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Rezin Pratt and family came with his father John Pratt and family to Mercer County about 1838.
Rezin had preceded his family and had purchased public land in Mercer County in May 1836 in sections 24, 25, and 30 in Eliza Township (see Eliza Township plat map for location although the land is no longer in the Pratt name in 1875).
Rezin Pratt was paid $3.00 for viewing a newly opened road surveyed from the bridge on the Edwards river, on the New Boston and Knoxville state road through Keithsburg to Gavitt's cabin on to the county line. The road was surveyed on June 3, 1839 so we know for sure the families had arrived by then.
The History of Mercer County 1882 page 274 [Eliza Township] tells us "Rezin Pratt came from Indiana to Mercer county in 1836. He first bought in section 30, and subsequently bought land adjoining. He then returned to Indiana the same season for his family. Pratt was the first postmaster in the township and had his office in the house in which he lived. He was also the first justice of the peace." The history continues on page 277: "The first mill built in the township was by Rezin Pratt and John H. Mannon about 1837. It was situated just above Daniel Noble's, and was built about 1844, or 1845. This was a grist mill, and disappeared years ago. No other mill has since taken its place, owing to an insufficient body of water of late years to run one. A saw mill, built by Rezin Pratt and E. Esley [Rezin's brother-in-law], stood on the same stream, a little below Mr. Noble's and was built somewhat later; no remains of it can be seen there now. The mill was a large one and was well patronized at the time. For a long time after this mill ceased running there was no other mill in the township, until about 1864..." These mills appear to have been built on Eliza Creek and we believe Rezin named the creek after his sister who was the first burial in Eliza Township in 1839.
Rezin Pratt had married Mary A. Long, daughter of Andrew and Jemima Santee Long11/5/1828 in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. Mary was born 12/8/1807 in Fayette County. Rezin and Mary Long Pratt migrated with the rest of their family (and probably the Long and Honeyman Families) from Fayette County, Pennsylvania, to Union County, Indiana, in about late 1828 to early 1829. Their first child John Pratt was born about 1829 in Union County, Indiana.
Rezin and Mary Pratt are found in Union County, Indiana in 1830: 1 male under 5, 1 male 20-30, 1 female 20-30. The Honeymans and Longs are found not far away.
As mentioned above the Pratts moved on to Mercer County in the 1830's. Rezin Pratt was administrator of Andrew Long's estate in Union County, Indiana. At the probate sale in February 1837, Rezin bought a Morris geography, a treatise on religion, and one other book. So we know the permanent move was after that date.
In 1840 Rezin and family are found in Township15NR5W [future Eliza] 1 male under 5; 3 males 5-10; 1 male 10-15; 1 male 15-20; 1 male 30-40; 1 female 20-30; 1 female 30-40; 1 female 60-70. The elderly female was Jemima Santee Long, Rezin's mother-in-law. After Andrew Long's death in Union County, In, in 1835, Rezin was made guardian for Hugh and Rebecca Long, the two youngest children, and they are the male 15-20 and female 20-30 in Rezin's household in 1840. The family is next to Daniel Noble and then the next family is John Pratt, Rezin's parents. The Mannon family is also nearby, giving credence to the Mercer County history of the mills given above.
In 1850 the family is found in Eliza Township [T15NR5W] #607: Rezin Pratt, 46, farmer, farm value $2000, born Pa; Mary A. Pratt, 45, born Pa; John Pratt,21, farmer, born In; Andrew Pratt, 18, farmer, born In; Benton Pratt, 16, farmer, born Il; Elmore Pratt, 13, born Ill; Margaret Pratt [Mary Ann], 10, Il; Rebecca E. Pratt, 6, Il; Harvey Hallett Pratt, 3, Il; Jemima Long, 73, born Pa. Next door to him is ward Hugh A. Long, married and with his own family. His other ward, Rebecca Long, had married Samuel Mannon.
To summarize the Pratt children: John Pratt, born about 1829, Union County, Indiana; Andrew Pratt, born about 1832, Union County, Indiana; Benton Pratt, born 3/4/1834, Union County, Indiana; Elmore Pratt, born about 1837, Mercer County, Il; Mary Ann Pratt, born 1842, Mercer County; Rebecca Elizabeth Pratt, born about 1844, Mercer County; Harvey Hallett Pratt, born about 1847 in Mercer County. More on each child and family is given below.
The family is found in New Boston Township in 1860: #1779 Reson Pratt, 57, Miller, Pa; Mary A., 54, Pa; John 30, In; Benton, 25, In; Benton, 25, In; Elmore, 23, Il; Mary A., 18, Il; Rebecca E., 17, Il; Harvey, 13, Il; Jeremiah Long, 86, born Pa. Jemima Long is listed as a male Jeremiah. Andrew had died before the 1860 census was taken and is buried in Eliza Creek Cemetery. No dates were readable on his tombstone when the 1960's walkdown of the cemetery was done by the DAR.
They are found in New Boston Town in 1870: #31 Rezin Pratt, Sr, 66, carpenter, born Pa; Marry Ann, 63 Pa; John, 41, carpenter, In; Elmore, 33, carpenter, Il; Rebecca, 26, Il; Harvey, 23, school teacher, Il.
They are still in New Boston Town in 1880: Rezin Pratt, 70, carpenter, born Pa, father born Md, mother born Pa; Mary Ann, 72, born Pa, parents born Pa; Rebecca Pratt, 30, born Il; John Pratt, son, 51, butcher, born In; George Merrill, son-in-law, 20, carpenter born NY, parents born NY. The entry for George Merrill is interesting. He was son of William and Eunice Merrill of New York and Mercer County and in the 1870 census he is age 15. Rebecca and George were married in 1879 but the census still carries her as Rebecca Pratt (more below under children).
Rezin Pratt died June 6, 1880, age 76 yr, 3 mo, 15 dy, in Mercer County so it is surprising he is even in the 1880 census. He is buried beside son Andrew. Mary Ann died 8/28/1887 but she is not buried beside her husband in Eliza Creek Cemetery unless the tombstone is missing. The death date is from the 1882 History of Mercer County.
Children of Rezin and Mary Ann Long Pratt
(1)John Pratt Was born about 1829 in Union County, Indiana. He is shown as male under 5 in the 1830 census with Rezin and Mary in Union County. He lived with his parents until his father's death in 1880 and may have continued to live with his mother until 1887. He was at various times a farmer, carpenter, and finally a butcher. He was a member of the International Order of Odd Fellows. He never married.
(2)Andrew Pratt Was born about 1832 in Union County, Indiana, and named for his grandfather Andrew Long. Andrew died sometime before the 1860 census and is buried in Eliza Creek Cemetery next to his father. The dates on the tombstone are not readable.
(3)Benton Pratt Was born 3/4/1834 in Union County, Indiana. Benton Pratt served in the Civil War, enlisting in Co G, 124th Ill Infantry from New Boston September 10, 1862. He was elected Second Lieutentant of his company. He was promoted to First Lieutenant on February 16, 1863. Company Captain was Lyman Scudder who resigned in 1864 and Benton Pratt was promoted to Captain on June 29, 1861. Benton Pratt married Martha Ellen Endicott on 1/1/1866 in New Boston. Information on their children and further life is included on the Endicott page. We have copies of Benton Pratt's pension papers and will share with descendants. As time permits we will add more information here.
From History of Mercer County, 1882. The 124th Regiment of Illinois Volunteers, Company G. was convened September 10, 1862, mostly from New Boston and Eliza Townships. Served until August 15, 1865. Benton Pratt was Second Lieutenant, L. H. Scudder, Captain, and E. S. Benedict First Lieutenant. These two resigned and Benton Pratt was mustered out as Captain. They went to Jackson Tennessee, Vicksburg, and Monroe Louisiana. Won a prize banner for cleanly appearance and soldierly bearing. Traveled 7000 miles, in ten battles and 14 skirmishes, two sieges, one for 47 days one for 13 days. They were drolly called "The Bully One Hundred and Two Dozen."
(4)Elmore Pratt Was born about 1837 in Mercer County, Illinois. He was living at home with his parents in 1870. He did not marry.
(5) Mary Ann Pratt Was born in 1842 in Mercer County. She married Abram Helm Essley, son of William and Estavilla Custer Essley, on 1/4/1863 in Mercer County (we will be putting up an Essley page). She is in the 1850 census as Margaret age 10, in the 1860 census as Mary Ann, age 18. Her marriage record confirms that her name was Mary Ann. The couple is not found in Mercer County in 1870 as they had already gone to Iowa. They are found in the 1880 census in Washington County, Iowa, where Abram was a stock dealer. Their children at that time were: Charles H. Essley, born about 1866, Iowa; Claude S. Essley, abt 1872; Nellie M. Essley, abt 1875; Ward Essley, abt 1879.
(6) Rebecca Elizabeth Pratt Was born 1843/1844 in Mercer County. She married George R. Merrill, son of William and Eunice Merrill, on 10/2/1879 in Mercer County (we will be putting up a Merrill page). George Merrill was born about 1854 in New York. They were living with Rezin Pratt in the 1880 census. They were still in New Boston in 1920 where George was a house carpenter. Jerry Nesvold furnished the obituary of Rebecca: "Mrs. George Merrill, 92, New Boston, passed away in February 1936. She was Rebecca Elizabeth Pratt, born in 1843 to Rezin and Mary Ann Pratt, who came to Mercer County from Indiana. In 1837, he built the first grist mill on Eliza Creek. Mrs. Merrill was survived by a son John Merrill of Houston, Texas, her husband, and a brother, Harve Pratt of Leonardsville, N. Y."
George and Rebecca Pratt Merrill apparently had only the one child, John, born about 1881. He may have been the John Merrill, real estate salesperson, living in Sedalia Missouri in 1930. This is not definitive, he was born Il, and his mother was born Il, but he gives only U. S. for father's birthplace. We did not find him in Texas in 1930 but if he was a real estate salesperson he might have traveled a great deal. The John Merrill in Sedalia had a daughter, age 10, born Louisiana.
(7) Harvey Hallett Pratt Was born about 1847 in Mercer County. He married Josephine Wolfe, daughter of David and Mary Willits Wolfe, on 1/8/1879 in Mercer County. In 1880 they were living in Keithsburg where Harvey was assistant cashier at the bank. They had no child at that time. We find nothing further on Harvey except the notation in Rebecca's obituary above that he lived in Leonardsville, N. Y. in 1936.
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