posted 01-19-2012 07:30 PM            

In poking around on the internet I found an interesting book called "Schools and Schoolboys of Old Boston" which has an interesting chapter on William Pratt, and how he relates to William Grant.

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William Pratt

Was born in Temple street, Boston, Oct. 9, 1814. His father was the late Obed Pratt, who was horn in Maiden, Mass., and who came to Boston when a young man, where he lived to the age of eighty-t\\o years. His mother was Harriet, daughter of Capt. John Millett of Gloucester, Mass. He is one of a family of ten children, of whom only one sister now survives.

Mr. Pratt first attended a primary school at the corner of Sudbury and Portland streets, taught by Miss Reed. He afterwards entered the Mayhew School at the age of seven, where his instructors were Masters Holt, Robinson, Parker, and Callender. In his last year at this school he ranked very high, contesting for the medal with the son of Master Callender, to whom it was finally awarded.

In 1829 he left school and went to work in the fruit store of Alfred A. Lane, at the corner of Merchants row and Faneuil Hall square, after which he was employed for two years by the same person in the brokerage business carried on by him. He then spent five or six years learning the trade of a watchmaker and jeweller in the store of William Grant, at 34 Hanover street. In 1835 Mr. Pratt bought out Mr. Grant, and commenced business for himself as a watch and clockmaker, taking his brother Joseph as an apprentice for six years, at the expiration of which time he admitted him into partnership. On Jan. 26, 1836, his store was broken into and robbed of jewelry to the value of over one thousand dollars. He remained at this location for sixteen years, when he removed to 367 Washington street, where he carried on the same business alone for twenty years, and

then removed to 515 Washington street, opposite Beach street, and took his son, Frank S., as an apprentice for six years, and later his son Walter G., as an apprentice for the same length of time. It was here that Mr. Pratt took his son Walter G. Pratt into partnership, under the firm name of William Pratt & Son. In 1873 they removed to a store at the corner of Washington and La Grange streets, where they remained six years, and then removed to their present location at 191 Tremont street, where they have carried on business for the last twelve years.

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Further research suggests this particular William Grant (master to WIlliam Pratt) was actually William Grant the Boston clockmaker of some note. (I have seen several beautiful Banjo Clocks of his).

In any case, I think the mark you have attributed to William Grant of Marblehead rightly belongs to William Grant the clockmaker of Boston (and master to William Pratt).