William Pratt family papers
Collection – Multiple Containers
Identifier: MS-0072
Collection Organization
The William Pratt family papers mainly consist of the legal and financial papers and correspondence of Captain William Pratt and his descendants. The documents date from 1801 to 1978. Some of the early documents, those dating about 1816-1823, are most interesting as they concern the purchase of an eighty acre tract of land near Perrysburg, Ohio, which was settled by William Pratt and his family. They also document Pratt's shipping business, illustrating the use of his schooner, SALLY, for business trips between Perrysburg and Buffalo, New York. The remainder of these early Pratt documents include land agreements and patents, correspondence and business records.
The rest of the collection, dating in a very scattered manner from the 1850s-1970s, continues to document for the most part the financial and legal activities of the descendants of William Pratt. Account ledgers document the farming business and personal correspondence documents the movement of family members away from Perrysburg.
As this collection is relatively small in size and includes a variety of documents, it has been arranged in rough categories of land records, legal documents, correspondence, financial documents and personal files The early documents have been itemized in the box/folder inventory as they provide some of the earliest glimpses into the settlement of Wood County, Ohio.
Land Agreement: William Pratt and Joel [Hurse], regarding oil mill, April 20, 1801
File – Box 1, Folder: 1
- Dates
- Creation: April 20, 1801
Land Agreement: Augustus and Peter Porter with (Gad? Pierre or Pierce?) and William Pratt, September 12, 1803
File – Box 1, Folder: 2
- Dates
- Creation: September 12, 1803
Land Agreement: William Pratt and (G. Pierre), regarding New York property, May 4, 1805
File – Box 1, Folder: 3
- Dates
- Creation: May 4, 1805
Land Agreement: William Pratt and J.B. Stuart , March 27, 1819
File – Box 1, Folder: 4
- Dates
- Creation: March 27, 1819
Land patent of William Pratt, June 27, 1823
File – Box 1, Folder: 5
- Dates
- Creation: June 27, 1823
Land Deed: Ambrose Rice to Nathaniel Jenison, March 8, 1828
File – Box 1, Folder: 6
- Dates
- Creation: March 8, 1828
Land Deed: Nathaniel Jenison to John Hollister, September 8, 1832
File – Box 1, Folder: 7
- Dates
- Creation: September 8, 1832
Land Deed: John Webb, administrator of Thomas McKnight estate to Nathaniel Jenison, December 31, 1832
File – Box 1, Folder: 8
- Dates
- Creation: December 31, 1832
Land Patent to Hiram Pratt, April 15, 1833
File – Box 1, Folder: 9
- Dates
- Creation: April 15, 1833
Public Sale of Land--auditor's certificate for William Fowler, December 30, 1833
File – Box 1, Folder: 10
- Dates
- Creation: December 30, 1833
Land agreement: Robert McKnight and Sally Stearns, 1836
File – Box 1, Folder: 11
- Dates
- Creation: 1836
Warranty Deed: Thomas Farr to Abram Walker, August 13, 1853
File – Box 1, Folder: 12
- Dates
- Creation: August 13, 1853
Property Tax Receipts, 1826, 1832-1879
File – Box 1, Folder: 13
- Dates
- Creation: 1826
- Creation: 1832-1879
Property Tax Receipts, 1913-1965
File – Box 1, Folder: 14
- Dates
- Creation: 1913-1965
Land Records--property owned by B.F. Pratt in Warren County, Pennsylvania, 1856-1885
File – Box 1, Folder: 15
- Dates
- Creation: 1856-1885
Appointment of William Pratt as captain in New York infantry for service during 1814, May 1, 1816
File – Box 1, Folder: 16
- Dates
- Creation: May 1, 1816
Appointment/Bond of William Pratt as Wood County Treasurer, April-May 1820
File – Box 1, Folder: 17
- Dates
- Creation: April-May 1820
Official appointments of William Pratt as associate judge of Wood County Court of Common Pleas, March 2, 1822, July 30, 1822, January 24, 1823
File – Box 1, Folder: 18
- Dates
- Creation: March 2, 1822
- Creation: July 30, 1822
- Creation: January 24, 1823
Agreement to have William Pratt act as attorney for David Wilkison, August 7, 1819
File – Box 1, Folder: 19
- Dates
- Creation: August 7, 1819
William Pratt and others as arbitrators: Ebenezer Duty vs. Daniel Hubbell. Power of attorney--William Pratt to Jonas and William Pratt, Jr., May 10, 1820, September 16, 1823
File – Box 1, Folder: 20
- Dates
- Creation: May 10, 1820
- Creation: September 16, 1823
Extension of Hull Prairie Road to the River--record of payments for rights of way, August 12, 1872
File – Box 1, Folder: 21
- Dates
- Creation: August 12, 1872
Will of Bethiah Pratt, September 7, 1846
File – Box 1, Folder: 22
- Dates
- Creation: September 7, 1846
Will of Jane Hinsdale, March 1, 1903
File – Box 1, Folder: 23
- Dates
- Creation: March 1, 1903
Will of Mary Pratt, June 24, 1922
File – Box 1, Folder: 24
- Dates
- Creation: June 24, 1922
Petition to determine heirship (Cliff, Guy, Fred Jr. Pratt), January 9, 1935
File – Box 1, Folder: 25
- Dates
- Creation: January 9, 1935
Certified copy of deed from sheriff of Champaign County, Illinois to Rachel M. Beth, November 18, 1902
File – Box 1, Folder: 26
- Dates
- Creation: November 18, 1902
Business correspondence: August E. Elliot to William Pratt, January 18, 1816
File – Box 1, Folder: 27
- Dates
- Creation: January 18, 1816
Business correspondence: William Letitz (?) to Capt. William Pratt, August 4, 1821
File – Box 1, Folder: 28
- Dates
- Creation: August 4, 1821
Business correspondence: D. (Couper) to William Pratt, March 11, 1823
File – Box 1, Folder: 29
- Dates
- Creation: March 11, 1823
Correspondence from Jane Hinsdale to family members, 1886, 1896-1899
File – Box 1, Folder: 30
- Dates
- Creation: 1886
- Creation: 1896-1899
Correspondence from Fred Pratt to brother Cliff, December 26, 1897
File – Box 1, Folder: 31
- Dates
- Creation: December 26, 1897
Correspondence from Fred Pratt to his wife, Kate, 1901
File – Box 1, Folder: 32
- Dates
- Creation: 1901
Correspondence from Will and Jo, Grand Rapids, Ohio, regarding flooding and daily life, March 7, 1904, November 27, 1918
File – Box 1, Folder: 33
- Dates
- Creation: March 7, 1904
- Creation: November 27, 1918
Postcards from family and friends to Mary and Benjamin F. Pratt, 1907-1914, undated
File – Box 1, Folder: 34
- Dates
- Creation: 1907-1914, undated
Correspondence to Fred Pratt in appreciation for support of Magdalene Cemetery in New Mexico, October 12, 1901
File – Box 1, Folder: 35
- Dates
- Creation: October 12, 1901
Correspondence to Fred Pratt from miscellaneous, 1900, 1910-1914
File – Box 1, Folder: 36
- Dates
- Creation: 1900
- Creation: 1910-1914
Correspondence from John and Ann R. to Kate and J. Fred Pratt, January 5, 1924
File – Box 1, Folder: 37
- Dates
- Creation: January 5, 1924
Court cost record for William (G.) Taylor, May 15, 1816
File – Box 1, Folder: 38
- Dates
- Creation: May 15, 1816
Bond of William Pratt to Phineas Smith, May 27, 1816
File – Box 1, Folder: 39
- Dates
- Creation: May 27, 1816
Financial account (bill)--William Pratt with Jesse Smith, November 19, 1816
File – Box 1, Folder: 40
- Dates
- Creation: November 19, 1816
Schooner SALLY freight to Buffalo, New York, May 18, 1820
File – Box 1, Folder: 41
- Dates
- Creation: May 18, 1820
Payment request to William Pratt from Daniel Murray, December 27, 1820
File – Box 1, Folder: 42
- Dates
- Creation: December 27, 1820
Schooner SALLY settlement of account between Daniel Hubbard and William Pratt, March 12, 1821
File – Box 1, Folder: 43
- Dates
- Creation: March 12, 1821
Account of Samuel Spafford, March 3, 1823
File – Box 1, Folder: 44
- Dates
- Creation: March 3, 1823
Bill of goods: F. G. and J. (Palmor), June 11, 1823
File – Box 1, Folder: 45
- Dates
- Creation: June 11, 1823
Contract with British government for beef barrels, June 27, 1823
File – Box 1, Folder: 46
- Dates
- Creation: June 27, 1823
Account of James Wilkison, May 20, 1821-July 12, 1823
File – Box 1, Folder: 47
- Dates
- Creation: May 20, 1821-July 12, 1823
Promissory note of Sally Stearns to Bathia Pratt, Promissory note/receipt of Foster Pratt, Promissory note/receipt of F. H. Pratt to William Kerr., January 27, 1826, October 30, 1850, May 16, 1870, May 1, 1928
File – Box 1, Folder: 48
- Dates
- Creation: January 27, 1826
- Creation: October 30, 1850
- Creation: May 16, 1870
- Creation: May 1, 1928
Receipt for shares in Conquest Mining Company for Fred Pratt, February 3, 1883
File – Box 1, Folder: 49
- Dates
- Creation: February 3, 1883
Certificate of Indebtedness from Office of Adjutant General of the Territory of New Mexico to Private Fred Pratt for services during Apache Raids of May-June 1885, July 1, 1885
File – Box 1, Folder: 50
- Dates
- Creation: July 1, 1885
Share of Mogollon Prospecting and Mining Association to Fred Pratt, share to Clifton Pratt from Recording Devices Company, share to John F. from International Note and Mortgage Company, 1916, undated, 1923, 1928
File – Box 1, Folder: 51
- Dates
- Creation: 1916, undated
- Creation: 1923
- Creation: 1928
Guy, Cliff, and Fred H. Pratt--Farmer's Mutual Fire Insurance, 1917-1950 (scattered dates)
File – Box 1, Folder: 52
- Dates
- Creation: 1917-1950 (scattered dates)
Receipts--B.F. Pratt--commutation for military service fee, August 13, 1864
File – Box 1, Folder: 53
- Dates
- Creation: August 13, 1864
Receipts--on farm and buildings, 1867-1968, undated
File – Box 1, Folder: 54
- Dates
- Creation: 1867-1968, undated
Ditch and road improvement financial records/receipts, 1866-1941 (scattered dates)
File – Box 1, Folder: 55
- Dates
- Creation: 1866-1941 (scattered dates)
Burial/estate financial records/receipts, 1914, 1931, 1972
File – Box 1, Folder: 56
- Dates
- Creation: 1914
- Creation: 1931
- Creation: 1972
Miscellaneous receipts (cars, subscriptions, electricity, etc.), 1876-1967 (scattered dates)
File – Box 1, Folder: 57
- Dates
- Creation: 1876-1967 (scattered dates)
Account Ledger, 1843-1848, 1854
File – Box 2, Folder: 1
- Dates
- Creation: 1843-1848
- Creation: 1854
Account Ledger (B.F. Pratt), 1854-1878
File – Box 2, Folder: 2
- Dates
- Creation: 1854-1878
Account Ledger, 1860-1879, 1914
File – Box 2, Folder: 3
- Dates
- Creation: 1860-1879
- Creation: 1914
Account Ledger (in back information on breeding, hay account, pear picking and W.O.W. Hall rental), 1910-1918
File – Box 2, Folder: 4
- Dates
- Creation: 1910-1918
Account Ledger, 1916-1920
File – Box 2, Folder: 5
- Dates
- Creation: 1916-1920
Account Ledger, 1923-1925
File – Box 2, Folder: 6
- Dates
- Creation: 1923-1925
Account Ledger, 1953-1956
File – Box 2, Folder: 7
- Dates
- Creation: 1953-1956
Ledger of seeds, flowers, trees, bushes purchased (Mary Pratt), 1886-1893
File – Box 2, Folder: 8
- Dates
- Creation: 1886-1893
Inventory of cash on hand and bank book of Cliff Pratt, October 1914, 1915-1943
File – Box 2, Folder: 9
- Dates
- Creation: October 1914
- Creation: 1915-1943
Township Trustee and County Commissioner papers of Fred H. Pratt, 1947-1978
File – Box 2, Folder: 10
- Dates
- Creation: 1947-1978
World War II documents (ration books, list of bonds, war loan drives), 1942-1946
File – Box 2, Folder: 11
- Dates
- Creation: 1942-1946
Notes of Merit for Frank H. Pratt from his teacher, 1857, undated
File – Box 2, Folder: 12
- Dates
- Creation: 1857, undated
Diary of Cliff Pratt (January-May and then scattered entries throughout rest of year, some account records in back dating December 1899-February 1890, 1920-1921), 1900
File – Box 2, Folder: 13
- Dates
- Creation: 1900
National Geographic membership of Cliff Pratt, 1926
File – Box 2, Folder: 14
- Dates
- Creation: 1926
Obituary of Jane Hinsdale and listing of Pratt births, 1902, undated
File – Box 2, Folder: 15
- Dates
- Creation: 1902, undated