;,IARTIN ,a.t` PRAIT

•`P.'Ii`-rJ8'I,!N,I.,.I,]] , J\ 0 I.I.A-I''It'

'[`IIC "Owl CILI[}" ()I)Sl`I.VC M!tt'lill

Pr:,tt,s I}ir,I,`,`,y.

ItwnsnoordinTtirtlidny/?oqo/-a.lion which occ``rod lflst Si`t`irdny in thisvill{`go. It \vns tho 77tli ui`iiivt!i.Bury of

M!±|!inJintt, ono of our I`onorod citi.zons. . Renli'/.ing tl`i`t his biL.tlidnys wol.o

growing loss, Ml.. Prat,t in`Jitod his . con`-mdos of tllo "Owl Club" to join wiLli liimin observing liis I)irthdn}l. Somo *i.¥ty

guests f`vni]od I,hol])sol\Jc§ o[ tho in\'it{i-tion and gnthoi.od iit M.I`soliic IInll whorotllo day wns:§pont in I.cco`mting tl`o il.\.-ciLinLr ovont.i of tllo ci\.il wi`r, tlltl 1111>111-

l;ol.S Of the Owl Cl``L) L.otlsistit`Lr of old*o](`iol.s nT}d thoil. wi\.`!*. ..\tldrosscs fill(`I.(!`lmrks!woi.o.t`mdo liy ltov. N. ]}. .I``oot,olAi`iboy; Jolin G. Gi.i`liaiii, .oi Goo(1'l`liui`dor; Alrrcd I)!i\.i£. L``I.ot` Milloi',

Jo.ii:Ill ltotl!?t)r.i, ,-J. N. Miil]in, lt. IJ. I'oL-

[.or,|W.I). S|)I.!lfr``e, Ml.s.11. C. IIotl`linLr,

Ij. Garrott, J. M. Spl.ngue, !`nd Ir. C'.IIotnling.

Atthodi.nnor hour Mr. .Pr:Ltb it`vitodhis guosts to the Mnploton [[ouso whcron ban(iuot diiinor `vng sol'votl. .1`hoSterling drum corps was present and on-livonod the.dfiy witll patriotic (`irs.. .J\sfL ILttilig cliii)nx of tlio (]ny I.]ldor Foot inbobalf ol tlio co```i.ndos prosoutod toOomrad® Pr.att a s`lbstantial lcnthorchair ns fi tol€on of I,lioir higli I.ognt.t].

'l`I`o g`to.€ts frotn it\`.ny `vL`ro N. 1}.'F`ooto, W. W. Wolls {Lnd \\.ilo, .J\Uo Van

Arnum and wiro, ]]. SLit`rnti`lin, I)iLvjt]

Cross, +`]. Doty and wiro, Aiiios I..`i§k :`tidwife.` Mrs. Andrew Itoliiiisoli, ..J!LmosCr..tsen, Amboy; MI.. nn{` M r*. ..J. ( :. ( :I.n`

lmiii, (food 'J.'liLintlo]..

In this connection it liiiLpllt Ilo il`lt`I`-

osting to tL.ll .t!onioLlii`ih. or L]it> lilo or M I..

Prf`tt, wlio li«s boori oiio ol tlio I)I.illio

tuovers in kecijing i`)ivo tt`e ]oci`l G. A.1}.

post and in the 'ol.gi`iij'+.i`tioli of tl]o "()wlClub.„

The pint,ts L.:`Iiio to Ai]ii>i.ion aLi]i>ngthe May(lower coloi]ists m`d \vcro b\ii]talong Pui.itun lines. 'l`lioit. i.ni.I). liistoi.}'

is unrecordod iimong i`s I.ut ropi.esL`i`t3i-tivos ol the rni``ily Ill.a fo``iid ii`i`oliL/ tliollrst sott}:Oi3 in tlio ]Iollnnd i.ott`|mny ur

• 1-Jal.Jug.1.'mtt, tlio fl`thor of olli.

"a .v|`s `"ii.I.iod to Jnnot Moi.-

I+Tontgomor.\.a.iunt}.,--.thc '''rr\tt,i I

`, .qconos i`long ti.a-Old

•."a.``.ao.:`:J;X1miles of `Vntor to the L.ity of-I}iiITnlo, tlionn|ihc.o nuo`it I,Ilo si'z,o ol M{tplti[oii. t!oii.

ho slow tyoni.inoss ol•journoyod dvor `Ji-jo

li'ic.n-.rfuiTnTs-th6-fri-rio-I.

ti`inii`£r lttisjsibly 1:)Ou illllitt7itiLnt.t;. Witll

tho lii`rdy doloi.!i`inl`tiol` I)I tlio i)iolloorDi`riu§ Prtit,I rnisod hi.ts caliii`. iri tllo"oLtnt8inoits fol.est .17 mi]6s soL`th ofI}uffalo, and to tho in.u.sit of tho wiltln'ood colnmenco(1 to I`ew ot`t n f!`rii`among the giant Beech, Mflplc, andIIem]ock trees. By 183`i the childronwere fbllowing a.bln'/.od ti.nil to school•?5JrQ?a.in.:I:=..±j;:E::g:.vy.±er:g..tho~pl*lig_

ancl tl'lo I-irch r.ulo asorton in o`.idonco ns thorule of three.

The lqmily grow wit,h the c]oaring andlifo wasd bnttlo for food and clothes.Mom flshod in tho8o days. angling hQclnotyet como into fa.qhion. 'l`l`oy Shot

game and ate it, tl)o time of the sports-inan had not yet nrrivcd. Thoir life wnstho discipline of indopondent I)ovorty.Not the I)ovorty of the incom|]otcnt nnd

.lazy, `.``t povel.ty or tbo so]l roliflnt andonorgetic. '1'ho contor ol tl`o socinl life ;was tbo ch`irch; of tho intolloct,ual life,the log school houso. Spo]]ing l)ees, logrolling§, huslfing bees, otc., rui.nishodtho rocrontion. 0[ vncntions theydreAmed, but lookod for them in hoavon.13}. thei time the clearing had broadenedinto 200 acres tho boys wore gron'n, rmclat the ngo of 23 I\1artin .Pmtt w.1s mar-rif)a to carolino orr. I-Iostnrtod out tofound a honio nnd 1850 finds our youngfarmer listening to the ruiiiors of polit.i-•cal storms to come, By 1860 Mr. .Pratt

hod risen to the social distinctioi: ofcommanding n company o[ "W;doAwal{es" in tllo I)olitical cnmpnigii.

Tl`o year 186£ rolled around ,in(I w.nrwas8t hand. .I'Io ontistod in cotiipfinyB,15.1th New I.ark voliintoer ii`ri`ntry.and was nssigl`od to the s6condbrigade of the llth army corps.. '1`Iioenlistinent took place at East Otto, NowYor`{, t,ho rondozvous at Jamestown, ni`dthe mustering in at ]3ln`im, whol.a I,hoequipment "'ns.I`andod out. Ii`rom thattimoontho Story is best told in Mr.Pratt's own words, ho says: ``\Vo woro§Bnt to the front, making our first c!`inpat Alden Heights, the site of Con. rjoo'smilitary school. Our first sl{irmish oc-curred at Thoroughlaro Gflp, where wowore forced to retr®bt. After rocoivingreinlorcoments `vo mnrchod nll nightlong through tlio mud toFrodorickgbingand pi`cod tlio stri`ots mndo ri`moL`§ byB8rbnrn FriLchid, or mtlior hy.the i7oomliy tlint tit)a. j\ftor tl`o l]t`t.t.Io or li`[.t!{l-

c`.iclfsburg, whicl` was a vet.itl`l)I(i sll``lL.l`-

ter yard, wo ngnin roiincl otirsol\.cs t]i>-feoted find rotii.e(1 to Stalrord CourtI.louse. This was in Doci}mbor, and

coir\TiITE)',I..''`,

BLUE EART.H COUNTy ENTERPRISE

:5E79NNo'l[E#gER°[f igou, p ,` 1

lj,".,,*i,,,`*, w ,,,, ``'i,* i,, l.,,i".,ft3 ;,, I,` ,.,,, lt)I.-

i`:,,.i ,,,, I.A,, ``,,,i ,.,J,i,``',`,I I,.\' , :( ,,,,, I.i,I .JO"

Ill,(,I(',I.. '„ I,h,, *I,,.;,,I,, ``.I ,,,,, 11,,, i,,]-

vi`tit!t` w:L* I(i bti LiH`{I(`, J[ool(t`r took i`

|iiLi.I Or lii* I`I'i`iy I`i]Ll cr.Os*i`tl tlici

I.ivci. below I.`i.odi.rii`l{sl)ui.g and tlio ro-i``niiidor was to ci.oss tho Potoi"ic i`tKolly's Ford, 2ri miles flbo`.o. StoliontnllJnckson spied o``t the plan.i i`n(1 oi`t"'it-tod tl`o Uiiion rori`cs f`t tl]o I.i`ttloor

Cl`nncollol.S\.illo. Our i`ompt`Ily in goiligLrjo rods lost fully tl`rot3 hundi.od nion,oitlior I(illotl or wo`tndcd. Mnny werelore on tlio lmtLlo !iold for tlii.oo days bo.roro theil. wou[itls could bo ci\i'i`d foi. ortlioiL. ri.nif`ins b`ii'iod. .l'I}e lli`g of trucewi`s t`ot roi.ogt`iy.cd i`ii(I lho .sl!`uLJhtercotitin``c(I. ..\L Chf`iii`(!llol.*vill(j I \v:is in

the oi.(`nnni!o iloi7``i.tiiiLiiil in cli(`I.i;.o o[ A

w{`gon tri`in, z`nd foL. sn`iing t!io \`'ngoi`s

wlicn do.qol.tod `]y tlit3 ollii.oi.H I i.occi\.otl

a I)I.omotion.tl`I.ol`` Cllf`nl.a)lt]`.S`rillo \VL` \`.l.Ill, Llz`l.k

to lllt> tlltl I:;lI`l|l Lrro`nlt` :`t St;ll`.(]l.tl Co``l.I

lloL`Sci. ]!y tliis tiii`o I..ec hf`d i`n idea

tbat wo l`o`lldn't fiLrht, he l}ad whi|.pocl`i.t3on ovory occn§ion, so I)o pnssL.(I onover ii`to Popnsylv{`nia, cleaning outour lorces iit lhl.por's l``ori.y I`i`d otli8r

points ont.onto. '1`l`is ni.ousod o\`r forcesancl wo rollo``.ed hii`i tlp, going on adoublo (iuick tlio ontiro olevon niilosfrom ]'.!ii"iotsburg to (!oLtysbut.g. Our

}1. .\', I,!!^'r',I.

. ."a",,i;.it.!. :.; ,.,.-,t',,n. .',.,, i,,•8t.tl`i.i`o ill tlio !`fL`i".loon of t.ilo

a.`y.sligtit. Wo !`i.ri`iod nono too soona.a they ``'oi.o bii'dl¥ .,c`it to itii`i.o.i iiii.I

I)rl`i.tit::illy wiLlio`it iLi"n`inil.itin. I \\.i`*

(lotnil(.(1 to (lc]ivol. I`itim`it`itiot` toour

cot.ps nloiig tlm lirilig lint). 7\ li.`ttcry\v!`.i t`ii.Iiod on lo i`iy {`iiimiinition \`.!`g(iL`

i`nt] dc,ipiLo tl`t) .`torm tif )i`f`cl !`nd stccl I

(I(:li\.ci.t`tl t,[i() !Lmmunition witlioLlt I.c.

I;`Civillf! i( *Crutt;ll, !l:tho``L.lL itl ll]l`l[inLr

tl)a I.Lin riloiiL. t,ILO ri.ont I lLi`d [o I.L`n

o\Tel. dci`tl !\n{l il}.ii`g i`ion, t`tules !`nd

i`scs. Tt `\.ns !\ tci.riblo tz`sk, And onoo`ily witnt!ssc(I oii tlio liold of wily in r.h .

!i?`!d::'J t: '`J^iL:,).

I vio\`ictl tbnt LTi.ol`t :(nd I)ioiiioi.(`l)lo

`igl`t witli ii gliiss €`nd witi`osscd t}}oFirst Minne.sotn boilig c``t to

iiioccs liy tlto cyclone ol lit.o (\n(Ilont], (`ntl nflci. I..oc hr`d I.cti`c{itctl pf`*so(`over tl`o llold of bnttlo ``'liilo the den(`"'oro boing bt`t.io(I. Tt wns in liot"'ontlicr and tl`o stoncb' wzls soi``o[hiilgf`wf``l i`nd I woii(tor to t}iis day how \`'o\\'oro nbto to stand it n§ wo I)n*s§od o\'ort,ho Jiold gntlici.ii]g lit. the LrLins loft bytbosp, who diccl on tho llold or by. thosowho h:id dL.o!)I)a(I thon`.in theii. nm(I on-dcn\ior to cscf`Tio ri.oin the so{` of dotiLh.'1`llo night Gonoi.al Loo rotre.`tc(` I wont

to t,ho (ili`ii.tot.iTinstor ni]d a.tlcc(I I)orlr`i.q-

§ion t,o go over to Lho picket lino. I.Io glwcmo pert`]ission and I stopr.od out in ttio(iuiet oF tlio midnight ho``r. I wz`s halt,-ocl by tllo picket ut)orl tllo odf:oof LL little

`.Alloy, the only .so``nd thnL could bo dig-tinctly }ieai.d was that ol the whip.poor-wil]§ .`alling out "whip.poor.".ill" And Iwondorcd wliich side t}Loy \verooi`, 'J`licna low li`Onn L.o``l(I bo tio(`rd, tlif`t (]( blio I

tliot\s!`nds \vho lay wo\`ndcc` :Lnd dying I\`T)on tl`o field. "Fat. (;od's st`l{o gi`'o tiio

a dt.ink of wntci.," L`(`mo diet,in(;Ll}' fl`ot`i a

t`i*Li`ncc. [1 `\.!\* loo ```\t{:l` roy t`it! :`Iitl I

Wf`* Ovl`,I.(?ol`l(`. I)(!!lLIL Wol`l(I I)() 1` (;01`-

sol:`tion lo*``i.li f`s. th:ir. Tt wt.oiiLrl`L ii

deoii :it`{l lniling it``tit.ossion uT7on m}.

mii`{l, lif`\'iiij! lioLili `>].o`iL.lLt tip i` Scotcl`

Pi.oslj.vtci`inl` with tl`o 17olicl il` rut,``ro

I)i`r`i*hii`ont, a \.ortit7lo l`olt of (ii.o i`n(Il]i.iiiistotic foi. i`ll \vlio lmtl not 17ocn t:oii-

`'ol.tc(I. It cltr`nLrr,(I l`ly wllolo I)clicf. .`\

ji`*l (:o(1 wo``ld not condt`i`in tLlc§ctho`ts!`nds (lying wi(Iiot`t nn op]ioi.tiinityo[ l}oing bf`[]tizc(].

.J\ftcr Ilo.sonct.niis \\':\* {1crei`tod i\L.

C`hicl{{`n`ni`gn tho lltll i`nd 12th f`rmy ',col.ps woi.o iinitc(I And called ITool{ol.'* `

grf`nd division. ]Iool{cr w!t8 inti.`istr,tlwit,h the t,i`sk of oponing t,Ilo "hal.(I tl`clclino" to S`lT7|ll}' I,hc :`rlt`y wit,l` T)ro`'ision# I

n`i(1 l`t) f`c(!olll|]li*llc(I il l]y ftlt.(:itlL' I)i*

wny I ,.,,,,, '!ri,lL,ol ,,,,. l'` .'\1,,I ,,,,,,,, ` ,,` C,,: ,,,-

I,,I,,,oL,,,' ,,,,., ` ,,,, **,: ,,.,,, i,,".:, W ,,,. n ,,,,,,, y

I,I ,,., I liL'l`t* ,,,,,. o ,,,, `. ..\rl ,,,. I'm ,,I ,,,, tir,L'

or tli{! h!ii.tl tnt!l{ litio (:oiiei.;`l (!mnt took

chf`rgo ntit` tlio Slri`gglog I`t I.oo]{outMo``ntl`in :`nd Mis8ioltnry ri(`Lro o(:.;``].o(1.

PAGE 2 0F 3 CONTINUEI), . , I

i`IARTIN M ;PRATT

PRESENTED A CIIAIRCONTINUED, , ,

..L`cnco \v!`s iit hnnd, t,I.io groat strifewhicli h{\(i thi.eiitoned to sovcr the Unionwi\.a oval.. Wo mo\Joc] on to ,illox{`ndria,Virgini{i, where wo went into cnmp` andlitt,ocl for t,he gi.!ind I.eviow. Of the 1,000inen who oi'igin{itly p!]li.stocl nt James-to\\.ii.in ollr I.cgiiiiol]t onl.y 80 wel.o pros-')nt :it +I r. I.evir)\v.i --.a tirp.-

''.nr".,.s_w'-„-.;:'3,]tl``J ,, .I,a I...

` . ',

'.L`llo no.\'t *}>r.ill(? oi`' LIL(! 8Hi of Mi`y vro

il:Ll`l(){t witli ShoL'tii(`n on ]ii.i ti`ni.OIL to

Lllo *Oil, `;£rlltiL`g I`ll.tlH`ll1`O[. )Otlg. OuL.

(]i\Ji.lion cl]!`I`Lyod on A.tJ!`ntn, but `vns do-

roiLt.ocl. WhiJo Sliol.m!`n w!is n"kii]g`bisn'ay senw&rd ho bitd to hnvo new mulesand I \`'ns detailed ftmongotherg to goback to Chattanooga to bi.oak mi`los nnclsend thei`i on to Atlantn. Aftoi. ronch-inLr Atlantn wo pushed througb .Nor.thCat.olinn follo"'ing Gonoral Joo Johnsonnncl Rt Aslil&nd learned of Leo'ssurrond-or. It was a dny of ro].oicing, a d,1y ofPentacost, strong n.len ci.iod, while otherssang, iind .still others prayed, Glad ofthe hoque coming which nowseemedneflr nt liand, wo moved on to Raloighwhero our gladness was tui'n©d to sort.ow.IIol.o wo wet.o informed of the flssassina-tionof pi.esident Lincoln. It was in-deed fl .sad me,ssago, and cast R pnl]br ofsorrow over all, as tbo solclioi.s to a manloveclLincoln. Somoof tho events ofthat dny whom southei.nors I.ojoicod ntoui` sol.i'ow are too terrible to relate.

'l`hen cain® the sui.rondor of Joe John-

son. It wns one of the saddest sights Iever witnessed. Bronzed men wbo hadfought for over tbr6o yea.rs ,for a . causewhich they believed to bo right stackodtheir guns and f urled their flags. Theycriod ]iko cbildren, nnd tborewasnosign of rejoicing on ouJ` side. They mad()a hal.d tightand lost, bravo moll thatthoy woi`o. The next morning after thi..surrondcr, the. papers censul.od Shormansevoi.ly foi. the liberal terms wbich behad gi.,`nted to his vanquished loo. Heh:i(1 gi\'oi` thei`i their horses with wh.icht,o till tho soil, I.ealizing far .bettor t,han.son`o ot|lei.s tho grant devastation which\`'nl.had wrought and the noco.ssitioswhicli now fflcod t,heso lnon u.hen tlioysl`ould I.otii.o to their ro.spectivo home.ato follow po(`coful put..suits. 'J`imo hasshown thi) wisdom of Gonoral Shorman'snotion. The c©nsuro of Genoi.nl shor-man ai.ousod n grant donl of foolingi`mong t,Ilo iiion €incl Gonoml Gi`.i`ht madoa porsom`l vi.t5it to our forces and broughtill)out pc€ico in tho wni.I.ing ffictions.

PAGE 3 0F 3

_ _ -.-..-,, I,LIIuu-,;:`tttly following. Witli its.I.ont.s {`ncl'

' :..!'-,,` .--,,

'~,.I.|'u \, ."tl I...

ho go`.{`i.iioi. of }.'``e?`hoj.(;'':£`.y.";it`j:gnsb:boflutifiil blini]iii. W.:th its g]jstefling'itiir.cs {ii`d sil\'L.I.y stil ns ai]d \i'hoii it was

iinrLti.loll \\'t`.i `LJi.cotod witJi c`Jieors,, but

t`m.so t`.!ioc.ni w'ero llollow beside thoso\`'hil.l} £Jrei`tecl tho old tatterocl bannerwhicli w!`s thro\`'n to the breeze ili`mod-: .\ t ,` ' --,,,.

----.. u``L'J t,|Illi:tttt`I.s: [ho I.o>3ult.i or twoiit}i-t`\io bnttlcs,

it n".5 ror iiioi.o snci.c.d than any lt{iiiiier\\.hit.ll \\.o mit;ylit o`iei. ljoliold.

Follo\\'ing the gI.!ind I.oviow wo woi.omust.ol.od t.ut;ltGlndonsbui.g, Mnry]€ind,

I clLP£L9.n Jullt! 11..1..9fJ!`T`, '.I..cr8 ci.i-1 . our . .wayhome. Our i.ccoption l`omo wfls cordialbut tlio closii.o hf`d boon awa.kenocl for

groatel. woi.lds to conquei., and selling`.ut I movocl west,wfli.cl with my family,:mii'ing in Maiilmto on I.i`yliirt.hd€iyOct,ot)I.i. `2:)Lh , .186i-..

Mr. I`mtt on coming to M.iriiiesot€t, lo-3,ited in Stol.ling township where ho•livod for tliirty yo,ii`s. For twenty yonrs

of thist{moho wns:` momber o.I tho•t®wii bonrd .1nd n director of school clis.

tricb No. 33 foi. twenty-tiveyeni.a. I.[o``'i`s ono ol the instigators of tho build-

:ing of th{) town hiill; was trensui.orof the

l'Jood 'l`ompliil.s ]odgo for threo years, tl`o:.odgo h{i\Jing a mombor.ship of 130. Mr.•:.'riitt has nlwiys tnkon a prominent

.`rtinpolitic.szind atone time was aielegflto to the Peoples Pf`rty national

`3onvention nt Om:ihn f`nd hns fro(iuoiltlyutton(]ocl coiivcnt,tolls of the Domoci.ntici.itii.ty. .J\s `` mombei. of;tho a. +.i. R. ho`.vns Tii`oiilinont in .iri.!`ngipg for. the lil.St

..I.Jci.ori`tion (`(`y sei'vico.i ovoi. hold in this

i;ouiity out.side of Mnnk<it,o.

i#!:E#RI,:,#::#;NT::i: I ,: 1