Hello Everyone,

I would really appreciate your collective expertise regarding my elusive PRUITTs. Here's the gist of it. There are 4 PRUITTs (variously spelled) in the family Bible. I have identified only 2 despite years of research and lots of collateral information. Here are the 4:

1) John Franklin PRUIT's marriage to Laura PALMER is at the top of the page. He is presumably the oldest of the group. There are no dates written there, just the words "mother CANDA." Some have suggested that he is the son of Afred PRUETT (b. 1820 in NC)and Sarah H. CANADA who lived in Gibson, Co., TN. I have found no evidence to support this but haven't ruled it out.

2) My GGG Grandfather Willis William (Bud) PRUITT (sometimes PRIVETT/PRUETT), b. February 15, 1857 (TN according to the
census), d. August 24, 1934 in Dyersberg, Dyer Co., TN. Willis m. first, Amanda UNKNOWN STEELE, 1878 in Weakley Co., TN. They had one son, Joseph, b. 1880. This wife and child "disappear." Willis appears in Dyer Co., TN with second wife, my GGG Grandmother, Amanda E. FISHER (1856-1913), b. in Itawamba, MS. The two have five apparent children. According to the census,the first two girls have parents b. in MS, while the last three have a father b. in MS and mother in TN. All children were b. within the span of the marriage. I know the census is notoriously in error as this is concerned, but this collection of birthplaces has always
seemed odd to me. Amanda is said to be the mother of 7 with 6 living. If the 6 include the 5 listed girls, one child is unaccounted for by me. Two of his daughters married CANADAs (have had no luck with this line), and one m. Green PALMER (1885-1923) from the Edmund PALMER (1796) line from Rowan County, NC. Have been unable to connect Laura PALMER (see above) to this line. Daughter Lular PRUITT "disappears." Willis third m. his niece Martha Ann FISHER. Willis' death certificate says father, mother, unknown. I believe I have ruled out Willis as the son of Ben PRUETT (PRUETT/ESTES line) and Eathea M. B. SUMMERS which as been suggested by some and considered fact by others.

I first find Willis and family 1870 in Obion Co., TN: apparent mother Missouri (1827), Nancy A. (1845), Thos A. (1850), Edward E. (1852), Rollo J. (1855), Susan A. (1861), John B. (1863), Wiley P. (1865), and Martha A. (1868). In 1880 they are in Weakley Co., TN: Ruey A. PREWIT (1836), John, Wiley P., and Martha (Telie) in one household and Willis and wife next door. Who is Ruey? Nickname for Missouri with wrong DOB? Still no male head of house. James W. PRUITT, b. 1840 in Caroll Co., TN and wife Nancy
DILDAY (DILDA) are also next door. Nancy's brother appears to be William B. DILDA from SC.

3) T.N. (Thomas Nelson?) PREWETT (often PRIVETT), b. 1858 in "Union City," MS, d. 1925 in Dyer Co., TN. He appears to be Willis' cousin. He m. Julia DUNCAN, dau. of John and Margaret from NC in Dyer Co., TN. T.N.'s parents were Anderson Luther PRUITT/PRIVETT, b. 1829 in Alabama and Angeline MORRIS. They m. 1851 in Pontotoc, MS. Angeline's parents John and Elizabeth were b. in SC. Anderson may have had brothers Hansley? and Joseph. Allied families were MILLER and KING. Some of the kids in this group were b. in GA. Maybe this Joseph, who is living in Pontotoc near Anderson, is Willis' father? (Willis named first and only son Joseph).

4) Thomas PRUIETT m. Jane BOOK, September 29, 1896. No clue here except that he may be Thomas A. (1850), mentioned above, but I doubt it. I have found no evidence of these two anywhere.

Thanks in advance for ANY information, hints, tips!

Shelley