ENOCH D. PRIGG, one of the best-known native-born farmers of the county, is a son of Samuel and Hetty (Day) Prigg. He was born November 11, 1817, in Canton township, and from very early life experienced little else than hard work on his father's farm, varied occasionally during the winter season by a few weeks' attendance at the nearest subscription school, to reach which entailed a long journey through the deep snow, often in the teeth of a piercing wind. The schoolhouse was an old log cabin, the floor made of puncheons, seats of undressed slabs supported by wooden pegs, while the writing desk was simply a slab extending across the room, and placed so high that the younger scholars could scarcely reach it. The fireplace was a huge affair at one end of the room, the generous fire being replenished by the older students usually during the noon hour. The other medium for keeping the boys "warm," the indispensable "birch," was under the immediate care of the dreaded dominie himself, who considerately kept it in a condition of chronic "pickle." Leaving school at an early age, our subject commenced his life-work in earnest, but true to his filial instincts remained at home with his parents, until his assistance was no longer necessary. He then, in company with his brother William, purchased a farm, which they worked on shares and greatly improved, until they bought another tract, when they divided their property, the old home place falling to Enoch's share. In June, 1858, Mr. Prigg married Matilda M., daughter of Andrew and Elizabeth M. Daniels, and the children born to them are: Andrew, who married Miss Thomasene Elwood; Sarah (Mrs. Charles Taylor); Belle (Mrs. Elmer Longdon); Lottie (Mrs. James Lacock), and Morgan. Mr. Prigg owns 385 acres of land in Canton township, and is a member of a company owning large areas in the "Sunny South." In politics he has always been an enthusiastic Democrat, but in county and township elections votes for those whom he thinks will best serve the people, irrespective of party considerations. He is a liberal and useful citizen, one who unaided has made his own success. When a small boy Enoch frequently accompanied his father across the mountains, assisting him to the Baltimore market, whither he went to sell horses, he being a large dealer for those early times, and at the same market Enoch witnessed the sale of negro slaves.

Text taken from page 1037 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed March 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL as part of the Beers Project. Published March 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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