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Bio: Sylvester Valentine Pratt (1852-1907)

Sylvester Valentine Pratt was born in Rome, Chattanooga County, Georgia, April 10, 1852. He came from Georgia in 1869 to Omaha and to Pottawattamie County, Iowa the same year.

Sylvester married Margaret Tomenia Currie in 1878. He was a farmer and grain buyer, baptized June 20, 1880 by R. M. Elvin at Crescent and ordained elder November 25, 1893 by C. Derry, T. W. Williams and Joshua Carlile at Hazel Dell.

The Pratt's were very religious people of Latter Day Saints faith. He was a preacher and a lay minister, conducted funerals and served the sick of the community.

They moved with ten children to Kansas March 6, 1898, settling in Graham County on a farm on Bow Creek near Hill City. Living in a sod house, providing food for his family and facing crop failures where great hardships.

Five more children were born, a total of 15. One boy, Leland Currie Pratt (March 8,1902 - June 10,1902), died while the family lived in the Bow Creek, Graham County area near Hill City. They moved to Hays, Ellis County, Kansas in 1904, where the children grew into adulthood. The children all worked at different jobs and helped support the family as they became old enough.

Four sons were called to serve in World War I. All returned home.

Sylvester's nickname was "Tiny." "Tiny" worked at different jobs and farmed a plot of ground near Mt. Allen Cemetery. Their house stands occupied at 2203 N. Oak. He was a big man and died of a heart attack from lifting a wagon out of the mud on main street in Hays. Sylvester Valentine Pratt died on September 22, 1907 in Hays, Kansas. He is buried in Mount Allen Cemetery.

Margaret, of English descent, was a very proud, proper, capable lady who served as midwife and nurse to many. Her pure white hair was always combed neatly.

Margaret Tomenia Currie Pratt was born September 5, 1860 at the Army Fort in Utah Territory. She lived temporarily in Navoo, Illinois as her Mormon family was traveling west on the wagon trains. She moved to Colorado in the 1920's and lived out her life near her daughter, Candace Audencia Pratt Hogge, in Loveland, Colorado. She died May 27, 1950 in Loveland, Colorado. She is buried in Loveland Burial Park

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Obituary:
PRATT.—S.V. Pratt was born in Chattooga County, Georgia, April 10, 1852; died September 12, 1907 at Hays, Kansas. Deceased came from Georgia in 1869 to Omaha; and to Pottawattamie County, Iowa, the same year. Was baptized June 20, 1880, by R.M.Elvin, at Crescent. Was ordained elder November 25, 1893, by C. Derry, T.W. Williams, and Joshua Carlile, at Hazel Dell. Removed to Kansas, 1898, March 6. Was married to Maggie T. Currie, 1878, of whom were born fifteen children, of whom nine boys and five girls are living. He leaves four sisters and three brothers to mourn their loss. He was laid to rest in the Mount Allen Cemetery. Services at the Lutheran church, conducted by Reverends Weist and Brown.

(RLDS--Community of Christ Church; Independence, MO. church publication--vol 55, page 262)

In addition to the children listed Sylvester Valentine Pratt and his wife Margaret Currie Pratt were the parents of the infant Leland Pratt 7Mar1902-1Jun1902.
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S. V. PRATT, farming, P.O. Crescent City, was born in Chattooga Co., Ga., April 10, 1852, son of C. F. PRATT, born in Abbeville Co., S.C., October 19, 1824, and Gabrilla (CALLAHAM) PRATT, born in Abbeville Co., S.C., which place the parents left and came to Chattooga County, Ga., where S. V. was born and spent his childhood days attending common schools. He was one of nine children, eight of whom are living. In 1869, he with his parents came West, stopped at Omaha a short time, and the same year came to Pottawattamie County and engaged in lumbering and saw-milling until 1880, when he changed to farming, which he is still pursuing. Mr. PRATT married Maggie T. CURRIE, in Crescent City, Iowa, December 10, 1878; she was born in Utah, September 6, 1860, daughter of John CURRIE, born in Scotland in 1836, and Elizabeth A. (FILCHER) CURRIE, born in England in 1837.

Mr. Pratt belongs to the church of Latter Day Saints. In politics, he is a Greenbacker, having been elected to township offices on that ticket; he is a member of the M.P. Society.

Source:
History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, 1907
From the Earliest Historic Times to 1907
By Homer H. Field and Hon. Joseph R. Reed; 1907, The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.
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Sylvester Valentine and Margaret Currie Pratt's marriage was blessed with 15 CHILDREN:

Bertha Ophelia Pratt - Born September 26, 1879; Died August 19, 1960. Married John M. McCarthy in Ellis, Kansas, May 2, 1910. They had two children - Mildred Marie and Marvin Eugene

Herman Gillet Pratt - Born April 26, 1882; Died June 13 1967. Married Luella Baumer in Hays, Kansas, July 9, 1913 They had two children - (James)Derrill and Iona

Sylvester Venus Pratt - Born April 18, 1884; Died February 6, 1950. Married Emma Caroline Jensen in Omaha, Nebraska, October 14, 1913. They had six children - Dorothea Margaret, Helen Lucille, Leland Robert, Gordon Harold, Blanche Mae and twin William Carol who died shortly after birth.

Ethel Elizabeth Pratt - Born January 13, 1886; Died October 19, 1981. Married Albert C. Reed in Kansas City, Missouri, March 7, 1910. Albert died in 1916. Married William (Will) Stoltzman in 1951. She had no children.

Joseph Abner Pratt - Born August 25, 1987; Died November 4, 1961. He never married or had any children.

Franklin Blythe Pratt - Born May 19, 1889; Died September 17, 1973. Married Alice Hosley in Hays, Kansas, June 9, 1913. They had five children - Cleta, Warren, Virginia, Normand, and a Wilfred who died at birth.

Candace Audencia Pratt - Born March 11, 1891; Died December 30, 1988. Married Harvey J. Hogge in Kansas City, Missouri, April 19, 1915. They had one son - Donald Wilbur

Bernice Zenobia Pratt - Born March 25, 1893; Died December 4, 1980. Married Robert Wallace Cole in Denver, Colorado, June 29, 1917. They had two children Peggy and Russell

William Earl Pratt - Born May 13, 1896; Died January 26, 1951. Married Ruth Seastrand in Greeley, Colorado, March 28, 1927. They had two children - Patty and Billy

George Ray Pratt - Born January 31, 1897; Died December 10, 1968. Married Frances Bacon (No relation to his brother, Harold, wife) in El Paso, Texas, January 27, 1927. Married Nola Mavil Walls in Phoenix, Arizona in the 1930's. He had no children.

Harold Ely Pratt - Born October 13, 1898; Died November 1, 1947. Married Francis Bacon (No relation to his brother, George Ray, wife) in Long Beach, California in the 1930s. They had no children.

Everett Elvin Pratt - Born August 29, 1900; Died August 22, 1968. Married Hazelle Evick in Loveland, Colorado, July 15, 1928. Married Ottelene Nesbit in 1963. He had no children.

Leland Currie Pratt - Born March 8, 1902; Died June 10, 1902.

John Felix Pratt - Born March 24, 1904; Died July 27, 1984. Married Edna Seastrand in Greeley, Colorado, December 31, 1929. They had two children - Barbara and Karen

Leola Ruth Pratt - Born February 22, 1907; Died December 3, 1987 in Kentucky. Married James H. White in Kimball, Nebraska, October 3, 1931. They had three children - James Richard, John Elvin, who died 3 days after birth, Janet Elizabeth (Jarboe)