Bruce Pratt family papers

Collection

Identifier: MS-0692

Staff Only

Collection Overview

Abstract

Papers of the Bruce Pratt Family and their ancestors, including correspondence, legal papers, clippings, printed material, and photographs. Families include Brown, Patterson, and Pratt, of Ontario, NY, and Henry and Wood Counties, Ohio; some Civil War correspondence of John Carter, Co. B, 38th OVI, who died in 1862.

Dates

Creation: 1839-1944

Extent

0.67 Cubic Feet (1 legal manuscript box and two wrapped items)

Creator

Pratt family (Family)

Scope and Contents

This collection includes correspondence, deeds, military papers, insurance policies, bills and receipts, newspaper clippings, printed materials, and photographic material from the Bruce Pratt family. Dates span from 1839 to 1944. The documents has been arranged chronologically within each folder. Record series have been arranged in alphabetical order by record type except for the correspondence.

The correspondence in this collection reveals an estimated five generations.. This correspondence has been arranged chronologically by generation or by whom the letter was addressed to. The correspondence has been annotated in the box inventory. In the box inventory, the information appears as follows: date of the letter, [name of the person to whom it was sent and their address (if available)], (person who sent the letter), and location of the sender. Handwritten notes on the correspondence appear after the contents of the letter. Most of these notes were probably written later by Cora Brown Pratt to help identify the letters. Also, some of the letters have multiple authors. The author is identified in (parentheses) at the end of the segment that he or she wrote.

Biographical Sketch

Nelson S. Brown was born on April 15, 1844. From the correspondence in the collection, his parents appear to be H.C. Brown and Clarissa M. Brown of Ontario, NY. He also appears to have a brother George. In August, 1864, Nelson S. Brown enlisted at Ontario, Wayne County, NY. Later, he applied for a certificate of disability because he was too weak to travel. In the 1860's, notes in this collection indicate that he courted Lucy Patterson.

Lucy Patterson appears to be the daughter of Mr. Andrew Patterson (born September 29, 1822) and Miss Mary Denney (born January 22, 1832) who were married on June 7, 1849. Lucy was born on August 2, 1852. Lucy Patterson and Nelson S. Brown were married on July 3, 1867 in Ontario, NY.

According to correspondence in the collection, Nelson was employed for 3 years by Broadrup, Huffman and Co., manufacturers of Champion School Furniture, in Springfield, Ohio in the 1870's. From 1860s to 1880s, Lucy gave birth to six children with names and birthdates as follows: George W. (b. May 7, 1868), Cora M. (b. April 27, 1870), Henry N. (b. August 9, 1872), Clara B. (b. February 2, 1874), Walter S. (b. March 15, 1885), Sylvanus Cobb (b. December 6, 1887).

Cora M. Brown, the daughter of Nelson and Lucy Brown, married Thomas Pratt. Thomas Pratt appears to be related to Nancy Pratt and John Carter, whose correspondence during the Civil War is included in this collection. Thomas and Cora Pratt had two sons, Bruce and Ray Irvin Pratt. Both Bruce and Ray Pratt joined the military 1917-1918. According to newspaper articles, Bruce Pratt worked as deputy sheriff beginning in 1924. He was elected Wood County sheriff in 1930 and ran again in 1932. In 1933, Sheriff Pratt, playing the part of Elisha Martindale, was a participant in the Bowling Green Centennial Pageant. This collection was named after Sheriff Bruce Pratt.

Conditions Governing Access

No known access restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

Researchers using this collection assume full responsibility for conforming to the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright, and are responsible for securing permissions necessary for publication or reproduction.