Ira Puffer
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Ira enlisted at Kalamazoo, Michigan, at age 18 for 3 years service on August 11, 1864. He reached the Regiment at Atlanta, Georgia, on September 5, 1864. Transferred to Company G, 10th Michigan Infantry on June 10, 1865. Mustered out at Louisville, Kentucky, on July 19, 1865.Narrative by June Beckwith Ira Puffer was born April 27th, 1846 in Seneca, Ontario Co. NY, the oldest child of Solomon and Clarissa Caroline (Lown) Puffer, (Ira John Puffer, Dr. Timothy , Timothy, William, Richard, James, George). He grew up with 3 other siblings, Mary, Solomon Jr. and Hiram B. Puffer. Around 1854, Ira and his family along with his Uncle Charles and his family set out on the journey west to reunite with Aunts who had previously gone before with their families. Ira's father settled in Lagrange Co. IN where his Aunt Arvilla (Puffer) Nelson had settled with her family.
Here is where it is believed his mother died around 1860. Ira's Uncle Charles eventually went on to settle for a bit in St. Joseph Co. MI. Around 1861/62 Ira's father moved him and his siblings to St. Joseph Co., MI where in 1863 his father married his stepmother, Mercy Pease.
Ira at the age of 19 enlisted in the Michigan Volunteers as a Pvt, serving in both, Co. G, 10th Infantry and Co. K, 19th Infantry. He was mustered out in Louisville, KY. On July 24th, 1877 he married Zilpha Jane Bowdish. In 1881 he removed to Muskegon Co. where he lived until 1891 when he settled in Elbridge, Oceana Co., MI.
On November 7th, 1891 he married his 2nd wife, Clarissa Elizabeth Miller, the daughter of Wales Newton, and Angeline (Dunham) Miller. The Dunham's were direct descendants of Matthew Mayhew, founder of Martha's Vineyard, of Dukes Co. MA.
Ira and 'Libby" had children, Mary Augustus, Angeline, Irving Charles, Ira C. Mina, and Floyd Hiram. After their older children were raised they moved to the city of Hart, Oceana Co. MI. where Ira died a man of good character and warm heart on January, 26th, 1920. He is laid to rest beside his beloved Libby sect. A, block 45, Lot 3, Space 1, in the Hart Cemetery in Hart, Oceana co., MI.
Ira's youngest brother, Hiram started the first school on Muskegon Twp, first called 'Hiram's School" than "Puffer School" and today called 'Reeths-Puffer School", after the 2 schools merged in 1934. Ira's mother-in-law, Angeline was the 1st rural teacher in Oceana Co. The Puffer's of Muskegon, Oceana and Newaygo Co. Michigan all descended from Ira. Ira's Uncle Charles Puffer also enlisted in the MI Volunteers.
e-mail: beckpuff54@aol.com
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22 December 2002