John Sherman PRITCHARD

PRITCHARD, BLOOM, MCGREGOR, WOODWARD

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 8/19/2007 at 19:12:47

John Sherman Pritchard
[Born: 6 May 1847, Pittsfield, Washtenaw Co, Michigan
Died: 31 OCT 1933 in Los Angeles, California
Parents: Philo A. Pritchard and Eliza (Woodward) Pritchard]

The Belmond Independent
November 9, 1933

Last week Belmond friends were surprised to learn that J. S. Pritchard had suddenly passed away at his home in Los Angeles, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 31. Mr. Pritchard visited here last July and seemed to be enjoying good health although he was 86 years old. His body was brought to Belmond and a Masonic service was held at the cemetery here Saturday afternoon. Ed Pritchard of Alden, a nephew of the deceased, gave the Masonic work.

J. S. Pritchard was born May 6, 1847, in Washtenaw County, Michigan. He came to Belmond in 1856. On January 1, 1864, he enlisted in Company F, Second Regiment, Iowa Cavalry. He was then just 16 years of age and he served until the close of the war, was mustered out on Oct. 25, 1865, in Selma, Ala. In 1877 Mr. Pritchard purchased his first piece of land in Wright County. He was married December 5, 1869, to Florine Bloom and four children were born to them: Robert H., Walter S. , Laura and Irving. Mrs. Pritchard died on April 9, 1914, and only one of the children survives, Walter of Garner, Iowa. Robert died in June of this year, Irving died in 1900, and Laura (Mrs. Alex McGregor) died five years ago.

For many years Mr. Pritchard was engaged in livestock buying. He was active in public affairs as well as in private life, and in 1898 was elected county supervisor, a position he held six years. In 1901 he was elected representative to the state legislature, and served six years, during which time he was chairman of the committee on agriculture for four years. Mr. Pritchard was the last of the Belmond G. A. R. He was a charter member of Whited Post No. 247. He was a 32nd degree Mason and a Shriner. When seventeen years old he voted for Abraham Lincoln, his being a soldier permitting him to vote at that age. About eighteen years ago Mr. Pritchard went to Los Angeles, Calif., to live and a few years ago he was married to a lady of that city, who survives him.