John Pratz

John Pratz (deceased) was born near Carlisle, Pa., April 17, 1798. His marriage with Miss Nancy Layman took place there about 1819, and the following year this lady died there. Subsequently he married Miss Sarah Wetzell, and in 1827 moved to a point near what is now Ashland City, O. In 1837, with their eight children, and in company with the families of Elias Wycoff, Elias, Jr., Nehemiah Wycoff and Newton Matthews, they came to Illinois. Each family had two ox teams, a span of horses and a light wagon, with which they made the journey overland, Mr. Pratz settled on the east half of southeast quarter of section twenty-eight, and also entered a second eighty on the same section, built a log cabin, the chinks of which were filled with clay and chopped prairie grass. For a quarter of a century he lived here, moved to Rochester, where he died December 23, 1862, and Mis. Pratz September 19, 1865. They were old members of the Congregational church, but later connected themselves with the Christian church, of which they were members at the period of death.