Malinda / Linn A. Pratt (1835/36-1916)
Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska
Malinda A. Pratt was a Civil War nurse. “Army Nurse” is on her tombstone. The WRC Department Journals of 1910 and 1911 gave a few sentences about her experience, and the 1916 Department and National Journals listed Linn Pratt under Army Nurses’ deaths. She served in Louisville, Kentucky, and Hospital No. 5, New Albany, Indiana.
She was born June 21 1835 at Fredricksburg, Ohio. She spent her early life in West Liberty, Ohio.
August 1, 1864, when she was 28, she was sent by the Christian Commission of West Liberty, Ohio, to Louisville, Kentucky. She served under Mother Bickerdyke until the close of the war. From Louisville she was sent to Hospital No. 5 at New Albany, Indiana.. One of the soldiers in the hospital under her care was Sidney A. Pratt of Co. E, 20th Connecticut Inf. In December she went home; he followed her and persuaded her to return to the hospital.
She married Sidney A. Pratt (1838-1892) on January 26, 1865. After the war they lived atWest Liberty, Ohio. July 1895 they moved to Lincoln, Nebraska. In 1886-7, S. A. Pratt was listed at 1227 P; in 1890 at 1806 P, Lincoln. By 1911 she was living with a sister in Ohio. At the time of her death, she was at Burkett, Nebraska, which was the name at that time for the Veterans Home in Grand Island.
They had one son, Harry M. Pratt, “well-known citizen of Lincoln.” She was a member of WRC Farragut Corps #10 of Lincoln. On the tombstone are the names Sidney A., Malinda A., Mary Pratt (1866-1922) and Lillie Pratt (1889-1937). It is not known if they were daughters, as only the one son was listed in the obituary. Lillie, and perhaps Mary also, was active in WRC. Lillie Pratt was President of Farragut #10 in 1907, and Lillie E. Pratt is listed as a Charter Member and a Real Daughter of DUV Tent No. 7 of Lincoln.
Malinda A. Pratt died January 16, 1916 at Burkett (Grand Island). She is buried in Wyuka Cemetery, Lincoln, Nebraska.
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Sources:
– WRC Department Annual Convention Journals: 1910 27th, pages 40, 119. 1911 28th,page 106. 1916 33rd, pages 40, 150. 1926 42nd, page 11.
– WRC National Annual Convention Journal: 1916 34th, page 221.
– 1886-87 Lincoln City Directory: microfilm, Lincoln Public Library.
– Census: 1890, on S A Pratt.
– Obituary: Nebraska State Journal, Sunday Morning January 30, 1916, page 7. From microfilm, Nebraska State Library and Archives, Lincoln, obtained thanks to Barbara Dunekacke.
– Wyuka Cemetery, Burial permit, tombstone.
Wyuka Cemetery, Lincoln, NE
Nebraska Department 