Biography of R. S. Pruett - Conway Co, AR

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Submitted by: Cathy Barnes <bbarnes@cswnet.com>
        Date: 21 Jun 1998
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
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SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Western Arkansas.
Goodspeed Publishers, 1891.

page 119

R. S. Pruett. Among the business men of Morrilton none rank higher in
point of energy than building contractor and brick manufacturer R. S.
Truett. He is a self-made man in every sense of the word, and his
success in his business may be attributed to the thorough knowledge he
possesses of it, having served as an apprentice in every department
from its lowest grade up, step by step, to a master-workman, and to
his present occupation of contractor and manufacturer. As the people
among whom he now lives may be interested in knowing something about
his past, it is proper to state that he was born in Mississippi in
1858; he was the second in a family of seven children born to James
and Juda L. (Stephenson) Truett; parents were natives of Mississippi,
and father was an extensive contractor and builder at Meridian, that
State, and he died when our subject was but twelve years of age;
mother still resides in the old home. The educational advantages of
Mr. Truett were limited, as he could only attend school up to the time
of his father's death, after which he at once entered the employment
of Skulley & Higgins as an apprentice as before stated; after serving
six years with them he worked in the State of Mississippi till 1881,
when he went to Louisiana, when, after a short residence of one year,
he came to Arkansas, and settled at Russellville. He worked one year
as journeyman, and then began to take contracts, erecting two
buildings in Russellville. He then went to Fort Smith for two years,
and then to Alma, where he took contracts and erected two buildings.
In 1887 he came to Morrilton, where he at once began contracting, and
in the same year erected the bank building for Mr. Hanniford. The
Methodist Church, a handsome and beautiful edifice, was erected by him
in 1888, as have been most of the business blocks erected in the town
since In 1889 he erected a beautiful church at Lonoke, Arkansas, and
he now has some twelve or fifteen contracts on hand. He started the
manufacture of brick on his arrival here, and since then has made over
3,000,000 at this place. He also has yards at Atkins and Russellville,
in both of which places he has contracts for buildings too. In this
place he employs some fifty men, affording more employment than any
other single individual; he owns one large brick storehouse and his
brickyard in Morrilton. Mr. Truett was married in 1885 to Birdie
Caldwell, of Russellville, a daughter of James Caldwell. To this union
have been born one child-Robert. Mr. Truett is one of those active and
stirring men of which all communities are in need, and of whose
success in life their energy is always an assurance.