PRATT, Sam Craig (1855-1925)

PRATT

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 9/1/2020 at 14:20:48

Sam Craig Pratt
(September 20, 1855 – August 24, 1925)

A few weeks ago this paper mentioned the death of Sam Pratt, a former Indianola boy and brother of Mrs. W. H. Davis of this city. He was killed by a bandit while in line of duty as sheriff of Thomas County, Kansas, as he was trying to intercept him. At the request of the Thomas County republican committee Gov. Paulin appointed his son, Walter Pratt, to fill the unexpired term of his father. The Colby Free-Press sold in part in its account of Mr. Pratt’s funeral: “The largest crowd ever assembled in Colby for a like occasion gathered at the Methodist church Sunday afternoon, August 30th, to pay the last tribute of respect to Sam Pratt, who met his death August 24th while in the performance of his official duty as sheriff of Thomas County.
Samuel Craig Pratt, son of David and Sarah Frazier Pratt, was born in Palmyra, Missouri, September 20, 1855 and died August 24, 1925 at the age of sixty-six years, eleven months and four days. His boyhood home was broken up by the death of his mother and at an early age he was thrown upon his own responsibility as to his life and conduct. In early manhood he and his brother, Will, came to Thomas County and in the year 1885 settled on adjoining claims. He was united in marriage to Mrs. Sophia Hemstrom Peterson, January 8, 1896. To this union seven children were born, four of whom died in infancy and early childhood. Mrs. Pratt died in June 1911, and Mr. Pratt was left to complete the bringing up of his three children, Mrs. Alice Pratt Crumly, Walter D., and Othel H. Mr. Pratt was rather proud of his sturdy Scotch ancestry, and it was perhaps from this that he inherited those rugged virtues of courage, honesty and straight-forwardness that made him so successful as an offer of the law. At the suggestion of Judge Sparks who was a close friend, he was given a soldier’s tribute by being buried in the flag, and truly it was most fitting, for no soldier served his government more truly or more fearlessly gave his life, that law and order and the forces of right might be preserved. And so, wrapped in the flag of the commonwealth he served so faithfully and so gladly, and for the support of whose institutions he so gallantly gave his life, he was laid to rest in the Beulah Cemetery.”
[Copied from a scrapbook at the Warren County Historical Society Library, Indianola, Iowa]