Hiram Pratt (June 28, 1800 – April 27, 1840) was an American politician and mayor of
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of New York (behind only New York City) and the seat of Erie County. It is at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of the Niagara River, and is across the Canadian border from Sou ...
, serving 1835–1836 and 1839–1840.
Early life
Pratt was born in
Westminster, Vermont on June 28, 1800, and moved to Buffalo as a child with his family. He was a son of Captain Samuel Pratt, an early settler of Buffalo. He married Maria Fowler on December 10, 1825.
They had three daughters.
Career
With
Orlando Allen, Pratt built a mercantile business, a warehouse and forwarding business, and was an agent for the Farmers Fire Insurance and Loan Company. A founder, cashier, and president of the first Bank of Buffalo, he was a leading Great Lakes shipbuilder; and a Trustee of the village of Buffalo.
On March 10, 1835, the Buffalo Common Council appointed Pratt as Mayor of the city. During his first term the city purchased land for the Elk Street Market. On March 5, 1839, he was elected for a second term. During this term six new school buildings were erected and competent teachers hired and a Recorder's Court was created. In January 1840, the New York State legislature passed a law requiring all mayors in New York to be elected directly by the people, making him the last mayor elected by the Common Council.
During the financial depression of 1836–1838, Pratt lost his entire estate largely to forged notes and the speculative projects undertaken by
Benjamin Rathbun
Benjamin Rathbun (December 1, 1790 – July 20, 1873) was an American entrepreneur from Buffalo, New York. He was born in the area of Westford, Connecticut. His family had settled in New York from Connecticut. Before entering real estate, his Ea ...
. He never fully recovered from the emotional strain.
Death
Pratt died in
Utica, New York
Utica () is a city in the Mohawk Valley and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The tenth-most-populous city in New York State, its population was 65,283 in the 2020 U.S. Census. Located on the Mohawk River at the fo ...
on April 27, 1840, en route to
Saratoga, New York
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Saratoga is a town in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 5,141 at the 2000 census. It is also the commonly used, but not official, name for the neighboring and much more populous city, Saratoga Springs. The major vill ...
for rest. His body was returned to Buffalo and he is
interred
Burial, also known as interment or inhumation, is a method of final disposition whereby a dead body is placed into the ground, sometimes with objects. This is usually accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing the deceased and objec ...
at
Forest Lawn Cemetery. Buffalo's Prospect Park stands on property once owned by Pratt.
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Pratt, Hiram
1800 births
1840 deaths
People from Westminster (town), Vermont
Mayors of Buffalo, New York
Burials at Forest Lawn Cemetery (Buffalo)
New York (state) Whigs
19th-century American politicians