Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 750
JOSEPH A. PRITCHARD

Joseph A. PRITCHARD, an extensive farmer of Cass Township, living on section 36, one half mile west of the Shelby County line, came to Harrison County in the spring of 1877, in company with his brother. They rented a house in Dunlap, and spent the first part of the season in looking up a location. They went into Nebraska but found nothing to compare with the land found here. Consequently our subject purchased two hundred and forty acres of wild land, constituting his present farm. Not having any means, he purchased this land on time, agreeing to improve the same, which he did by breaking sixty acres and building a one story and a half house, 18x2 feet. The following spring he went to the place and commenced to keep house for himself and a hired man, each having a team. The first crop was divided between oats and wheat, and eighty acres more were broken, and a two barbed wire fence was strung around the farm. The territory in which he bought being purely a prairie country, our subject very wisely planted out an artificial grove and a small orchard the first year he owned the place. To the passer-by there are unmistakable evidences of thrift and prosperity about this well improved farm home.

Our subject was born in Canada, February 16, 1847, and is a son of Joseph and Rosannah (CAMPBELL) PRITCHARD. The father was born in Ireland and the mother in Canada, and they reared a family of nine children our subject being the fifth. The following are their names: Jane, deceased; Thomas, Judith, James, Joseph A., Sara M., John H., Samuel J., and William C.

When twelve years of age, our subject removed with his parents to Clinton County, Iowa, where he bought a farm in the spring of 1861. Our subject remained at home until twenty years of age, and for his faithfulness his father gave him a horse, team and $1000 worth of land consisting of forty acres, with an encumbrance of $500 upon it. He also bought forty acres adjoining and farmed until 1871, keeping bachelor's hall. But becoming weary of the routine of single blessedness, he consequently took for a life companion Harriet B. MULLER, the daughter William and Charlotte MULLER, the father being a native of Denmark, and the mother of England. The event of this marriage occurred in November 1866, at the little town of Camanche, Clinton County, Iowa. With no foolish bridal tour, this worthy couple at once commenced housekeeping, Mr. PRITCHARD having made everything in readiness in the way of furnishing his house before his marriage. Three years passed by, when suddenly our subject's domestic relations were shrouded in the pall of darkness by the death of his wife.

In the gloom of his affliction, our subject finally traded for a farm in Tama County, and took a trip to Oregon, going by the way of San Francisco; He stopped at Salem about ten months and from there went to Wall-Wall Valley, Wash. Where he engaged to drive cattle back to Laramie City, Wyo., during which trip, that lasted seven months, he never ate a meal of victuals or slept in a house. He arrived at Laramie City early in October, 1876, and from there returned to Clinton County, Iowa, where he remained until the following spring, and then came to this county.

Mr. PRITCHARD was again married at Logan, March 15, 1878, to Esther E. LAWTON, the daughter of Casper and Emily L. LAWTON, who was the third child of a family of seven children, named as follows: Julia, Charley, Esther, Harriet, Marteena, Myrtie, and Albert G.

Politically, Mr. PRITCHARD is a supporter of the Republican party, and, in religious matters is a Methodist.

Our subject's father is now a resident of Ida Grove, Ida County, Iowa, and celebrated his golden wedding February 11, 1891, and walks erect without the use of a cane.

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