,
are now living.
    William H. Bubb received his educational training in the schools
of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, his father having moved there in 1849, and
in April of 1867 he came to Indiana and to Brazil. He had previously
studied mining engineering at the State College of Pennsylvania, and he
with his fellows of junior and senior classes enlisted in a body at the time
of Confederate invasion of Pennsylvania in 1864. Afterward he enlisted
in the three months’ service for the Civil war and re-enlisted in Corn-
pany C. Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, for one year or during the
war, He served in all eleven months, and after being mustered out at
Nashville, Tennessee, he returned to the Pennsylvania college and took
a partial course, receiving the degree of B. S. Coming to Brazil in
1867, he began work as a mining engineer and helped his father to erect
the first furnace in the west. In 1868 he made a western trip, going as
far as southern Kansas and there enjoying the free life of a cow boy,
until he went on to Jacksboro, Texas, from whence he drove sixteen
head of cattle to where Coffeeville is now located, where they were bought
by York and Tileston, who had the government contract to provide food
for the Osage Indians. From there Mr. Bubb came east in the fall of
1869 as far as Springfield, Missouri, where he met Captain J. M. Johnson,
of the Seventh Cavalry, and with him went down the White river to
engage in the stock business. It was in 1871 that Mr. Bubb returned to
Brazil, but after a short time went again to Missouri, to Stone county,
where he contracted chills and fever and once more returned to Brazil.
For a time afterward he was the mining superintendent for the Gartsherrie
Coal & Mining Company, but received an injury while there which forced
him to engage in office work, and for seven years thereafter he served
in that capacity for the Vandalia Railroad Company. He then became
the bookkeeper for the Jackman Coal & Mining Company, and is now the
secretary for the Clay County Building & Loan Association. He served
as a member of the city council in 1894-5, and during his term of office
the first city water works was reconstructed and he was a member of
the committee on street and alleys. In 1895 he was appointed to serve an
unexpired term as mayor, and during his administration in this high
office the remodeling of the city water works was inaugurated and the
city buildings were purchased. E. S. Holliday, the present congressman,
was also a member of the council at that time.
    In December, 1871, Mr. Bubb married Millicent M. Plumb, who was
born in London, England, the daughter of William and Millicent (Mayo)
Plumb, both of whom were also born in the mother country, and they are
now living in Brazil, Indiana. They were married in London, and of
their nine children eight are now living: Mrs. Bubb; Rebecca, now Mrs.
Sheburne; Emma, now Mrs. Ahlemeyer; John; Charles; William; Nellie,
now Mrs. Platt, and Ralph. Mr. Plumb, the father, was a baker by trade
in London, and he made the voyage to this country in a sailing vessel
some time in the ‘50s, finally drifting west to Greene county, Indiana,
from whence after a short time he removed to Vigo county, Indiana, then
to Parke county, and then returned to England, spending about four
years in the land of his birth, when he then came again to this country
and to Indiana. He located in Clay county in 1868, He came to Brazil,
but left this city for Knightsville, returning later to Brazil. He is a
Democrat politically, and served one term each as a member of the city
council and as assessor. Of the three children born to Mr, and Mrs.
Bubb two are now living, and the elder is Harry W., who was first mar-
ried to Zetta Decker, a daughter of Jesse A. Decker, and they had three
children. After her death he married Edith Fuh, by whom he has one
child. The other child is Grace, now Mrs. Geo. F. Volt, of St. Louis, Mo.
One child died in infancy. Mr. Bubb gives his political support to the
Republican party, and fraternally is a member of the Knights of Pthias
and Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.