Prickett, Jacob bio

Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County, Illinois: containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county: together with portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States, and governors of the state; Biographical Pub. Co., Chicago, IL; 1890; page 677–678; Transcribed by Margaret Rose Whitehurst
Jacob Prickett. Among the portraits of prominent citizens of Fulton County, presented in this volume, the reader will notice on the opposite page that of Mr. Prickett, a pioneer of this county. He has accomplished his full share in developing its agricultural interests, with which he is still closely identified, although now living retired from active life in his pleasant home in the city of Lewistown, of which he is a honored resident. November 16, 1813, our subject was born in Springfield Township, Clark County, Ohio. His father, Nicholas Prickett, was, it is thought, born in Virginia. After marriage he removed to Ohio and resided for a time among the pioneers of Clermont county.
Nicholas Prickett subsequently became an early settler of Clark County, buying there a tract of forest covered land, a part of which is now included in the city of Springfield. He built a flourmill on Buck Creek, which was one of the earliest mills operated there. He was a resident of that part of the country until about the time of his death in 1830, he dying in Vermillion County, this State, while there on a visit. The maiden name of his wife was Catherine Napper, and she is supposed to have been a native of Pennsylvania. She survived her husband many years, dying finally in Clark County, Ohio. She reared nine children to busy and useful lives.
The subject of this biographical review was young when his father died, and continued to live on the home farm with his other until he started in life for himself. For one year he worked on a farm by the month and then rented land in Springfield Township. He resided there until 1836, when he decided that he could improve his financial condition by moving further westward and he started on the journey with a team, accompanied by his wife and the one child that had been born to them in their old home. The spent the winter in Indiana, and in 1837 removed to Vermillion County, this State.
Mr. Prickett farmed on rented land in Indiana until 1846. He then tried life in Iowa, spending one summer in Mahaska County. That State was then on the Western frontier and as there were no railroads he had gone thither with teams. Evidently he was not well pleased with the country, as in the fall he returned to Illinois and took up his residence permanently in this County. He bought a tract of timber land in Lewistown Township, thus identifying himself with its pioneer farmers. Into the log cabin that stood on the place, he removed with his family and continued the improvement of his land of which ten acres were cleared and broken. He has seen much of pioneer life, enduring all the hardships and trials common to the settlers of a newly developed county; and has been an interested witness of much of the growth of the county having done all that a good citizen can do to promote its welfare.
In this then sparsely settled region, deer and wild turkeys and various other kinds of game were abundant and furnished good fare for the pioneers. Lewistown wa not then the important place it is to-day, and the nearest markets were at Liverpool and Havana. The habits of the people, who were frugal and industrious, were simple, and they were obliged to content themselves with few luxuries, as there were no railways or canals here connecting them with the outside world and traveling over the rough primitive roads was at time difficult.
Mr. Prickett resided on his early homestead three years and then removed to Lewistown to engage in teaming between that place, Havana and Liverpool, though he still continued to improve his farm. He lived in town some years and then purchased another farm in the township, upon which he dwelt until after the death of his wife when he returned to his city home. He still owns the farm, which, with its well tilled fields, ample buildings and conveniences for carrying on agriculture, is a very desirable piece of property, and from its rental he receives a goodly amount of money yearly.
Mr. Prickett has been three times married. The maiden name of his first wife was Mary Elsworth. She was a native of Clark County, Ohio, and a daughter of Aquilla and Mehitable Elsworth. Her death occurred on the farm in Lewistown Township. Mr. Prickett’s second wife was Mary A. Etnire, and she died in Lewistown. The maiden name of the third was Esther Coen. His children are by his first marriage and are named as follows: Catherine, Margaret J., Mary E., Sarah E., and Mehitable A. Of them it is recorded that Catherine married George Newton, of Lewistown; Mary E. Married Marshall Chase, of Lewistown; Sarah E. married George Fluke, of Taylor County, Iowa; Mahitable married Calvin Fluke, of Joshua Township.
Our subject is eminently a self-made man. Like many another poor boy his education was obtained in the log schoolhouse of pioneer times with its home-made furniture and its greased paper windows. When he started out in the world to fight life’s battles on his own account he went empty-handed, but he needed no other capital than his good health, strong muscles and clear brain, which have placed him in comfortable circumstances. His life record is a good one and such as to commend him to the respect and esteem of the entire community. In politics he gives stanch support to the Republican party.