HISTORIC BRAMWELL PIONEERS
THE PRITCHARDS OF BRAMWELL
From Martha Jane Becker's book: "The Pritchard Tree"...... William John Pritchard was born in Thrandrourey, Wales in March 1863. He received a limited education in Wales and came to America in 1881. He spent his first two weeks in America at Ellis Island. On Jan 10, 1888 he became a naturalized citizen and also rose to the position of mine foreman. In Feburary, 1888, he married Miss Ann Harris Thomas in Wilkes Barre, Pa. and brought his family to Coopers,WV where he lived for three years , while working for the pioneer of the development of the Pocahontas Coal Field, John Cooper. In 1902 the Pritchards moved to Bramwell and resided in a house on the hill above the Historic Goodwell House. In the late teens they moved across the bridge below Bramwell's Episcopal Church. After 40 years in the coal business Mr. Pritchard suffered a serious breakdown in health and died of Bright's Disease on September12, 1922. Mrs. Pritchard died in 1942 at the age of 77. They were the parents of seven children. They were truly a memorable coal mining pioneer family of southern West Virginia. John and Ann Pritchard's Children
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