WILLIAM SANDERS SPROATT
One of the highly esteemed pioneer business men of
Corydon was the late William Sanders Sproatt, who passed away
on the 29th of March, 1909. He was a native of
Indiana, his birth having occurred at Carlyle, Sullivan
county, that state, on the 22d of May, 1846, and was a son of
John and Eliza (Minnich) Sproatt. The father was born in Pennsylvania, but
in early life he removed to Indiana, where he acquired some
land and engaged in farming.
There he met and married Miss Minnich, a native of
Tennessee, when she removed with her parents to Indiana, soon
after that state was admitted to the Union. Both parents are
now deceased, the mother’s death having occurred in 1905. To them were born
sixteen children, of whom our subject was the only one to
leave home.
William Sanders Sproatt passed his boyhood and youth in
very much the same manner as other lads who were reared in the
rural sections of Indiana during the pioneer days. He obtained his
education in the district schools, and while there engaged in
the mastery of the common branches assisted his father with
the cultivation of the fields and the care of the stock. Long before he had
attained his majority he was thoroughly familiar with the
duties of the agriculturist, which vocation he followed during
the early years of his manhood.
When he was twenty-five he left home and joining a
family by the name of Ledgerwoods came to Iowa. They made the
journey in a covered wagon and upon their arrival in the state
located in the vicinity of Leon. Mr. Sproatt later came to Corydon and
took a position in the drug store of Dr. Chester, whom he
bought out. He
continued to conduct this enterprise with a fair measure of
success until about three years prior to his death, when owing
to the condition of his health he disposed of his store and
lived retired. He
was widely known throughout this section of the state, having
been identified with the business interests of Corydon longer
than any other resident of the town at the time of his
retirement.
In this city on the 21st of March, 1877, Mr.
Sproatt was married to Miss Belle B. Bridge, a daughter of
Mrs. P. W. Miles, and a native of Marion county, Ohio. Her father, William
Bridge, was a member of an Ohio regiment during the Civil war
and died at the front. His
widow subsequently married William Miles, the family later
removing to Corydon. To
Mr. and Mrs. Sproatt there were born two children, Bertha, who
married C. L. Clark, of Corydon; and John F., who is with the
Iowa Engineering Company and travels over the entire country. Mrs. Sproatt owns a
very attractive modern residence, which she erected in 1910,
and takes an active interest in the social life of the
community.
Fraternally Mr. Sproatt was affiliated with the Masonic order, in which he had attained high rank, being a member of the Davenport Shrine. His political support he gave to the democratic party, and although he took an active interest in local affairs he would never accept an office. Mr. Sproatt was highly respected as a private citizen because of the active cooperation he extended to all worthy enterprises and movement designed to promote the welfare of the community, and as a business man because of his honorable and upright manner in which he conducted his transactions. His death was deeply mourned by his fellow townsmen among whom he numbered many stanch friends of long years standing, who accorded him the respect and esteem ever extended to men of integrity and good principles.