Humboldt County, CA and Trinity County, CA Biographies

Pioneer days in California: (1891)
By: Carr, John, 1827-1896
Humboldt County (Calif.) - Biography; Trinity County (Calif.) - Biography
Publisher: Eureka, Cal., Times publishing company

CHAPTER XLVII. BIOGRAPHY. 

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

 


PRATT, WILLIAM H.� Was born at East Haddam, Conn., and 
was early left an orphan. He sailed from New York December 20, 1848, 
and arrived at San Francisco by way of the Isthmus Feb. 28, 1849. He 
was successfully engaged for a few months in mining. In the fall of 1849 
he went to New York City and purchased a large stock of general mer- 
chandise, with which he returned to San Francisco and there opened a 
Store, but within two weeks lost thirty thousand dollars by fire. He then 
opened a trading-post at Big Bar, and was signally successful; was at 
various times engaged in merchandising, mining operations, hotel-keep- 
ing, brick-making and banking; he was the Republican nominee for the 
State Senate in 1856 and i860. In 1861 he was appointed Receiver of 
Public Moneys at the Humboldt Land Office. During the Indian troubles 
he was First Lieutenant and Quartermaster of the First Battalion of 
Mountaineers, California Volunteers. In 1867 he was appointed Indian 
Agent at Hoopa Valley. In 1869 he engaged in the mercantile business 
in Eureka. From 1883 to 1888 he was Collector of Customs for the Dis- 
trict of Humboldt; was a delegate in the National Convention at Chicago 
which nominated General Harrison for the Presidency who appointed 
him U. S. Surveyor-General for California.