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GEORGE A. PRATT.Obituary.George Alexander Pratt was barn February 25th, 1838, at Woodstock, Vermont, of sturdy New England stock. When a boy of 15 he lost his father, and a year later, his mother, after which time he was practically thrown upon his own resources. His father had died with extreme suddenness. An hour after the event, search was made for three small boys. They were found in the woodhouse industriously sawing wood. George, the eldest, had set them the example of going to work, and compelling them to follow it, with the remark, We must support our mother now, and we had better begin right away.'’ It was a characteristic incident. The man, like the boy, always did the duty nearest to hand, whether it was faithfully and accurately running the business of a railroad station or responding to his country’s call for volunteers.He first learned the blacksmith's trade in his native town land then came west where he re. engaged as hotel clerk at St. th! Louis and other cities, finally he | starting in railroad work as a :er,brakcman on the old Milwaukee is- and Mississippi out of Janesville, irt | Wisconsin. lie remained as trainman but a short time whenresulting in his dls-,charge and bejng $ei,t North to his ultimate ro.x'.vfxy-,Although he did ntft resume ^ work for the Amerjnuti Express' Co., he always he’d ths t compa- ■ ny and itsollicers in the highest: esteem, and frequently spoke of their generous provision for their employes who enlisted in the war, in that each received half pay and the promise of a position when they came home.He was married on June 22d, 1S54, to Sarah P. Hal! of Whitewater, Wisconsin, and with his hi ide'began as station agent at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, remaining there less than a year, when he removed to Fort Atkinson, Wis.. where he has been agent up lo the time of his death, notwith-1 ^ a.anding many offers were made to him during these years to in-d ice him to go to Chicago and other la.vgv iilios in the genera1 offices. Mis death occurred at 7:39 a. m., Thursday, November 2flh, 1903, the immediate cause being heart failure. He had ta-cen a sgv'lQVf cold and felt slightly indisposed the day before but no thought or fear of his sudden demise was entertained by his friends or physician.The deceased leaves a most devoted wife who, although dangerously ill for some weeks, has borne up bravely, will put forth the allpowerful struggle that she may be a comfort and blessing to her children and grandchildren.A son, Edward William Pratt, Master Mechanic of the Nebraska North-Western Wyoming Division of the C. N. W Railway at Mo. Valley, Iowa; a i married ^ j^ary PrattBright, of Milwaukee, Wis., and two grand-daughters survive; also William. H. Pratt, of Sioux Rapids^ Iowa, and Charles C. Pratt, of Aurora, Illinois, are brothers of the deceased.Self-educated himself, he succeeded by hard work and frugality in permitting both of his sons and daughter to have the advantages of a college education.During the more than forty years he was station agent at Fort Atkinson from 50 to 60 bo s and young men have work ed forhim manyof them starting under his direction as ope ratovs, clerks, etc. On all of then has Mr. Pratt's council and t ixamplc of an upright, honorable and absolutely unselfish character made such lasting impression, that to them will his loss be as that of a fathe and true friend. Among his “boys” who started telegraph work un do • his chage are two present Di vision Superintendents of the C. N. W. Ry.When on Thanksgiving morn ing the news flashed over our tittle city that Mr. Pratt was dead there wereTew hearts that Hid not foe! a sense of personal loss. An honored and upright man; a valuable citizen had gone. He was these and also more than these; not only his intirnat os, but the people he met eve 17 day in the street; his employes; those with whom he came only casually in contact, fe t his kindness, a man who made his own corner of the wo'-Id warmer by living it it; a friend whose greeting added oleisantness to the morning had passed out of our lives.'1 Ihe comprehension too of our civic loss will deepen as time go =s on. A man upright in his de.dings; one who stood for good citizenship in all its relations;01-1 the new line of the C. N. W.‘ whose forraative influence over , 1 „ r young men was excellent; leavesch Ity., from Chicago to Janesville J v^nt place in the commun-of was completed and he went to jty that is hard to fillIn later years a competence ;ind prospect of greater leisure nad come to Mr. Pratt and he14,1 work for the American Expres.'?c- Co., as messenger between Chi:'ty cago and Janesville. . .. .. , , , ,iioi *»««., - th. Mdv oUt' smtsxs 535;en of the civil war, he entered the abie 0id age. it was not to be. he service in the First Illinois Light. It is indeed a “far cry to heav-‘ Artillery and served in many en”, but so many of o r friends :ch battle until, on account of her- have trodden that pathway be-| he' nia and sickness*he was sent to■e^ the St. Louis hospital to die. By ing feet,-Jefferson County,1 •x- (the merest chance, a farmer Wis., Union, lie friend, an influentirl St. Louis The above was the father ofman, obtained his immediate ex- Mechanic E. W. Pratt
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Missouri Valley Times
Missouri Valley, Iowa, US
Thu, Dec 17, 1903
Page 10
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USA 09 Feb 2024
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