Helen Pratt Brown

is honored with a Brick from Nan Porter.

Helen Elizabeth Pratt was born in Wichita, Kansas November 2, 1882 to George Lee Pratt and Cordelia Rodolf Pratt. He was president of the Chicago Lumber Co. and later the Pratt Lumber Co. He was the first president of the old Cornado Club which became the Wichita Club and a 33 degree mason. He also was a city treasurer and built the historic home now known as the Pratt-Campbell home at 1313 N. Emporia. His other children were Maude Pratt Hoffman and, with his second wife Eunice Scott, Catherine Pratt Jackson and Frederick Nathan.

Helen attended St. Mary's School in Knoxville, Illinois and married George McKibbon Brown on October 7, 1908. They had four children:

Helen Cordelia born August 19, 1910 and married December 16, 1933 to Lindsey George Morgan, who was born in Wichita and the son of Theodore and Grace (Lindsey) Morgan. Their children included: 1. Patricia Lee (married William Holleman) issue: William Morgan, Michael Lee. 2. Margo Nan (married Garry Porter) issue: Taylor Linden , Rebecca Lynn, Melissa Kay, Amy Elizabeth. 3. Lindsey Kay (married James Lytton-Smith). 4. Cynthia Sue (married James Hoffman) issue: Gretchen Lynne, Erica Anne, James Morgan. 5. Michael Harry (married Beverly Robl) issue: Michael Lindsey (married Carol). 6. Harry Hoffman (married Zoe Baker) issue: Michael David, Kristen Leigh, Jennifer Lyn. Helen Cordelia died July 19, 1966.

George McKibbon Jr. born November 22, 1911 and married to Mary Margaret Manary who was born in Dodge City, the daughter of Joseph and Maude (Riney) Manary. George and Mary's children included: 1. Elizabeth Lynn (married Joseph Culver) issue: Christopher Read , Andrew McKibbon, Katherine Campbell, Sara Brown, Anna. 2. Rebecca Ann (married William Vaughan) issue: William Campbell, George Alan, Amy Alexander, Morgan McKibbon. 3. Sally Margaret (married William Crank) issue: John McKibbon, Anna Brown. 4. George Riney. 5. John Hays (married Ellen) issue: Rachel (married Ophra Confino) issue: Daniel, Gabriel. 6. Thomas William (married Mary). George McKibbon Jr. died Nov. 2,1967.

Charles Lee, born March 10, 1915, was married on March 12, 1938 to Mary Ruth Bordner of Sedan, Kansas, daughter of Edwin Lewis and Ida (Snyder) Bordner. Charles and Mary's children included: 1. Sharon Lynn (married Thomas Cox) issue: Shaun Thomas, James Cameron, Christopher Charles. 2. Charles (married Susan Catt) issue: Kurtis Nelson, Gregory Snyder, Julia Elizabeth, Jennifer Lynn. Charles Lee died in Oct, 1984.

Harry Hoffman born May 23, 1918, died in a bomber crash near Whitewater, Calif., August 16, 943. He is listed in World War II Memorials in the Campanile at University of Kansas, St. James Episcopal Church and Wichita North High.

Helen Pratt Brown and her husband George were charter members of many institutions and organizations, including St. James Episcopal Church and the Wichita Country Club. Helen was involved with and on many boards, including Kansas State Network, Kansas Ice and Cold Storage, Crystal Ice and Cold Storage, the Brown Building, and Innes Department store. She died on August 26, 1973.

SENIOR'S ASPENS:
The heart of my grandmother's house was her living room. And as she was the heart of her family, the ways she used that room reflected who she was. The oriental rug (from her father's Emporia house) was the roadway for cars and trucks and wooden blocks that went up and down and in circles every Sunday afternoon. Of course, this was after attending St. James (which she and her husband George had helped start). Her son George and his six children, son Charles with his wife Ruth and two children, and her daughter Helen's six would gather along with her just-drop-in friends.

The ritual was to kiss her hello, fish candy out of the wax oriental box on the baby grand, and fetch the toy baskets from the closet by the front door. In the living room it was grown-up hour which meant that children could be seen but not listened to. Sometimes the talk was political because son George was very active in the Republican Party, but mostly it was about family. Senior's family (my father, Lindsey Morgan, dubbed Helen "Senior" when he started dating her daughter Helen and it stuck) went into businesses together. Whenever a member of the family wanted to start a company, all the other adults bought shares. Thus everyone stayed connected by blood, sweat and affection. Senior delighted in sending her 14 grandchildren the money she earned sitting on the board of directors of several companies.

Family talk covered all kinds of current activities and people, in the midst of symbols of a past life that was rich and varied. The priest's robe from Japan, the Murano glass troubadour, the bronze Vonnah woman, all were visible signs of her adventuring feet. She traveled until well into her 80s when she ran out of friends who could join her. Her very well-developed artistic eye meant that many of her "little" treasures became quite valuable with time.

One of her favorites was "Aspens, Early Autumn" which hung over the fireplace. She and her husband George had gone to Taos and she had fallen in love with a oil by O.E. Berninghaus. At the time it seemed too expensive for practical Helen, and she wouldn't let George get it for her. Shortly after they returned home, George, who was 48, had a massive heart attack and died. It was later, as a widow, that Senior, retired with her brother-in-law Walt Innes and his wife Margaret, hunted down the oil and bought it.

I loved the romance and tragedy of this story but I also loved the trees. They had a special appeal for a Kansas child, as she was and all her children and grandchildren were. We appreciated trees, perhaps more than those who lived surrounded by them. When she died, Senior left the oil to the Wichita Art Museum and we all understood and applauded. She cared about her community but she also was afraid there might be conflict around who got the picture. Her greatest art was the skill she practiced in weaving a large but very close family. We all learned about connection and how to keep and value it under her tutelage. This way, the picture would create a sense of togetherness and belonging whenever we saw it.

We all waited to see it in the Museum but it didn't appear. When I was on the Art Museum Board I asked the director, Howard Wooden, about it. He went into the stacks hunting for it but couldn't find it. The family thought that the Museum had decided to sell it and buy art that they preferred which is a legitimate thing but a disappointing one to us.

When the Museum had a show of the Taos six and it didn't appear, we decided it was definitely lost. In December 1997, the Art Museum put on an exhibition entitled '"Toward An American Identity, Selections from the Wichita Art Museum Collection of American Art." I went for a peek at some of my favorites before they disappeared on tour. There, in the midst of the collection was "Aspens, Early Autumn." Not only was it part of the touring show, but it was featured as the back cover of the catalog. Then I called Mary and Ruth (her daughters-in-law), siblings, cousins, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren to spread the Christmas news that the lost aspens were found again. I know Senior would've been so pleased.

Sbmitted by Nan Morgan Porter

September 14, 1998