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Charles Pratt

From Alfawiki
Charles Pratt
BornError: Invalid birth date for calculating age
Wilbraham, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died4 May 1891(1891-05-04) (aged 60)
New York City, U.S.
Occupation(s)Entrepreneur, oil industry pioneer, philanthropist
Known forFounder of Astral Oil Works; co-founder of Charles Pratt and Company; founder of Pratt Institute
Notable workPratt Institute

Charles Pratt (October 2, 1830 – May 4, 1891) was a notable American entrepreneur and a trailblazer in the U.S. petroleum industry. He founded the kerosene processing facility known as Astral Oil Works located in Brooklyn, New York, where he resided with his family in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn. In 1867, Pratt joined forces with Henry H. Rogers to create Charles Pratt and Company, which was integrated into John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil conglomerate seven years later.

Besides his business pursuits, Pratt was a strong proponent of education, establishing and financially supporting the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, now recognized as a leading art institution. He and his descendants developed expansive estates on Long Island’s prestigious Gold Coast in Glen Cove, New York. In 1916, Standard Oil honored him by naming a steamship tanker after Pratt.

Early life and education

Pratt was born in Wilbraham, Massachusetts as one of eleven children to Elizabeth Stone and Asa Pratt, who worked as a carpenter. He attended Wesleyan Academy in Wilbraham (currently known as Wilbraham & Monson Academy) for three winter terms.

Whale oil, petroleum, Astral Oil

Pratt launched his professional journey with a Boston-based firm dealing in paints and products derived from whale oil, before relocating to New York City around 1850. Recognizing that petroleum distillates offered a superior alternative to whale oil for lamp fuel, he became an early leader in the burgeoning petroleum sector during the 1860s boom centered in western Pennsylvania. He established his kerosene refinery, Astral Oil Works, in Brooklyn and marketed it with slogans such as "The holy lamps of Tibet are primed with Astral Oil."

Henry H. Rogers, Charles Pratt and Company

In the mid-1860s, Pratt encountered Henry H. Rogers while operating in the Pennsylvania oil fields. Initially, Pratt sourced whale oil from Rogers’ associate Charles Ellis based in Fairhaven, Massachusetts. They collaborated on a small-scale enterprise called Wamsutta Oil Refinery, which pre-sold its production at fixed prices to Pratt’s company. When Ellis faced financial difficulties, Rogers assumed full responsibility for the outstanding debt, impressing Pratt enough to bring him onboard. By 1866, Rogers was managing Pratt’s Brooklyn refinery with a partnership offer contingent on annual sales surpassing $50,000.

The following year, Pratt and Rogers founded Charles Pratt and Company, with Rogers becoming Pratt's principal executive. That same year saw the construction of what was billed as "America's first modern oil refinery (Astral Oil)" on Newtown Creek. By 1869, "Pratt's Astral Oil" had been trademarked, signaling the company’s expanding reputation within the refining industry.

Standard Oil associations

During the early 1870s, Pratt and Rogers actively opposed John D. Rockefeller's South Improvement Company scheme that secured secret railroad rebates detrimental to independent oil producers. Rogers spearheaded negotiations involving the Pennsylvania Railroad and independent operators to dismantle these preferential arrangements. Despite this victory, Rockefeller continued consolidating power through Standard Oil.

Rockefeller later proposed collaboration terms that safeguarded Pratt’s and Rogers’ financial interests. In 1874, Charles Pratt and Company—including Astral Oil—was absorbed into the Standard Oil Trust, becoming a significant former independent refiner within Rockefeller’s growing empire. However, Astral Oil’s connection to Standard Oil remained undisclosed publicly until 1892.

Following this integration, Pratt and Rockefeller acquired rival refineries in Brooklyn under the Pratt brand name, strengthening their market dominance while eliminating smaller competitors. Additionally, Pratt took an aggressive stance against the coopers' union resisting mechanization efforts by implementing union-busting strategies that left a lasting impact on labor relations within the industry.

Subsequent enterprises

During the 1870s and 1880s, Astral Oil faced multiple major fires. On January 26, 1873, the Astral Oil-works located in Williamsburg, employing around 250 individuals at that time, was engulfed in flames; fortunately, there were no casualties. Another significant blaze took place on December 21, 1884, at the Brooklyn Astral refinery, resulting in the destruction of assets exceeding $2 million in value. Pratt remarked that a substantial portion of the losses was covered by insurance.

Although Pratt's merger with Rockefeller brought him considerable wealth, he retained his autonomy as a member of Standard Oil’s board and frequently voiced criticism of Rockefeller. After Pratt passed away in 1891, Rockefeller’s control over the oil industry became uncontested. Pratt’s descendants continued to play prominent roles within the company: his eldest son, Charles Millard Pratt, held the position of Secretary at Standard Oil, and in 1923, his son Herbert Lee Pratt assumed leadership of Standard Oil of New York.

Philanthropic efforts

Aware of the growing demand for proficient industrial laborers amid economic shifts, Charles Pratt established and financially supported the Pratt Institute in 1886; it officially opened its doors in Brooklyn in 1887. Initially founded as a technical school, it gradually transformed into a premier institution for art, design, and architecture education. In 1910, Pratt also contributed funds to create the Pratt School of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Additionally, he played a key role in founding the Emmanuel Baptist Church and supported the construction of its 1887 building—regarded as one of New York City's most distinguished church interiors from the 19th century.

Personal background

Charles Pratt started his professional life in Boston before moving to New York between 1850 and 1851. He wed Lydia Ann Richardson in 1854; together they had two children: Charles Millard Pratt and Lydia Richardson Pratt. After Lydia’s untimely death in 1861, Pratt married her sister Mary Helen Richardson in 1863. This union produced six children, among them Frederic B. Pratt, George Dupont Pratt, Herbert L. Pratt, John Teele Pratt, and Harold I. Pratt.

Around 1890, Pratt purchased approximately 1,100 acres near Glen Cove, New York, to create a country estate for his family. He passed away in New York City a year later at age 60. His sons subsequently developed separate estates on this property.

Prominent descendants include:

Glen Cove estates

After Charles Pratt’s passing, his six sons and two daughters established individual family residences in Glen Cove. As of 2004, numerous historic Gold Coast Mansions remain preserved and functional:

  • Welwyn, initially Harold I. Pratt’s estate, now operates as the Welwyn Preserve and is home to Nassau County’s Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center.
  • The Braes, formerly Herbert L. Pratt’s residence, currently accommodates the Webb Institute specializing in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering.
  • The Manor, constructed for John Teele Pratt, functions as the Glen Cove Mansion Hotel & Conference Center.
  • Poplar Hill, once Frederic B. Pratt’s home, now serves as Glengariff Healthcare Center providing long-term nursing and rehabilitation services.
  • Killenworth, George Dupont Pratt’s former estate, has been utilized as the Russian delegation’s country retreat to the United Nations since mid-20th century.

Pratt Cemetery

The Pratt family created a private burial ground on their estate in Glen Cove, known as the "Pratt Cemetery." This site includes a Romanesque mausoleum crafted from pink granite and designed by William Tubby. Additionally, it contains a crypt and a tower connected by what is referred to as a "bridge of sighs." Interred here are Charles Pratt, seven of his eight children, and numerous grandchildren.

Pratt, West Virginia

Originally called Clinton, the town was renamed Pratt in 1905 to honor the proprietor of the Charles Pratt Coal Company.

Steamship tanker S.S. Charles Pratt

The S.S. Charles Pratt, an 8,807-ton tanker with significant cargo capacity, was launched by Newport News Shipbuilding in March 1916. It was the inaugural vessel of the Pratt class, which was soon followed by the S.S. H.H. Rogers in May of the same year.

After 1939, both ships came under the operation of Panama Transport Co., a subsidiary of Standard Oil of New Jersey. On December 21, 1940, during World War II, the S.S. Charles Pratt was torpedoed and sunk near Africa while traveling from Aruba to Freetown, Sierra Leone. Of the 42 American crew members aboard, two lost their lives.

See also

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External links

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