Rev. Alonzo Pruitt ^{2 3 4 5 6 7}

   FamilySearch ID: L7K3-QRV.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Census in 1870 in Ash Grove Township, Iroquois, IL. ⁸ The 1870 census recorded Daniel Pruitt, farmer, 35, living with wife Sarah A., 33; son Alonzo, 12; and daughter Viola, 3. The parents were born in Indiana and the children in Illinois. The post office was Ash Grove. Daniel's real estate was valued at $1000 and personal estate $240.

2. Residence: on 27 Nov 1890 in Little Sioux, Harrison, IA. ¹

3. Occupation: minister in Sep 1899 in Stuart, Guthrie, IA. ¹

4. Occupation: mayor on 30 Apr 1902 in Stuart, Guthrie, IA. ^{1 9} From the Northwester Christian Advocate dated 30 Apr 1902:

"Stuart is a striving town and has a thriving church. J. N. McCurdy is the well beloved pastor. The people are awake to every opportunity and with good leadership are marching on to victory. The pastor reports fifteen conversions. Stuart circuit lies about six miles from the railroad and consists of four appointments. This work requires a large amount of travel. Meetings have been held at the various points with quite a number of conversions. The pastor Alonzo Pruitt has been elected mayor of Stuart on a temperance ticket. The people prize his ministry and desire him for a fourth year's pastorate."

5. Residence: 2511 South Cedar St., Sioux City, IA in 1925 in Sioux City, Woodbury, IA. ¹

6. Residence: 2511 South Cedar St., Sioux City, IA on 28 Sep 1927 in Sioux City, Woodbury, IA. ²

7. Letter: From Rev. Alonzo Pruitt to sister Mrs. Will Widney, 25 Feb 1942, Smithland, Woodbury, IA. ⁶ Taken from an original letter "Biography and Personal History of Rev. Alonzo Pruitt." This letter is from A. Pruitt, Smithland, Iowa to Mrs. Will Widney, Shenandoah, Iowa 606 S. Center St., mailed Feb. 25, 1942.
(reproduced in book by Grace Widney Brown, see source note)

I was born in the little town of Milford, Ill., Iroquois County, June 22, 1858 of hardy pioneer stock. My grandfather John R. Pruitt was born in Virginia on July 5, 1804. Moved with the family to Kentucky. Here he grew to manhood. In 1820, moved to Indiana, Washington Co., seven years later to Tippecanoe county near now LaFayette. It was not yet founded. In 1825, he was united in marriage to Miss Barbara Beeker. It was near the Battleground of Tippecanoe and Tyler where most of the family were born. In 1856 with his family he came to Milford, Ill., Just a trading post and engaged in the mercantile business until his death May 31, 1858. To this union were born 7 boys and 4 girls. Lucretia, Simeon, James A., Daniel, William Henry Harrison, John B., Joseph, Randolph, Elizabeth, Jane, and Margaret. My Grandmother, Barbara Beeker, born in North Carolina, Oct. 17, 1809. Her grandfather served as a soldier under General George Washington in the Revolutionary War. One brother Lem Beeker served under General Tyler in the battle of Tippecanoe, Indiana. Daniel Pruitt, son of John R. and Barbara (Beeker) Pruitt born September 7, 1834. Daniel was my father. In the winter of 1872, at a Methodist revival held at the Harness school house 2 miles south of Milford, Illinois, was converted and became a powerful minister of the gospel of the old school and Theological type. My mother, Sarah Ann (Willson) Pruitt, born in Ohio, February 15, 1837 daughter of Eliza (Tatman) and John Wilson, her husband. Sarah Ann's father was killed in Ohio in the summer of 1840, while he was working in the field by the Indians. Daniel Pruitt and Sarah Ann Wilson were joined in marriage September 17, 1857. To this union were born 3 boys and 1 girl as follows: Alonzo; Viola; J. B. McPherson and Edward.
.

8. Letter: Life Sketch Written by Alonzo Pruitt, 25 Feb 1942, Smithland, Woodbury, IA. ¹ The following Historical and Biographical Sketch of Alonzo, born in Milford, Illinois June 22, 1858.

First school attended was the Mike Harness (usually known as the Pot hound school because of Mr. Harness having so many hounds.) In that day, books were scarce and Alonzo learned his ABC's that was printed on a paddle on account of the hard times at the close of the war and very limited means of his father, Alonzo never got farther than the 8th grade in school. His father was of a roving disposition in his early life. In 1871, was on his way to Mitchell County, Kansas, then a typical western plain buffalo, antelope and Indians plenty. Here he homesteaded. This was a sad move for Alonzo now at his formative period of life the sight buffalo and antelopes and Indians almost daily he was changed, and he changed with the spirit of the cowboy and the West. In 1872 his father moved back to Milford, Illinois. Here I attended the Milford High School 6 months of the year until February 1878.

When we moved again to Northwest Kansas, here again I was enthused with the old time western spirit and all that went with it. In 1880, I met Miss Josephine E. Renshaw, well educated, well refined, handsome and a lovable character. On September 17th, 1881, we were married in Beloit, Kansas by Rev. Graves, Pastor of the Methodist Church. It was through love and hard work Josie as I called her, gave me daily lessons out of our school books until I was able to teach school in Kansas. And on our coming to Iowa on Thanksgiving Day 1890 landing at Little Sioux, here she continued to teach me until I was able to obtain a first grade certificate. I taught school and farmed until I got my life's bearing. After the experience of a well grounded faith in the love and power of Jesus Christ and his gospel, on September, 1899 left his farm and entered the ministry, serving Stuart charge in the Council Bluffs district for four years. Was also Mayor of Stuart a term. In the fall of 1925, Alonzo bought a nice bungalow at 2511 South Cedar St. Morning Side, Sioux City. It was here on Sept. 28, 1927, at the Sioux City Methodist Hospital God kissed the sweet spirit of his wife Josie and took it home to be with him. Alonzo with all efforts together with his happy disposition never was the same afterwards. He began to go down in health.

In March 1931, Alonzo was again married to Mrs. Amis Parker, widow of Will Parker who was killed in the trenches of France of the first World War. Mrs. Parker was a graduate nurse, fine Alto singer, good homemaker and highly respected by all who knew her.

In the marriage of Alonzo and Miss Renshaw there were born the following children: One boy and three girls: Gertrude Elsie, Dwight L. Daniel, Sarah A., Ralph C. dying in infancy, Bernice Evalyn.

Gertrude Elsie on January 8, 1905 at Ames, Iowa married T. F. Adams. To this union were born Laurance, dying in infancy, Regenald G. Mildred, married Harold Entrican, children are Charlott and Marlys, Lillian, Robert, Regenald and wife have no children, Dwight L. Daniel on Nov. 14, 1907 married at Mantow, Iowa, Miss Edna Francis Gundar. She dying Sept. 26, 1923. He then married Miss Nellie Brakel. There were no children born of either marriage. Sarah Ann at Helena, Montana on June 12th 1918 married Herbert Grand: to this union were born twins, Ruth Alice and Herbert Jr. and Elizabeth.

Bernice Evalyn at Onawa, Iowa, June 14, 1924 married Roy B. Carmon. To this union were born two boys Jr. and Jack P.

Alonzo is now in his 84th year is like a note past due having lived out his allotted time and now abiding his time and is ready to go and be with his Heavenly Father and loved ones.

---- Notes regarding the above ----
Mrs. Grace (Widney) Brown states that her mother, Viola (Pruitt) Widney says, "There are errors in this sketch. John R. Pruitt was born in Kentucky (Indiana census bears this out in that his son Daniel gave his father's birthplace as Kentucky.)

Also marriage license of John R. Pruitt and Barbara Beeker shows they were married in 1827 instead of 1825. Also Indiana census states Sarah Wilson was born in Indiana and not Ohio and her father was not killed by the Indians, but died when she was three years of an old ailment, inflammation of the bowels.

9. Obituary: Sioux City Journal: obituary of Rev. Alonzo Pruitt on 16 Nov 1944 in Sioux City, Woodbury, IA. ¹⁰ ---
RETIRED PASTOR SUCCUMBS AT 86
---
Rev. Alonzo Pruitt Dies in Hospital Here -- Ill 2 Months
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Rev. Alonzo Pruitt, 86, of Smithland, la., a retired Methodist minister, died Wednesday in a hospital here, after a two month illness. Born June 2, 1858, at Milford, Ill., he attended school there. Mr. Pruitt located at Glen Elder, Kan., in 1880. He married Josephine Renshaw September 17, 1881, at Beloit, Kan. She died September 28, 1927. Rev. Mr. Pruitt moved to Little Sioux, la., in 1890, and entered the Methodist ministry in 1895 being assigned to the Des Moines conference. He entered the Northwest Iowa conference 36 years ago.
During his ministry he held pastorates at Smithland, Holstein, Titonic, Sloan, Larrabee and Armstrong, la. He completed his ministry at Smithland 16 years ago and retired. At Smithland March 4, 1931, he married Amis Parker. Smithland had been his residence for 17 years.
He was a member of Irwin lodge. A. F. & A. M.; Sioux City Consistory 5; the I. O. O. F. lodge of Rodney, la.; Daughters of Rebekahs of Rodney, and the Order of Eastern Star at Stuart, la.
Survivors are the widow; a son Dwight of Muscatine, la.; three daughters, Mrs. I. F. Adams of Des Moines, Mrs. H. P. Grant of Salem, Ore., and Mrs. R. B. Cannon of Sioux City; two brothers, Rev. Edward Pruitt and Mack Pruitt, both of Des Moines; a sister, Mrs. Will Widney of Shenandoah, la.; three stepsons, Pvt. Milburn Parker in the army, Basil Parker of Smithland, and Pvt. Ronald Parker in the army; a stepdaughter, Mrs. Audrey Evans of Los Angeles, nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p. m. Saturday in the W. Harry Christy chapel at Morningside. Rev. A. J. Barcley of the Smithland Methodist church officiating. Burial will be in Graceland Park cemetery.

Alonzo married Josephine Elisabeth Renshaw on 17 Sep 1881 in Beloit, Mitchell, KS.^{1 2} (Josephine Elisabeth Renshaw was born on 6 Mar 1860 in Geneseo, Henry, IL,^{2 11} died on 28 Sep 1927 in Sioux City, Woodbury, IA ^{1 11} and was buried on 30 Sep 1927 in Sioux City: Graceland Park Cemetery, Woodbury, IA ¹¹.)

Alonzo next married Amis Harris on 4 Mar 1931 in , , IA.^{1 3} (Amis Harris was born on 17 Jan 1880 in Smithland, Woodbury, IA,^{3 12} died on 23 Jan 1959 in Lynwood, Los Angeles, CA ^{3 12} and was buried on 28 Jan 1959 in Smithland, Woodbury, IA ¹².)