Reuben Pratt (1765 - 1851)

Born 26 Nov 1765 in Oxford, Worcester, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Ancestors

Husband of Eunice Pratt — married 31 Dec 1795 in Argyle, Washington, New York, United States

Descendants

Died 12 Sep 1851 at age 85 in Granger Township, Allegany County, New York

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Biography

Short Tract Cemetery, Granger Township, Allegany County, New York

Reuben was born in the town of Oxford but his birth was recorded in the bordering town of Charlton, Massachusetts.^[1] Rueben and several of his siblings, along with his father migrate to Washington County, New York as part of a larger family migration starting as early as the 1770s and going up into the early 1800s.

Reuben marries his first cousin, Eunice Pratt on 31 Dec 1795 at the town of Argyle, New York.^[2] Evidently, there is a family register that exists for this family which descended in the family of Lucy Pratt.

The number of children Reuben and Eunice had is currently unknown. In the 1865 State Census of New York, Eunice stated she was married once and the mother of 11 children. A family register that appears to copy Bible entries has five children listed for the couple, but the last entry appears to be for an 1806 birth. This registry was preserved by the descendants of Reuben's daughter Lucy. Two additional children can be added to the list, Eunice (died at age 3)^[3] and Reuben (died age 6)^[4]. Both of these children are buried in the family plot at Granger, New York. This brings the known total of children up to 7. There is a good circumstantial argument for a daughter named Sylvia, as well, bringing the total to 8 children.

The 1800 Federal Census for Whitehall, New York has Reuben living between his two Pratt brother-in-laws.^[5] There are two children living in the household, a male under ten and a female under ten. The male child under 10 most likely is Asa Pratt b. 1797. The daughter is, as of yet unknown.

The 1810 Federal Census for White Hall, New York has Reuben's household consisting of 8 people.^[6] There is one male and one female in the 10 to 15 age bracket which looks like the same children from the 1800 census. There are also 4 more females in the 0 to 10 age bracket. This represents six children, plus William Pratt who died in 1799 and there is also a Clary Pratt on the list being born 1801, which I assumed was a male name, if so, this would make 8 children total. If Clary is female (b. 1801), there would be 7 children accounted for.

By the time of the 1820 Federal Census, Reuben has moved his family to Allegany County, New York.^[7]There are two males over 45, one of which must be Reuben and 1 female 26 to 44, which must be Eunice. From the five young females from the 1810 census, they are now down to three, 2 between 16 and 25 and 1 between 10 and 15. There are also 2 more females between the age of 0 and 10. If both of these children are Reuben's that would make a total of ten children, assuming Clary is male, or 9 children if Clary is female.

1830 finds Reuben enumerated in the town of Grove, New York.^[8] By 1830, most of the children are either out of the house or deceased. It appears Reuben's eldest daughter is Sylvia. This is based on her age bracket for the household of David Bullock, in the 30 to 40 age, making her born between 1790 and 1800.

Reuben Pratt and his wife appear to be living in the household of their son, Asa Pratt in the town of Granger.^[9] The age for Asa is off by ten years, as is the age for Reuben. There is also a female aged 5 to 9 living with the family too. Assuming this female is a daughter of Eunice and Clary is a male, this would make 11 children for this couple! We may never know all the names of Eunice's 11 children, but at least we can postulate that they actually did exist.

There is some controversy regarding the death date of Reuben. Find-A-Grave lists Reuben's date of death as 12 Sep 1847.^[10] I think an argument can be made for the earlier death date as Reuben's wife, Eunice can be found in the 1850 Federal Census for the town of Granger in the household of her son, Asa Pratt, apparently living as a widow.^[11]

Sources

1. ↑ Rice, Franklin, Pub. Vital Records of Charlton. Worcester, Massachusetts, 1905. Page 82, 83.
2. ↑ Pratt-Lovlace, Jayne. The Pratt Directory. East Haddam, CT: Ancestor House, 1998. Page 795.
3. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/204166817/eunice-pratt
4. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/204166841/reuben-pratt
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1800," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9R8J-QVN?cc=1804228&wc=3V1X-HDX%3A1585148702%2C1585148326%2C1585148708 : 10 June 2015), New York > Washington > Whitehall > image 5 of 7; citing NARA microfilm publication M32, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1810," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYYR-7LX?cc=1803765&wc=QZZZ-9FR%3A1588180303%2C1588179923%2C1588180378 : 1 December 2015), New York > Washington > Whitehall > image 3 of 5; citing NARA microfilm publication M252, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
7. ↑ "United States Census, 1820," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYB3-B3K?cc=1803955&wc=3L7F-F3T%3A1586986403%2C1586987208%2C1586987213 : 16 July 2015), New York > Allegany > Angelica > image 5 of 8; citing NARA microfilm publication M33, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
8. ↑ "United States Census, 1830," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YYK-CSP?cc=1803958&wc=35YH-4HT%3A1588472203%2C1588473822%2C1588473835 : 14 August 2015), New York > Allegany > Grove > image 3 of 18; citing NARA microfilm publication M19, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
9. ↑ "United States Census, 1840," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YBW-XDC?cc=1786457&wc=31S2-D55%3A1588666984%2C1588666964%2C1588668862 : 24 August 2015), New York > Allegany > Granger > image 5 of 15; citing NARA microfilm publication M704, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
10. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/100985456/reuben-pratt
11. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6359-GFC?cc=1401638&wc=95R7-L2J%3A1031313801%2C1031350502%2C1033147401 : 9 April 2016), New York > Allegany > Granger > image 19 of 32; citing NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

• Jayne Payne