Slumbering Souls: Dr. Lester M. Pratt

This installment features a gentleman who truthfully did not live in Cortland County until his retirement, so why would we want to learn more about Dr. Lester M. Pratt? Although interred at Glenwood Cemetery, Pratt appears to have simply retired to Homer. He did not live here as a child, did not attend school here, did not practice here. Let’s explore what brought him to Homer for his golden years.

Dr. Lester M. Pratt was born in Pratts Falls in Madison County on April 25, 1818 to John Pratt and Sarah Barton. At 18, he attended the Oneida Conference Seminary in Cazenovia where he met Adaline Castle of Fabius. The couple married in 1840 and settled first in Pratts Falls and then in Fabius. The happy marriage produced two little girls, Emma and Adaline, and all was going very well for the family.

While at Cazenovia, Lester studied medicine with the intent of becoming a physician, but he had to abandon his dream because of his father’s business failure. Pratt would go on to spend ten years in the mercantile business until, in 1850, he was devastated by the loss of his wife. In fact, he would never remarry.

Lester was at a crossroads. He was a widower with two young daughters, and he was not following his dream of being a doctor. With the help of his in-laws, Pratt resumed his studies in medicine by first studying with Dr. Lansing Briggs in Auburn. His studies took him to Cleveland, Syracuse, and finally Philadelphia where he completed his final course at the Philadelphia Homeopathic Medical College. He returned to his girls who were living with his in-laws in Fabius, but he needed to figure out where he was going to practice medicine.

The opportunity arose in Albany where he became an equal partner with Dr. H.M. Paine. A series of partners came and went until Dr. Pratt determined that he was happiest on his own. He led a very successful career in Albany, but it was his equine companion who was the celebrity when they were out and about. In a time before cars, a physician’s horse was nearly as important as the healing powers of the doctor himself. Physician’s horses were often strong, fast, and invaluable for delivering help to those in need in all weather conditions and over impossible roads. Dr. Pratt’s horse was named Snyder, a well-trained steed who happened to love candy. Every morning, Lester would stop by the bank to discuss the stock market. Once his master was inside, Snyder would check to see if the roadway was clear before crossing over to visit a woman who kept a candy stand at the curb. Here he would receive a candy stick and then remain until Dr. Pratt emerged and paid his tab! After rounds were completed, Pratt would get out of the carriage at his office and tell Snyder to return to the stable which was down a block and over another block. The horse would dutifully go to the stable as directed and the stable hand would unharness him and bed him down for the night. The doctor even had a portrait painted of his faithful steed and he brought him with him to Homer when he retired.

Which brings us to the point in the story when Dr. Pratt moved to this area. We have seen that his path in life had often brought him near Cortland County, but it was his daughter Emma who brought him here to live. Emma had married Augustus H. Bennett of Homer and lived on Clinton Street. When Lester retired, he moved in with Emma and her family. The first street directory he shows up in is 1894. Even though Dr. Pratt was not a longtime resident of Homer, he became a respected member of the community when he retired to the village.

By 1900, daughter Adaline was also living in Homer after having lived in Brooklyn for years, and so they gathered together again as a family for a brief time. Dr. Pratt died on July 6, 1901 and is buried at Glenwood Cemetery. However, the love of his life and wife of ten years, Adaline Castle Pratt is buried in Pompey Hill Cemetery, so even in death, they do not rest together.

In the next “Slumbering Souls,” we’ll take a closer look at the Bennett family and learn about contributions made by them to the Homer community. ~Tabitha