Hamp Pruitt

Adam Hampton Pruitt was the only son of Hampton P. Pruitt and Mary Wagoner Pruitt. He was born on April 19th, either 1863 or 1864, in Wilkes County, North Carolina. (1)   He went by by the name "Hamp" Pruitt. His father, Hampton P. Pruitt, died during the Civil War.

Hamp married Samantha Blevins, the daughter of Rev. Calloway Blevins and Lucinda Caudill Blevins, on December 30, 1885.  (2)  

One of their descendants has a picture of Hamp and Samantha, along with a story that the clothes in the picture were "painted on, they didn't own anything that 'fine'."  (3)

Hamp and Samantha Pruitt - click to enlarge

Hamp and Samantha were the parents of thirteen children:

1)  Cordillia Pruitt, born and died December 7, 1886  (4)

2)  Ida Victoria Pruitt, born December 8, 1887, died 29 July 1957, wife of Volney Cleary

3)  Rev. John Caloway "Callie" Pruitt, born 28 December 1889, died March 19, 1976, husband of Amanda Ethel Cleary

4)  Rev. Adam "Addie" Wesley Pruitt, born November 17, 1891, died June 28, 1978, husband of Cordova Blevins

5)  Myrtle DeEtte Pruitt, born March 29, 1894, died November 26, 1970, wife of James Harrison Felts

6)  William Mack Pruitt, born January 7, 1896, died June 10, 1968, husband of Norma Wyatt

7)  Charlie Pruitt, born August 17, 1897, died December 15, 1980, husband of Phoebe Elizabeth Caudill

8)  Sarah Mindora "Dora" Pruitt, born November 25, 1899, died May 14, 1921, wife of Rufus Gordon Pruitt

9)  Rhoda "Fay" Pruitt, born March 20, 1902, died October 13, 1930, never married

10) Rev. James Garfield "Gar" Pruitt, born September 14, 1904, died August 1, 1962, husband of Lola Carter

11)  Sherman Vestal Pruitt, born February 10, 1907, died September 5, 1989, husband of Jessie Mae Steelman

12)  Martha Zona Pruitt, born March 5, 1909, died November 30, 1991, the wife of Lee Raymond Wheeling

13)  Leonard Dennis Pruitt, born April 30, 1911, died January 15, 1960, husband of Esther Key

Hamp and Samantha Pruitt family - click to enlarge

This photograph, badly faded and scratched, did not include any names. However, the ages of the children would suggest that the back row, left to right, would include Addie, Callie, Ida and DeEtte. The front row, left to right, would include Charlie, Dora on Hamp's lap, Mack (with his hand on his father's shoulder), and Fay sitting on Samantha's lap.  (5)

Hamp Pruitt died on July 10th, 1916, in the New Life community of Wilkes County, of cancer of the stomach, per his death certificate.  (6)

Hamp Pruitt's death certificate - click to enlarge

He is buried at Walnut Grove Baptist Church, in the same community where he lived and died. The area is now identified as Hays, NC. His tombstone provides a death date of July 9th, 1916.  (7)

Hamp Pruitt's tombstone - click to enlarge


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(1) Official records weren't kept when Hamp was born. His death certificate lists his birth date as April 19, 1863, born in Wilkes County. The 1900 census provides a birth year of 1864. There is no indication who provided the information to the census taker, but this information was provided during Hamp's lifetime.

(2)  Marriage date is engraved on their joint tombstone at Walnut Grove Baptist church in Hays, NC.

(3)  Email from Robyn Pruitt to Ervin Pruitt, dated May 8, 2008, indicating the photo was sent to Robyn from Franky Pruitt, son of Gar Pruitt.

(4)  Ervin Pruitt has a list of names, birth and death dates, with no idea where they were originally recorded. This list contains the only known information about Cordillia.

(5)  This photograph copy is in the possesion of Stephen Pruitt. The original photo was borrowed and photographed many years ago. I'm not certain who has the original, but would like to obtain a better copy.

(6)  NC Death Certificate for Adam Hampton Pruitte, found online at Ancestry.com.

(7)  Photograph taken by Debbie Hendren Pruitt at Walnut Grove Baptist Church, 4650 Cabin Creek Road, Hays, NC.