Hugh E. Prather

Other Events:

• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009

Notes:

Hugh E. Prather married the daughter of John S. Armstrong, a developer and
real estate speculator in Dallas, Tx.
Mr. Armstrong along with his son-in-law Hugh Prather began the development of
Highland Park in 1907 and opened Highland Park West in 1924.
After Armstrong purchased the land in 1906, he and his son-in-law, Hught
Prather, then went to Los Angeles to enjage the services of a noted landscape
architect, Wilbur David Cook, then designing what is today Beverly Hills.
Cook took the Dallas commission after first asking his prospective clients if
they had a topographic map of the area. He phrased his inquiry much as if they
might never have heard of such a map. Yes, Armstrong and Prather assured him
to his surprise, they already had one for him.
Cook made the trip to Dallas and, largely from this map with its contours
showing the terrain elevations, water courses, and other natural features,
Cook drew upo the master plan for Highland Park.
So sure, apparently, was he of his design that he never returned, so far as is
known, to view his completed handiwork.
Highland Park along with University Park formed one of the best public school
systems in the nation.
John S. Armstrong and his wife were greatly interested in furthering higher
education. In 1907 he offered one hundred acres in what is now Highland Park
West for a Prebyterian University, which never materialized. Aftger his death
his widow in 1911 gave the one hundred acres on which the campus of Southern
Methodist University is located.

Hugh married Miss Armstrong Dallas, Tx. Miss was born , Dallas, Tx. [Group Sheet]

1. Hugh Prather, II. was born , Dallas, Tx.

Other Events:

• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009

Notes:

William lived in Pulaski Co., KY. for 15 yrs. then move with his family to
Saliue Co., Mo. in Sept. of 1851.
In May of 1861 he enlisted in the Confed. Army as 1st. Lieut. State Guards of
Mo. under the command of Capt. Gordon, in Col. Graves Reg.
He fought in the battles of Carthage, Lexington, and Oak Hills.
He then went into the Regular Army (Confed.) in Capt. Taylors Co., 6th Reg.
Mo. Infantry as 2nd. Lieut.
He then fought in other battles such as Corinth and Vicksburg.
He was wounded in the left leg, and taken prisoner. The Union Army surgeons
amputated his leg at a hospital at Vicksburg.
It is said in the family that he moved to Dallas Texas because he was no
longer welcome in Mo.

A history of Dallas Texas, "Dallas Yesterday", has the following written about
him and his son Hugh E. Prather:

The development of Highland Park (Dallas, TX.) began in 1907 and was completed
with the opening of Highland Park West in 1924.
The Prather family had the most continueing role, beginning with Capt. William
Harrison Prather (nick named "Shorty" due to the loss of the lower part of one
leg) and continued by his son Hugh E. Prather.
William H. Prather was an early-day Dallas real estate man from Columbia, Mo.
who arrived toward the close of the Civil War as a wounded Confed. veteran.
He shortly married Anne Elizabeth Edmondson, daughter of William Terry
Edmondson who had brought his family by covered wagon from Tennessee and in
1851 installed a grist mill in what was then the town of Cedar Springs
(present Oak Lawn addition of Dallas, Tx.). The grist mill stone was made in
and imported from France.
When Capt. William H. Prather arrived in the small town of Dallas, he had been
seriously wounded in battle in Miss. The Union Army surgeons amputated a
mangled leg in a hospital in Vicksburg. When released as a disabled veteran,
Capt. Prather made his way to Texas in a buggy drawn by two horses. He drove
up before a well-known boarding house of the day on North Akard (Dallas,Tx.)
where the proprietress, a large, rawboned woman, appeared on the second-story
front balcony. From the buggy seat he asked for board and lodging.
"Young man", said the proprietress rather pointedly, "here in the South a
gentlaman always stands when speaking to a lady". The figure in the
Confederate uniform made no answer except to draw back the lap robe disclosing
his wounded condition, whereupon the boarding house lady came out to the buggy
and carried the young soldier in her arms into the house where he was accorded
full hospitality.

Between the opening of the first 100-acre section of Highland Park and the
opening of Highland Park West in 1924, Highland Park was incorporated (in
1913), grew much to its present population of more than 20.000 and with
University Park formed one of the best public school systems in the nation.
--------------------------------------------------------------

The Dallas Bride, a historic bridge which spanned the Brazos at Waco, had
several personalities identified with its building.
The best remembered, of course, was the principal backer of the project, the
remarkable woman capitalist Sarah Horton Cockrell, the widow of Alexander
Cockrell, who ranks with John Neely Bryan as one of the real founders of
Dallas.
Mrs. Cockrell was granted a charter by the Texas Legislature on Feb. 9, 1860,
to form the Dallas Bridge Company, but it was not until 5 years after the
Civil War that the Corporation was able to set the project in motion. Mrs.
Cockrell did not even serve on the board of directors.
Her officers were Dr. J. W. Crowdus, President, and George M. Swink secretary,
with John Neely bryan, A.C. Camp and William H. Prather as other directors.

William married Ann Elizabeth Edmondson, Bessie 07 Nov 1866, Dallas, Tx.. Ann was born , of Madison, Ky. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009

Other Events:

• Reference Number: 6.620.03
• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009

Notes:

He was in Middleton Township,(Lexington P.O.) Lafayette Co., Mo. as listed
in the 1860 census. He was listed as a farmer.
He moved from Madison Co., Ky. to Mo. in 1851
He must have returned to his wifes home in North Carolina before 1827 because
his son Jonathan was born in N.C. as stated in the 1860 Lafayette Co., Mo.
census.

Philip married Elizabeth Dollarhide 30 Sep 1824, Madison Co., Ky.. Elizabeth was born 23 Dec 1803, N. Carolina; died 09 Dec 1885, Dallas, Tx.. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009

Other Events:

• Reference Number: 5.269.03
• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009

Notes:

John Hunt Prather I. is the uncle of John Hunt Prather II.

The Uncle of John Hunt Prather II. was appointed as one of he members of the
first Grand Jury in Pulaski Co., and on 25 Feb., 1801 he was appointed as
one of the commissioners to plan the town of Somerset, and the location
of public buildings. The 40 acres making up the town was divided into 80 lots.

John Hunt Prather II. is often confused with his father and his uncle that he
is named after.

John married Margaret Dover Devier 03 May 1791, Madison, Ky.. Margaret (daughter of John Dever and Mrs John Dever) was born Abt 1770, of, Madison, Ky; died 16 Feb 1808, of, Pulaski, Ky. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009