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Note: A letter written by James Collins Pruitt to his daughter Jodie and her husband R. W. Butler and family 14 March 1896, from Rains Alabama.....Dear Children, I take the pleasure to write you a few lines your letter at hand found all well March the 14 except me I have bin on the back grain (?) for 3 weeks. I was glad to hear that you all was well and doing well. I hav not pland mutch yet. It has bin raining a heepe hear. I have got my guana at home. I have got plinty of corn to sow. Robert we can git 50 cts every day tha it is too wet to work in the feild I am the best pleased you ever saw iney body. Jody Granmaw. Willis. Sam Pruitt. Charley. lawery. Billy lett D. nun Hall $ all of Jims Halls folks was hear last Sunday. We had a fine time. Grandmaw as at D now. Robert I would not be plast back in Winston for nothing in the world. I hav bout (bought) me another cow with a yong calf. Just cost me $16 dollars. Robert I want you to come out hear next summer and look out you a place and git out of that place and git out hear whear some of the lords peple livs. We have plinty of nabors hear. we have some satafactions hear I havent saw Dicks folks since he got back. I would like to see you all mity well and talk with you I could tell you a heep. all of the family is the best pleased you ever saw. Jody I got a letter from Brother Jim He has had bad luck. he got his barne burned up. he sate like he was a going to come out hear next fall. Jo I hav got 2 hins a setting. I have got som of my gardan planted. tell Anney Pruitt that I would like to se hear tell her to leave next summer. tell davis to be a good boy. and not to cry and come to see me. Jo I thank of you a heep I wish you and the childern was hear to night. Walter sed tell anny to ete his popcorn but to fetch him sum when she can for seed. Jody John Vaughan has killd Jo Smith. Jim didn't rite what tha had done with him. So goodby Robert De livs about 2 mi. from me at Gasten (Gadsden) Luther he has got corn plinty to do him he has had no truble gitting it. he has bout (bought) him a cow as fine a one as you ever saw. Alaes sed she rather have her than Pink. Tha ar the best plased you ever saw. Robert I want you to write to what you have don with Pink. A few lines curnsurning old J. Bonds. tell him whin he taks my thangs to John Butlers as he sed he would that I would pay him. 1 1/2 per of ..., 10 or 15 lbs. of tobaco, trace chane, 1 pk. of dride bens and plows and other thangs that is to tegest to man that if he has taken thim to John Butlers you pay him the surp if dont do it tell him that while he is gitting a bill aganst D if he dont mind I will get one aganst him for moving thangs that dont belong to him. tell him and Gorge to ceep the shurts and far I will see thim again by and by. Robert if J. Bonds tuck theas thangs to Johns you pay him if not you take this and reede this to him I just ade him #2.00 dollars at the first. Robert give John our respect and tell him to write. So I will close. I wish you will a long & happy lif from J. C. Pruitt & family to R. W. Butler & family. (Source: Courtesy of Willie Barton, transcribed from the original by her) James Collins Pruitt moved to Etowah County, Alabama from Cherokee County Alabama about 1873. (Source: Pruett Records of Alabama by Richard Prewitt) In the 1920 Cullman County, Alabama census James C. and wife Mary are living next to their son Marvin T. Pruitt and with them are living three grandchildren; Louis V. Pruitt 12, Evert C. Pruitt 10 and Walter H. Pruitt who would not have been in the 1910 census but may also have been the child of James W. Pruitt and wife. J. C. Pruitt and Mary Pruitt owe G. W. Lackey $200.00. Collateral was 1 red cow 7 (or 9) years old, calf, 1 bay horse 9 years old, entire corn and cotton crop and other produce for the year 1895. Witnessed by John Butler. (Source: Etowah County, Alabama deed book 49 pg. 102. Per Willie Barton) J. C. Pruitt and W. J. Pruitt owe G. W. Lackey $193.88. Collateral was 1 sorrel horse, 1 black cow and her increase, 1 sorrel male 5 years old. Signed 15 January 1900. (Source: Etowah County, Alabama deed book 48 pg. 526. Per Willie Barton) J. C. Pruitt and W. J. Pruitt of Boaz owe $50.00. Collateral: corn and cotton crop for 1900. Signed 27 March 1900. (Source: Etowah County, Alabama deed book 52 pg. 632. Per Willie Barton) After Mary died, Pap lived with Ezzie and Dick for several years. He also lived with Marvin. Ezzie's family had an old goose that followed Pap around the yard, quacking with every step - quack, quack, quack. Pap would tire of the noise so he'd turn around and whack the old goose with his cane. But that did not deter the goose. The goose just kept quacking and dogging Pap's every step. (Source: Ezzie Pruitt Butler - per Willie Barton) The grandchildren could not get near Pap because the goose would chase them away. They were terrified of the goose. One day one of the grandchildren complained and Pap told her to take his cane, that the goose would not bother her if she had his cane. Sure enough, it worked. (Source: Butler reunion - per Willie Barton) When Ezzie was young she and other youngsters were playing, making mud pies. They were filthy from one end to the other. Pap came along inquiring "What are you children doing"? Ezzie said, "Making mud pies". He tapped them on their heads with his cane and went on his way without further ado. (Source: Ezzie Butler - per Willie Barton) When Pap had nothing else pressing to do he liked to talk and kid around with his grandchildren. He was a pleasant, outgoing man. Everyone called him Pap. (Source: Wesley Butler - per Willie Barton) Even though no one can remember for sure if Pap smoked or not, they do remember his corncob pipe that he made and carried around in his shirt pocket. (Source: Butler reunion - per Willie Barton) James Collins' nickname was "Bud". (Source: Henderson Pruett - per Willie Barton) Everything Pap had was destroyed when a tornado hit the house he was living in in 1920. The house was destroyed all but the kitchen floor and the table where they all sat eating. (Source: Butler reunion - per Willie Barton)
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