Week 46 - Wartime - Pratt, Joseph (Sheridan)

My 5x great grandfather Joseph Pratt was the son of Joseph, Sr and Sarah (Hunkins) Pratt. He was born April 1, 1748, in Oxford, Worcester, Massachusetts Bay, British Colonial America.  His father was a farmer, and all records point to Joseph, Jr also being involved in the same occupation.

His parents had both been born and raised in the Oxford area. The main industry was farming along with having abundant streams which produced mills. Oxford is about 50 miles west of Boston. The area was very rural, yet self-supporting.

He met and married a local girl by the name of Esther Blood on 24 Mar 1771 in Oxford, Massachusetts Bay. Esther was born in 1748 in Charlton, Mass, the daughter of Isaiah and Martha (Thompson) Blood.

Joseph Pratt and Esther Blood marriage - Charlton, Worcester, Massachusetts

When the rumblings of discontent with England began in the area, Joseph became a part of the Provincial Army in the area. Each county raised regiments that later would become the backbone of the Continental Army.  

When the war began at Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775, the Provincial Army from Oxford partook in the Siege of Boston and also at Warren & Bristol, Rhode Island defending the coastal regions.

“In Capt. Jonathan Davis’s company were Lieut. Ebenezer, Sergeants Jonathan Wheelock and Elijah Parkman; Corporals Thomas Trumbull and James Town; Josiah Wolcott, Aaron Parker, Edmund Town, Joseph Pratt, Jesse Pratt, Nathan Shumway, David Pratt, privates.”
— History of the Town of Oxford, Massachusetts, p. 300.

In 1776 the Continental Army was organized and Joseph served as a Private under Captain Lamb and Captain Holman in the Massachusetts military regiment.  This regiment then mustered into the 12th Massachusetts commanded by Colonel Bradford.  

Joseph Pratt Rev War Muster Roll

Soldiers faced scarce and poor-quality provisions. Fresh food was limited, leading to reliance on salted meat, hardtack, and whatever local provisions could be found.

Many soldiers lived in tents or crude huts in freezing winter conditions. Snow, rain, and mud made encampments harsh. Exposure and unsanitary conditions led to illness such as smallpox, dysentery, and typhus. The Americans were poorly armed; muskets, gunpowder, and cannon were in short supply. Despite those hardships, soldiers were motivated by defending their homes and fighting for their freedom.

Meanwhile his wife Esther took on the tasks of farming, handling the daily farm chores along with raising their small children by herself. All this in addition to her normal household chores. And going months with no contact with her husband. Not knowing if he was alive or dead or even where in the area he might be fighting. Most men signed up for 2-3 years enlistment or until no longer needed. 

At the end of his enlistment(s), Joseph returned to his family where he spent his final days in peace, knowing that he had helped in the birth of a new country. Proud to have secured their freedom and independence from Britain.

In 1835, he applied and was granted a pension for his service. He was paid $96.00 annually from 1823 ($993.00 retroactively) until his death in 1838. For a total of $1,281.00. 

Barbie





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