Rachel
(Long) Pritts
(1860-1942)
Rachel
Ruamy (Long) Pritts was born on April 11, 1860 in Confluence, Somerset
County, PA, the daughter of George and
Elizabeth (Minerd) Long.
When Rachel was 12, her father died, and she became the legal ward of her grandparents, Jacob and Rachel (Ansell) Minerd III. They would care and provide for Rachel for many loving years, and she and her husband later would purchase the Minerd house at Normalville, Fayette County, PA.
On July 18, 1886, at her grandparents’ home, Rachel married John B. Pritts (1862-1939). He was the son of James and Hannah (Bungard) Pritts. Rachel’s cousin Lawson Minerd "stood up for them" at the wedding.
The Prittses had eight children – Clyde W. Pritts, Ida Grace Prinkey, Bessie M. Sleasman, Elizabeth Sleasman, Hannah A. Prinkey, Esther M. Flydell, Blanche Brooks and Homer R. Pritts.
In 1889, John and Rachel moved to Stonerville, PA. But they did not stay long, and later returned to Normalville.
Farming did not produce a substantial income for the family, and over the years the Connellsville Courier reported a number of their losses. In July 1896, John "had a lot of sheep killed … by dogs." In November 1901, he complained "that hunters killed at least six of his turkeys, taking them home and palming them off for wild ones. If the habit of shooting poultry by hunters is not stopped, somebody will get into trouble, and it won’t be the farmers, either." In September 1906, John "lost a valuable horse by lung fever. [He earlier had] refused $200 for the animal."
To generate additional funds, in the spring of 1902, the Prittses moved to "the new coke works at Victoria, near West Newton," where John took a job as stable boss, said the Courier. They remained there for four or five years, renting their Normalville farm, and then moved back to Normalville.
The
Prittses later purchased the old Minerd home at Normalville, seen here. Standing
on the porch, left to right, are: John and Rachel (Long) Pritts, Homer Pritts, Susan
Anna (Long) Kooser, Blanche Brooks, Hannah Prinkey, Elizabeth Kooser, Mary
Kooser, Elizabeth Sleasman and Bessie Sleasman.
The house was covered with weather board that covered the original logs on all sides except in the back, where the logs could be seen. The first floor contained a family room, dining room and kitchen, with four bedrooms on the second floor. A daughter remembered that it took seven yards of carpet to cover the entire living room floor.
A 1906 article in the Courier observed that John was "adding a new porch to the front of his house and making many other improvements, which will add very much to the appearance…"
Rachel always told her children that the family was Pennsylvania Dutch. But only on rare occasions would she speak German words. She would say, "Learning one language is tough enough, let alone two!"
Among their neighbors in Normalville were cousins Martin and Amanda (Williams) Miner. Amanda would pass by the Pritts home while walking to town to shop, and often stopped by to rest and visit.
In July 1910, the Prittses received a penny postcard from a church friend, announcing that "Dr. Ross will preach and hold our last quarterly conference Sunday morning, July 24."
John and Rachel celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on July 18, 1936. More than 70 friends and neighbors came to a party in their honor. A panorama photo of the group was taken that day.
Rachel and John's 50th wedding anniversary celebration
John passed away in 1939. He was laid to rest at the Normalville Cemetery.
Rachel died of heart disease at age 81 on Feb. 22, 1942. She was buried beside her husband. At the time of her passing, she had 23 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Many of their offspring played a role in the rise of Western Pennsylvania's role as a dominant industrial and agricultural center.
Son
Clyde Pritts (1887- ? ) married Nora Bell Prinkey (1886-1954) on June 14, 1910.
He was a teamster and a lifelong farmer of the Normalville area. He also was
employed by the Fayette County Stock Yard for more than 35 years. They had four
children -- Albert Pritts, George E. Pritts, Rev. Melvin Pritts and Blanche M.
Pritts. They were members of the Normalville Evangelical United Brethren Church.
Nora died at her home after an extended illness on June 25, 1954. Clyde outlived
her by nearly a quarter of a century. He passed away on Feb. 26, 1978, at the
age of 91.
Daughter Ida Grace Pritts (1888-1988) married Elmer Clarence Prinkey (1889-1964) on June 6, 1911. He was a lifelong farmer in the Normalville area. They had four children -- John E. Prinkey, George V. Prinkey, Kenneth W. Prinkey and Mary Helen Prinkey. The Prinkeys were members of the Normalville United Methodist Church, and celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on June 6, 1961. George died at age 74 on Jan. 7, 1964. Ida passed away at the age of 100 on Christmas Eve 1988. At the time of her passing, she had five grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and seven great-great grandchildren. Son Kenneth W. Prinkey (1915-1980) was married to Kathryn Snyder (1914-1989), the daughter of Norman and Jennie (Enos) Snyder.
Daughter Hannah Pritts (1896-1936) married Marshall Earl Prinkey on Oct. 18, 1916. Hannah was close to her cousin Katherine Long (daughter of William Jacob Long), and received a number of penny postcards from Katherine in the 1915-1917 timeframe. When Hannah married Marshall in 1916, Katherine sent a congratulatory postcard, saying:
You pulled some surprise, didn't you? Well, congratulations, anyhow. Think I'll be compelled to do the same thing soon, Dad's away so much. He got home Tuesday night and left this A.M. at 3:50, and goes to Harrisburg Mon. Don't forget to write since you are married.
The Prinkeys had three children -- Violet Eutsey, Elizabeth Prinkey and Marshall Prinkey Jr. Hannah died on Nov. 22, 1936, at the age of 40. Marshall Sr.'s fate is not known.
Daughter
Blanche Pritts (1902- ? ) married William Curtis Brooks (1895-1959) on April 14,
1926. He was a coal miner for U.S. Steel at its Leisenring
No. 3 Mine and was a member of the United Mine Workers of America. (The coal
shaft of the Leisenring No. 3 Mine is seen here in a rare old postcard
photograph.) Blanche and William are mentioned in the 1975 Brooks Family History.
They resided in the Wooddale section of Connellsville had six children -- Howard
Brooks, Donald Brooks, Glenn Brooks, James Robert Brooks, Lillian Doppelheuer
and Hilda Beal. William passed away at age 60 on April 6, 1959. Blanche was
interviewed on several occasions in the late 1980s and early '90s by the founder
of Minerd.com, and her insights have been invaluable for our understanding of
this branch of the family.
Daughter Elizabeth Pritts (1893-1954) married Albert R. Sleasman (1898-1970) in May 1923. (Elizabeth's sister Bessie married Albert's brother Alvie.) They had one daughter, Rachel Meyers. The Sleasmans were members of the Indian Head Church of God. Albert was a coal miner of the Eastern Gas and Fuel Associates, retiring in 1958 after three decades of work. He also was employed by the Pennsylvania Department of Highways for two years. After an illness of eight months' duration, Elizabeth passed away on Aug. 3, 1954, at the age of 61. He died on May 3, 1970.
Daughter
Bessie Pritts (1890-1955) married Alvie Sleasman (1897-1984). They had three sons -- Raymond Sleasman,
Gerald Sleasman and Homer Sleasman. They resided in
Normalville, Connellsville and Indian Head. On Aug. 23, 1921, Bessie sent a
penny postcard to her mother, stating: "I arrived in town O.K. Marea got
the 9:10 car and I came over on the 9:30. Am gonig to work this after noon. Mrs.
Mayfield has her 2 rooms rented." In about 1943, the Sleasmans moved to Elizabeth,
Allegheny County, PA, in
Pittsburgh's Mon Valley. Alvie was an overhead crane operator for the U.S. Steel's
National Tube Division at McKeesport, Allegheny County, PA, where he was employed for 23 years.
National Tube's plant is seen at left. He
also was a coal miner for the Indian Head Coal Company and a veteran of World
War I. Bessie passed away at home at age 64 on Jan. 24, 1955, after a five-year
illness, said the Daily Courier. Alvie remarried to Gladys Laymon, and
was a member of the Pennsville Baptist Church. He passed away in Connellsville
on Nov. 28, 1984.
Daughter Esther Pritts (1898-1989) married George Henry Flydell (1891-1976) in June 1921. They resided in the Vanderbilt and Connellsville areas of Fayette County. They had three daughters -- Rachel Pierce, Verna Shipley and Catherine Leonard. George was a coal miner for the H.C. Frick Coal & Coke Co.'s Leisenring No. 1 Mine, and a member of Local 1901 of the United Mine Workers of America. He also was a veteran of World War I. Esther worked for Connellsville Sportswear, where she was a seamstress. They were members of the First Baptist Church of Connellsville. George died on Aug. 24, 1976, and Esther passed away on July 16, 1989. They are buried at Green Ridge Memorial Park. At the time of her death, Esther had nine grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Son Homer Pritts (1906-1945) married Dorothy Esther Lehman ( ? - ? ) on May 27, 1929. Later, he married Virginia Densmore ( ? - ? ). All told, Homer had three children -- William Pritts, Constance Ann Klink and Nancy Lee Pritts. As a young man, Homer received a number of penny postcards from his siblings and from his uncle William Jacob Long. He worked for the railroad of the Pittsburgh Steel Company. They moved to Limestone Hill, near Connellsville, Fayette County in April 1945. Sadly, just three months later, on July 7, 1945, Homer died at age 38 at St. Joseph's Hospital in Pittsburgh, after an illness of four months. The funeral was held at the Normalville United Brethren Church, with burial at the adjacent cemetery.
Granddaughter
Rachel Sleasman married C.M. Meyers. He was a construction superintendent for
many years with Graziano Construction Company of Pittsburgh, and was a member of
the Carpenters Union for 46 years, said the Daily Courier. Rachel was employed by Connellsville Sportswear and the
Anchor Hocking Glass Plant in South Connellsville. The plant is seen at left
in an old postcard. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on June 27,
1997, and were pictured in a feature in the Daily Courier.
Grandson Gerald Dale Sleasman (1927-2002) married Dolores Duval. He was a "retired craneman from the National plant, U.S. Steel Corp., [and] was a U.S. Army Air Corps veteran of World War II and member of Central Highlands Community United Methodist Church in Elizabeth Twp.," said the McKeesport Daily News.
Copyright © 2001-2003, 2006 Mark A. Miner