Lewis County, West Virginia    Biography of Robert H. PRITCHARD

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Submitted by Valerie Crook, <vfcrook@trellis.net>, July 1999
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The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., 
Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 175


ROBERT H. PRITCHARD, an ex service man who was a lieu-
tenant in his division in France, is one of Lewis County's
most popular young citizens, and is one of the proprietors
and the managing editor of the Weston Democrat.

Lieutenant Pritchard was born at Weston April 14, 1892
son of William L. and Catherine (DeVaney) Pritchard
who were also natives of Weston. The mother died in 1917.
The father was born March 10, 1863, and is now retired.
The family are Methodists, and the father is a republican
in politics and a member of the Modern Woodmen of
America. Of eleven children seven are still living.

Robert H. Pritchard grew up in his native city, attended
the public schools there, and after graduating from high
school entered West Virginia University, where he took the
classical course and had three years of preparation for the
A. B. degree. He left his studies in university to enter the
Second Officers Training Camp at Fort Benjamin Harrison,
Indiana, was commissioned a second lieutenant and assigned
to the Eighty-fourth Division, Camp Taylor, Louisville, Ken-
tucky. From June to August, 1918, this division was in
training at Camp Sherman, Chillicothe, Ohio, and then went
overseas. After arriving in France Mr. Pritchard was made
first lieutenant, was assigned to the Fortieth Division and
nad duty near Amiens during the last weeks of active hos-
tilities. He was returned to the United States in April,
1919. For two years after his return he was instructor in
French and English at the Weston High School.

On June 1, 1921, Mr. Pritchard and Andrew Edmiston,
Jr., bought the Weston Democrat. The paper is now owned
by an incorporated company, of which Andrew Edmiston,
Jr., is president and manager, Mrs. Pauline B. Pritchard,
wife of Lieutenant Pritchard, is vice president, Mrs. Merle
W. Edmiston is secretary, with Robert H. Pritchard as
managing editor.

In June, 1920, Mr. Pritchard married Pauline Brewster,
who was born in Ohio but was reared in Weston and is a
graduate of the local high school and received her A. B.
degree from West Virginia University. She is a member
of the Scholarship Honorary Fraternity Phi Beta Kappa.
They have one daughter, Mary C., born April 1, 1921.

Lieutenant and Mrs. Pritchard are members of the Metho-
dist Episcopal Church. He is affiliated with the local lodges
of Masons and Knights of Pythias, is a democrat in poli-
tics, and served as the second commander of Weston Post
No. 4 of the American Legion. He is a stockholder in the
Gem Oil & Gas Company of Burnsville, West Virginia.