A native of Washtenaw county, Michigan. He was born on May 6, 1847, his father being Philo A. Pritchard. His mother was before her marriage, Eliza Woodard. His father died when he was a child of six, and the boy began his brave struggle for existence at the tender age of eleven years, having attended school until that time. At that age he began supporting himself. The years of his youth and young manhood were spent in such various kinds of employment as he was able to find, and at the time of his marriage he began the serious work of farming. While his family came to Belmond in 1856 it was 1877 before he purchased land. This was during the pioneer period when there were no railroads in the state of Iowa. In 1856, his ancestors built the first frame house in Wright. Before his purchase of farm property, he had been engaged in the buying and selling of stock, an enterprise which he continued even after he made his residence in the town. He became a soldier, enlisting on January 1, 1864, in Company F. Second Regiment, Iowa Cavalry, he was then just sixteen years of age, and served until the close of the war. He was mustered out on October 25, 1865, in Selma, Alabama. Immediately after the close of the war he engaged in the selling of insurance in the South. After his return home Mr. Pritchard became active in public affairs as well as in private life and in 1893 was elected to the board of county supervisors, a position which he held for six years, during three of which he was chairman of the board. Pritchard's public service brought him before the people in such a way that he was chosen to represent them in the state Legislature at the election in 1901. His term of service lasted for six years. during which time he was chairman of the committee on agriculture. Mr. Pritchard and Florine Bloom were married in Wright county on December 7, 1869, the bride being a native of Clearfield county, Pennsylvania, and a daughter of Isaac and Leah (Hoover) Bloom. Mr. Pritchard was a charter member of Whited Post No. 247, Grand Army of the Republic, of Belmond. He was also a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, having joined Radiant Lodge No. 366. in 1875, while in Alden, Iowa. He was a member of the Royal Arch Masons in Garner; the council degrees in Eagle Grove Knights Templar in Iowa Falls; Scottish Rite in Des Moines, Iowa, and the Za Ga Jig Shrine temple in Des Moines. Mr. Pritchard's political interests have been always with the Republican party and he is proud of the fact that he voted for Abraham Lincoln when seventeen years old, his being a soldier permitting him to vote at that youthful period of his life.

A native of Washtenaw county, Michigan. He was born on May 6, 1847, his father being Philo A. Pritchard. His mother was before her marriage, Eliza Woodard. His father died when he was a child of six, and the boy began his brave struggle for existence at the tender age of eleven years, having attended school until that time. At that age he began supporting himself. The years of his youth and young manhood were spent in such various kinds of employment as he was able to find, and at the time of his marriage he began the serious work of farming. While his family came to Belmond in 1856 it was 1877 before he purchased land. This was during the pioneer period when there were no railroads in the state of Iowa. In 1856, his ancestors built the first frame house in Wright. Before his purchase of farm property, he had been engaged in the buying and selling of stock, an enterprise which he continued even after he made his residence in the town. He became a soldier, enlisting on January 1, 1864, in Company F. Second Regiment, Iowa Cavalry, he was then just sixteen years of age, and served until the close of the war. He was mustered out on October 25, 1865, in Selma, Alabama. Immediately after the close of the war he engaged in the selling of insurance in the South. After his return home Mr. Pritchard became active in public affairs as well as in private life and in 1893 was elected to the board of county supervisors, a position which he held for six years, during three of which he was chairman of the board. Pritchard's public service brought him before the people in such a way that he was chosen to represent them in the state Legislature at the election in 1901. His term of service lasted for six years. during which time he was chairman of the committee on agriculture. Mr. Pritchard and Florine Bloom were married in Wright county on December 7, 1869, the bride being a native of Clearfield county, Pennsylvania, and a daughter of Isaac and Leah (Hoover) Bloom. Mr. Pritchard was a charter member of Whited Post No. 247, Grand Army of the Republic, of Belmond. He was also a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, having joined Radiant Lodge No. 366. in 1875, while in Alden, Iowa. He was a member of the Royal Arch Masons in Garner; the council degrees in Eagle Grove Knights Templar in Iowa Falls; Scottish Rite in Des Moines, Iowa, and the Za Ga Jig Shrine temple in Des Moines. Mr. Pritchard's political interests have been always with the Republican party and he is proud of the fact that he voted for Abraham Lincoln when seventeen years old, his being a soldier permitting him to vote at that youthful period of his life.

A native of Washtenaw county, Michigan. He was born on May 6, 1847, his father being Philo A. Pritchard. His mother was before her marriage, Eliza Woodard. His father died when he was a child of six, and the boy began his brave struggle for existence at the tender age of eleven years, having attended school until that time. At that age he began supporting himself. The years of his youth and young manhood were spent in such various kinds of employment as he was able to find, and at the time of his marriage he began the serious work of farming. While his family came to Belmond in 1856 it was 1877 before he purchased land. This was during the pioneer period when there were no railroads in the state of Iowa. In 1856, his ancestors built the first frame house in Wright. Before his purchase of farm property, he had been engaged in the buying and selling of stock, an enterprise which he continued even after he made his residence in the town. He became a soldier, enlisting on January 1, 1864, in Company F. Second Regiment, Iowa Cavalry, he was then just sixteen years of age, and served until the close of the war. He was mustered out on October 25, 1865, in Selma, Alabama. Immediately after the close of the war he engaged in the selling of insurance in the South. After his return home Mr. Pritchard became active in public affairs as well as in private life and in 1893 was elected to the board of county supervisors, a position which he held for six years, during three of which he was chairman of the board. Pritchard's public service brought him before the people in such a way that he was chosen to represent them in the state Legislature at the election in 1901. His term of service lasted for six years. during which time he was chairman of the committee on agriculture. Mr. Pritchard and Florine Bloom were married in Wright county on December 7, 1869, the bride being a native of Clearfield county, Pennsylvania, and a daughter of Isaac and Leah (Hoover) Bloom. Mr. Pritchard was a charter member of Whited Post No. 247, Grand Army of the Republic, of Belmond. He was also a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, having joined Radiant Lodge No. 366. in 1875, while in Alden, Iowa. He was a member of the Royal Arch Masons in Garner; the council degrees in Eagle Grove Knights Templar in Iowa Falls; Scottish Rite in Des Moines, Iowa, and the Za Ga Jig Shrine temple in Des Moines. Mr. Pritchard's political interests have been always with the Republican party and he is proud of the fact that he voted for Abraham Lincoln when seventeen years old, his being a soldier permitting him to vote at that youthful period of his life.