Louis A Pradt was born in Coudersport Pennsylvania on 11 Nov 1851,the son of Charles Rollin & Esther (Emmons) Pradt.

Charles was b 23 July 1820 Winchester, NH.

The family moved to Plymouth, Sheboygan Co., Wisconsin in 1858 where his brother, Rev John B Pradt. (afterwards assistant State Superintendent of Public Construction) was living and where Charles began to develop a farm but when the Civil War broke out he enlisted in Co H of the 14th Wisconsin Infantry and in the Battle at Shiloh he was injured while in service in April 1862 and he was honorably discharged because of his health. The family then moved to a farm in Glenbeulah, Sheboygan Co in 1865 for his health and again, in 1872 he moved his family to Holton, Marathon Co. Wisconsin where he received government land and cleared the land to operate a farm In early 1885 he retired from farming and moved to Wausau where he lived out his life. Charles was a carpenter and farmer. He died 22 May 1898. Charles had a brother, Noah Pradt who was also a son, of Dr. Charles Pradt of Brattleboro Vermont.

Esther (Emmons) Pradt born 9 June 1823 at Springville, Erie Co., New York. She married Charles Pradt in Jan 1845 at Coudersport, Pa. Five children were born to them:  Henry W: Lucien, who died at age two and a half; James E, who died age seven months; Louis A.; and Walter C, who lived at Colby and died in 1943.  Lewis would live with his parents all his life.  Esther died in 1902. Esther's family includes the name of Butterworth, perhaps her mother's maiden name. To read more about the Coudersport, Pa settlers and the Butterworths see the Old Potter Co., Internet listing below.  

Louis Pradt received his first schooling in the rural schools of Sheboygan Co., Wisconsin. He then went to Racine College and then entered the University of Wisconsin where he received his degree of Bachelor of Laws.

Louis Pradt, from age 16 taught school in Sheboygan and Marathon Counties and with the earnings derived completed his law courses.

He was admitted to the Wisconsin bar in 1881 and opened a law office in Wausau. In Wausau he had many varied law partners. One of his first partners, Neal Brown and O. H. Holway (who afterwards served as state adjutant general Howard Hoyt, and B. J. Pulling formed the Wausau Law & Land Association. C. S. Gilbert and Fred W. Genrich were later also members. In 1890 he became city attorney and was appointed assistant attorney general of the U.S. by President McKinley. He was put in charge of the work in the court of claims with which he was identified with until 1906 when he resigned his appointment. While Assistant Attorney-General he argued legal cases on behalf of the government, several of which include a case claims growing out of the Philippine Islands procedure as an aftermath of the acquisition of that terrify; a double prize claim in behalf of Admiral Dewey and his officers and crew and he also defended the Indian claims in the case of the Cherokee tribe of Oklahoma.  While in Washington D.C. his name was also on the Act of Incorporation of the American Red Cross and he served as first counsel for that organization. Later during World War I he was an organizer of the Marathon County Chapter.    

Also in 1890 he married Charlotte Atwater, a native of Newton, Iowa, and a member of an early colonial family. They had three children: Louis A Pradt Jr.; Alan Pradt; and In 1932 Mr. Pradt withdrew from this association and with his son Louis A Pradt Jr., formed a partnership. The son had been practicing law with his father since his service as a Lieutenant in WW I. For the last thirteen years of his life his practice was largely confined to the affairs of the Employers Mutual Liability Insurance Co and workmen's compensation cases. He also for many years was the counsel for the Chicago and Northwestern Railway and also for the Chicago, Milwaukee and St Paul Railroad.

Researcher's Notes

 *note  - the middle initial is actually an R for Rollin

In early 1887 he retired from farming and moved to the town of Wausau where he lived out his life at his home on the corner of

Seventh  & Warner Sts.  Charles was a carpenter and farmer. He died 22 May 1898 after many years of suffering with digestive

health problems (from the Civil  War), deafness and increasing

blindness until he was completely blind at the time of his death

.

He is also on the 1890 Wausau, Marathon Co., Wisconsin Civil War Vet census showing he received a pension for service dates 20 Mar 1865 -1 Oct 1865.Disablity listed as Chronic diarrhea, deaf some, and not able to work.

Esther (Emmons) Pradt   born 9 June 1823 at Springville, Erie Co., New York. She married Charles Pradt in Jan 1845 at Coudersport, Pa. Five children were born to them: Henry W: Lucien, who died at age two and a half: James E., who died age seven months: Louis A.; and Walter C, who lived at Colby and died in 1943.Louis would live with his parents all his life.

Esther died in 1902.  Esther's family includes the name of Butterworth, perhaps her mother's maiden name.

To read more about the Coudersport, PA settlers and the Butterworths and the obit for Lewis Pradt. Old Potter Co, Internet listing below.

Of their sons I have the following information:

Henry Pradt on the 1890 Special Census for Veterans from Wausau, Marathon Co., Wisconsin is listed as a private, Co H 37th Wi Infantry, service from 26 June 1863 -15 Sept 1863 and Co H 49th Inf. service from 20 Mar 1865 -1 Oct 1865 Disability listed

as Rheumatism, not able to work all time.

Walter C. Pradt born 1854 died 1943 He married Mary (McKinley) 8 May 1883 Wausau, WI. Mary was born in

Canada and moved to WI. when she was a child.

 In the Colby Phonograph newspaper article he is listed as the manager of The Wausau Law and Land Association, Branch Office and later he owned and operated a grocery store in Colby, Wisconsin until 1908. Walter & Mary moved to Bayside Colony

On the gulf coast near Woodsboro Refugio, Texas and later to a

farm in the same area because of Mary’s poor health. At first it

seemed to help but then her health began to fail and she died 20

April 1910 in Woodsboro, Texas.

Walter & Mary had six children:

Mollienwho married Joseph Blossser, Kittie, Mabel, Charles, Charlotte and John

Mabel Pradt, daughter of Walter & Mary M. Pradt.

Photo contributed by Silvia Madeo

He is buried at the Colby Memorial Cemetery, Colby, Wisconsin.

 Mary is probably buried in Texas, as I find no burial record for her at Colby Memorial Cemetery.

Louis Pradt received his first schooling in the rural schools of Sheboygan Co., Wisconsin.  He then went to Racine College and then entered the University of Wisconsin where he received his degree of Bachelor of Laws.

He was admitted to the Wisconsin bar in 1881 and opened a law office in Wausau where he had many varied law partners. One of his first partners, Neal Brown and O. H. Holway (who afterwards served as state adjutant general, Howard Hoyt, and B. J. Pulling formed the Wausau Law & Land Association. C. S. Gilbert and Fred W. Genrich were later also members.

In 1890 he became city attorney and was appointed assistant attorney general of the U.S. by President McKinley. He was put in charge of the work in the court of claims with which he was identified with until 1906 when he resigned his appointment.

While Assistant Attorney-General he argued legal cases on behalf of the government, several of which include a case claims growing out of the Philippine Islands procedure as an aftermath of the acquisition of that territory; a double prize claim in behalf of Admiral Dewey and his officers and crew; and he also defended the Indian claims in the case of the Cherokee tribe of Oklahoma.

 While in Washington D.C. his name was also on the Act of Incorporation of the American Red Cross and he served as first counsel for that organization.  Later during World War I he was an organizer of the Marathon County Chapter.

Also in 1890 he married Charlotte Atwater, a native of Newton, Iowa, and a member of an early colonial family. They had three children: Louis A Pradt Jr.; Alan Pradt; and a daughter, (name unknown).

In 1932 Mr. Pradt withdrew from this association and with his son Louis A Pradt Jr., formed a partnership. The son had been practicing law with his father since his service as a Lieutenant in WW I. 

For the last thirteen years of his life his practice was largely confined to the affairs of the Employers Mutual Liability Insurance Co. and workmen's compensation cases.

 He also for many years was the counsel for the Chicago and Northwestern Railway and also for the Chicago, Milwaukee and St Paul Railroad.

He was vice-president and director of the Record and Herald Company (newspaper); senior warden of St Paul's Episcopal Church for thirty-two years; lectured before law students of the University of Wisconsin on procedure of the court of claims; was a staunch Republican and chairman of the Republican Committee for Marathon County from 1890 to 1896; was founder and first president of Wausau Country Club and was for two years president of the Wisconsin State Golf Association; and, was a member of the Light Guards, in which he was second sergeant and which military company that year won first place in the international drill competition at Garfield Park in Chicago, as the best drilled organization.

He was also a founder of Wausau Hospital.

He was 83 years old at the time of his death on 27 June 1934. His wife, and two sons, Louis of Wausau, and Alan of Menasha, and a daughter, Mrs. Marshal Smith, of Menasha, survived him.