Henry C. Pratt Journals

In these two journal volumes, Henry C. Pratt recorded his travels through southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey in 1825 and his voyages as Surgeon’s Mate in the United States Navy between 1826 and 1828.

The first volume of Pratt’s journals contains a description of a journey around southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey between August 5 and August 18, 1825. Pratt traveled with two friends, identified as Kennedy and Harrison, covering over 300 miles in 2 weeks. The friends traveled to Reading, Hamburg, Orwigsburg, Lehighton, and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, before crossing the Delaware River into New Jersey. The travelers then visited Schooley’s Mountain, Pennington, and Trenton before returning to Philadelphia on August 18. Pratt notes that they traveled over half the distance on foot, but the group also traveled by wagon and via boat on the Schuylkill Canal. Pratt and his compatriots were particularly interested in local industry, and visited coal mines at Mount Carbon and Mauch Chunk during their journey.