A One-Name Study for the BARNUM/BARNHAM Surname
Lorenzo Dow "Ren" Pruitt was one of hundreds (perhaps thousands) of children in the United States named for Lorenzo Dow (October 16, 1777 – February 2, 1834). His namesake was an eccentric itinerant American evangelist, said to have preached to more people than any other preacher of his era. He became an important figure and a popular writer. His autobiography at one time was the second best-selling book in the United States, exceeded only by the Bible.
In January 1863, when Lorenzo Pruitt was only about 1-1/2 years old, his mother died. Since his father was in the Union Army at the time, he was taken in by his maternal grandparents. His father later deserted from his Army unit, fled to Kansas and started a new life. Lorenzo subsequently remained with his grandparents until he married, at the age of 22.
According to US Census data, he was living with his mother's parents in 1870 and 1880.
In the 1900 US Census for Decorra, Henderson, Illinois, the family of Lorenzo Dow Pruitt was enumerated as follows:
Dwelling 202, Family 211
Lorenzo Pruitt, Head of family, White, Male, b. Jun 1861, 38 yrs., Married 16 yrs., b. Illinois, Father b. Kentucky, Mother b. Ohio, Farmer, Employed for full year, Can read, write and speak English, Renting farm listed as no. 153 on the Farm Schedule
Anna Pruitt, Wife, White, Female, b. Mar 1866, 34 yrs., Married 16 yrs., Mother of 6 children, 6 living, b. Illinois, Father b. Ohio, Mother b. Ohio, Can read, write and speak English
Albert Pruitt, Son, White, Male, b. Oct 1884, 15 yrs., Single, b. Illinois, Father b. Illinois, Mother b. Illinois, Farm laborer, Can read, write and speak English
Pearl Pruitt, Daughter, White, Female, b. Aug 1887, 12 yrs., Single, b. Illinois, Father b. Illinois, Mother b. Illinois, Servant, Can read, write and speak English
Lula Pruitt, Daughter, White, Female, b. Oct 1889, 10 yrs., Single, b. Illinois, Father b. Illinois, Mother b. Illinois, Attended school 9 months during the year
Sadie Pruitt, Daughter, White, Female, b. Jul 1891, 8 yrs., Single, b. Illinois, Father b. Illinois, Mother b. Illinois, Attended school 9 months during the year
Constance Pruitt, Daughter, White, Female, b. Apr 1893, 7 yrs., Single, b. Illinois, Father b. Illinois, Mother b. Illinois, Attended school 9 months during the year
Chester Pruitt, Son, White, Male, b. Aug 1895, 4 yrs., Single, b. Illinois, Father b. Illinois, Mother b. Illinois.
[Note: two houses away lived the parents of Lorenzo's wife Anna ("Annie") Black; six houses away lived his grandfather, Thomas Foster Pence].
In the 1910 US Census for Fraser, Nez Perce, Idaho the family of Lorenzo Dow Pruitt was enumerated as follows:
Dwelling 20, Family 20
L. D. Pruitt, Head of family, Male, White, 48 yrs., Married 26 years, b. Illinois, Father b. Tennessee, Mother b. Pennsylvania, Speaks English, Farmer, General farming, Works for own account, Worked during the full year past, Can read & write, Owns farm with mortgage, Farm Schedule 17
Anna M. Pruitt, Wife, Female, White, 44 yrs., Married 26 years, Mother of 7 children, 7 living, b. Illinois, Father b. Ohio, Mother b. Ohio, speaks English, No trade or occupation, Can read & write
Albert C[larence] Pruitt, Son, Male, White, 25 yrs., Single, b. Illinois, Father b. Illinois, Mother b. Illinois, Speaks English, Farmer, General farming, Works for own account, Worked during the full year past, Can read & write, Farm Schedule 2
S. E. [Sadie E.] Pruitt, Daughter, Female, White, 19 yrs., Single, b. Illinois, Father b. Illinois, Mother b. Illinois, Speaks English, No trade or occupation, Can read & write
C. E. [Constance E. “Connie”] Pruitt, Daughter, Female, White, 17 yrs., Single, b. Illinois, Father b. Illinois, Mother b. Illinois, Speaks English, No trade or occupation, Can read & write
Chester A. Pruitt, Son, Male, White, 14 yrs., Single, b. Illinois, Father b. Illinois, Mother b. Illinois, Speaks English, No trade or occupation, Can read & write
Alston Ardo Pruitt, Son, Male, White, 4 yrs., Single, b. Washington, Father b. Illinois, Mother b. Illinois.
[Note: The family of his maternal grandfather, John Foster Pence, was living in the same town, in Dwelling 208. Living next door, in Dwelling 19, was the family of Albert David Whaley; Albert's daughter Lizzie Whaley and Albert C. Pruitt were married just 12 days after the date of this census and one day after the bride's 18th birthday].
In the 1920 US Census for Lake Precinct, Harney County, Oregon the family of Lorenzo Dow Pruitt was enumerated as follows:
Dwelling 60, Family 61
Lorenzo D. Pruitt, Head of family, Renting home, Male, White, 58, Married, Can read and write, b. Illinois, Father b. Tennessee, Mother b. Illinois, Able to speak English, Contractor, US Mail route, Wage earner
Annie M. Pruitt, Wife, Female, White, 53, Married, Can read and write, b. Illinois, Father b. Ohio, Mother b. Ohio, Able to speak English, Teacher, Grade school, Wage earner
Ardo A. Pruitt, Son, Male, White, 13, Single, Attended school during the previous year, Can read and write, b. Washington, Father b. Illinois, Mother b. Illinois, Able to speak English
Robert Enderle, Boarder, Male, White, 68, Single, Immigrated to US in 1879, Naturalized citizen in 1880, Can read and write, b. in Germany, Native tongue German, Father b. in Germany, Native tongue German, Mother b. in Germany Native tongue German, Able to speak English, No trade or occupation.
In the 1930 US Census for Waverley Election Precinct, Harney County, Oregon Lorenzo Dow Pruitt was enumerated with the family of his son-in-law Leo. E. Williams, as follows:
Dwelling 9, Family 9
Lorenzo D. Pruitt, Father-in-law of the head of family (Leo. E. Williams), Male, White, 69 yrs., Widowed, Did not attend school during the previous year, Able to read and write, b. Illinois, Father b. Tennessee, Mother b. United States, Occupation: herder, Industry: sheep, At work previous day.
According to his death certificate, he died at 2:30 am of acute myocarditis (inflamation of the muscle tissue of the heart) brought on by influenza. At the time of his death he had lived in Princeton, Harney, Oregon for 25 years and had been hospitalized at Valley View Hospital in Burns for 13 days.
Oregon Death Index, 1903-98 about Lorenzo Pruitt. Name: Pruitt, Lorenzo; County: Harney; Death Date: 19 Feb 1940; Certificate: 7; Spouse: Annie
A transcription of tombstones made in 1998 makes no mention of him.
A Research Guide to the Genealogy of the Barnum/Barnam/Barnham Family Worldwide
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