PUFFER, Henry Elmer

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• _COLOR: 11
• Residence: 1860, Lisle, IL

Notes:

Was at one time a manufacturer of electrical instruments in Philadelphia, PA; later at Chicago, now agent of the Maxwell Automobile Co. (1915).

He was badly injured in 1912 when the car in which he was riding collided with an Illinois Central train. His son, Robert, was killed along with his son's wife.

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GRID=16731711

Henry married HASKINS, Mary Adelaide on 9 Aug 1875 in Cook County, IL. Mary (daughter of HASKINS, Ira and CHATHAM, Mary) was born on 1 Apr 1854 in Canada; died on 18 Aug 1920 in Chicago, IL; was buried on 20 Aug 1920 in Downers Grove, IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. PUFFER, Alice Lucile was born on 27 Oct 1876 in PA; died on 12 Nov 1957 in Victoria, Capital Regional District, British Columbia, Canada; was cremated in Nov 1957 in Victoria, Capital Regional District, British Columbia, Canada.
2. PUFFER, Edwin Wilson was born on 17 Jan 1881 in Chicago, IL; died on 9 Aug 1948 in Chicago, IL; was buried in Skokie, IL.
3. PUFFER, Robert Elmer was born on 31 Dec 1883 in Donners Grove, IL; died on 29 Apr 1912 in Chicago, IL; was buried on 2 May 1912 in Downers Grove, IL.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Ref#: 157
• _COLOR: 11
• Birth: 1825, NY
• Residence: 1 Jun 1840, Du Page, IL
• Residence: 4 Sep 1850, Downers Grove, IL
• Residence: 1855, Naperville, IL
• Residence: 24 Jun 1860, Lisle, IL
• Residence: 1862, DuPage County, IL
• Residence: Jun 1863, IL
• Residence: 3 Jun 1870, Lisle, IL

Notes:

He was a farmer at Downers Grove, IL. He was well educated, one of the best informed men of his day. He was a typical representative of the pioneer stock from New England, the kind that never knew defeat.

A Civil War Veteran, Pvt., Co. D., 105th Illinois Inf. Regt.

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GRID=16355875

Reuben married KENYON, Rozella Sandusky on 18 Oct 1843. Rozella (daughter of KENYON, Esquire James and WILKINSON, Hannah) was born on 10 Apr 1822 in Petersburg, NY; died on 19 Dec 1914 in Downers Grove, IL; was buried in 1914 in Downers Grove, IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 11
• Residence: 4 Sep 1850, Downers Grove, IL; Puffer Farm
• Residence: 24 Jun 1860, Lisle, IL; Puffer Farm
• Residence: 3 Jun 1870, Lisle, IL; Puffer Farm
• Residence: 15 Jun 1880, Lisle, IL; Puffer Farm
• Residence: 19 Jun 1900, Lisle, IL; Puffer Farm
• Residence: 28 Apr 1910, Lisle, IL; Puffer Farm

Notes:

Her father died when she was very young and she was adopted by an uncle, David Loring, who came to IL when she was very young. She had a brother George and an Uncle Russell Potter, an Englishman, who married Elizabeth Barry. Mrs. Puffer "was to the day of her death a blessing and a benediction to all who came in contact with her. She passed through great trials and hardships in war times with her large family and sick husband and her two eldest sons in the army, by she came out of it all the same sunny, devoted Christian she has always been, never too tired or busy to go to a friend or neighbor night or day if they needed her. They had the true pioneer spirit and our home was a shelter and refuge for all who needed their help. And they believed in 'freely have you received, freely give.' They were rich only in love and kindness and a big farm that was home to all."

A local newspaper said of her:
"Perhaps no figure in the community was better known or better loved than this beautiful woman whose whole life was one of utter unselfishness and devotion to the interests of those about her. A devout Christian and an old-fashioned mother, who believed that woman's place was in the home, and yet with a vision so broad that she could find good in all things and interest in all people. Her sympathy and love went to every one who needed her assistance and nothing that she could give or do was ever withheld. Such a personality cannot but leave its imprint upon those who knew her, and her spirit like a fragrance will remain to bless and hallow every corner of the old homestead that saw the growth and beauty of her character develop as the years rolled by."

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GRID=16365361

Other Events and Attributes:

• Ref#: 86
• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

He was a clothier by trade, and lived at Farnumsville, MA before going t o IL. He deeded land at Charlton (City), MA., April 12, 1830, to G eorge W. Marsh (W.D. 291-369).

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GRID=48124190

Henry married WILSON, Lusanna on 4 Oct 1814 in Belchertown, MA. Lusanna was born on 26 Sep 1791 in Belchertown, MA; died on 7 Jul 1866 in Downers Grove, IL; was buried in DuPage County, IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• _COLOR: 11
• Residence: 1860, Lisle, IL

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GRID=48124209

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• _COLOR: 8

James married WILKINSON, Hannah. Hannah was born in CA 1782 in Yorkshire, England; died in NY. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• Ref#: 36
• _COLOR: 11
• Ordained: 26 Sep 1781, Berlin, MA

Notes:

Graduated from Harvard College in 1778. In 1810 he received from Harvard the honorary degree of D.D. He was ordained in Berlin, November 26, 1781, the first minister, and continued pastor of the Congregational church there to the end of this life. He was a very useful and able minister. He delivered the Dudleian lecture at Harvard College, May 11, 1808, and preached a sermon at the annual convention of Congregational ministers at Boston May 30, 1811. Both of these sermons were published in pamphlets.

Rev. Dr. Puffer spoke at the inauguration of John Adams  to Massachusetts State Senate.


The late Rev. Dr. Allen of Northboro in an article in the Boston Advertiser gives the following incident among his Cambridge reminiscences of 1810.

"Quite a sensation was occasioned in June of this year by the delivery of the Dudleian lecture by a country minister, with whom many years afterwards I had pleasant intercourse as a neighbor and friend, Rev. Reuben Puffer, afterwards D.D., of Berlin. He had previously delivered the election sermon in Boston which first introduced him to notice, and probably led to his appointment as lecturer. We were given to understand that he was a poor country minister, with small salary and a large family, and our expectations on entering the Chapel and seeing an ordinary-looking man in the pulpit were not raised to a high pitch. But we were disappointed and we listened to the discourse with intense interest from first to last.

His text was "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith to him, come and see." And so we found that a very sensible, rational, eloquent discourse could come from the minister of the obscure little town of Berlin. The result was that a meeting of the Students was called, a Committee chosen to request a copy for the press, and the profits of the pamphlet, amounting to about one hundred dollars, was given to the poor country minister."

Rev. Dr. Puffer left a large estate for his day. He made special bequests of Scott's Family Bible, Brown's Dictionary of the Bible, Burder's Village Sermons; Cowper's Poems; Newton's Letters; Memoirs of Mrs. Ramsay and some of his manuscripts. He had a large library. He gave his watch to his son Oliver and his clock to his son Henry; a gold necklace of his deceased daughter Sarah to his granddaughter Sarah Puffer Fay. Edward Baker was executor. His will was dated Sept. 3, 1828.

The widow Phebe Puffer remembered each of her husband's children in her will, which was dated March, 1851, and allowed February 5, 1856. She gave to Phebe Goodnow, granddaughter of her husband, her gold necklace. She gave Scott's Family Bible to Oliver Puffer; Barley's English Dictionary to Thomas Stone's wife; $30 each to her own sons, Truman, Freeman and William Stowe. Among other legacies to her granddaughters, Eugenia Stowe Gilbert and Phebe Morse Stowe, daughter of Truman Stowe, was "a large chest with one drawer" that "came from her ancestors," also wearing apparel, household goods, desk, papers, etc.

He married, first, Feb 9, 1779 or 1780 at Stow, Hannah Perry, who was born Sept 21, 1760, died Jan. 5, 1812.

He married, second, in 1814, Phebe (Morse) Stowe of Marlborough, daughter of William and Phebe Morse. By her first husband Truman Stowe, she had children William, Truman, Freeman and Eugenia Stowe. Eugenia Stowe married September 28, 1828, Rev. Lyman Gilbert of West Newton. Phebe died Jan. 12, 156, aged 84 y. 28 d.

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GRID=75461258

Reuben married PERRY, Hannah on 9 Feb 1779 in Stow, MA. Hannah (daughter of PERRY, Obadiah and KIMBALL, Elizabeth) was born on 21 Sep 1760 in Berlin, MA; died on 5 Jan 1812 in Berlin, MA; was buried in Berlin, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• _COLOR: 11

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GRID=75462210