Who is Mr. Vincent Pendergast from Gap Creek: A Novel and what is their importance?

Mr. Vincent Pendergast owns the house on Gap Creek that Hank and Julie rent after their marriage. Mr. Pendergast is described as having a huge head of gray hair, squinty eyes, and a somewhat perverse sense of humor. He is a demanding, crotchety old man whose sole purpose in life seems to be making Julie's miserable. Not only is Mr. Pendergast unbearable to live with, he's also tight with his money. During the house fire, he risks his life to run inside and save his money. He is terribly burned in the process and dies from his injuries.