Abraham Pratt. Origin: Old Inhabitant

Abraham Pratt received two large land grants in the area of Glintons on Long Island: 490 acres granted on 13 August 1789 bounded by the land of Robert Hunt and the sea; and 400 acres, also granted on 13 August 1789, bounded by the land of Joseph Lightborne and the sea. On both grants quit rent was waived for only two years, indicating he was an Old Inhabitant. At that time Loyalists were generally granted a ten-year waiver and Old Inhabitants a two-year waiver.

A daughter was born to Abraham Pratt on 25 December 1765. Government records show that he was cultivating 50 acres of cotton on Long Island in 1785 at a time when only 195 total acres were under substantial cotton cultivation on the whole island. A John Pratt was listed as having been a government officer (Clerk of the Courts and Notary Public) in 1782. Abraham Pratt died in 1794, likely at least 50 years old. His eldest son and heir at law, Alexander Pratt, received a land grant on Long Island, date unknown. Abraham Pratt also had a brother, Thomas Pratt. Not only was Pratt unusual in that he was an Old Inhabitant producing enough cotton to be enumerated (the others were lumped together and listed as “sundry old settlers”), but the Pratts are still living on the same land granted to Abraham, 233 years later.

Reference: LDS, DM, Return of Officers