Frederic Bayley Pratt (22 February 1865 – 3 May 1945) was an American heir, the president of the board of trustees of

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

's Pratt Institute for 44 years, from 1893 to 1937, and president of the

United States Olympic Committee The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) is the National Olympic Committee and the National Paralympic Committee for the United States. It was founded in 1895 as the United States Olympic Committee, and is headquartered in Col ...

in 1910.

Early life

Frederic Pratt was born at his family's Clinton Hill estate in

Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

, the son of Standard Oil magnate

Charles Pratt Charles Pratt (October 2, 1830 – May 4, 1891) was an American businessman. Pratt was a pioneer of the U.S. petroleum industry, and he established his kerosene refinery Astral Oil Works in Brooklyn, New York. He then lived with his growing fam ...

and his second wife, Mary Helen Richardson. He was brother to George Dupont Pratt,

Herbert L. Pratt Herbert Lee Pratt (November 21, 1871 – February 3, 1945) was an American businessman and a leading figure in the United States oil industry. In 1923, he became head of Standard Oil of New York; his father Charles Pratt was a founder of Astr ...

, John Teele Pratt, Harold I. Pratt, and their sister Helen Pratt (1867–1949); his older half-brother was Charles Millard Pratt. After attending private schools, Pratt graduated from Amherst College in 1887.

Career

In 1893, he was elected president of the board of Pratt Institute, taking over from his elder brother, Charles Millard Pratt. Because founder Charles Pratt Sr died so soon after the college began, Frederic Pratt is credited with guiding the college through its early decades. He served in this post for 44 years, after which his son Charles Pratt became president. In 1910, Pratt succeeded

Caspar Whitney Caspar William Whitney (September 2, 1864 – January 18, 1929) was an American author, editor, explorer, outdoorsman and war correspondent. He originated the concept of the All-American team in college football in 1889 when he worked for '' Harp ...

as president of the American Olympic Committee, now the

, but served for only five weeks. Col Robert Means Thompson was selected to lead the organization. In 1932, Pratt was awarded the

Brooklyn Heights Brooklyn Heights is a residential neighborhood within the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood is bounded by Old Fulton Street near the Brooklyn Bridge on the north, Cadman Plaza West on the east, Atlantic Avenue on the south, ...

Neighborhood Club Annual Award for distinguished service to the cultural and civic life of the borough.

Personal life

On 17 October 1889, he married Caroline Ames Ladd (3 September 1861, Portland OR - 12 June 1946, Glen Cove), the daughter of William S. Ladd and Caroline Elliott. They had three children: * Charles Pratt (1892- ), President of the Board of Pratt Institute from 1937-1953 * Mary Caroline Pratt (1895-1980), who married attorney

Christian Herter Christian Archibald Herter (March 28, 1895December 30, 1966) was an American diplomat and Republican politician who was the 59th Governor of Massachusetts from 1953 to 1957 and United States Secretary of State from 1959 to 1961. His moderate ...

. He later served as Governor of Massachusetts (1953-1956), and Secretary of State (1959-1961). * Helen Ladd Pratt (1899-1972), who became Helen Ladd Pratt Emmett. Poplar Hill 1

Pratt commissioned Charles A. Platt to design the family county estate, known as " Poplar Hill", in Glen Cove, on the North Shore of Long Island. Since 1971 it has been owned and operated by Glengariff Healthcare Center. Pratt commissioned a family home at 229 Clinton Avenue, Brooklyn, designed by noted New York architect Henry F. Kilburn. It was originally known as the "Frederic B. Pratt House" (it is now known as the

Caroline Ladd Pratt House The Caroline Ladd Pratt House is a mansion at 229 Clinton Avenue, Brooklyn, New York, U.S. It was formerly known as the Frederic B. Pratt House, as it was built for him as the family home with his wife Caroline Ladd Pratt. Completed in 1898, it ...

). It was completed in 1898 in a neo-Georgian style. The family donated the property to the Pratt Institute. Pratt died May 3, 1945 at his family home in Glen Cove, aged 81, of a heart ailment. He was survived by his wife, who died a year later, and grown children.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pratt, Frederic B. 1865 births 1945 deaths Philanthropists from New York (state) Amherst College alumni People from Clinton Hill, Brooklyn People from Glen Cove, New York Charles Pratt family Presidents of the United States Olympic Committee Pratt Institute people