Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

those sections where he anticipated the
greatest development. His judgment was
eminently confirmed by results, and the
rapid development of real estate values
enabled him to extend his operations by
building. In i860 he built the well-known
hotel, the Allyn House, and he subsequently
constructed the Charter Oak
Bank Building, The Allyn Hall, now the
Majestic Theatre, and several other large
and important business structures. The
great development of his fortune did not
create in him a selfish spirit, and he was
ever ready to serve the public interests,
which he was often called upon to do.
For several terms he was elected an alderman
of the city, served as mayor of Hart-
ford, and in 1858 became a member of
the water commission, serving for a per-
iod of three years. A staunch Republican
in principle, he was elected on the ticket
of that party in 1843 as a representative
in the State Legislature, where his serv-
ices were conspicuous. He was ever
ready to promote the development and
progress of his home city, and was
esteemed as a public-spirited and useful
citizen. At one time he offered to the
city the sum of one hundred thousand
dollars, on condition that an equal sum be
raised by the public for founding an
industrial school for boys. Subsequently
he offered the Allyn Hall Building and
forty thousand dollars in cash for a
library for the Young Men's Institute,
but he was ahead of his time, and neither
of these offers was accepted by the city.
Mr. Allyn entertained liberal religious
views ; was for many years a member of
the Unitarian church ;
was
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
a staunch and
practical Christian, and after his death a
suitable memorial was erected in the
shape of Allyn Chapel, in Spring Grove
Cemetery. His memory will always be
honored in the city where he exercised
such a strong and lasting influence. He
M3
married Susan Ann, daughter of Joseph
Pratt, and they were the parents of seven
children.
The Pratt family was a very ancient
one in England, where records are found
before the year 1200, indicating that it was
of Norman origin. John Pratt or de Pratel-
lis or de Pratis, as then generally spelled,
held the Manor of Patrickborne (Merton
Bridge and Pelham Hundred) in 1200.
Four brothers, John, William, Engebraw
and Peter de Pratellis, figured prom-
inently in the reign of Richard I., all liv-
ing in 1201. John was a favorite minis-
ter. In 121 1 William and Peter both
made a gallant record in the Crusade.
John Pratt was in Parliament from Bev-
erly in 1298 and 1305. Before the year
1300 the family was well known and
widely scattered through England, and
the shortened form of the name, Prat,
was the common spelling. The other
forms, Pratte, Pradt, Praed, Prete, Prate,
Praer, Prayers, are also found. The surname
means meadow, and was a place
name before it was a surname. Thomas
Pratt died at Baldock in Hertfordshire
in February, 1539. He was the father of
Thomas Pratt, who was born there, and
whose son, Rev. William Pratt, was bap-
tized October, 1562, at Baldock. He became
rector of the parish of Stevenage,
near Hertfordshire, December 6, 1598,
and continued until his death in 1629.
His wife's name was Elizabeth. Their
second son, John Prat, was baptized Novomber
9, 1620, at Stevenage, probably
an adult, and was in Cambridge, Massa-
chusetts, as early as 1633, and received a
grant of land of two acres there in the
following year. In 1635 he owned a
house on the north side of the present
Mt. Auburn street, between Brighton
street and Brattle square ; was made freeman,
May 14, 1634. In 1636 he accompanied
Rev. Thomas Hooker to Hart-