This is really not an answer for you but I have been looking for JAP's parents nearly 2 years now and I have put together some theories and some thoughts about what really happened to them. Everything I have found prior to his moving to Texas has his named spelled PRUIT or PRUITT.
I have found some items indicating possibly that he was actually born in Virginia, not in Alabama, which I haven't delved into yet. Do you have any proof that he was born in Alabama? When he came to Texas, he changed the spelling of his name on land records and other things to PREWITT. But his kids retained PRUITT if they had been biorn in Alabama. And the Texas Historical marker at his church has James A. Prewitt on it, too. Could he have wanted to start a new life in Texas and wanted to erase his early days and family? I do intend to go visit the church he started. It's only about 3 hours drive time from my house. If the church doesn't have a full biography on him, there probably isn't one.
If these folks had been more imaginative in naming their kids, this might not be so challenging. My theories include 6 possible sets of parents. I thought I might as well get creative and think outside the box because it seems we are not the only people looking for his parents. He is my 3rd-great-grandfather. It just seems that a person as high profile as he was in the community, with some high profile friends just has to have a history that can be discovered.
Let me know what you think.
Regards,
Lisa McDonald