Person Page - 2

     Carrie Nona Feuerbacher was born on 29 March 1922 in Elm Grove, Texas. She and William Joseph Mareth married on 4 May 1941 in Austin, Travis County, Texas. Carrie Nona died on 2 August 1989 in Hays County, Texas, at age 67.¹ and was buried at in San Marcos.

     After her marriage she was normally known as Carrie Mareth.

     Zoe Ann Partain and Clifford Williams married. Zoe Ann Partain and Carl August Feuerbacher Jr. married on 31 December 1980 in Austin, Travis County, Texas.

     James Alvin Pruitt was born on 27 January 1894 in Caldwell County, Texas.^2,3 He and Evaline Gemima Alexander married on 14 January 1914 in Bastrop County, Texas.⁴ Alvin died on 11 April 1925 in Caldwell County, Texas, at age 31.^5,6,7 and was buried at Lytton Springs Cemetery (family plot), Caldwell County. It was reported in the 'Mendoza News'' section of the Lockhart Post Register that, "The stores closed here Saturday afternoon and most everyone attended the funeral of Mr. Alvin Pruitt at Lytton Springs Cemetery." However, April 11 was a Saturday and the day before Easter. So, was the funeral the afternoon of his death or the following Saturday?^7,8

     Alvin was a prosperous farmer and Caldwell County community leader He was a member of the school board and had purchased one of the first automobiles in the county. Some saw him as wealthy, but my mother certainly never felt that they had money, especially after her dad died. My father said that they saw the family as ‘rich’ and the boys at the school fought over who would get to stable the pony that the Pruitt girls rode to school. The Feuerbacher family lived right down the road from the Pruitts. Alvin had lots of horses, prized mules and hired hands. According to his oldest daughter, Vera, he used to travel to Mexico to bring back laborers. Alvin ‘showed’ his mules often at local fairs in Caldwell and neighboring counties. My uncle, Hugh Magee, remembers Alvin as “tall and slightly stooped, always walking in a half run”.
Alvin and Evvy were married only 11 years when he died. According to my mother, Veatrice Pruitt Feuerbacher, their marriage was not a happy one. There was much arguing. She felt that Alvin and Evvy argued over having more children. Evvy had already had 4 children in less than 7 years and didn't want more. The only way she knew to prevent pregnancy was abstinence.
In the early 1920’s there was a bad drought resulting in really poor crops by 1925 and Alvin was heavily in debt. On April 11, 1925 (the day before Easter) it is believed that Alvin took his own life. He left a wife and 4 small children 9, 8, 6 and 3. He was heavily insured with a double indemnity clause and when the insurance claim was filed, they were told it was a hunting accident. However someone (Evvy believed it was someone in the Pruitt family) told the company that it was suicide. There was a court hearing or trial of some kind resulting in a pay out of $10,000 from insurance without the double indemnity payment. The fight over the double indemnity payment caused hard feelings between Evvy and the Pruitt family—his mother Maggie, sisters, Gertrude and Minnie and brothers Lonnie and Ollie. Eventually Evvy and the family must have patched things up, because she, Minnie and Gertrude became good friends in their later years.
I have heard or read about several versions of what actually happened:
1. I remember asking my grandmother what happened and she always said he was was climbing through a fence with a gun and it went off, killing him.
2. The insurance company was told it was a hunting accident.
3. The newspaper announcement of his death said that he was ‘lately suffering from despondency”
4. My father, Carl Feuerbacher (14 at the time), said that the Dr. came from the Pruitt home to their house and told them that Alvin was on the front porch and put the gun to his head saying “Hell, it ain’t nothing, to kill yourself. All you have to do is put the gun to your head and pull the trigger”. And he did that right on the porch. When my mother heard that she commented that they must have been arguing. To me, this seems to indicate that maybe he didn't really mean to kill himself. Maybe he was just showing off or trying to scare Evvy and the gun went off
In 1925 Alvin Pruitt and his family lived on a rented farm in Lytton Springs owned by the Jackson family. The road they lived on was then called Pruitt Lane. Pruitt Lane turned off, what is now Hwy 183 south of Old Lockhart Road (just south of the intersection of Hwy 21 and Hwy 183). I interviewed Gertrude Pruitt Smith (Alvin’s sister) in 1981 a few months before her death. My mother and her sisters, Vera and Verine, were with me. We asked Gertrude about Alvin’s death and she responded about what a ‘terrible day that was’. Alvin and his family were supposed to be coming to Gertrude's house for dinner later that evening. It is not know exactly what transpired that morning except that Alvin shot himself in the head on his front porch. The families lived close together and Gertrude's family heard the shot. Gertrude told us that Alvin was ‘messing around’ with the woman who lived ‘across the tank’ and she ‘supposed’ that he and Evvy were arguing about that. When we were in the car headed home, the sisters (all in their 60s at the time) admitted, with sadness, that that he probably really did kill himself. All these years they had clung to the idea that it was really an accident. They remembered going to the funeral with other family members, because their mother kept fainting and could not attend.^9,10,7

     Evaline Gemima Alexander was born on 17 February 1892 in High Grove, Bastrop County, Texas. She grew up in a small house in High Grove right on the road to Red Rock.^3,4 She and James Alvin Pruitt married on 14 January 1914 in Bastrop County, Texas.⁵ Evaline Gemima died on 21 October 1980 in Austin, Travis County, Texas, at age 88.⁶ and was buried at (Lytton Springs Cemetery), Caldwell County.

     After her marriage on 14 January 1914, she was normally known as Evvy Pruitt.⁷

     John Thomas Alexander was born on 20 April 1870 in Bastrop County, Texas. He and Mary Lucretia Carter married on 23 December 1890 in Bastrop County, Texas.^1,2 John Thomas died on 29 August 1896 in Bastrop County, Texas, at age 26. and was buried at (Lower Cedar Creek Cemetery), Bastrop County.³

     Mary Lucretia Carter was born on 15 July 1871 in Bastrop County, Texas.^3,4 She and John Thomas Alexander married on 23 December 1890 in Bastrop County, Texas.^5,6 Mary Lucretia died on 19 July 1948 in Austin, Travis County, Texas, at age 77.⁷ and was buried at (Lytton Springs Cemetery), Caldwell County.⁸

     After her marriage on 23 December 1890, she was normally known as Alexander.

     Vera Dee Pruitt was born on 21 October 1915 in Caldwell County, Texas. She and Jesse Martindale married on 26 June 1936 in Lockhart, Caldwell County, Texas. Vera Dee died on 25 January 1985 in Dallas, Texas, at age 69. She was buried in Lytton Springs Cemetery in Caldwell County.

     After her marriage she was normally known as Martindale.

     Verine Lula Pruitt was born on 3 December 1918 in Caldwell County, Texas. She and John Orphiece Williams married on 2 March 1944 in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas.¹ Verine Lula died on 25 July 2009 in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, at age 90. and was buried at (Cook-Walden Forest Oaks Cemetery) in Austin.

     After her marriage she was normally known as Verine Williams.

     J.C. Pruitt was born on 3 May 1922 in Caldwell County, Texas.^1,2 He and Zelpha Mae Sherry married on 23 November 1942 in Lockhart, Caldwell County, Texas. J.C. Pruitt and Wanda May Logan married. J.C. died on 18 July 1975 Heart Attack in Luling, Caldwell County, Texas, at age 53.^1,2 and was buried at Lockhart Municipal Burial Park in Lockhart, Caldwell County.²

     James Caleb Pruitt was born on 13 November 1866 in Travis or Ellis County, Texas.^4,5,6 He and William Maggie Simpson married on 1 January 1889 in Travis County, Texas.^7,8,9 James Caleb Pruitt died on 28 August 1921 at age 54. The Family Bible says that he died "about sundown near Lockhart, Tex--heart trouble". A newspaper article about his death states that he was trying to push his car out of mud when he suffered a heart attack. His will was probated in Caldwell County on 21 Dec 1921. Probate records name heirs, lists assets in the estate and debts. in Caldwell County, Texas.^10,4,1 He was buried in his Pruitt Family plot at the Lytton Springs Cemetery. His estate entered probate on 21 December 1921 in Caldwell County, Texas.¹
The court papers names wife Maggie and children Alvin, Minnie, Gertrude and minor children Lonnie and Ollie. At the time of his death he left an estate, constituting the community estate consisting of lads in Caldwell County valued at $14,845 ($283,000 in 2020 money). Debts were itemizedas follows: Edward Bowden (M C Kelly & E B Coopwood)-$1620 and secured by vendors lein on 125 acres; Swearingen Furniture Company on account-$340; Shinn Grocery Co.- $600; and a note to State Bankk of Lockhart of $600.
     The inventory presented included 125 acres part of the J Burleson league valued at $7500, 107 acres part of the J Burleson league valued at $7500, 15 acres part of the J J Bowmen survey valued at $225 and undeivided 1/7 interest in 56 acres part of J V Halton survey.¹

     William Maggie Simpson was born on 19 August 1873 in Travis County, Texas.^4,5,6,7 She and J.C. Pruitt married on 1 January 1889 in Travis County, Texas.^8,9,10 Her estate entered probate on 21 December 1921 in Caldwell County, Texas.¹
William Maggie Simpson and Marshall M. Parker married on 9 October 1927 in Caldwell County, Texas.^11,12 William Maggie died on 20 April 1931 Maggie's family always believed that her second husband, M.M. Parker, married her for the money and/or land he thought she had. They also believed that he poisoned her over a period of time until she died. in Caldwell County, Texas, at age 57.¹³ and was buried at (Lytton Springs Cemetery), Caldwell County.¹⁴ William Maggie's obituary was published on 23 April 1931 in the Lockhart Post-Register in Lockhart, Texas.¹⁴

     After her marriage on 1 January 1889, she was normally known as Maggie Pruitt. After her marriage on 9 October 1927, she was normally known as Maggie Parker.

     Minnie Francis Pruitt was born on 10 April 1896 in Caldwell County, Texas.^2,3,4 She and Allen J Smith married on 8 December 1912 in Caldwell County, Texas.^5,6 Minnie Francis died on 7 May 1982 in Caldwell County, Texas, at age 86.²

     After her marriage on 8 December 1912, she was normally known as Smith.

     Lucy Gertrude Pruitt was born on 9 August 1898 in Caldwell County, Texas.^2,3 She and Arthur L Smith married on 5 December 1917 in Caldwell County, Texas.⁴ Lucy Gertrude died on 25 May 1982 in Lockhart, Caldwell County, Texas, at age 83.⁵

     After her marriage on 5 December 1917, she was normally known as Gertrude Smith.

     Lonnie Pruitt was born on 16 January 1904 in Caldwell County, Texas.^3,4,5 He died of Typhoid Fever on 12 June 1928 in Caldwell County, Texas, at age 24.⁶ He was buried in Lytton Springs Cemetery in Caldwell County.⁷

     Ollie Lee Pruitt was born on 2 July 1906 in Caldwell County, Texas.^3,4,5 He and Altha Guthrie married on 21 December 1925 in Caldwell County, Texas.⁶ Ollie Lee died on 31 May 1959 Stomach Cancer in Red River Street, Lockhart, Caldwell County, Texas, at age 52.^7,5 and was buried at (Lockhart Cemetery) in Lockhart, Caldwell County.⁵

     Asbury A.A. Middleton was born on 6 January 1846 in Cherokee County, Texas, (an unknown value.)^1,5,6 She and William Henry Simpson married on 1 April 1861 in Tyler County, Texas.^7,4 Asbury A.A. Middleton married Frank Clark on 12 September 1880 in Travis County, Texas.^8,9,1,10 Alternately, Asbury A.A. Middleton and Frank Clark were married on 15 October 1879 according to pages from Asbury's Bible.^1,11 Asbury A.A. died on 12 June 1927 in Caldwell County, Texas, at age 81.³ and was buried at (Lytton Springs Cemetery), Caldwell County.

     After her marriage on 1 April 1861, she was normally known as Asberry Simpson.¹⁴ After her marriage she was normally known as Asberry Clark.¹⁴

     William Henry Simpson was born on 26 September 1841 in Alabama.² He and Asbury A.A. Middleton married on 1 April 1861 in Tyler County, Texas.^3,1 William Henry died in 1878 in pbly Travis County, Texas.³

     There is a story that Henry had been arrested and was killed while in jail. Someone stuck a gun through the 'window' bars and shot blindly attempting to shoot another inmate, but Henry was the one struck and killed. However, as of 2022, I have found no record, newspaper article or anything to substantiate the story.

     Thomas Jefferson Pruitt was born in October 1846 probably in Henderson County, Texas.^2,3,4 He and Martha Francis Sylvester married on 20 August 1865 in Travis County, Texas.⁵

Thomas Jefferson Pruitt married Cyntha Ann Ray on 27 June 1904 in Caldwell County, Texas.⁶

No record of Tom's death other than the Family Bible has been found as of Feb 2010. Tom died on 14 December 1916 at age 70.⁷ Tom Pruitt was probably buried in Lytton Springs Cemetery, Caldwell County. Although there is no tombstone for Tom in the two Pruitt plots and no cemetery record of his burial, it is thought that he is buried there. His first wife, Martha, and oldest son, Cale are there in marked graves. When accounting for the number of graves marked with stones but no names and matching the number of stones with the people probably buried there, we can easily assign one of those stones to Tom.

     Cyntha was found on the 1910 census enumerated as Head of Household using the Prewitt surname, with her McCoy children and without Tom. She was living near two of Tom's brothers in Travis County and was identified as a widow even though Tom was still alive. By 1920 she was still in Travis County but listed as Cyntha McCoy with one of her sons.

     Martha Francis Sylvester was born on 5 April 1845 in Texas.¹ She and Thomas Jefferson Pruitt married on 20 August 1865 in Travis County, Texas.² Martha Francis died on 13 October 1901 in Bastrop Or Caldwell County, Texas, at age 56.¹ She was buried in Lytton Springs Cemetery in Caldwell County.

     After her marriage on 20 August 1865, she was normally known as Pruitt.

     Levi Pruitt was born in 1815 in Illinois.^3,4,5 He was born in 1810 in Mississippi.⁶ He married Hannah Trenary, daughter of John B. Trenary, before February 1838.^7,8,9 Levi died on 17 April 1868 in Texas. He died probably in either Hays or Travis County.⁷

     When reading about early Texas settlers like Jacob, Levi & Martin T Pruitt, John B Trenary and maybe William H. Middleton, it will help to learn about the colonization and land distribution in Spanish Texas, Mexican Texas and the Republic of Texas. Click here to read about the settlement of Texas. (an unknown value.)¹⁴ On 6 March 1836 Levi Pruitt Levi Pruitt served with the Texian Army in Hayden Arnold's Nacogdoches Company along with his brother and future father in law for three months doing his duty as a soldier and private and partidipating in the Battle of San Jacinto. He was honourably discharged on August 9, 1836. His term of service commenced 8 May, 1836 upon mustering into Capt Hayden Arnold's company. His discharge on 9 August, 1836 was signed by Captain Hayden Arnold and approved by Brig Genl Thomas J Rusk. For his service he received a Bounty and Donation Grant. in Nacogdoches, Republic of Texas.^15,16,7,17 The Killough Massacre, said to have been the largest single Indian depredation in East Texas, took place on October 5, 1838, near the present Old Larissa in northwestern Cherokee County. The eighteen victims included Isaac Killough, Sr. and members of his extended family who had immigrated to Texas from Talladega County, Alabama, the year before. Believing that they had an agreement with the Indians allowing them to harvest their crops, they were caught unarmed out in the fields by a hostile band of Indians, Mexicans, runaway slaves and possible a white man. They were massacred. Ten to fifteen survivors made their way to Lacy's Fort, 40 miles to the south.

In 1836 a treaty negotiated with Sam Houston and John Forbes the Cherokees a were granted large tract of land. The treaty, however, was nullified when the Republic of Texas Senate failed to ratify it. Then, parts of the land was sold to the Killoughs and other settlers. Obviously this provoked ressentment in the Indians and laid the basis for the 1838 uprisings. It is thought, however, that the attack on the Killoughs was part of a plot by Vicente Cordova, former alcalde of Nacogdoches, and Mexican officials to retake Texas by inciting Indians to attack settlers. This was call the Cordova Rebellion and it never really mateialized.

General Rusk was tasked with forming a militia to track down the band that had attacked the Killoughs. Jacob, Martin T. and Levi Pruitt were among the area settlers who joined this militia on October 10, 1838. The militia quickly found the renegade band at an old Kickapoo village and attacked. Eleven members of the band were killed including a renegade Cherokee named Tail. It was repported that the band included Caddos, Coushatas, runaway slaves, Mexicans and possibly Keechis Indians. Survivors of the massacrs claimed that they saw a white man named Hawkins dressed as an Indian.

The Pruitts were discharged on October 19 and paid $8.33 for their service. The massacre, the incursion of new settlers and the abrogation of Houston's treaty created deep-seated resentments that led to the Cherokee War the following year.^18,19 Click here to read all about the Killough Massacre. He was listed in the 1840 Republic of Texas tax rolls which were used as a census for the fledgling Republic. He is not shown as owning any property. Jacob and Martin T Pruitt are also listed in Houston County.²⁰ He was listed in Henderson County, Texas on the 1846 Republic of Texas Poll Lists which were used as the official census when the Republic became a state that year.²¹