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Note: ---William married 1) 26 Jul 1859 to Mary Helen Charlesworth, and 2) 15 Oct 1865 to Amanda Jane Harbour, b. 06 Oct 1847, Brown Co., IL., dau. of David T. Harbour and Sarah Park. William was a farmer and stock-raiser at Ione, CA. http://history.sloco.net/Jones-Prouty.htm History of Amador County, California: With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers. By Jesse D Mason Thompson & West, Oakland, California - 1881 Pp 316 Transcribed by: Martha A Crosley Graham HON. W. H. PROUTY The subject of this sketch is a native of the Buckeye State, He was born March 27, 1837, in Knox County, Ohio, his early years being spent on a farm. In. 1846, in obedience to the general impulse to go west, the family removed to Jasper county, Iowa, being among the pioneers of that region. In 1852 they fell into the column of the California emigration and started across the plains. The emigration of that year was perhaps the largest that ever wended its way to the Golden State; and its march resembled the retreat of an army more than a triumphal march of settlers to a promised land. The grass was eaten off for miles away from the road, making long detours necessary to keep the stock in condition to travel. To add to these difficulties the father of the family sickened and died near the Devil's Gate. But the mother, picking up the reins of authority, with the aid of her elder sons, succeeded in reaching California, entering Volcano August 24th the same year, which, considering the circumstances, was a remarkably successful trip. After resting a few days, and watching the operation of extracting gold, the love for rural life asserted itself and the family continued their journey, settling in the beautiful valley which has since been their home. The younger child, W. H. Prouty, was early thrown on his own resources, and divided his time between farming and attending such schools as the county then afforded, spending considerable time in attending school at Volcano. By the time he was twenty-one he had mastered the common English branches and accumulated a small capital of two thousand six hundred dollars. It will be seen from this that he firmly set his face against the prevailing dissipations of those early days which swept so many young, and even middle-aged men into the vortex of destruction. Having arrived at man's estate the desire to see more of the world before he settled down induced him to visit the home of his childhood, and other places in the West, or valley of the Mississippi, where he remained about five years, engaged in various kinds of business, mostly farming, however. While here he became acquainted with his future wife and companion, Miss Helen Charlesworth, whom he married July 26, 1859, by whom he has had seven children, six of whom are now living. In 1863 the memory of the Golden State asserted itself and he turned his steps to California, making his way to the valley which had seen him while a boy assume the duties and labors of manhood. Four years later he purchased his present home, and set about improving it with the design of spending his remaining years here. His herds and flocks and well-filled granaries attest his judgment and devotion to his business. Like most successful business men he has little time or disposition to dabble in politics, but when 'a delegate to the Constitutional Convention who understood the wants of the farming community was wanted, the people instinctively turned to him as one whose judgment and integrity could be relied upon. His actions in the convention fully justified the opinions of his neighbors, and he returned to his home with unblemished honor. His farm and home is one of the pleasantest as well as most valuable places in the county, as will be seen by the view published in this work.
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