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Zadock Pratt Jr. (October 30, 1790 – April 5, 1871) was a tanner, banker, soldier, and member of the United States House of Representatives. Pratt served in the New York militia from 1819–1826, and was Colonel of the 116th regiment from 1822 until his resignation from the militia on September 4, 1826.〔1868 Biography, p. 9〕 In the Catskill Mountains, Pratt built the largest tannery in the world at its time, and built of the town of Prattsville to accommodate the labor force necessary for the tannery, raising the town's population from around 500 to over 2000. Pratt was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1836 and 1842. During his second term, in 1845 he first proposed the transcontinental railroad. In 1848, Pratt tried but failed to receive the Democrat/Hunker nomination for the 1848 New York state gubernatorial election. He was a delegate to the 1852 Democratic National Convention. In 1843, Pratt established the Prattsville Bank with, which printed its own bills that were kept on par with the US dollar, but he closed the bank nine years later in 1852. Pratt financed multiple smaller tanneries in the Catskills, and also one in Pennsylvania as a joint venture with Jay Gould. In 1860 he retired from active business pursuits, and died in 1871. ==Early Life and Family== Zadock Pratt was born on October 30, 1790, in Stephentown, New York, to Hannah Pratt (née Pickett) and Zadock Pratt Sr. He was the 5th of 7 children.〔Capen, pp. 14, 15, 17〕 In 1797, Pratt moved with his father's family to Midleburg, New York.〔1868 Biography, p. 3〕 In 1802, at age 12, Pratt moved with his parents to Windham, New York, which soon became Lexington, and is current day Jewett. As a child, he received limited schooling at the public school, and instead worked much on his father's farm and in his tannery.〔Capen, p. 18〕 In his father's yard there were "two limes" and eight vats, and the bark was ground with a circular millstone by horse power.〔 In 1810, at age 20, Pratt became an apprentice to Luther Hayes, a sadler in Durham. Following his apprenticeship, became was traveling saddler for a year, during which he saved $100.〔1868 Biography, p. 4〕 In 1812, he returned to Lexington where he continued his work as a saddler, working fourteen hour days. In 1814, Pratt built a general store in Prattsville where he would barter with residents for goods, and would make periodic trips to New York City to trade the goods.〔Capen, p. XV〕 Pratt volunteered for the War of 1812 in 1814. He was a Steward of a company stationed at Brooklyn Heights. He was awarded $11 for his claim of arms and clothing which were destroyed during the war. In 1857, he would receive a warrant of of land for his service.〔1868 Biography, p. 50〕 In 1815, after war ended, he returned to Lexington, sold his store.〔 On May 7, 1817, he entered the tanning business with his older brother Ezra, and his younger brother Bennett.〔1868 Biography, p. 5〕 October 18, 1818, Pratt married Beda Dickerman of Hamden, Connecticut, who died of tuberculosis six months later on April 19, 1819. Pratt and his brother Ezra then bought out Bennett's share of the tanning business for $2200.〔Capen, p. 38〕 During the winter of 1819-20, Pratt and three of his neighbors went on a trading expedition to Canada to sell their leather and other goods. They were successful, and traded their leather for gold and furs from Canadian settlers, and from Native Americans at Rice Lake.〔Capen, pp. 38-47〕 On his return, he stopped at the bank in Catskill, New York, where he learned that his tannery had burned down in his absence〔 The building was uninsured, and was a loss of $1000; the cause was never determined.〔1868 Biography, p. 6〕 However, he resolved to rebuild it.〔 Friends of Pratt's and his brothers donated money for the rebuilding, and it was quickly built.〔Capen, p. 48〕 In 1821, Pratt was appointed a magistrate of Lexington.〔Capen, p. 49〕 In 1823, Pratt married Esther Dickerman, sister of his first wife. Esther died less than a year later on April 22, 1824, also of tuberculosis.〔Capen, p. 50〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Zadock Pratt」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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