Family hopes to renovate ancestor's burial site

Lois (Pratt) Mekkas is trying to raise funds to restore her great-grandfather's mausoleum which has been damaged by time and vandalism.

Lois Pratt Mekkas, 85, of Hillsdale, has always been interested in family ties. For several years now she has been studying genealogy and ultimately began writing a book, "Vignettes of Little Miss Pratt," about growing up in Washtenaw County, which she hopes to publish soon.

Her most exciting genealogical discovery led her to a family mausoleum located in the Forest Lawn Cemetery in Dexter.

"I have known about the mausoleum for years but didn’t know who was buried in the structure, nor my relationship to them," she says. "Now, I do. It is my great-grandfather, John J. Pratt and his family."

The mausoleum was built by John Pratt ca. 1900, but over the years the structure has fallen into disrepair. The restoration work requires includes grinding out the stone joints and re-grouting; repairing the cracks in the concrete roof; repairing the concrete edge around the roof; cleaning the stone; installing a new door; repairing and refurbishing the gate and latch; and repairing the opening. "We believe the gate and door were severely vandalized, damaging the gate, the door portal, and the original door was broken into pieces," she adds.

While the mausoleum is actually located in the City of Dexter, and John Pratt was from Scio Township, there are many of his descendants still living in the Manchester area, and some well-known names from Manchester's past have also shown up in "Little Miss Pratt's" vignettes.

"One of his seven children was Alvin J. Pratt of Scio Township. Alvin J. had nine children, one of which was John, who married Gertrude," Mekkas explains. "John and Gertrude Pratt settled in Manchester and had a farm on Chelsea-Manchester Rd. They had three sons. One of them, Ellis Pratt, was a farmer in Sharon Township and served as a county commissioner. After selling his farm, he built a home in Freedom Township and a distinctive “P” was built into the stone chimney." Ellis Pratt died in 2012.

Robert Pratt was another son of John and Gertrude. He retired from Ford Motor Company and passed away in 2018 at the age of 101, leaves behind three children who still live in Manchester. James Pratt, who retired from farming in Bridgewater Township to become a local insurance agent in Manchester, was the third son, and died in 1987.

Mekkas describes the mausoleum in detail: "The cut stone is gorgeous, unique and in good shape. I believe the stone came from the homestead on Zeeb Road along with stone from my great grandfather’s farm in Lima Township. This is an historic local landmark, and it would be a shame to lose it."

She has recently selected a team to complete the project, from Hartland, and work has begun to restore the structure as it was when originally built. The cost of the restoration is estimated at $20,000 and a GoFundMe account has been set up so that family, friends, and acquaintances may help with expenses. Mekkas plans a rededication service at noon on July 1, 2021, which would have been her father's 128th birthday.

"At the rededication, I know heaven will open so (the Pratt family) all can share this glorious scene," she says. "God bless them all. I’m so proud to be a Pratt! In fact, I’m taking a copy of my book to Heaven with me for them to read."

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.