The historic 1891
Pritchard House
424 South Washington Avenue
Titusville, Florida

Captain James Pritchard

Married Mary Haley Boye on January 17, 1867

In 1875, Captain Pritchard came to the area and began building a home for his family on the DeLespine Grant. His wife's mother, Frances Jane DeLespine Boye was he daughter of Joseph DeLespine and heir to property on the DeLespine Grant. Once the home was ready, Captain Pritchard sent for the family and they settled on the Grant in 1876.

After the freeze of 1886 the family moved to Titusville ad built the home on Washington Avenue in 1892.

First real estate man in this section of the state. Two of his companies were Pritchard & May in the 1880's & Wast Coast Realty, chartered 4/23/1894. East Coast Realty was the first realty company in Brevard County to be granted Letters of Patent.

Founder & President of Indian River Bank. The Bank opened its doors in the early part of Oct. 1887 and was the earliest bank here. The bank was later incorporated as Indian River State Bank under the laws of Florida, with an incorporation date of Jan. 1, 1890.

Established the first electric light plant 1890 and was its president. The plant was the first of its kind south of St. Augustine and Titusville was the smallest town in the U.S. using that system of lights. Titusville was able to jump from kerosene to electricity without the gas as an intermediary.

Capt. Pritchard & his son, DB purchased Frank T. Budge Hardware from Frank T. Budge (Captain Pritchard's son-in-law) in 1898, as Budge had opened another store in Miami in 1896. The store then became James Pritchard & Son Hardware. In 1945, DB sold half interest in the store to his son-in-law, Frank Schuster, and the store remained in business in downtown Titusville until the 1980's.

Date of Death: April 27, 1926 in Titusville. Buried in Oaklawn Cemetery, Titusville.

A quote from his obituary in the Titusville Star Advocate, April 30, 1926
"He was a man who had faith in the future of Titusville and this section of the state and always predicted a great future for this place. He took part in many civic movements and was always ready to promote any project that meant a bigger and better Titusville."