John C. Pratt

Of
Lyndon Twp.,
Whiteside Co IL

John C. Pratt was born April 8, 1787, at Northampton, Massachusetts. His father gave him a liberal education, with the intention of having him enter the ministry in the Baptist Church (his father's profession); but not inclining to strict orthodox sentiments, the idea was given up. At twenty-one he left Massachusetts, and settled in Erie county, New York, then a wilderness. He purcchased a small tract of land on Buffalo creek, in the town of Aurora, in that county, on which was a water power, and cleared a part of the land; but before he had accomplished much the war of 1812 broke out, and he entered the army and remained until its close. Upon his return home he built a saw-mill and soon afterwards a flouring mill, on his water power, and conducted these until he came West.

In 1816 he married Miss Hannah Olds. The children of this marriage have been: Diantha D., James., DeWitt Clinton, Clymena Lucretia, Lucius B., Charles, Amanda, Thurston, also three children who died in infancy. Diantha D. married M. M. Potter, and died November 2, 1846. James M. lives in Fenton; De Witt Clinton died at Dixon, Illinois; Clymena married J. C. Teats, now of Sterling, and died in Fenton; Lucretia married a Reynolds, and died in Lyndon; Lucius H. lives in Lyndon; Charles died at Lyndon; Amanda married Samuel Emery, and after his death married James Shorett, and lives near Dunlap, Iowa; Thurston also lives near Dunlap, Iowa. Mr. Pratt first came to Whiteside county in 1835, and made a claim on what is known as Oxbow Bend, and another north of the Portland ferry, both on Rock. river, and then in Lyndon Precinct. He then returned and secured the services of James Knox, Lyman Bennett and William Farrington to break the prairie and build fences on his claims, as mentioned in another part of this chapter. In August, 1837, he brought on his family and goods. Mr. Pratt was a leading man among the early settlers, and drew the constitution and by-laws which governed the claim system in that part of the county. He was selected to bid in all the land in Lyndon Precinct at the Government, land sales in January, 1843, showing the estimation in which he was held as a man of integrity and honor by his immediate fellow-citizens. Be died in Lyndon. His widow is still living at that place at an advanced age.

Bent - Wilson 1877

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