The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-06-09
DEATH TODAY OF o. j. PRATT.
Continued from Page IL

Oscar James Pratt was born in Brat
tleboro Oct. %, 1928, son of Rufus
and Maria (Esterbrook) Pratt, and
was of Scotch and English descent. He
was the last survivor of his father s
family. His father was a native of
Marlboro, but at very early age be-
came a resident of West Brattleboro.
In later years Rufus Pratt was prom
inent and active citizen of this village
for several years being 2 member of
the board of seleetmen. He establish
ed a meat market where the old block
smith shop used to stand north of the
Bond & Son undertaking rooms, and
his sons spent more or less of their
time assisting therein. He died In the
home of his son, Oscar, Nov. %, 1877,
at the age of rs years.
In the early part of his business ca
reer Oscar J. Pratt was associated with
his older brothers, Lucius Pratt and
Daniel Stewart Pratt, and the brothers
saw numerous changes, both in the firm
names and in the lines of business con
Quoted. The first firm to bear the FAM
| lily name was Wheeler & Pratt, Lucius
Pratt being a partner. They engaged
| in general dry goods and grocery
| business. This firm was dissolved in
| 1850 and Lucius Pratt became senior
member of the firm of Pratt, Wheeler
| & Co. The concern continued to do
! business successfully four years, having
general dry goods, millinery and
grocery trade, their sales the last year
aggregating 100000.
| Meanwhile, in 1S4s, Oscar j. Pratt
went to Worcester, Mass, to learn the
/ dry goods business in the store of II.
E. Clanin and remained there two
! years On his return he established
himself in the present o. j. Pratt store
in 1850
At the expiration of the Pratt,
Wheeler & Co. partnership it became
evident that q radical change must en-
she in the manner of conducting then
! business, as the trade demanded that
the different lines Of goods should be
carried in greater variety and in sep
| arate stocks.
Oscar ]. Pratt assumed the dry goods
and millinery department, later Civ
| ing up the millinery part, while the
firm of d. S. Pratt & Co. conducted a
custom and ready made clothing bust
| ness in the adjoining store on the
north. D. 5. Pratt was the late Daniel
Stuart Pratt of Western avenue, a
| brother of Oscar J. Pratt, and like the
latter he was for many years a promi
Enent business man of Brattleboro, be
ing engaged, in addition to his cloth
| ing business, in farming on an extern
sive scale and in breeding horses
Shorthorn cattle and Southdown sheer
and having one of the best managed
farms in Vermont. He died in Brattle
boro Jan. 5, 1912, at the age of 81
/ years. The partnership of D. S. Pratt
& Co. was dissolved in 1860 and thai
of Pratt, Wright & Co. was formed
which continued in the general cloth
ing trade in what is now the store OF
Goodnow, Pearson & Hunt, until 1889
when the firm name disappeared on &C
count of the death, on March 6 of thai
year, of Oscar D. Fsterbrook, who fol
a number of years had been sole pro
prietor. Mr.. Esterbrook, who was borI
in West Brattleboro in 1888, came t
this village at the age of Is years ant
, in 1850 entered the employ of his cous
in, Oscar J. Pratt, and the followin:
! wear became clerk for Pratt, Wheele
& Co., remaining at the old stan,
through the successive changes in part
nership until his death.
= When o. J Pratt started in bushes
alone his store was 25 feet square wit
a driveway in the rear. 1t now occu