The Pratt Family
The Lorenzo Dow family in about 1897. Lorenzo died in 1880 when the youngest daughter Bertha was only one year old.
Philander D. Pratt was born in 1821 in Bradford county, Pennsylvania. Gilbert his father was 31 (1790-1870 )and his mother, Dorothy, was 27.(1794-1865)
He married Sally Ann Landon on October 22,1840 in Bradford county, Pennsylvania and they had two sons together, Lorenzo Dow Pratt was who born 1842 and then Victor S Pratt in 1844.
Sally dies just one year later in 1845 in Bradford county, Pennsylvania.
After Sally dies Philander with his two sons and his parents Gilbert and Doretha and Philander's brother Andrew J Pratt and sister Polly join the western migration taking place in the United States to
Livingston county, Illinois.
Philander then marries Emily Manville Sawyer a widow on 24 th April 1849 in LaSalle, Illinois..Emily has two children from previous marriage , Sarah and Andrew Sawyer. Vinnition, Illinois in 1850 is their new home.
It is believed by this researcher that one son
of Gilberts preceded this family to Illinois and that was Loren Pratt. He was a land speculator in central Illinois.
In the 1860 census the family consists of Philander and Emily along with children, Lovina A Pratt, Walter D Pratt,
Ida E Pratt, Wallace P Pratt, Victor Pratt and John H Sawyer. Lorenzo had moved out to another family working as farm hand.
Lorenzo and Victor join William Cogswell's independent battery of Illinois Volunteers November 11,1861 in the Civil War. In the spring of 1862 Lorenzo was in a field hospital in Pittsburg Landing and contracted measles and in 1864 at Nashville, Tennessee he came down with small pox. Victor Pratt visited Lorenzo several times while in the small pox camp. When asked of Lorenzo's condition the nurses and physican told him there was little hope of his getting well for some time but he did get well and returned to his company. The
illness caused much damage to his lungs and he suffered from that point to his death in 1880. William Cogswell's Battery Light Artillery became active November 11, 1861 and was discharged August 14, 1865.
It origin was in LaSalle and Livingston Counties of Illinois. Battles and Campaigns it was engaged in are Seige of Corinth,
Operations against Vicksburg, Missionary Ridge(Chattanooga), Nashville, Fort Blakely.
On February 28, 1862, moved to Chicago, Ill., and, on March 17, it was detached from the Regiment, and moved to St. Louis, Mo. On April 8, embarked for Pittsburg Landing. Was assigned to duty in Third Division, Army of the Tennessee, Brigadier General Lew. Wallace commanding. Participated in the advance of Corinth, and, from thence, marched to Memphis, Tenn., arriving June 14, 1862.
On November 26, was assigned to Fifth Division-Brigadier General J. W. Denver commanding, and marched with General Sherman's expedition toward Vicksburg. On the return of Sherman's Army, the Battery moved with McPherson's Army to the Yaconapatalfa River, and afterwards, marched to Grand Junction, arriving January 9, 1863.
March 8, 1863, moved to Lagrange. On June 4, moved to Memphis, and embarked for Vicksburg. Participated in the siege of Vicksburg.
On September 28, embarked for Memphis. On 11th October, marched from Memphis, and, November 23 and 24, participated in the battle of Mission Ridge.
April 29, 1864, moved to Nashville. On December 15 and 16, 1864, was engaged in the battle of Nashville, Lieutenant McClary commanding. Marched to Pulaski, Clifton and Eastport. On February 5, 1865, embarked for New Orleans. From March 28 to April 8, was engaged with the Sixteenth Corps, in operations against Spanish Fort, Ala. Moved thence to Blakely, and, after its capture, to Montgomery, Ala.
July 28, 1865, ordered to Springfield, Ill. Mustered out August 14, 1865.
The Battery was in the service three years and nine months, and has marched over 7,500 miles, and participated in seven sieges and battles.
Cogswell's Independent Battery Light Artillery
Organized at Ottawa, Ill., and mustered in November 12, 1861, as Company "A" Artillery, 53rd Illinois Infantry. Moved to Chicago, Ill., February 28, 1862, and guard prisoners there until March 17. Detached as a Battery March 17, 1862, and ordered to St. Louis, Mo., March 23, thence embarked for Pittsburg Landing, Tenn., April 8. Attached to 3rd Division, Army of the Tennessee, to July, 1862. Artillery, 5th Division, District of Memphis, Tenn., to November, 1862. Artillery, 5th Division, District of Memphis, Tenn., Right Wing 13th Army Corps (Old), Dept. of the Tennessee, November, 1862. Artillery, 1st Division, District of Memphis, 13th Army Corps, to December, 1862. Artillery, 1st Division, 17th Army Corps, to January, 1863. Artillery, 1st Division, 16th Army Corps, to July, 1863. Artillery, 4th Division, 15th Army Corps, July, 1863. Artillery, 7th Division, 17th Army Corps, to September, 1863. Artillery, 2nd Division, 17th Army Corps, to December, 1863. Artillery, 3rd Division, 15th Army Corps, to April, 1864. Artillery Reserve, Nashville, Tenn., Dept. of the Cumberland, to December, 1864. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Detachment Army of the Tennessee, Dept. of the Cumberland, to February, 1865. Artillery Brigade, 16th Army Corps (New), Military Division West Mississippi, to August, 1865.
SERVICE - Advance on and siege of Corinth, Miss., April 29-May 30, 1862. March to Memphis, Tenn., June 1-14, and duty there until November. Grant's Central Mississippi Campaign November-December. "Tallahatchie March" November 24-December 12. At Grand Junction January 9 to March 8, 1863. At LaGrange until June 4. Moved to Memphis, Tenn., June 4, thence to Vicksburg, Miss., June 6-11. Siege of Vicksburg, Miss., June 11-July 4. Advance on Jackson, Miss., July 5-10. Siege of Jackson July 10-17. At Big Black until September 28. Moved to Memphis, Tenn., thence to Chattanooga, Tenn., September 28-November 23. Operations on Memphis & Charleston R. R. in Alabama October 20-29. Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign November 23-27. Mission Ridge November 24-25. March to relief of Knoxville November 28-December 8. Garrison duty in Alabama until April, 1864. Moved to Nashville, Tenn., April 29, and garrison duty there until December. Battle of Nashville December 15-16. Pursuit of Hood to the Tennessee River December 17-28. Moved to Clifton, Tenn., and to Eastport, Miss. Duty at Eastport until February 5, 1865. Moved to New Orleans, La., February 5-22. Campaign against Mobile and its defences March 17-April 12. Siege of Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely March 26-April 8. Assault and capture of Fort Blakely April 9. Occupation of Mobile April 12. March to Montgomery April 13-25, and duty there until July. Mustered out August 14, 1865.
Battery lost during service 26 Enlisted men by disease.
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After the war Lorenzo marries Rebecca Jane Thomas of Ottawa, Illinois. Rebecca's uncle Levi Landon states that after Lorenzo's discharge that he saw him daily for 3 or 4 months immediately after his discharge and was at his house and continued to see him for the next fifteen or sixteen years. He also stated that he was afflicted with a sore throat and had a hacking cough which was due to his contracting small pox during his enlistment.
Joseph C. Thomas Rebecca's brother on a general affidavit stated that he became acquinted with Lorenzo in the summer of 1867 and he worked with him and at that time in the carpenter business. He also commented on his poor health which continually grew worse. Soon after this Lorenzo and Rebecca along with Thomas Thomas Rebecca's father and step mother Louisa and Rebecca's two brothers John and Joseph move to Dallas county, Iowa. They are living in 1970 in Dallas county next door to the Thomas family. and their oldest daughter Mary is born in 1869 at Adel, Dallas county, Iowa.
Shortly after this the two families move to Ellswoth Kansas. In 1875 the Thomas and Lorenzo Pratt families are in Ellsworth, Kansas. Lorenzo and Rebecca's family consist of Mary, Josephine, Louisa, Ida, and Thomas. Before 1876 they have moved to Marion, Kansas and two more children are added to this family, Edith Luella in 1877 and Bertha May in 1879.
Victor Pratt married Cornelia Josephine Kellison in 1870 in Polk Benton, Iowa. This is where Victor's uncle Levi Landon moved to after living in Ottawa, Illinois. but they must have moved soon after to Marion, Kansas where thier son William Lorenzo Pratt was born. Soon after another son Frank in 1873 and then Leona in 1878.
In 1880 Lorenzo dies in Marian Kansas from complications from damaged lungs attributed to Civil War diseases, leaving Rebecca with 5 young children. "Becky" must have had some help with the children as in the 1885 Kansas state census it lists a J.G. Hall and Joseph Thomas Becky's brother also living in this house. Lorenzo's brother Victor also lived in Marion and must have been some help also.
Becky ran a boarding house to help with expenses. In the 1900 Federal United States Census her family with nine boarders and two servants are listed as living in her home. In 1905 Rebecca's home is 1005 Market street in Emporia, Kansas living with her daughter Luella. In the 1910 Census Rebecca is living with her oldest daughter Mary whose occupation is music teacher on Locust Street in Marion, Kansas.
Rebeccas' oldest daughter Mary married Lafe Hoff in 1897. Laffe was a widower and an evangelist who moved around to different churchs.
Louisa married William Hoon in 1900 and moved to Benton County, Iowa. Thomas Victor Pratt married Clara D. Joachim in 1897. Ida Belle Pratt married Charles Davis and remained in Marion county, Kansas. Edith Luella Pratt married Edwin L Ketterman February 3, 1909 in Marion, Kansas and moved to Urbana, Benton county Iowa. Bertha May Pratt married Harry Clewell 14 June 1904. Bertha moved to Waco, Texas.