My Genealogy Hound

FRANKLIN F. PRATT, an enterprising farmer of Homer township, is a son of David and Electa (Alexander) Pratt, and was born in the town of Homer, Cortland County, July 17, 1835.

His grandfather, Joshua Pratt, was born in the State of Connecticut, whence he moved to the State of New York, settling in Truxton, Cortland County, where he resided and labored until the time of his death. He followed farming all his life, and was a pioneer in his district.

David Pratt was a native of Pomfret, Windham County, Connecticut; in company with Samuel Gregg, he moved to the town of Homer, where he was engaged to work on Mr. Gregg’s farm in East River Valley (East Homer). He remained with his employer until after his marriage, at which important period of his life he purchased a tract of land, consisting of one hundred acres, one and one-half miles north of Mr. Gregg’s farm. Finally, he sold this property and purchased another farm in Homer township in the little valley, lying between the East and West River Valleys, which farm he later traded for 160 acres of primeval forest land in the State of Michigan. This was in 1839. For about fourteen years thereafter he followed the trade of a mason in the town of Homer; later he removed to a small farm in the eastern part of Scott township, where he remained but a short time, selling his farm there and purchasing another farm of fifty acres near Little York, Homer township. There he spent his declining years, dying in September, 1864. He was originally a Whig, but upon the organization of the Republican party, he joined the ranks of the latter organization, and was fully identified with that party until the time of his death. Religiously, he was a member of the Presbyterian Church. He married Electa Alexander, daughter of Leonard Alexander, a native of Vermont, who in 1816 came to East Homer and engaged in general farming. Mr. and Mrs. Pratt brought up a family of nine children, five sons and four daughters. Caroline E., the eldest of the family, married John Davenport of Cayuga County, later a resident of Du Page County, Illinois, and bore him one child, Homer A. DeWitt Clinton, the oldest son, and second child, is a veteran photographer of Aurora, Ill.; he married Mary Burdick of Scott, Cortland County, and reared four children, — Flora, Eva, Fannie and Edmund. Francis Nelson, the second son, is a real estate dealer of Lake Forest, Lake County, Ill.; he married Emma U. Cowles of Otisco, N. Y., and has three children, — Dora, Fannie and Charles. Washington B., who died in Napa County, California, in 1879, followed farming; he lived in Illinois and Missouri before going to California; before settling down to agricultural pursuits, he went to Australia in search of gold, and later made a tour around the world. He chose as his helpmeet Miss Alzina M. Page, a native of Du Page County, Illinois, and they reared two children, — Eugene and Ella. Sarah A. died at the age of nineteen years. Augusta M. became the wife of Collins S. White of Homer, N. Y., and they have the following children: Emma A.; Lottie S.; G. Frank; and Burdette H. Franklin F. is the subject of this sketch. Celina J. died when aged ten years. The ninth member of this family was an adopted daughter, Amelia, who married John Doubleday, a farmer of Scott, N. Y., who died in 1860.

Franklin F. Pratt received his education in the district schools and in Homer Academy, Homer, N. Y. At the age of eighteen years he commenced to teach in the district schools, teaching during the winter months, and working on the farm the remainder of the time.

At the outbreak of the Civil War, being inspired by a patriotic desire to perform his part in the preservation of the Union, our subject enlisted as a private in Co. A, 76th Reg. N. Y. Vol. Inf., then being recruited at Cortland, N. Y., and was sworn into the United States service at that place October 4, 1861. This regiment afterwards became one of the best drilled and most efficient regimental organizations in the service. It was in the First Army Corps when it first took the field, but later it was transferred to the Fifth Army Corps. Mr. Pratt participated with his regiment in the battles of Gainesville, Second Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Spottsylvania, North Anna River, Cold Harbor, and the assault on Petersburg. He was recovering from malarial fever, contracted while in camp near Fredericksburg, Va., at the time of the battle of Gettysburg, and was unable to go into that fight with his regiment, but after the battle he was detailed to care for the wounded until he was able to again take the field, which he did in November following. On the 20th day of December, 1863, he was promoted to the position of corporal of his company. He re-enlisted in 1864, and was granted a thirty-day furlough, which period he spent in visiting his relatives and friends. On his return to the scene of hostilities, he rejoined his regiment at Spottsylvania Court House, Va., and after taking part in the battle at that place, marched on towards Richmond and Petersburg, and was skirmishing or fighting more or less every day for the following month. In August, 1864, while in camp near Petersburg, Va., he, with a comrade, was transferred from the army to the Marine Corps, at their own request, by an order from the Secretary of War, and was ordered to report to the commandant of the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The order was obeyed with alacrity, for they thought a change of service would be more agreeable.

Soon after arriving at Brooklyn Navy Yard, and after being put through the marine drill for a while, he was made a corporal of a company of marines, with a sergeant in charge, and ordered on board the U. S. Steamer and Gunboat Patuxet, which soon joined the Blockading Squadron along the Atlantic coast. On the route south they put into port at Norfolk, Va., to make some necessary repairs, and while at that place Mr. Pratt received a letter from his sister, which told the sad news of his father’s death, which occurred September 24, 1864. His brothers all being married and living in the Western States, and there being no one to care for his aged and widowed mother, who was alone with a farm on her hands, a petition was drawn up and was signed by many of the leading citizens of his native town, praying for his discharge from the navy. The petition was sent to President Lincoln, with a letter by F. B. Carpenter, the artist, who won national fame by his great painting representing Lincoln presenting his Emancipation Proclamation to his Cabinet. President Lincoln at once granted the prayer of the petitioners, and gave the order, through the Secretary of the Navy, for his discharge. Mr. Pratt received the order December 1, 1864, while in port at Beaufort, N. C. He was put on board the prize steamer Emma Henry (which was loaded with 500 bales of cotton, captured from the Rebels while attempting to run the blockade). On this boat, on which there were several other passengers in the persons of Confederate prisoners, he made his way to New York, where he arrived December 10, 1864. He immediately went to the headquarters of the U. S. Marine Corps, Washington, D. C., received his discharge, and then returned home, where he arrived December 21, 1864.

Mr. Pratt was engaged in general farming on the homestead until his mother’s death, which occurred in April, 18 66. On October 25, 1866, he was united in marriage with Mrs. Sarah Brayton Wilson, and soon after purchased the home farm of fifty acres, running heavily in debt to pay off the other heirs. After nine years’ hard labor, with the aid of his wife, who was an expert butter maker, he nearly wiped out the debt. In 1875, by sale and purchase, he exchanged his hill farm for another property of 125 acres in the valley on the main road from Homer to Little York, running in debt about $6,000.00. He continued in the dairy business, and after twelve years’ hard labor and close economy he finished paying off the mortgage. Since then he has built a horse barn, also a large basement dairy barn, with cement stable floors and driveway. In the fall of 1892 he discontinued making butter, and has sold his milk for shipment to New York City.

Mr. and Mrs. Pratt have reared a family of five children, namely: Lillian E., wife of Seward E. Hollenbeck of Tully, N. Y.; Rosella A., wife of F. L. Burnham of East Homer, N. Y.; Nellie M., wife of Oren P. Gallup of Homer, N. Y.; Grace E., and Charles F.; the last two living at home. In religious views Mr. Pratt is independent. He believes in getting his inspiration, not alone from inspired volumes, but also in “looking through Nature up to Nature’s God.” He believes in the gradual elimination of error and sin from all mankind, that not one human soul will be forever lost, but at some period in the ages that are to come all human souls will become the true children of God, and that the people of the world as a whole are slowly but surely growing wiser and better. In politics Mr. Pratt is and always has been since he became a voter a Republican, his first vote being cast for Col. John C. Fremont for president. In social matters Mr. Pratt is not a society man as it is generally understood; for him the center of attraction is in his home and family. As a neighbor he is kind and obliging, and always willing to lend a helping hand; in short, he has led an active and energetic life, and his enterprising spirit has been felt in all movements to advance the welfare of his countrymen. Mr. Pratt is entitled to the fullest recognition in this biographical work as a representative and leading citizen of Homer township, and as a patriot who has performed his whole duty for the country of his birth, and it is with pleasure that we present his portrait* on a preceding page, accompanied by that of his wife, a noble-minded woman, who has never failed him in the hour of need.

*A portrait was included in the original printed volume.