William N. Pratt

William N. Pratt (d. 1867) owned land, a cotton gin, store and tavern on the Hillsborough-Raleigh road, part of which became Main Street, and Durham might have been named Prattsburg in his honor.

However, when North Carolina Railroad officials approached Pratt about allowing them to lay track and build a fuel station on his land, Pratt asked an exorbitant price and the railroad approached Pratt's neighbor, Bartlett L. Durham, instead. His memory is commemorated, though, in the curve the railroad made to the east of Durhams Station to avoid crossing Pratt's property.

Some of Pratt's extensive land holdings are indicated on the railroad survey map of 1850. The Blount Map of Durhams Station c. 1867 shows Prattsburg with a large barn lot on the north side of the Raleigh road, to the east of town, with Pratt's gin and residence across the road.