Sarah Thompson Pritchett Wilson ~~~ Pioneer of the Month ~~~ August 2023

 

Levi Franklin Pritchett 

 

The Pritchett Family

 The family name of Pritchett originated in Wales and according to all known records, is a name of great antiquity, having an unbroken male descent from the princes of Wales, between Wye and Severn, a dynasty that lasted from the time of Caradoc Vraich, who reigned in 520 AD to the death of Bleddyn, the last prince in 1190 AD. 

During this time the family became very numerous and began to spread out into other parts of the British Isles. Many went into Ireland and the middle parts of England. From the period of the close of the reign of Bleddyn until about the middle of the 15th century, little is known about the family as few or no records were kept. It has to date been impossible to bridge the gap between 1190 and the first Pritchett who came to America. 

The records of Virginia Historical Society record that Miles Pritchett came to America on a sailing ship, the Star, in the year 1612. This was eight years before the pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock. Apparently, he settled in Jamestown, Virginia, and from there the family spread out into the area known at that time as the Virginia land grant. This area comprised what is now known as Virginia, Kentucky, Delaware, Tennessee, and parts of Georgia. The Pritchetts were also in Delaware and Maryland as early as 1669. It is in this area that most of the Pritchett family are found today and from which the branch of our family originally came. It has been difficult to trace a direct line of Pritchetts beyond the middle of the 17th century. Most of this difficulty is the direct result of the Civil War. During the various campaigns that the northern troops made into the South, many of the churches where the records of our people were kept were burned and it is therefore impossible to verify many of the stories and much of the information that has come down from generation to generation and from family to family. James Mitchell Pritchett, the father of Leonidas Pritchett, was born in Smyth County, Virginia on June 1, 1817, and later married Mary Ann Fulcher. To them were born nine children: William, Leonidas, John, Nancy, Thomas, Levi, James, Rebecca, and Douglas. Douglas died at the age of three years but all the other children lived to marry and raise a family. William, the eldest, married Peggy Heneger. Leonidas married Elizabeth Ann Heninger. John married Mary V. Hambrick. Nancy married John Floyd Young. Thomas married Lovina Chadwick Heninger, and later, after her death he married Ida Huntsman. Levi married Ellen Thompson. James married Kate James. Rebecca married Lindsey Brady. 

The descendants of these eight children have spread into nearly all the western states. Many of them have at one time or another become interested in their genealogy and have made an attempt to find the records of their families. As a result, there has been a tremendous duplication of effort and in many cases, each one has interpreted the existing records in their own way, which has resulted in many conflicting claims and dates of births, marriages, and deaths. Written by La Von Fuller Shreeve; date unknown. Found in papers belonging to Hazel Smith Carver, a great-granddaughter.

Wilson's Blacksmith Shop was located on the south side corner of State Street and Main, where the Pharmacy is located now. You can see main street buildings in the background.

James Wilson
Blacksmith

 

James M. Wilson

BIRTH: 25 Dec 1836
Muskingum County, Ohio, USA

DEATH9 Jun 1911 (aged 74)
Mount Pleasant, Sanpete County, Utah, USA

BURIAL:
Mount Pleasant City Cemetery

Mount Pleasant, Sanpete County, Utah, USA

PLOTA / 93 / 3 / 2MEMORIAL ID141394  

 
 

Five Generations: Front--Mina Pritchett, Myrna Pitts, Sarah Ellen T. Pritchett Wilson. Back--Elaine S. Pitts, Vivian P. Smith

Christian Widergren Anderson ~ Pioneer of the Month ~ January 2013

The following biography of Christian W. Anderson is taken from the book "Utah Since Statehood" pp 1150-51, Volume 3.
He passed away February 9, 1922

CHRISTIAN WIDERGREN ANDERSON. 

With the sheep industry in Sanpete county Christian W. Anderson of Mount Pleasant is closely and prominently associated and throughout the period of his connection with agricultural interests he has displayed a most progressive spirit and has occupied a position of leadership which has largely established a standard of activity for others along agricultural lines. Mr. Anderson was born November 11, 1843, in Malmo, Sweden, and came to Utah with his parents when a lad of twelve years. He is a son of Nels Widergren and Louisa (Linburg) Anderson, who were likewise natives of Sweden.
 
They joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1853 and on the 11th of November, 1854. started for America to join the colonists of their religious faith in Utah. They crossed the plains with ox teams in 1855 and soon after arriving at Salt 
Lake removed to Brigham, where they remained until after the big move, when the family home was established at Ephraim in 1858. On the 20th of March, 1859, Mr.Anderson became one of the pioneers who settled Mount Pleasant, then known as Hamilton. It had been previously settled but afterward abandoned by the Hamilton party on account of Indian attacks. The second settlers remained and Wedergren Anderson continued a resident of Mount Pleasant until his death, being active throughout the entire period in various offices for the church. He died in 1880 and the mother passed 
away in 1882. C. W. Anderson has an only sister, who was born in 1840 and on the 25th of December, 1858, became the wife of Andrew Madsen, a son of Lars and Bodel Madsen. 

C. W. Anderson acquired his early education in the common schools of Sweden and after coming to America in order to acquaint himself with the English language attended school for one winter, the school being held in the basement of the church at Brigham. He studied spoiling and mathematics and later he continued his education by attending night school at Mount Pleasant. His has been a life of unremitting industry and his attention has largely been given to farming and the raising of sheep and other
livestock. As he has prospered in his undertakings as a farmer he has invested his surplus in stock and sheep and is still largely interested along those lines. 

Sheep raising constitutes the most important industry of Sanpete county and Mr. Anderson is a prominent figure in connection therewith. In his farm work he has always followed the most progressive methods and that he is a man of initiative and enterprise is indicated in the fact that he brought the first mower and the first self-binder to Mount Pleasant. Also, in connection with his brother-in-law, Andrew Madsen, he ordered from Buffalo, New York, the first threshing machine used in the county. It was sent by water to San Francisco and by team to Salt Lake and thence brought to its destination. Mr. Anderson was likewise connected with the first sawmill, in which all the lumber was sawed for the Manti Temple. He figured as" one of the most prominent, active and influential men of Sanpete county during the early years of its development and progress. As time has passed and he has prospered in his undertakings he has become a stockholder in various important business enterprises and industries. On the organization of the North Sanpete Bank of Mount Pleasant he made investments in its stock and is also a stockholder in the Farmers & Merchants Bank of Provo, in the Utah-Idaho Sugar Company and in the Consolidated Wagon & Machine Company. He has displayed sound judgment and keen sagacity in the conduct of all of his business affairs and his success has followed as the legitimate outcome of intelligently directed effort. 

In 1874 C. W. Anderson was married to Miss Margaret Thompson, a daughter of Thomas and Margaret Thompson. Mrs. Anderson passed away in 1875. For his second wife Mr. Anderson chose Johannah Pearson, a daughter of Lars and Benta (Poulson) Pearson, who were natives of Sweden and came to Utah at an early day, spending quiet lives at Mount Pleasant until called to their final rest. 

The only son of Mr. Anderson's first marriage was William Martin, who died when but six months old. The children of the second marriage were: James McCalius, who died at the age of seven years; and Nelson W., who was born in Mount Pleasant, July 3, 1885. He was married in October, 1909, to Emma C. Johnson, of Salt Lake, and they became parents of six children, of whom three died in infancy, while those living are: Hulda Elizabeth, born November 14, 1910; Gordon N„ born April 20, 1915: Olive Emma, born May 5, 1918, Nelson W. Anderson filled a mission to Sweden, leaving home in February. 1907. and returning inJune, 1909. He was educated in the graded schools of Mount Pleasant and the Latter-day Saints College at Salt Lake, where he studied for seven years, pursuing a generaland also a commercial course. He likewise took a missionary course and also spent 
one year as a student in the Agricultural College at Logan, where he gave his attention to civil engineering. 

C. W. Anderson remains a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. He is the vice president of the Mount Pleasant (Utah) Historical Society and is serving on the monument directorate. In 1864 he went to the frontier in Captain 
Canfield's company to aid in bringing emigrants to Utah. In 1897 he went on a mission to Sweden, where he spent two years. He has been closely associated with many events which have had to do with shaping the history and formulating the policy of Utah. He 
was in the Indian wars of 1865, 1866 and 1867 and received a pension in recognition of services then rendered. In politics he is a democrat, well informed on the questions and issues of the day. He has now reached the seventy-sixth milestone on life's journey and his life has been one of usefulness, in which many interesting experiences have come to him. his stories of the early days in Utah presenting a most fascinating picture.