Hazel Northam

Hazel Northam was born December 11, 1887, in Watertown, daughter of Wallace and Margaret Frazier Northam. After attending the Simmons School of Embalming and Mortuary Science in Syracuse, she became associated with her father and the late Charles Fox in the undertaking firm of Northam and Fox, which was located in the former Mohican building, adjacent to the former Olympic Theater, in Watertown. Mr. Fox bought out Mr. Northam in May 1928, and Mr. Northam died in February, 1929. The business later was sold to William O. Leggett and was located at the corner of Franklin and Sterling Streets, Watertown.

There are conflicting accounts of the circumstances that prompted Miss Northam and her mother to move to Brooklyn. We will not delve into these accounts.

In Brooklyn Hazel Northam first was employed by the Frank I. Campbell Funeral Chapel as a licensed embalmer and funeral director. One of her co-workers was Andrew Behr who with his wife Muriel and their three children lived at 966 Ocean Avenue, a short walk from 2212 Ditmas Avenue where Hazel lived. She and the Behrs became good friends. Later, Hazel worked for Walter B. Cook Funeral Home, Inc., Brooklyn, where Mr. Behr was the manager.

Arnold K. and Mimi Sailand, who moved from "Flatbush" (Brooklyn) to Mount Pocono. Pennsylvania, in 1970, also were among Miss Northam's Friends. Mrs. Saeland writes:

Hazel was a daily visitor and customer to our luncheonette. The first cut of the daily roast was always saved for her as she had requested. She had a wonderful sense of humor (and) did much good with her inheritance. She contributed funds to local faiths of all denominations (and) she sponsored college students' education. She assisted in the college education of the Behr boys. Hazel was a rabid Brooklyn Dodgers baseball fan. She always had a season box seat and took off from work to see the Dodgers play. God help us if she came in and the baseball game wasn't on the radio! A good friend, Mr. Beebe, and Hazel cried when the Dodgers were taken from Brooklyn. Her favorite types of entertainment were the baseball games and movies. Hazel loved my home-made split pea soup and open-faced apple cake with coffee ice cream on top."

In 1965 - four years after Walter Pratt's death and Hazel Northam's retirement -The State of New York declared Miss Northam the sole heir of $3,154,197 left by her cousin, Mr. Pratt. Miss Northam, who had achieved financial success and considerable reputation in the funeral business, was overwhelmed with the funds from the Pratt estate which were in addition to her already sufficient personal resources. In consultation with Lyle W. Hornbeck and John A. Beach of the Syracuse law firm of Bond, Schoeneck & King, she sought to determine a fitting means for the expenditure of her inheritance. These deliberations led to the formation of the Pratt-Northam Foundation, by means of which Miss Northam hoped that the then prevailing image of Walter Pratt might in time be perceived in a more kindly light. Miss Northam, also in her lifetime, donated to the New York State Adirondack Park Agency 456 acres of land around South Lake, 13 miles south of Old Forge, and an additional 4,400 acres of woodlands.

While continuing to reside in Brooklyn, Miss Northam occasionally visited Boonville (as she had done in earlier years, when Walter Pratt lived there) and attended meetings of the Pratt-Northam Board of Directors, of which she was a member. She died February 29, 1972, in Brooklyn, at the age of 85.