Horace Lorenzo Pratt (abt. 1806 - 1889)

Born about 1806 in Wayne, New York, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Nancy Ann Porter — married 11 Feb 1835 in Chautauqua, Chautauqua, New York, United States

Descendants

Died 20 Jul 1889 at about age 83 in Ashland, Newaygo, Michigan, United States

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Biography

According to Kenneth Pratt in his work "Abraham ... The Father of Us All: A Pratt Family History", Horace Pratt is listed as the son of John Pratt and a wife simply identified by a last name of Liscon in an old family manuscript tracing the descendants of Abraham Pratt b. 1739/40.^[1] The author includes a copy of the manuscript in his book, and it appears to be highly accurate. The last entry in the list occurred in1890 and not all lines are traced as completely as others. It appears the compiler lost contact with some branches faster than others. Horace is recorded as marrying Nancy Porter and is listed with three children, Sarah, John, and Harriet. The compiler missed Horace's daughter Mary, but it appears the New York family lost touch with Horace around 1845 which would be about the time their son John Nelson Pratt was born.

Birth

Based on the ages Horace gave to the census takers and the age reported at his death, Horace was likely born in 1806 or 1807.

Marriage

Horace Pratt married Nancy Ann Porter on either 11 Feb 1835^[2] or 18 Feb 1836^[3] depending on the source. Both sources agree he married Nancy at the town of Chautauqua in Chautauqua County, New York.

Horace Pratt can be found, most likely, in the 1840 Federal Census enumeration for Brighton, Livingston County, Michigan.^[4] The census matches his age and his wife, Nancy Porter. He has three girls under the age of 5 living in household. We only know of one daughter born before 1840, that of his known eldest child, Sarah Emily. His next door neighbor is a William Dunlap. I have never been able to figure out who this William is, but it cannot be a coincidence that his sister, Mahala marries a John Dunlap and can also be found in the 1840 Livingston County census, one township over.

Horace Pratt can be found in Bennington Township, Shiawassee County, Michigan in the 1850 Federal Census.^[5] Horace and his family were early pioneers to Shiawassee County, moving there sometime after 1845 when he can be found on the Michigan State Census living in Livingston, County, Michigan.^[6] One interesting mystery with the 1850 census occurs on the page before Horace is enumerated. In the household two houses away, Benjamin Marsh has a 6 year old Barbara Pratt, born in Michigan, living in his household.^[7] I have never been able to track Barbara beyond her one appearance.

Horace has never been located in the 1860 Federal Census. Family lore states he went West to prospect for gold. Family lore also states that Horace and Nancy grew apart later in life. I think, from what I have been able to glean, is the family was always extremely poor. Quite often families would split up and move to other households trying to make ends meet. There was also a story that was carried down in the branch of Horace's son, Samuel Lorenzo Pratt, that Horace had a run-in with the midwives of Shiawassee County. The story goes something like this, after the birth of his son William Porter, the midwife told Horace that Nancy could not have any more children as she had become too frail. With the birth of Samuel Lorenzo, it had become clear that Horace did not comply with the midwife's plea. What followed was country justice. According to the story, Horace was publicly castrated for his disobedience. Could this be why he is no where to be found in 1860?

1870 finds Horace back in Shiawassee County, living in the household of his eldest daughter, Sarah Pratt Ketchum.^[8] Horace's wife, Nancy is also living in Shiawassee County in a household of her own with her three youngest children. Both William and Samuel Lorenzo are enumerated twice in the 1870 census.

As 1880 rolls around, Horace Pratt can be found living next door to another one of his daughters, Harriet Pratt Pease.^[9] By this time his wife Nancy is deceased.

We are lucky that the few surviving census schedules of the 1884 Michigan State Census include the county of Newaygo which happens to be were Horace can be found living in the household of his son, William Porter Pratt.^[10] It was about this time that the only known surviving photo of Horace was taken.

Horace dies on 20 Jul 1889 in Ashland Township, Newaygo County at the home of his daughter Martha Pratt Chase.^[11] Horace is said to be buried in an unmarked grave in the Ashland Center Cemetery near his daughter Martha Pratt Chase. I have walked that cemetery and their is definitely room for his grave. It is also said that William Pratt is buried in the same section though I am not so sure how accurate that is considering that William died in Crewe, Virginia.

Research Notes

"New York Probate Records, 1629-1971," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YLG-5Y3?cc=1920234&wc=Q7PB-RMS%3A213301901%2C214539401 : 28 May 2014), Washington > Wills 1824-1834 vol 6-7, A1 > image 478 of 554; county courthouses, New York.

Sources

1. ↑ Abraham ... The Father of Us All: A Pratt Family History, Three Hundred Fifty Years of the History and Ancestry of the Pratts of Marion, N.Y. By Kenneth Charles Pratt · 1968
2. ↑ Chautauqua County Historical Society. I have not been able to find this reference.
3. ↑ See Civil War Pension file #375.507 filed in the name of Horace Pratt on service of his son John Nelson Pratt. Marriage date as well as all the children of Horace and Nancy Porter Pratt are listed with their birthdays.
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1840," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YY1-LY8?cc=1786457&wc=31SK-WQR%3A1588666582%2C1588666116%2C1588668519 : 24 August 2015), Michigan > Livingston > Brighton Township > image 7 of 10; citing NARA microfilm publication M704, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-67YS-V72?cc=1401638&wc=95R4-F9R%3A1031311201%2C1032585101%2C1031566201 : 9 April 2016), Michigan > Shiawassee > Bennington > image 13 of 15; citing NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
6. ↑ Ellis, Franklin. History of Shiawassee and Clinton Counties, Michigan: With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Their Prominent Men and Pioneers. United States: Whipporwill Publications, 1880. Page 306
7. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-67YS-FRJ?cc=1401638&wc=95R4-F9R%3A1031311201%2C1032585101%2C1031566201 : 9 April 2016), Michigan > Shiawassee > Bennington > image 12 of 15; citing NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
8. ↑ "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6917-QJY?cc=1438024&wc=92KT-YWR%3A518655401%2C519721301%2C519732801 : 14 June 2019), Michigan > Shiawassee > Shiawassee > image 31 of 36; citing NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
9. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYBD-NXB?cc=1417683&wc=X434-829%3A1589394748%2C1589406167%2C1589395879%2C1589403496 : 24 December 2015), Michigan > Shiawassee > New Haven > ED 354 > image 29 of 34; citing NARA microfilm publication T9, (National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C., n.d.)
10. ↑ 1884 Michigan Census
11. ↑ "Michigan Deaths, 1867-1897," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6S3W-C1Y?cc=1452402&wc=MJS7-RM9%3A1041526001 : 21 May 2014), 004209088 > image 972 of 1524; citing Department of Vital Records, Lansing.

• Source: S124 Title: Abraham, Father of us All (book)

Abraham ... The Father of Us All A Pratt Family History, Three Hundred Fifty Years of the History and Ancestry of the Pratts of Marion, N.Y. By Kenneth Charles Pratt · 1968