William N. Prichett

Notes on William Norris Pritchett
submitted by Melba Clark

BIRTH: Norris was born about 1830. He is listed as 20 in 1850 [Census] and as 50 in 1880. Norris Pritchett's birthplace is given as AL in 1850 but as NC in 1880.

CENSUS: 1850 AL TUSKALOOSA CO Pg 179B; Norris Pritzard (or Pritgard), 20
farmer b AL listed with the Elisha Hays family. Another researcher said that Elisha's first wife was Louvena M. Newton. Since Norris was listed with Elisha and his family and Norris's first child was named Newton, I wonder if there might be some connection between Norris and Louvena?????
[The family was Elisha J(or T?) Hays 36; (can't read female's name) 36; children next page: Jno A Hays 11, Jas M 10, Martha A 8, Mary J 6, Andrew W? 4, Nancy M? 1. Listed with them is Norris Pritg(orz)ard 20. These pages were microfilmed out-of-order. Using the house and family numbers, Page 179B should be before 178A. The parents are on pg 179B, the children and Norris are on pg 178A.]

MARRIAGE RECORDS: OF BIBB CO, AL-1820-1860, page 49, by Pauline Jones
Gundrud. William Norris Pritchett and Mellisa Alice Smith, 2 Dec 1855. My copy was made from Bibb Co. courthouse in BOOK "E", PG138. They were married by George Stewart, J. P.
The following facts lead to the deduction that this marriage is that of
Norris and Alice:
1] This record contains the names, William N. and Milissa A. (N for Norris, A for Alice).
2] The date is exactly 10 months before the birth of their first child.
3] No record of any William and Melissa Pritchett/etc can be located on later censuses.
4] Norris enlisted for service in the CSA at Scottsville in Bibb Co. His captain, Joab Goodson, who wrote a letter to his niece containing the account of Norris being injured, using only his first name, while stating the surnames for the others mentioned. This indicates that Joab knew she would know Norris by his first name. Pension applications confirm by the date and nature injury that he was speaking of Norris Pritchett. Capt. Joab and his family are found in Bibb Co . The other Pritchett family living in Tuscaloosa Co in 1850 was in Bibb Co in 1840 and 1860, PO Scottsville. There is a Goodson listed with a Smith family who have a daughter named Melissa (younger than this Melissa, perhaps named for her) in 1860, PO Scottsville. By 1870, there were no Pritchetts in Bibb Co, but several back in Tuscaloosa
Co, where Norris and Alice are found in 1880. All of this leads to the conclusion that they were probably in Bibb Co. at this time.
5] The death certificate for Alice, wife of Norris, state that her father was Foster Clayton SMITH.

CENSUS: 1860 not found

LETTER from Norris' Captain:
I have copies of letters from Capt. Joab Goodson, of the 44th AL Inf Reg't, CSA, Co. B. I first got a copy of a poorly typed transcript of the letter containing the account of Norris's injury at the musuem at Chickamauga National Military Park. While trying to find out more about the battle, I found a two-part article (quite a few of Joab's letters) in THE ALABAMA
REVIEW, April, 1957(pgs 126-153) and July 1957(pgs 214-231) at Huntsville Public Library, Heritage Room. The article is very interesting to read and gives a lot of references to family and friends from Bibb Co. He gives quite lengthy details of their experiences in their travels and battles. In one letter he describes his brother, Rufus's death at his side. Another tells of his hopes to return home. My Norris is mentioned on pg 150 of part I. I have compiled a handwriten list of those mentioned in his letters and have identified most of them with notations from censuses, etc. Joab is also mentioned and/or quoted in some of other books about the battle and/or the unit and/or the war. John A. Goodson and Nancy Garrett Goodson were Capt Goodson's parents. _MC

CENSUS: 1870 not found

CENSUS: 1880 AL TUSKALOOSA CO ED158 PG 655A; KENNEDALE, BEAT 15; HOUSE
61/FAMILY 40; LINE 26: Norris Prichett, 50 farm hand b NC/NC/NC;
Wife, Allice 43 b AL/TN/GA;
Children: all b AL/NC /AL
son Newton 23 farm hand;
dau M C 16 weaver;
dau Demerice 15 factory hand;
dau M J 12 factory hand;
dau Dolly 10;
son Lee 9;
dau Caroline 4.

MILITARY: SERVICE RECORDS, CSA:
Packet cover is entitled:
" Pritchard, Norris
Co B, 44 Alabama Infantry.
(Confederate)
Private/Private"
There are 11 card numbers listed.
[1] "Norris Pritchet ..Appears on the Company Muster Roll.....for: from
enlistment to June 30, 1862.
Enlisted:
When Mar 19, 1862
Where Scottsville, Ala.
By whom Capt. Jones
Period 3 yrs or War
Present"
[2] "Norris Pritchard...for: June 30 to Oct 31, 1862"
Enlistment:.......... Period: "For Three Years or During the War"
"Last paid:
By whom Capt R Lapsley
To what tiem June 30, 1862."
[3] "Norris Pritchard....for: Nov and Dec, 1862.....Last paid:....to.. Nov 1, 1862"
[4] "Norris Prichard....for: Jan and Feb 1863.....paid....to Dec 31, 1862"
[5] "N. Pritchard....for: Mch. and Apl., 1863(dated Nat 18m 1863,....paid...to..Feb 28, 1863"
[6] "N. Pritchard....for: May and June, 1863. (dated July 29, 1863.....paid...to..Apr. 30, 1863"
[7] "N. Pritchard....for: July and Aug, 1863...paid...to..June 30, 1863"
[8] "Norric Pritchard...for: Sept and Oct, 1863. (dated Jan 20, 1864......paid...to Aug 31, 1863...Absent. Remarks: Wounded at Chickamauga; Sept. 19 - furlonghed till Nov. 22/63"
[9] "N. Pritchard...for: Oct 31, 1863 to Feby 29, 1864...paid...to..Aug 31,
1863. Absent. Remarks: Wounded at Chickamauga Sept 19, 1863 & sent to hospital."
[10] "N. Pritchard...for: July and Aug, 1864. (Dated Nov 20, 1864....paid...to..Aug 31, 1863. Absent. Remarks: Furlough expired Apr 17/64."
[11] "Noris Prichard...Name appears as signature to a Roll of Prisoners of War paroled, until exchanged, at Fort Monroe, Va., April 21, 1863. Roll
dated: Not stated.
Where captured: Suffolk
When captured: Apr 19, 1863;
Hdqrs. Provost Marshal, Fort Monroe, Va.,; Roll No. 54, sheet 3"
[12] "N Prichett...Register of Payments on Descriptive Lists.
Period of service:
From July 1, 1863
To Aug 31, 1863
When paid Sept 26, 1863
By whom B. F. Bomar
Amount: 22
Confed. Arch., Chap. 5, File No. 78, page 385"
[13] "Norris Prichard...Appears on a RECEIPT ROLL for "Commutation of Rations." Roll dated: [blank] From Nov. 12, 186_,
To Jan. 12, 186_.
Signer's name X
Remarks: Paid, Nov. 17/63
Roll No 690"
[14] [Cover] No. 795 Abstract B 3 Qr, 1863
N Pritchard
Dollars: 19.80 Paid 27 of Sept 1863"
[15] "THE CONFEDERATE STATES, To Private Norris Pritchetts Co D. 44th Ala Regt
1863. For commutation of RATIONS while on Sich Furlough from Sept 25th to Nov 23rd inclu?n 60 days @ 33c 19.80.........Received at MONTGOMERY, this the 27th day of Sept 1863.....(Signed) N Prichard"
[16] side one: " Paid 2d of Jany 1864 to M Pritchard..From Sept 1st 1863
To Decr 31st 1863 Pay, $44.00
side two: "....Private M Pritchard....C. S. Army .... 1864 ... For monthly Pay, from Sept 1st 1863 to Decr 31 1863, being four months ... at eleven per month; For commutation of Clothing ..... Amount Paid 44.00...endorsed..E T Fellower, Cap??..Received at Selma Ala the 2 day of Jany 1864 from E T Fellower, Capt & A Quartermaster, Confederate States Army, the sum of Forty Four Dollars......M his + mark Pritchard. Witness: J M Kee" [NOTE: From # 2 thru #16, I typed only those facts that differed or added to information
found in #1]

CSA RECORDS from microfilm:
{1} "CAPTIONS AND RECORD OF EVENTS,
(company) Co B, 44 ALABAMA INF. (Confederate.)
Cards included for: [1] "near Richmon, VA"; [2] "Culpepper C. H. Va"; [3]
"near Fredericksburg, Va"; [4] near Richmond, Va"; [5] "Raccoon ford";
[6] Culpepper C. H., Va"; [7] "Rappahannock Academy"; [8] "near
Morristown, Tenn."; [9] "Bull's Gap. Tenn."; [10] "near Richmond, Va"
{2} "CAPTIONS AND RECORD OF EVENTS.
(Field and Staff.) 44 ALABAMA INFANTRY. (Confederate.)
Cards included for: [1] "Nov & Dec 1862..Near Fredericksburg"; [2] "May &
June 1863, [no station given--record indicates "Pennsylvania Campaign",
started at "Culpeper C H ..Shenandoah ....Berryville...Snickers
Gap...Uperville...Millwood...Bunker Hill...Potomac at Williamsport.. Green
Castle.. Chambersburg."] [3] "near Chaffi?? Farms, Aug 11, 1864."
{3} "CAPTIONS AND RECORD OF EVENTS.
(Regimental.) 44 ALABAMA INFANTRY. (Confederate.)
Cards included for: [1] "June 1862..at Falling Creek" (two sides) [2]
"July 1862.. near Falling Creek"

MILITARY: CSA PENSION APPLICATIONS, microfilm ROLL 198:
Packet cover is entitled:
"MILITARY RECORDS DIVISION
VETERAN'S NAME: Norris Prichard
PENSIONER: or Prichett; Mrs. A. Prichard
COUNTY: Tuscaloosa
MILITARY RECORD: Pvt, Co B_ 44th Ala"
Several pages of applications from Norris are included [one from his widow,
Alice, see below].
All of them state that he was wounded at Chicamauga on the 19th of Sept, 1863.
Each is stated a little different but together they indicate that he was shot through the right elbow with a minnie ball.
[1] CSA APPL: ACT FEB 25, 1887: Dated 9 July 1887, this one states that Norris is engaged in the business of "making shingles". It has his signature.
[2] CSA APPL: ACT FEB 13, 1891: Dated 30 May 1891, this one states that Norris is engaged in the business of "farming". It has an (X) for his signature.
[3] CSA APPL: ACT FEB 13, 1891: Dated 29 Mar 1892, this one states that Norris is engaged in the business of "job work". It has an (X) for his signature.
[4] CSA APPL: ACT FEB 13, 1891: Dated 24 apr 1893 , this one states that Norris is engaged in the business of "making shingles". It has his signature.
[5] CSA APPL: ACT FEB 13, 1891: Dated 22 Jan 1894, this one states that Norris is engaged in the business of "day laborer". It has an (X) for his signature.
[6] CSA APPL: A cover panel for one? of these (#18946406) is marked "approved by board of examiners August 9/95; H. H. Cribbs, J. M. Daniel, H.
F. Hill"
[7] CSA APPL: ACT FEB 13, 1891, AMMENDED 18 FEB 1895: Dated 10 Feb 1896 , this one states that Norris is engaged in the business of "job work" and that his taxable property consists of "nothing taxable". It gives his post office address "Cotton Dale, Ala." It has an (X) for his signature.
[8] CSA APPL: ACT FEB 13, 1891, AMMENDED 18 FEB 1895: Dated 5 Jan 1897, this one states that Norris is engaged in the business of "job work" and that his taxable property consists of "no property". It gives his post office address "Cotton Dale, Ala." It has an (X) for his signature.

CSA WIDOW'S APPLICATION:
[1] 1 June 1897: "Allis Prichartt,...widow of Norris Prichartt...private
in Co. B, in the 44 Reg. of volunteers; that her husband died on the 13 day
of January, 1894;.....(signed with her X mark); J. W. Maxwell, Justice of Peace".
[2] A list of property, dated 1 June 1897 for Allis includes: " (no real
estate); Hogs 1-$5.00; Clocks 1-$3.00; Bed 1- $5.00; Total $13.00; J. W.
Maxwell, Justice of Peace".
[3] "G. W. Simmons and J. C. Wilson" both signed(with x's) an "Affidavit
For Witnesses To Application Of Widows" on "the 3rd of June 1897; J. W.
Hayes, justice of the peace".