Bio of Jessie Effie Pugh 1882 - 1944

Jessie Hephzibah (Effie) Pugh was born on 3 October 1882 at Freeth St, Birmingham, the daughter of Christopher Thomas Pugh and Mary Ann Bateman.  Census records in 1891 and 1901 show her living with her mother in rooms over offices, etc., where her mother worked as a servant.  In 1891 Jessie was recorded as a scholar.  By 1901 the 19 year old Jessie was working as a biscuit decorator.  In 1904 she married William Henry Darby, and in 1907 she followed him to Chicago, where the couple settled in Chicago close to Jessie’s sister Polly and brother Christopher.

After the birth of three children, the family moved to Fort William, Ontario, where they lived until 1914, when Jessie returned to Birmingham with her children to visit the family they had left behind.  War broke out during the visit, and William Henry Darby joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force to fight in World War 1.  Following the death of William at Ypres, Jessie continued to live in Birmingham, until her death on 16 September 1944.

Jessie's children were:

William Henry Darby born Birmingham 1 May 1905 died Birmingham 28 May 1905
Jessie Violet Darby born Chicago 17 Feb 1908 died Morecambe 2 Feb 1988
Dorothy Nettie Darby born Chicago 17 Jan 1910 died Lancaster 8 Feb 1988
Norman James Darby born Chicago 9 Apr 1912 died Sunderland 9 May 1990