Joseph Austin Pruitt ^{1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13}

   FamilySearch ID: KJ8X-CPZ.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Census in 1850 in Jefferson Township, Carroll, IN. ¹⁵ The 1850 census recorded John Pruett, farmer, 45, born in Kentucky, living with his family all born in Indiana: wife Barbara, 41; Allen, 17; Daniel, 14; William H., 12; John B. 10; Elizabeth, 8; Joseph, 6; Randolph, 3; and Jane, 1. John's real estate was valued at $1500.
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2. Joseph appeared in the household of Samuel Beeker in a census in 1860 in Tippecanoe Township, Tippecanoe, IN. ^{16 16} The 1860 census recorded Samuel Beeker, farmer, 34, living with wife Hannah, 18; Mary D., 3; and Eldora, 9 months. Also in the home is farm hand Joseph Pruett, 17. Everyone was born in Indiana except Hannah in Ohio. Samuel's real estate was valued at $3850 and personal estate $395. Two households later is William Beeker, 29, living with wife Elizabeth, 27; Joseph, 3; Lovinas, 2; and Lorsena, 7 months. Also in the home is farm hand John B. Pruett, 21. Oddly, William has no real estate value, but John Pruett has $6260 with a personal estate worth $1395, suggesting he owned the land. On the same page is his mother, widow Barbara Pruitt, 53, living with her children Randolph, 14; Jane, 11, and Margaret 9. Barbara is nee Beeker, the sister of Samuel and William. Everyone was born in Indiana. The post office was Battle Ground.

3. Military from 10 May 1864 to 29 Sep 1864 in Wellington, Iroquois, IL: Civil War: Private Co. E. 135th Indiana Infantry. ⁵

4. Census in 1870 in Lovejoy Township, Iroquois, IL. ¹⁷ The 1870 census recorded Joseph Pruett, farmer, 27, living with wife Augusta, 27; Charles, 3; Dolly, 2; and William, 1. [NOTE: William as recorded by census taker should have been Hiram.] Joseph was born in Indiana, Augusta in Michigan, and their children in Illinois. Joseph's farm was valued at $2050 and personal estate $650. The post office was Milford.

5. Census in 1880 in Lovejoy Township, Iroquois, IL. ¹⁸ The 1880 census recorded Joseph Pruitt, farmer, 36, living with wife Augusta, 36; son Chas., farming, 13; daughter Dolly, 12; son Hirum, 10; son Frank, 9; daughters Kitty, 6, and Nelly, 1. Joseph was born in Indiana, his father in Kentucky and mother in North Carolina. Augusta was born in Michigan and her parents in New York. Their children were born in Illinois.

6. Book: Portrait and Biographical Record of Iroqouis County, Illinois, 1893. ^{1 19}
JOSEPH PRUITT has for thirty-seven years been an honored and respected citizen of Iroquois County. He now resides on section 23, Lovejoy Township, and is recognized as one of the progressive and public-spirited citizens of the community. He was born in Tippecanoe County, Ind., on the 16th of March, 1843, and is the eighth in order of birth in a family of eleven children, born of the union of John R. and Barbara (Baker) Pruitt. His parents are mentioned more fully in the sketch of J. A. Pruitt, of Ash Grove Township, on another page of this work. Of their seven sons and four daughters, nine are yet living.

Our subject was a lad of twelve summers when he came to Iroquois County. He is largely a self-educated and self-made man. His advantages in youth were limited, except in the line of farm labor. His father purchased four hundred and eighty acres of raw land, and Joseph aided in its development and cultivation, transforming the tract into rich and fertile fields. His parents afterward met with reverses, and when he started out in life for himself he had no capital save a pair of willing hands and a strong determination to succeed. As a companion and helpmate on life's journey he chose Miss Augusta Hurd, their union being celebrated on the 25th of January, 1865. Mrs. Pruitt claims Michigan as the State of her nativity. She was born January 26, 1843, and when ten years of age came to Illinois. She has three brothers and a sister yet living, who are mentioned in the sketch of A. P. Hurd, on another page of this work.

During the late war, Mr. Pruitt responded to the country's call for troops and joined the boys in blue of Company E, One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Indiana Infantry. under Capt. W. D. Lee and Col. Billy Wilson. He enlisted in May, 1864, and was mustered into the United States service at Indianapolis, whence he was sent to Nashville, Tenn., and on to Bridgeport, Ala., to re-enforce the troops at that place. He was mostly on guard and detail duty. Subsequently, the command was sent back to Nashville, Tenn., to intercept Gen. Forrest and in that city remained until after the close of the war.

Mr. Pruitt was mustered out October 16, 1865. He was never in guard-house or hospital, and was never taken prisoner, but was always found at his post, faithfully discharging his duties. All honor is due to the boys in blue, who preserved the Union, and valiantly defended the Old Flag, which now floats so proudly over the United Nation.

When the war was over, Mr. Pruitt returned to his home, and resumed his farming operations, which he has since followed. His landed possessions, comprising five hundred and sixty acres, pay to him a golden tribute in return for his care and labor. All the improvements of a model farm are there found, and their comfortable and commodious residence is pleasantly and conveniently situated about a mile and a-quarter from Wellington. The home has been blessed by the presence of five sons and three daughters: Charles L., who was educated in Wellington, Milford and in the Onarga Business College, from which he graduated, now resides in Lovejoy Township; Dolly is the wife of Dr. A. L. Brobeck, a rising young physician and surgeon, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work; Hiram Dodge, Frank, Kittie, Nellie, Jodie and Allie are still under the parental roof.

Probably no man in the community has done more for the public schools than Mr. Pruitt. The schools indeed find in him a warm friend, and for thirteen year's he has been connected with the Board of Education of Wellington. He believes in securing good schools by hiring competent teachers. For a number of years he served as President of the Board, and the officers at this writing are: W. M. Prillaman, President; Alex Pate, Clerk; and Joseph Pruitt, Director. There are three departments in the school under E. J. Blake, Principal; Miss Maude Tomlinson, who has charge of the intermediate department, and Miss Mollie E. Shean; who is in charge of the primary. Mr. Pruitt also gives his support to every enterprise calculated to prove of public benefit, or advance the interests of the community, and is regarded as one of the valued and representative citizens of Lovejoy Township.

7. Occupation: farmer in 1893 in Wellington, Iroquois, IL. ²⁰

8. Census in 1900 in Wellington, Iroquois, IL. ²¹ The 1900 cesnsu recorded owning a farm: Joseph Pruitt, farmer, 57, born Mar 1843, living with wife Augustis, 57, Jul 1843; Nellia, 20, Sep 1880; Joseph, 19, Feb 1881; and Albert, 16, Mar 1884. The census columns record the parents were married for 34 years and she had birthed 8 children, all alive in 1900. Joseph was born in Indiana, his father in Kentucky and mother in North Carolina. Augustis was born in Michigan and her parents in New York. The children were born in Illinois. Next door is Joseph's son Hiram Pruitt, single, farmer, 28, born Aug 1871 in Illinois.

9. Fact: A page-by-page inspection of the 1910 census in Lovejoy, Iroquois, Illinois shows Jseoph Pruitt was not recorded here., 1910, Lovejoy Township, Iroquois, IL.

10. Census in 1920 in Saint Petersburg, Pinellas, FL. ²² The 1920 census recorded Joseph Pruitt, widowed, 76, and his daughter, Dollie Bobeck [sic], married, 51, as lodgers in the household of L. Sugat Stanton, 61, and his wife Florence, 55. Joseph was born in Indiana, and Dollie and Florence in Illinois. Stanton was born in Mississippi.

11. Census in 1930 in Wellington, Iroquois, IL. ²³ The 1930 census recorded owning a $5000 home: John Lockhart, retired farmer, 60, living with wife Cathern [sic], 56, and father-in-law Joseph Pruett, retired farmer, 87. Cathern was born in Illinois, her father in Indiana, and mother in Michigan. Joseph was born in New Jersey, his father in New York and mother in England [obviously all incorrect.] John was born in Illinois and his parents in Northern Ireland.

Joseph married Augusta Lydia Hurd, daughter of Allen D. Hurd and Hannah A. Hooper, on 25 Jan 1865.¹ (Augusta Lydia Hurd was born on 26 Jan 1842 in Franklin Township, Lenawee, MI,^{1 24} died on 27 Oct 1904 ^{3 24} and was buried in Lovejoy Township: Floral Hill Cemetery, Iroquois, IL ²⁴.)