The Pratt Ranch
I have included the Pratt Ranch in my research due to being told my ancestor's gained a certain amount of fortune by working on this ranch. The more I learn about Col. James H. Pratt the more I find him to be an interesting piece of Western Douglas County History.
Col. James Harvey Pratt
born Dec. 27, 1825
Planfield, Hampshire County, Mass.
In 1862 he became quartermaster and first lieutenant in the 18th Mich. Inf.. He retired after the war with the rank of colonel.
Col. Pratt had married Miss Louisa Field in 1855.
After operating a flouring mill in Michigan for two years, in 1870 he was appointed post trader at Ft. Randall in South Dakota by President Grant.
For eight years during his stay at Ft. Randall he also engaged in contracting for government food supplies and raising cattle in Nebraska. In 1876 he moved his stock to Wyoming.
Col. Pratt and his brother in-law Cornelius Ferris formed a partnership sometime in the early 1870's. Pratt and Ferris operated a freighting business that hauled supplies to Indian agencies and, later, to the Black Hills.
Colonel Pratt is described as a red-faced, white-haired, burly man, who had a mouth full of gold teeth.
On ending their freighting business Pratt & Ferris concentrated their efforts towards ranching and raising cattle. Mrs. Pratt's relative was the great Marshall Field of Chicago, and his partner was Levi Z. Leiter. Both of these men supplied most of the money that went towards stocking the ranch.
Pratt & Ferris incorporated in 1879 and in 1898 Col. Pratt and Mr. Leiter bought out the other stockholders.
During this period of time Col. Pratt owned ranch land in Texas, Wyoming, and Nebraka.
In 1898 the colonel bought into the Omaha Anchor Fence Co., of which he was president. He also was a director of the Union stock-yards in South Omaha and president of the Arlington (Neb.) National Bank.
The Pratt & Ferris ranch, was located near Scotts Bluff, NE. along the Wyoming border.
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Colonel James Pratt Dies Omaha, Nov 14 Colonel James Harvey Pratt, for many years prominently identified with ranching and cattle interest on a wholesale scale died at his home, Summer Hill farm, near Bennington. A complication of infirmities, incident to old age, was the cause of death. Funeral services were held at the farm residence this morning. Obit. from the Schuyler Messenger 11Nov 1910 |
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Colonel Pratt Dies At Summer Hill Home Pioneer Capitalist of Omaha Yields to Long Illness - Was Nearly 85
Colonel James Harvey Pratt, pioneer capitalist and western rancher, died Saturday afternoon at 4:20 o'clock at his country residence at Summer Hill farm, near Bennington. Colonel Pratt was nearly 85 years old and had been confined to his bed most continually since late last spring, when he caught a severe cold while visiting his Texas ranches.
excerpt from the Omaha Daily News 13 Nov 1910 |
A few additional links with more information P F.
If anyone has any addition information on the Pratt ranch that existed near Bennington, NE, please contact me.
by The JavaScript Source
Sources:
Morton's History of Nebr. Vol. 2
The Call of The Range: The Story of the Nebraska Stock Growers Association
by Nellie Snyder Yost
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