Imperial-San Diego County CA Archives Biographies.....Pruitt, William H. 1874 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 18, 2006, 9:18 pm Author: F. C. Farr (editor, 1918) WILLIAM H. PRUITT is a man of enterprise and discrimination, and in the course of a long and varied business career he has been identified with a number of important interests. Mr. Pruitt is a native of Butler County, Kansas; his birth occurred April 29, 1874, son of T. R. and Lydia (Hurl) Pruitt. His father was of French ancestry, now deceased, and his mother was of German birth and still living. William H. was educated in the public schools of Kansas. Finishing his schooling, he enlisted in the Ninth United States Infantry and saw active service in China and the Philippines. He received an honorable discharge in 1903. For five years he ranched in Oklahoma and later moved to Prescott, Arizona. Here he clerked for a time and moved to San Diego, where he operated a transfer business. He disposed of the transfer business and engaged in the retail grocery business for two years. In 1914 Mr. Pruitt purchased the laundry business in Calexico of Judge McCollum and operated the first steam laundry in Calexico. Previous to taking over the Calexico laundry, Mr. Pruitt operated the Valley Laundry at El Centro for two years. The earthquake demolished the laundry buildings in both places, and Mr. Pruitt erected his present commodious building and installed up-to-date and the most modern machinery in 1914. Mr. Pruitt also purchased the Valley Steam Laundry in El Centro of the late J. P. Hiel in 1912 and now operates both plants. He was married March 8, 1904, to Tilla Midkiff of Kansas, a daughter of Aaron and Mahila Midkiff. To Mr. and Mrs. Pruitt have been born one son, Paul, born December 21, 1914. Fraternally he is a member of the I. O. O. F., the K. of P. and B. P. O. E. Mr. Pruitt has eighty acres east of El Centro and eighty acres west of El Centro, which he has in corn and alfalfa. Mr. Pruitt gives his ready support to movements which have for their purpose the advancement of Imperial County. Additional Comments: From: THE HISTORY OF IMPERIAL COUNTY CALIFORNIA EDITED BY F. C. FARR IN ONE VOLUME ILLUSTRATED Published by ELMS AND FRANKS BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA 1918 Printed by Taylor & Taylor, San Francisco File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/imperial/bios/pruitt554bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/cafiles/ File size: 2.7 Kb