In the book's own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1823
From History of Johnson County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, and its townships, cities and villages from 1836 to 1882. Together with biographical sketches .. (1883)
CHARLES PRATT, farmer and stock-raiser, Solon; was born in Maine, February 23, 1823. At the age of eight his father. Cotton T. Pratt, moved to Cuyahoga county, Ohio, and lived near Cleveland four years, and in January, 1840, emigrated to Iowa, and settled in section 31, Cedar township, Mr. Pratt dying about one week after they came here. Here the subject of this sketch spent his early life, and in the spring of 1849 went to California with a company from this county, and remained there until 1853, and was engaged in mining and farming. He then returned to Johnson county, and attended school in Mt. Vernon, and afterwards engaged in the mercantile business one year in Marshalltown, and six years in Solon. He then bought the farm he now lives on, in 1862, where he now owns 532 acres of well-improved land, and has a fine brick residence, and pays special attention to the raising of fine stock, and is one of the leading wool-growers of the county. He was married October 19, 1858 to Miss Annie M. True, a native of Maine, and came to Iowa in
1857. They have four children, viz: Wm. T., Melville E., Lula A., and an infant unnamed.
As printed in History of Johnson County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, and its townships, cities and villages from 1836 to 1882. Together with biographical sketches .. (1883). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1883. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.