William John Prater

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• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009

Notes:

William Prater was killed by Lindsey Gibson as a result of an argument
they had.

This information is taken from "The Great Murder Trial of Lindsey Gibson
in Western Arkansas" by the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R) and the
Woman's Relief Corps. (W.R.C.) (1891).

Summery by Gary Benton Prather:

My understanding of this report made about the trial of Lindsey Gibson is as
follows:

Many families in the area had been split by the Civil War, some members of
a given family fighting for the Union while others of the same family fighting
for the Confederates. This was the case in the Gibson family. Lindsey Gibson's
brother was a "Rebel Soldier" and died fighting for the Confed. Army.
While Lindsey Gibson was a Union Soldier.

After the war in March of 1867 Lindsey Gibson and others were in persuit of a
gang of horse thieves which were mostly made up of former Confed. soldiers who
had lived in the area around Madison Co., Ark.
They cornered most of the thieves and some were shot and wounded on both sides
but one of the theives, Sonney Tucker, escaped and Lindsey Gibson thought
that William Prater and Little Doc Tucker had helped him.
William Prater was about 19 years old and Little Doc Tucker was even younger.

One of the "Horse Thieves", a half breed indian, was killed and one of the
posse was killed.

The next day, at St. Paul, Ark., Lindsey Gibson encountered William
Prater and Tucker 1 Apr., 1867. Gibson went to a Mill to get some meal,
shortly after Little Dock Tucker and William Prater came riding up side by
side. They dismounted and were confronted with Gibson.
An argument developed and Gibson shot Prater, killing him.

The following is a summery of the trail of Lindsey Gibson:

After the procedures of court had been followed and it had been established
that William Prater and Little Doc Tucker had riden up to Sumners Mill where
Lindsey Gibson was and that Lindsey Gibson had two guns straped on.
And had been in a gun battle the day before, after chatching a bunch of horse
thieves, was still knowledgeable of the fact that several others living in the
area were allied with the horse thieves.
Upon the arrival of Prater and Tucker at Sumners Mill, a few words exchanged
and then an argument followed. The following is the testamony:

Testamony by a witness:
Tucker said to Gibson: "You did not get Sonney Tucker, did you!"
Gibson: "No, I did not get him."
Prater: "If Sonny had been there, there would have been several more killed."
"He is as good as ever they make them."
Gibson: "I guess he will not come here any more."
Prater: "Yes, he will!" "I will see that he does come back."
Witness to the court: The Tucker boy was still standing there, a relative.
The Tucker boy made about the same comments as Prater.
Gibson told the boy he was too small to talk to. He turned around as if he
was going toward him and Gibson then grabbed Tucker by the hair of the head.
Prater: "You can't do that!"
Witness: Prater was leaning against the wall of the Mill and he then stood and
pulled a knife out of his pocket and opened it.
Gibson: "Put up that knife!"
Prater: "You be damned"
Gibson testamony:
Prater came at me and I pushed him back and then drew my pistol and
shot him with my first shot. I hit him in the breast because I saw the dust
fly when the ball hit him. I went and tried to borrow a horse from Sumner, who
owned the Mill, so that I could give myself up to the sheriff.
Witness to the court: Lindsey Gibson came up to the house and admitted
shooting Prater and did not try to hide it.
He stated that he had just shot William Prater and thinks he might need some
help, to go see to him.
Witness: The first people to William Prater was two local women and one man.
William Prater said "leave me along, I am a dead man."
William Prater died in about 4 minites without saying another word.

There was no indictment at the time and the matter was forgotten for 24 years
until the political party changed in Madison and the Old Confederates were
back in charge of the county. Gibson was indicted, charged with murder in the
first degree, in the Madison County Circuit Court in 1890.
Lindsey Gibson did not have money to pay for the legal fees to represent
himself.
His fellow Union Soldiers in the area who belonged to the Grand
Army of the Republic Soc. (post 68) sent out letters to other post all over
the country seeking donations for his cause. Many responded and as a result
this was a widely known case. (He received funds from the G.A.R. and the
W.R.C. (Womans Relief Corps.)
As a result there was a book published by the G.A.R. and the W.R.C.

Gibson was found NOT GUILTY

Lindsey Gibson was said to have worn his black hair very long, and rode
horseback (no saddle). He was a "hired gun", and rode along with people to
make sure they got their goods to market, etc. before the war, and rode for
the Union during the war.
Capt. Smith (who raised Lindsey's sister, Rosana Gibson Bolinger) was
ReConstruction Officer after the war, and hired Lindsey as a "gun" to help
keep the peace.
People were said to have been afraid of Lindsey and would often be heard
saying "Lindsey Gibson will kill you!" "He's a mean indian".
Lindsey Gibson (Gipson) died in Flagstaff, AZ. 29 Nov., 1891 and was buried
1 Dec., 1891 in the G.A.R. Cem. in Flagstaff, AZ.

The ancestors of Lindsey Gibson & William Prater were neighbors in Bedford
Co., Va. before coming to Madison Co., Ark.
Phelps census list in 1752 in Bedford Co., Va.:
Jonathan Prather
James Gibson
Randall Gibson
Thomas Prather
The Gibson & Prather (Prater) family probably came west together.

by: Gary Benton Prather
Taken from G.A.R. records
and Bedford Co., VA. census.

William married Elizabeth A. Summer Madison Co., Ark.. Elizabeth (daughter of John C. Summer and Mrs John Summer) was born , of Madison Co., Ar. [Group Sheet]

1. Alfred W. Prater was born , of Madison Co., Ar.

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• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009

Notes:

William moved to Madison Co., Ark. before the 1850 census was taken there.
Enlisted Confederate Army 1 Nov.,1862. / served as Sergeant, Company D of
the Arkansas Cavalry. He died in service 23 Aug.,1863, Civil War in Maryland.

William married Mary Salyers 25 Aug 1846, Floyd Co., Ky.. Mary was born , Madison Co., Ark.; died , St. Paul, Madison Co., Ark.. [Group Sheet]

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• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009

Notes:

In the book "The Great Murder Trail of Lindsey Gibson" a testamony was given
by Jonathan P. Salvars that his sister Mary was the mother of William Prater.

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• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009

Jonathan married Margaret Griffith, Griffie Pitsylvania, Tazewell Co., Va.. Margaret was born Abt 1775, of, Right Beaver Ck, Floyd, Ky. [Group Sheet]

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Notes:

Jonathan and Archibald Prater (#6223) both joined the Rev. forces in Henry
Co., Va. at the Chesterfield Court House in 1780.
(Chesterfield Court House Roll, pgs. 53a and 53b, at the Virginia State Lib.)
After the War they both moved to the present Tazewell Co., Va.. This was
formerly parts of Washington and Russel Counties.
Later Archibald Prater moved to Magoffin Co., KY.

Jonathan married Sarah Elizabeth Musick, Masick of Henry Co., Va.. Sarah was born Abt 1760, of, Pittsylvania, Va. [Group Sheet]

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• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009