The Pratt Family of Chelsea

MEN and WOMEN WHO BUILT CHELSEA

The Pratt Family

Lieutenant Thomas Pratt

Born: 1669

Died: June 25, 1732

Lieutenant Thomas Pratt was the first of the Pratt family to settle in Chelsea. In 1691 he married Mary Davis Lewis who was born on January 31, 1662/3 and died sometime after 1732. They had five children: Elizabeth, born January 24, 1692/3, Ann, born February 11, 1694, Sara, born August 10, 1697, Thomas, born May 6, 1699, and Samuel, born January 27, 1703.

Captain Thomas Pratt

Born: May 6, 1699

Died: March 29, 1780

Captain Thomas Pratt was the eldest son of Lieutenant Thomas Pratt. On April 27, 1721 he married Mary Floyd who was born on March 25, 1699 and died on October 14, 1775. They had seven children: Thomas, born May 9, 1722, Daniel, born April 17, 1724, Benjamin, born July 20, 1725, John, born May 26, 1727, Edward, born December 22, 1728, Mary, born May 30, 1736 and Joseph, born October 26, 1737.

Captain Thomas Pratt acquired his title of Lieutenant in the French an Indian Wars; and later that of Captain, as commander of the Chelsea Military Company. He was married to Mary Floyd, the daughter of David and Mary (Hallowell) Floyd of Malden. He was one of the leading citizens of Chelsea. He served as selectman for 12 years between 1730 and 1754 and again in 1762, He was representative to the General Court from 1745 to 1748 and in 1766, 1771 and 1772. He was chosen "Committee Man" to its convention which met at Faneuil Hall on September 22, 1768. He was a member of the committee to ask the General Court for relief of over taxiation in 1768 and 1770. He was a member of the Committee of Correspondence in 1775. He was an Ensign in 1734, a Lieutenant in 1754 and a Captain in 1775. He signed the Covenant in 1757, was a moderator of The Town Meetings, and host to General George Washington. He fought in the Battle of Chelsea and at Lexington and Bunker Hill. His home, torn down in 1855, was known as the Washington-Pratt House. In 1735 he built the first tide water mill in America (Slades Mill). Captain Thomas Pratt lived to be 81 years old. His name appears with practially every civic, military, or religious activity in Chelsea for a period of fifty years.

Daniel Pratt

Born: April 17, 1724

Died: January 26, 1803

Daniel Pratt was the son of Captain Thomas Pratt. On April 2, 1752 he married Mary Brooks who was born on December 20, 1731 and died March 8, 1818. They had six children: Anne, born January 26, 1753, Mary, born September 20, 1755, Sarah, born September 25, 1758, Daniel, born August 28, 1760, Edward, born July 12, 1762 and Caleb, born July 16, 1764. Daniel Pratt was highway surveyor of Chelsea in 1755. He signed the church covenant in 1757. He served as selectman eight years, and for many years was Town Treasurer. He was a Minute Man and served in the Alarm list of Captain Sprague's Company. He served with this company in Lexington, and his house on Washington Avenue was used as a barracks during the Revolution.

Caleb Pratt 3rd.

Born: July 16, 1764

Died: October 28, 1838

Caleb Pratt 3rd. was born on July 16, 1764 and died on October 28, 1838. He married Mary Lash on April 18, 1802. She was born on November 4, 1770 and died May 19, 1819. They had three children: Caleb 4th., born June 23, 1804, Sarah, born August of 1808 and Robert born in 1806. he inherited from his father the old Mansion House known as the Washington-Pratt house. Caleb served in the Continental Army under the command of Captain Zebulon King, and was discharged on January 16, 1781 at West point, New York. His wife, Mary Lash, was the daughter of Robert Lash who served under Lord Jeffrey Amherst during the invasion of Canada and was a member of the Tea Party in December of 1773. Caleb was a Free Mason , shipbuilder and friend of Paul Revere. He is buried in vault no. 4 in the Old North Church, Boston. Caleb Pratt 3rd. died on October 28, 1838.

Caleb Pratt 4th.

Born: June 23, 1804

Died: June 23, 1804

Caleb Pratt 4th., oldest son of Caleb and Mary, was born on June 23, 1804 and died on June 23, 1804 and is buried in Woodlawn Cemetary. He married Pomona Atkins, on March 12, 1828. She was the daughter of Daniel and Thankful Paine Atkins and was born on May 24, 1807 and died June 9, 1879. Their children were Caleb Atkins, Mary Lash, Sarah Francis, George Hermon, Caroline Francis, Elizabeth Ann, Hermon Washington and Henry Eugene.
Caleb left home when he was when he was fifteen and went to Charlestown where he learned the carpenter's trade and became a builder. Many houses still standing in Charlestown, Chelsea, Revere and Malden were built under his direction. He remained in Charlestown until 1848 where he was a member of the Board of health and the Board of Assesors. Shortly after arriving in Charlestown in 1827, he joined the Columbian Guards and became company clerk. He returned to Chelsea in 1848 and built a large house in Prattville on a part of the Pratt estate ath the corner of Franklin and Nichols Street. He became one of the Overseers of the Poor, was elected a member of the council when Chelsea became a city in 1857 and was a member of the Winnisimmet Church. About 1855, Caleb laid out the whole of Mt. Washington, planted elm and maple trees. The streets were named for famous men and relatives such as Hancock, Franklin, Freemont, Harvard, Webster, Warren (later changed to Nichols), Lash, Eustice and Lawrence. Caleb died on June 23, 1804.

Hermon Pratt

Born: July 20, 1845

Died: May 2, 1918

Hermon Washington Pratt, son of Caleb Pratt 4th. and Pomona Pratt, was born in Charlestown on July 20, 1845. He died at the Whidden Hospital, Prattville, in Everett on May 2, 1918. He married Emily Merriam, the daughter of Otis Merriam, on June 15, 1870. She was born on November 23, 1846 and died May 5, 1897. Their children were Gertrude Merriam, Albert Merriam (died in infancy), Emily Merriam (died on October 15, 1914) and Walter Merriam.
Hermon W. Pratt served in the Chelsea City Council from 1884 to 1886 and was Alderman in 1887, 1888, 1895 and 1896. He was elected Mayor of Chelsea by an almost unanimous vote in1897, receiving both the Republican and Democatic nominations. He declined re-election due to ill health. See Mayors section for more information on his accomplishments.

Lieutenant Thomas Pratt	Born: 1669	Died: June 25, 1732
Lieutenant Thomas Pratt was the first of the Pratt family to settle in Chelsea. In 1691 he married Mary Davis Lewis who was born on January 31, 1662/3 and died sometime after 1732. They had five children: Elizabeth, born January 24, 1692/3, Ann, born February 11, 1694, Sara, born August 10, 1697, Thomas, born May 6, 1699, and Samuel, born January 27, 1703.

Captain Thomas Pratt	Born: May 6, 1699	Died: March 29, 1780
Captain Thomas Pratt was the eldest son of Lieutenant Thomas Pratt. On April 27, 1721 he married Mary Floyd who was born on March 25, 1699 and died on October 14, 1775. They had seven children: Thomas, born May 9, 1722, Daniel, born April 17, 1724, Benjamin, born July 20, 1725, John, born May 26, 1727, Edward, born December 22, 1728, Mary, born May 30, 1736 and Joseph, born October 26, 1737.
Captain Thomas Pratt acquired his title of Lieutenant in the French an Indian Wars; and later that of Captain, as commander of the Chelsea Military Company. He was married to Mary Floyd, the daughter of David and Mary (Hallowell) Floyd of Malden. He was one of the leading citizens of Chelsea. He served as selectman for 12 years between 1730 and 1754 and again in 1762, He was representative to the General Court from 1745 to 1748 and in 1766, 1771 and 1772. He was chosen "Committee Man" to its convention which met at Faneuil Hall on September 22, 1768. He was a member of the committee to ask the General Court for relief of over taxiation in 1768 and 1770. He was a member of the Committee of Correspondence in 1775. He was an Ensign in 1734, a Lieutenant in 1754 and a Captain in 1775. He signed the Covenant in 1757, was a moderator of The Town Meetings, and host to General George Washington. He fought in the Battle of Chelsea and at Lexington and Bunker Hill. His home, torn down in 1855, was known as the Washington-Pratt House. In 1735 he built the first tide water mill in America (Slades Mill). Captain Thomas Pratt lived to be 81 years old. His name appears with practially every civic, military, or religious activity in Chelsea for a period of fifty years.

Daniel Pratt	Born: April 17, 1724	Died: January 26, 1803
Daniel Pratt was the son of Captain Thomas Pratt. On April 2, 1752 he married Mary Brooks who was born on December 20, 1731 and died March 8, 1818. They had six children: Anne, born January 26, 1753, Mary, born September 20, 1755, Sarah, born September 25, 1758, Daniel, born August 28, 1760, Edward, born July 12, 1762 and Caleb, born July 16, 1764. Daniel Pratt was highway surveyor of Chelsea in 1755. He signed the church covenant in 1757. He served as selectman eight years, and for many years was Town Treasurer. He was a Minute Man and served in the Alarm list of Captain Sprague's Company. He served with this company in Lexington, and his house on Washington Avenue was used as a barracks during the Revolution.

Caleb Pratt 3rd.	Born: July 16, 1764	Died: October 28, 1838
Caleb Pratt 3rd. was born on July 16, 1764 and died on October 28, 1838. He married Mary Lash on April 18, 1802. She was born on November 4, 1770 and died May 19, 1819. They had three children: Caleb 4th., born June 23, 1804, Sarah, born August of 1808 and Robert born in 1806. he inherited from his father the old Mansion House known as the Washington-Pratt house. Caleb served in the Continental Army under the command of Captain Zebulon King, and was discharged on January 16, 1781 at West point, New York. His wife, Mary Lash, was the daughter of Robert Lash who served under Lord Jeffrey Amherst during the invasion of Canada and was a member of the Tea Party in December of 1773. Caleb was a Free Mason , shipbuilder and friend of Paul Revere. He is buried in vault no. 4 in the Old North Church, Boston. Caleb Pratt 3rd. died on October 28, 1838.

Caleb Pratt 4th.	Born: June 23, 1804	Died: June 23, 1804
Caleb Pratt 4th., oldest son of Caleb and Mary, was born on June 23, 1804 and died on June 23, 1804 and is buried in Woodlawn Cemetary. He married Pomona Atkins, on March 12, 1828. She was the daughter of Daniel and Thankful Paine Atkins and was born on May 24, 1807 and died June 9, 1879. Their children were Caleb Atkins, Mary Lash, Sarah Francis, George Hermon, Caroline Francis, Elizabeth Ann, Hermon Washington and Henry Eugene. Caleb left home when he was when he was fifteen and went to Charlestown where he learned the carpenter's trade and became a builder. Many houses still standing in Charlestown, Chelsea, Revere and Malden were built under his direction. He remained in Charlestown until 1848 where he was a member of the Board of health and the Board of Assesors. Shortly after arriving in Charlestown in 1827, he joined the Columbian Guards and became company clerk. He returned to Chelsea in 1848 and built a large house in Prattville on a part of the Pratt estate ath the corner of Franklin and Nichols Street. He became one of the Overseers of the Poor, was elected a member of the council when Chelsea became a city in 1857 and was a member of the Winnisimmet Church. About 1855, Caleb laid out the whole of Mt. Washington, planted elm and maple trees. The streets were named for famous men and relatives such as Hancock, Franklin, Freemont, Harvard, Webster, Warren (later changed to Nichols), Lash, Eustice and Lawrence. Caleb died on June 23, 1804.

Hermon Pratt	Born: July 20, 1845	Died: May 2, 1918
Hermon Washington Pratt, son of Caleb Pratt 4th. and Pomona Pratt, was born in Charlestown on July 20, 1845. He died at the Whidden Hospital, Prattville, in Everett on May 2, 1918. He married Emily Merriam, the daughter of Otis Merriam, on June 15, 1870. She was born on November 23, 1846 and died May 5, 1897. Their children were Gertrude Merriam, Albert Merriam (died in infancy), Emily Merriam (died on October 15, 1914) and Walter Merriam. Hermon W. Pratt served in the Chelsea City Council from 1884 to 1886 and was Alderman in 1887, 1888, 1895 and 1896. He was elected Mayor of Chelsea by an almost unanimous vote in1897, receiving both the Republican and Democatic nominations. He declined re-election due to ill health. See Mayors section for more information on his accomplishments.