Pratt
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Pratt

Taken from History of Charleston and Kanawha County West Virginia and Representative Citizens, W.S. Laidley, Richmond Arnold Publishing Co., Chicago, 1911.
The town of Pratt, W.Va., was originally laid out in 1850, under the name of Clifton and incorporated June 4, 1905. The railroad station is known as Paint Creek Junction. The early owner of the site was Dickinson Morris, who was a son of James Morris, original owner of the land on which Handley was laid out. The town is a third of a mile above the mouth of Paint creek, and the corporation extends to Paint creek. Part of the survey of 430 acres was granted by Virginia to John Jones in 1795, who was the first settler. The population according to the last census is 306. The oldest inhabitant in the point of residence is Julian M. Johnson. There are four stores in the town, as follows: J.A.B. Holt, a dry goods and a grocery - two stores; Walter Baughn, general store; and T.S. Chapman, general store.

Pratt is the terminus of the Paint creek branch of the C & O. Railroad, which extends up Paint creek twenty-two miles to Kingston. It is principally a coal road but has a passenger train. There are about fifteen mines on this railroad. Paint Creek Collieries Company has the greatest number of mines of any of the companies. Standard Splint & Gas Coal Company is located about six miles up the creek; Imperial Colliery Company, at Burnwell, thirteen miles up the creek; Christian Colliery Company, at Mahan, fifteen miles up Paint creek, and one other company about nineteen miles up known as Milburn Coal Company. The nearest gas comes from Shrewbury and is piped to Montgomery by the Montgomery Gas Company and is used at Pratt. The first mayor of the town was Oscar A. Veazey and the first recorder T.S. Chapman. The present mayor is Charles B. Coleman, and the present recorder, Oscar A. Veazey. Dr. John H. Hansford is the physician of the town.

About 1870 there was a postoffice at this place known as Clifton and J.B. Johnson, the father of J.M. Johnson, was the postmaster. The present postmistress of Pratt is Mrs. Cecil Dickinson, a sister of the postmaster at Charleston. About 1878 the postoffice was changed to Paint creek and later moved to Hansford. The postoffice was then named Dego from a town in the northern part of Italy selected by the postoffice department. After Charles Pratt & Co. purchased the large tract of land on Paint creek the postoffice was changed to Pratt, this being about 1899.

There was formerly an old Union church in the town but it was deeded to the town for a town hall. Mr. Veazey has a private chapel in his yard and it is used for church purposes, a priest holding services there once a month.

The Baptist church known as the Kanawha Baptist church is a frame building put up about ten years ago. Rev. Ayare is the pastor. The church is over 100 years old; it has a membership of about 150.

The Episcopal minister, Rev. Geo. P.Bentley, of Dublin, Ireland, resides in the town of Pratt. His parish is in Montgomery.

Paint Creek Lodge I.O.O.F. No. 135, was instituted first at Hansford (the Paint creek) and moved to Pratt about 15 years ago. The membership numbers 110. Thomas Huddleston is noble grand; Nick Robson, vice grand; Solomon Mooney, secretary; and J. A. B. Holt, treasurer. The lodge owns a hall.

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