Harold I. Pratt
Harold Irving Pratt | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Died | May 29, 1939 (aged 62) Glen Cove, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Oil industry executive, philanthropist |
| Years active | 1900s–1939 |
| Known for | Director at Standard Oil of New Jersey; president of Brooklyn Hospital Center board of trustees; treasurer of Pratt Institute; member of Council on Foreign Relations |
Harold Irving Pratt (February 1, 1877 – May 29, 1939) was a prominent American figure in the oil industry and a noted philanthropist. He held a directorship at Standard Oil of New Jersey (currently known as ExxonMobil) and was an active member of the Council of Foreign Relations between 1923 and 1939.
Early life
Pratt was born in Brooklyn, New York to oil magnate Charles Pratt and Mary Helen Richardson. His siblings included Frederic B. Pratt, George Dupont Pratt, Herbert L. Pratt, and John Teele Pratt, with Charles Millard Pratt as his half-brother.
He completed his higher education at Amherst College.
Career
As a director at Standard Oil of New Jersey, Pratt concentrated on international relations and the worldwide oil market. From 1923 until his passing in 1939, he was affiliated with the Council on Foreign Relations.
In addition to his corporate responsibilities, Pratt led the board of trustees at Brooklyn Hospital Center as its president. His father established the Pratt Institute, where Harold took on the role of treasurer, while his brother Frederic served as president.
Legacy and honors
In 1900, Pratt contributed a natatorium facility to Amherst College.
The family estate, Welwyn, designed by architectural firm Delano & Aldrich and erected in 1913 in Glen Cove on Long Island, is now preserved as the Welwyn Preserve, managed by Nassau County. The main residence currently houses the Holocaust Museum and Tolerance Center.
His son, Harold Irving Pratt Jr., was immortalized in a 1924 portrait by John Singer Sargent, which is part of the collection at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
A Liberty ship named Harold I. Pratt (number 3044) was commissioned during World War II to honor him.
In 1944, Harriet Barnes Pratt, his widow, gifted their Manhattan residence located at 68th Street and Park Avenue to the Council on Foreign Relations. This Beaux Arts limestone structure, known as the Harold Pratt House, continues to serve as CFR’s headquarters.
Personal life and death
Harold Pratt was married to Harriet Barnes (1879–1969), a distinguished New York philanthropist and Americana collector. They had a son named Harold Irving Pratt, Jr. (1904–1975).
He passed away from pneumonia in Glen Cove on May 29, 1939.
External links
- Portrait of Harold Irving Pratt Jr., JSS Gallery
- Articles with short description
- Articles with hCards
- No local image but image on Wikidata
- 1877 births
- 1939 deaths
- American businesspeople in the oil industry
- Philanthropists from New York (state)
- Amherst College alumni
- People from Glen Cove, New York
- People from Clinton Hill, Brooklyn
- Standard Oil
- Family of Charles Pratt
- Businesspeople from Brooklyn