Walter Elmer Pratt
Walter Elmer Pratt, proprietor of a grocery store and a barber shop in Cincinnati avenue, Xenia, was born on a farm in the neighboring county of Warren in 1869, a son of John and Melissa Pratt, who were the parents of three children, those besides the subject of this sketch being Belle, who married James Kasperson and is now deceased, and Mrs. Ada Dakin, wife of a farmer in the neighborhood of Waynesville.
Reared on the home farm in Warren county, Walter E. Pratt received his schooling in the schools of that neighborhood and remained in that county until about 1892, when his parents moved to Greene county. He later went to Dayton, where he was engaged for a time in the factory of the National Cash Register Company. He then returned to this county and became employed at one of the cordage mills in Xenia and continued thus engaged for twelve or thirteen years, at the end of which time he opened a barber shop on Cincinnati avenue, and thus continued in business there for eleven years, or until 1912, when he added to his establishment a stock of groceries and has since been engaged in both the grocery business and in the barber business at that location.
On March 6, 1895, Walter E. Pratt was united in marriage to Hannah Milburn, who was born in this county, daughter of Jordan and Mary (Shirley) Milburn, both of whom also were born in Greene county and the former of whom is still living, a resident of Xenia. Jordan Milburn and wife were the parents of seven children, those besides Mrs. Pratt being John and Canter, both of whom are married; Trone, unmarried; Clay, a widower; Cliff, who is now living at Portland, Oregon, and Belle, who died in the days of her girlhood. Mr. and Mrs. Pratt have four children, namely: Helen, who married Fred Wilson, of Xenia, and has a son, Charles Frederick; Elmer, who is in high school, and Carl and Pauline, who are also in school. Mr. and Mrs. Pratt are members of the Friends church. Politically, Mr. Pratt is "independent."
From History of Greene County Ohio, Its People, Industries and Institutions, vol. 2. M.A.Broadstone, editor. B.F.Bowen & Co., Indianapolis. 1918