- GEORGE HENRY PENGRA, residing on his fine farm about four
miles north of Juda, Green
- county, is a son of the late George S. and Maria (WALTZ)
PENGRA. The history of the family in America antedates the Revolution,
the PENGRA brothers coming to the Colonies at an early date.
- The father of our subject was born in the town of Darien,
Genesee Co., N.Y., April 12, 1821, and
- died July 1, 1890. He was of Welsh and English descent, being
a son of Moses and Sarah (JOHNS) PENGRA, the latter a native
of Wales, coming to this country when two years old. Moses PENGRA
was a native of Vermont. His father, Marshall PENGRA, came to
the colonies in the early part of the eighteenth century, and
settled in Massachusetts. Moses PENGRA, grandfather of George
H., was born Jan. 11, 1799, and married Sarah JOHNS, March 25,
1818. To them were born the following children: Marshall; George
S., Bynon [Byron?] J., of Crook county, Oregon; Honor E., the
widow of Benjamin HERRING, of Iowa; William, who died in Oregon;
and Elisiph, who died in childhood.
- George S. PENGRA, whose name occurs above, was married in
1848 to Maria WALTZ. She
- was born Nov. 10, 1827, and came of Dutch, Scottish and Irish
ancestry through her parents, Alpheus and Jane (FERGUSON) WALTZ,
of New York. Peter WALTZ, her grandfather, who was a soldier
in the war of the Revolution, came to the Colonies from Holland
when a boy. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. PENGRA came directly
to Wisconsin, to settle in Green county. To them came the following
children: Wallace A., born Oct. 17, 1851, is a farmer in the
town of Sylvester; George H. is our subject proper; William S.,
born May 26, 1856, died unmarried in 1881 in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
- George H. PENGRA was born Dec. 23, 1853, and married Oct.
5, 1876, Miss Anna M., a
- daughter of William F. and Catherine (GILSON) JOHNSON, a
prominent family in the town of Sylvester. To this union one
child has come, Stella May, born Aug. 22, 1883.
- Mr. PENGRA was reared on his father's farm, and obtained
his education in the district school.
- When twenty years old he began teaching in the public schools,
and followed that profession for eight years, teaching in the
winter and farming in the summer. Mr. PENGRA is a thorough farmer,
and has a farm of 360 acres, in which his brother W. A. holds
a half interest, with fine buildings and ample improvements.
He is regarded as one of the substantial citizens of Green county,
a man of character and standing, straightforward, and has a multitude
of friends.
- Mr. PENGRA was reared a Republican, but holds to Prohibition
principles. He served as town
- clerk for three years, is the present chairman of the town,
and has also been school director for sixteen years. In religion
Mr. PENGRA holds that he who lives up to the Golden Rule, "Do
unto others as you would that they should do unto you,"
has all the religion that any one can have or need have. And
on this belief he is willing to rest the future with Him who
knew neither denomination nor creed.
-
- Taken from "Commemorative Biographical Record of
the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin,"
(c)1901 Union Publishing; pp. 733-734.
-
- Courtesy of Carol.
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