Local figure
James H. Pratt
James H. Pratt was a planter on the Eno River in Orange County. In 1850 he and his wife, Malvina, worked about 800 acres with 47 enslaved people. In 1860 he bought the 160-acre Jehu Brown tract from John Burton. His will, probated in 1885, left that land to Lucinda Harris, keeping a promise to provide for the family after her husband, Benton Harris, died in the Civil War.
Source: NC State Historic Preservation Office: National Register file OR0656
Orange County Indexed has not yet linked an indexed work directly to James H. Pratt. The biography and the dated events on this page provide sources about James H. Pratt’s life and work. Suggest a source.
Life and Orange County connections
Dated events connected with this person, in date order. See these 3 dated events in the chronology →
- The 1850 census records 47 enslaved people on James H. Pratt's farm by the Eno James H. Pratt and his wife Malvina worked a farm of 300 improved and 500 unimproved acres with 47 enslaved people, raising wheat, corn, oats, flax and livestock. People: James H. PrattNC State Historic Preservation Office: Cabe-Pratt-Harris House, National Register nomination (OR0656), p. 12
- James H. Pratt buys the Jehu Brown tract and a second share of the Cabe land John Burton, Jamima Cabe's son by her first marriage, sold the 160-acre Jehu Brown tract with the house to Pratt by a deed dated 1860. The same year Pratt bought 130 adjoining acres that had been Nancy Cabe's share of her father's land. People: James H. PrattSearch the index · NC State Historic Preservation Office: Cabe-Pratt-Harris House, National Register nomination (OR0656), p. 12
- James H. Pratt's will leaves the Cabe farm to the family of Lucinda Harris Pratt left the 140-acre Cabe tract and the 160-acre Jehu Brown tract to Lucinda Harris for life and then to her daughters Emma and Jane, keeping a promise to provide for the family after her husband Benton Harris died in the Civil War. The Harrises held the farm until 1942. People: James H. PrattSearch the index · NC State Historic Preservation Office: Cabe-Pratt-Harris House, National Register nomination (OR0656), p. 12
Places in this person’s story
Buildings, schools, churches and other sites named in the dated events on this page, the most often named first.
- Cabe-Pratt-Harris House (Riverbend Farm) Houses, farms, parks and cemeteries · Eno River · 3 events here
Research sources
Sources and research tools for this person. For ready-made searches of other catalogs, see Search further.
National Register files
Collections and databases
- NC LIVE: prepared search for James H. Pratt Library card Search NC LIVE for this subject and Orange County. You can change the search terms. Sign in through your North Carolina library to access the materials.
- Ancestry Library Edition In the libraryOrange County Public Library Census, birth, death and marriage records, and more, free on the public computers at OCPL libraries
Local help
- Rebecca B. Wall Local History Collection, Orange County Public Library The county library’s local-history room at the Main Library in Hillsborough: books, journals, maps, and microfilm of county records from 1752
- Local History Help Hours and request formOCPL Local History Liaison Meet with the Local History Liaison at the Main Library, usually Mondays from noon to 3 p.m., or send a question using the online request form
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Books about James H. Pratt
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Historical records and collections
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