Mr. Pratt was born in Ireland, in 1828, and was a lad when brought by his parents to the United States. The family settled at Boston, in the public schools of which city he received his educational training, and remained in that community until reaching the age of twenty-six years, when he was called to the West. Locating at San Francisco in 1854, he shortly thereafter entered the well known early publishing house of Towne & Bacon, accepting a minor position at first from which he worked his way by assiduous industry and fidelity to a leading post in the firm’s employ, and later was made an official of the concern. He remained with this enterprise until a physical breakdown caused his retirement, some years before his death, which occurred December 24, 1897. Mr. Pratt was one of the leading and public spirited men of his times, and during the early days demonstrated his love of peace and order by becoming a member of the famous Vigilantes. He belonged to the Masonic fraternity and to a number of other bodies, and in every way was a good citizen. 

In 1856 Mr. Pratt married Katherine Clancy. They were the parents of four children. Their eldest son, Robert, is a resident of San Francisco. Their second child, Anna, married Ernest S. Simpson, who was born at Salem, Oregon. Mr. Simpson attended the public schools and the University of Pacific, becoming the editor of the university paper, and for some years continued in the same line after his graduation. He is now identified with the International Harvester Company. Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Simpson, the eldest of whom is known by her stage name, Doria Fernanda. She is a famous operatic singer and is now at New York City, where she is following a highly successful stage career. One son, Ashley Simpson, died at the age of twenty-six. He was a graduate of Stanford and had done considerable newspaper work for the San Francisco dailies.