Pratt, George K., Sr., M. D.

Submitted by Mike Miller

Pratt, George K., Sr., M. D., successful and well-known physician and large property owner, New Orleans, La., was born near Opelousas, St. Landry parish, La., Nov. 11, 1849; son of John G. and Matilda (King) Pratt, the former of whom was born at Hartford, Conn., in 1814, and the latter in the same locality as was the son. The father came South and located in St. Landry parish white yet a young man, marrying in that locality some time later. His undertakings prospered, and he became a large planter. During the years 1862-63 he served the cause of the Confederacy as a brigadier general of Louisiana state militia. His wife died in 1859, and his own life closed shortly after the end of the Civil war, July 31, 1865. The famous Capt. Wadsworth, of Revolutionary renown, was the paternal grandmother's brother. He served in the Connecticut militia of those stirring times when the republic was in its making, and he it was who seized the Connecticut charter from King George's representative and concealed it in the historic Charter Oak. George K. Pratt, Sr., received his early education in private schools of the locality in which he was born. In 1865 he entered the University of Louisiana (now Tulane), from which he graduated with the degree of B. S. in the class of 1870. In the same year he became a teacher in a private school at New Orleans, taking up the study of medicine in connection with his duties as a teacher. In 1874 he graduated from the medical department of the University of Louisiana with the degree of M. D., having in the meantime served 2 years as interne in the New Orleans Charity hospital. From the time of his graduation until 1877 he devoted his abilities to active professional work in connection with the inspection service of the state board of health, but in the latter year he was elected house surgeon of the New Orleans Charity hospital, and remained incumbent of that important office until 1880, when he began general family practice in New Orleans, which has since received his undivided attention. The doctor is a member of the Orleans Parish and Louisiana State Medical societies and the American Medical association. In politics, he is independent, but in local affairs he affiliates with the democratic party. From 1884 to 1899 he served as a member of the Louisiana state board of health. He is a large property owner in the city of New Orleans. April 21, 1880, Dr. Pratt was married to Miss Mary Louisa Moore, a daughter of Judge Joseph M. and Annette (Wartell) Moore, of St. Landry parish, La., and seven children, as follow, have been born to their union: J. Overton, now in commercial life; Joseph, died in infancy; George K., Jr., now a practicing physician of New Orleans; Albert Miles, in commercial life; Louise, John G., student in the medical department of Tulane university, and Adela.

Source: Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), p. 789. Edited by Alcee Fortier, Lit.D. Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association.