charge of duty. He, too, is a worthy and exemplary Mason, belonging to Barry lodge, No. 34, A. F. & A. M., which he joined in 1849. He is now the oldest Mason in Barry, the lodge here having been organized in October, 1845. In 1850 he became a charter Mason of Barry chapter, No. 88, R. A. M. and for nineteen years he has been tyler of the lodge. He also held the same office in Eastern Star lodge. He is thoroughly informed concerning the teachings of Masonry and in his life has displayed the spirit of brotherly kindness and mutual helpfulness which constitutes the basic elements in this organization. He has long since passed the Psalmist's span of three score years and ten, having in fact reached the seventy-eighth milestone on life's journey. In a review of his career we find many commendable qualities and personal traits which have made his life an upright one. He has displayed conscientious zeal and activity in citizenship and fidelity in friendship and now in the evening of life he receives the veneration and respect which should ever be accorded one who has advanced thus far upon life's journey.                                                           ________________                                                          GEORGE  E.  PRATT      George E. Pratt, who is now living retired, after close connection with industrial interests in which his indefatigable industry brought him a gratifying measure of success, makes his home in Griggsville in the enjoyment of a rest which he has truly earned and richly deserves. His birth occurred March 19, 1839, in the city which is still his home, his parents being George and Elizabeth (Wilson) Pratt, both of whom were natives of Massachusetts. The father was born in Cohasset, Massachusetts, August 5, 1812, and was descended from New England ancestors who settled in this country at an early period in its colonization, the first of the name in America being Phineas Pratt, who crossed the Atlantic on the third ship which came to the new world after the Mayflower made the famous voyage in 1620. He had been armor bearer to the king. His son, who also bore the name of Phineas Pratt, was a surveyor of the early government and a noted lawyer of his day. Zodoc Pratt was a descendant in direct line of Phineas Pratt, and his son was the distinguished Judge Pratt, of New York city.      Thomas Pratt, the great-grandfather of our subject, was a farmer in the old town of Cohasset, Massachusetts, and in early manhood wedded Miss Betsy Neil. They reared a family of twelve children, including Jobe Pratt, who became a farmer and lived and died on a tract of land given to him by his father at Cohasset. His wife bore the maiden name of Lucretia Oaks, and was a daughter of Haugh and Susan (Lathrop) Oaks, the former a major in the Revolutionary war and afterward was commissioned in the navy. He became captain of a vessel and on one occasion captured a supply ship of the enemy, his portion of the salvage amounting to two thousand dollars. With this money he purchased a homestead. His wife was a daughter of Colonel Lathrop, also a Revolutionary officer. Mr. and Mrs. Lathrop, the maternal great-grandparents of Mr. Pratt, reared five daughters, three of whom married and settled in Vermont.      Jobe and Lucretia (Oaks) Pratt became the parents of five children, of whom George Pratt, father of our subject, was the third in order of birth. Of the others, James became a seaman and was promoted until he was an officer of a vessel when but twenty-one years of age and was master of a ship before he was thirty. He died at sea. Sarah Pratt is the deceased wife of Thomas Brown, of Cohasset, Massachusetts. Jobe was a mechanic in the service of the government and made his home in Cambridge, Massachusetts, up to the time of his death. Thomas Pratt is now living in Alabama. He was a government official during the Civil war, was captured by the rebels and being offered the position of nurse of the rebel prisoners on a parole he took care of a young man who proved to be the son of a rich planter and thus won the good graces of the family. They succeeded in obtaining the money which had been taken from him at the time of his capture and also hospitably entertained them in their home. He was a prisoner of war for a long time but finally was ex-