Pritchard, William

PRITCHARD, WARANOOK, BOYD, LAMONT, MCCOLLOUGH, WALKER

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 8/15/2009 at 07:00:34

William Pritchard, President of the Mitchellville Savings Bank, and for many years a successful farmer of Washington Township, Jasper County, furnishes in his life an example well worthy of the emulation of the young and the admiration of the old. A penniless lad of thirteen when he came to America, his early experiences were of such a nature as to discourage a boy less determined and energetic than he. For three years (1852-53-54) he was employed as porter or errand boy in a Philadelphia store, receiving $1 per week in return for his services. Humble as was his position, he was faithful to every duty, and gradually, by force of ability and energy, worked his way upward until he became foreman in the grocery store of Robert J. Black, on Eighteenth and Chestnut Streets, Philadelphia.

On September 26, 1836, William Pritchard was born in County Down, the North of Ireland. His father, Henry, a native of County Down, emigrated to America, and in May 1865,located in Henry County, IL, where he settled upon an eighty-acre farm in the vicinity of Atkinson. There he continued to reside until his death, which occurred in 1885, at the age of about seventy. His first wife, whose maiden name was Mary Waranook, was a native of County Down, Ireland, and died there when our subject was seven years old. After ward Henry Pritchard married Miss Mary Boyd, who bore him three sons and three daughters, all living, as follows; Alexander L., Robert L., Hugh W., Alice, the wife of John Pritchard of Ireland; Mary Jane, who married Jesse Lamont, of Geneseo, IL, and Sarah, wife of Samuel McCollough, a resident of Marina, Iowa. Our subject is the eldest of the four children of his father's first marriage, the others being James J., Samuel and Henry.

As above stated, William Pritchard was employed as a clerk in Philadelphia for some time after immigrating to America, his clerkship covering a period of seven years. In 1858 he removed to Illinois and engaged in farming in Henry County. Prior to leaving Philadelphia he was there married, October 28, 1857, to Miss Ellen, daughter of Joseph Walker, both natives of County Down, Ireland. Mrs. Pritchard is the second of five children, and immigrated to the United States about 1854, locating in Philadelphia, where she remained until her marriage.

After operating as a renter for a number of years, our subject removed in 1865 to the vicinity of Atkinson, Henry County, IL, where he purchased eighty acres and engaged in tilling the soil. He added to his landed possessions from time to time until, when he disposed of his property there in 1880, he had accumulated five hundred and sixty acres of valuable land. He came to Jasper County in 1880 and located on the farm where he has since resided. His landed possessions in this county aggregate nine hundred and fourteen acres, upon which he has conducted general agricultural pursuits. As a stock-raiser he has met with especial success, and has made extensive shipments to Chicago. Since his election to the Presidency of the Mitchellville Savings Bank, he has purchased property in that city and now resides there.

While not actively interested in political affairs, Mr. Pritchard maintains a deep interest in everything calculated to promote the best interests of the county, and is a loyal, public-spirited citizen. As a Republican, he has been elected to various positions of trust and honor in his township, and during his incumbency of the office of Road Supervisor was instrumental in securing many needed improvements in his community. In his religious connections he and his wife are identified with the Congregational Church at Mitchellville, and he is one of its trustees. He and his wife and their daughter, Sarah J., are highly esteemed in the social circles of the corn in unity, and arc prominent in religious and benevolent projects. Portrait and Biographical Record, Jasper, Marshall and Grundy Counties, IA Page 238.