Reuben Prather

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• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009

Reuben married Mrs Reuben Prather of Meade Co., Ky. Mrs was born , of Meade Co., Ky. [Group Sheet]

1. Thomas R Prather was born , of Meade Co., Ky.

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• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009

Notes:

In his old age Robert Prather had arthritis so badly he could hardly walk.
He was nearly always confined to the house.

Robert Prather is listed on the 1860 Meade Co., Ky. census with son Reuben as
head-of-house. Also named are son Jonathan, Grandson, Thomas R. and infant
E.A. Roberts real property was valued at $400 as was his personal property.

Robert had some problems concerning his land and the law in Perry Co., IN.
so he moved accross the Ohio River into Meade Co., Ky.

His family had an extensive stolen horse business operating from KY. to TN. to
MO. There were seven brothers involved but only two went to prison.
The area that they operated from has become known as "Penitenry Rock" which
was a farm located just over the Ohio River in Perry Co., Indiana.

Robert was in Perry Co., IN. in 1830 and then in Meade Co., KY. 1850 census.
It is believed that he moved across the river into Meade Co., Ky circa 1835.
He may have moved back and forth accross the river to evade the law in IN.

His horse theft ring was finely broken and he was sent to prison for
horse theft. It is believed that he died in prison.
The story goes that he had operated his horse theft ring for many years and
in his later years, when he had become unable to walk, he would have the
newly stolen horses brought to his bedroom window so that he could see them.
He then would tell the others where to sell them and how much to ask for them.
Later when he was caught, they carried him into court on a cot, where he lay
during the trial.

There was a story written about this case in the local news paper.

At the time he lived in Perry Co. IN. it was largely
unsettled and was going though many changes when the counties were being
restructured and reformed into smaller counties. There may have been earlier
indian claims for his land that was formed as part of Perry Co. out of indiam
lands.

Died:
Wolf Crk., Ky.

Robert married Mrs Robert Prather of Meade Co., Ky. Mrs was born , of Meade Co., Ky. [Group Sheet]

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• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009

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• Occupation: Judge
• Reference Number: 5.315.01
• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009

Notes:

Judge William Prather was borrn in Frederick Co., Md.

He served in the War of 1812.

He moved from Iredell Co., N.C. with others in his family and allied families
Clarks Grant, Clark Co., IN. He was a school teacher in N.C.

He was listed as a Major in the Clark Co., IN. Milita in 1808.

William owned a Mill on Six Mile Crk, 3 mi. below Schwarrts. The style of the
mill was undershot; it was used for grinding corn. After several ownerships
the mill was operated by John Prather. He made various changes in the old
structure. He also added a sawmill; for a number of years he did a large
business.
In 1816 William and his family moved to Jennings Co., IN. There he served as
County Judge for 7 years.
William was a member of the Methodist-Episcopal Church. The first Methodist
sermon preached in Jennings Co., IN., was at Prather's log cabin in 1816 by
J. Chitwood, a local preacher. Shortly thereafter Russell Bigelow of Ohio
organized a churrch at his house and named Brother Prather as leader.
In 1830 William Prather lost his vision.

The information on Williams marriages came from Dewey Prather, a grandson,
and is related in his family genealogy which was collected by Sandy Prather
Merritt of Barington, IL. (1980)

Dewey Prather: Early 1900's (NOTE: Only part of the following is proven!!)
When William left N.C. in 1799, after his first 2 children were born, he
traveled to Indiana with Basil, his father and his wife's family, the
McCarroll's. Somewhere along the Ky and IN. borders, he took a horse and
"slipped away". He went to Breckinridge Co., now Lower Meade Co. and soon
"married", possibly childhood sweetheart, Lucinda Ashcraft. they had a son,
Robert "Bob", born 1800 in Ky. Lucinda died shortly after and is buried in
Ashcraft Cem. in Brandenburg.
William went back to McCarroll family, with son Bob, (from Lucinda Ashcraft)
at Prather, IN. (near Watson) in Clark Co. Stay with his wife McCarrol and
had, John, Peggy, Cynthia, Rachael, Hiram, Susan, mary, bertha, Lettuce, and
William.
Around 1832 he starts haveing family problems and leaves. William and son,
Bob, and Bobs wife Elizabeth Pleasant goes to Magnet, IN. which is in Perry
Co. There William "Marries" Rebecca VanMeter. He was scalped at English near
Magnet, Ind. but survived. Then William and Rebecca "Becky" and son Bob and
Bobs family canoed up river and up Wolf Creek to Caseyville, now Paynesville,
Ky. Went about 4 miles below and bought land. Was a farmer and Methodist
preacher. Had son, William Jennings "Bill Jenkins" Prather, born 1833, and
Nanny Sue born 1835. William was last seen on a boat at Brandenburrg, Ky.
with a load of mules for New Orleans. Word had gotten back to Magnet, Ind. to
his wife, Rebecca VanMeter, and son Bob, that he had jumped boat and was
met by two sons from North Vernon, which were sons by his wife Lettice
McCarrol. Mid-January of 1858, word came that he was seriously ill from
exposure. Later word came that he had died and the families to meet corpse on
boat at Brandenburg, Ky. to go to Jeffersonville, IN. and Prather, IN. for
burial. When they arrived at Jeffersonville, they learned that the grave
hadn't been dug at Prather, IN. so they had a short service at Livery Stable
and told families they could go home that they would take body back to
N.Vernon, IN. for burial. I'm sure there must have been some family
differences about where he should be buried.

Marriage Bond:
24 June, 1797, surety is Van Swearingen. T.L. McCarrell consents.
Witnesses, Van Swearingen and Samuel Blake.
27 June, 1797 Minister's Return. "William Prather and Lettis McCarrell,
in the Calf Pasture at the house of Robert Jamison, in the presence of Samule
Blake, Van Swearingen and others." Marriage performed by John Young

In 1863, Lettice McCarroll Prather died and was buried next to William. this
is prrobably what has confused some researchers: since husband and wife are
buried next to earch other, it probably was assumed no other "wives" existed
and, in fact, there legally might have been no other "wives". there is no
mention of divorce from Lettice McCaarroll and I don't know if dates of
marriages to Lucinda Ashcraft and Rebecca Van Meter exist in the courthouses
or if, in fact, they were simpley not legally married.

An interesting fact is that William became known a "Skipjack" around IN.
"Skipjack" is a word which is used for fish that leap in and out of the water
or play on the surface of water.
We can only assume that this refers to his "jumping" ship (or river bardge)
as related in the above story.

William married Lucinda Ashcraft Perry Co., Ind.. Lucinda was born , of Jennings, In. [Group Sheet]

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• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009

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• Occupation: Surveyer; Farmer/Pioneer
• Reference Number: 4.123.03
• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009

Notes:

!He is ancestor of all early Prathers in IN.He was a Rev.soldier.in NC

He was born in Rock Creek, Prince George Parish, Fredrick Co., Maryland.

Basil was a Rev. War soldier and was wounded during that war.
He served in the N.C. Militia (#6907) served in the army at the
Battle of Camden, S.C., where he was wounded in the left knee
on 16 Aug., 1780. He was serving under General Gates with the rank of
Private.

During and after the War he moved west, settling in several states including
Va., N.C., and Ky. until he settled in Utica Township, Clark Co., Ind.
where he came with others to Clarke Grant, which was in what is now known
as Clark Co., Ind.
A community was formed there by the Prather families, the Prather Community
of Utica Township. The old Prather School still stands but is no longer used.
Utica is located near what is now Watson, Clark Co., Ind.
The Prather family built the first Methodist church in Ind.
(it was the first built but another church was being built nearby and
was registered first, thus the Prather church was built first but was
the second one registered in the state of Ind.)
Ref. "History of the Ohio Falls Cities, and their Counties" Vol. III says,
(p.402) "About 1804 a round-log house was erected on an acre of land in tract
Prather." (Walter was son of Basil Prather and son-in-law to Jeremiah Jacobs.
Secretary of the Trustees' Board at the time was Basil Prather).
The church which was built by the Prather and Jacob family was called New
Castle Meth. Church and many members of the Prather family are buried there.
Today it is known as the New Chapel Meth. Church. The present church is
one that has been moderized over time, but the age of the church can be seen
and understood by visiting the old grave yard.
While living in N.C. Basil donated land to build a church near Harmony N.C.
The church was called Prather Chapel.
Basil once owned 400 acres on " Little Dutchman's Creek", Salisbury Dist.,
Rowan Co., N.C. but he had purchased a total of 3000 acres from the
commmissioners in 1789.

A legend states that he leased land along the coast of N.C. and while
riding near the beach on his property, he witnessed a sea battle.
One of the ships exploded and while the battle continued, sections of this
ship washed ashore. Basil was said to have found much "loot" from these
sections and among the "loot" was some gold.
Shortly afterwards he sold his property and moved west because questions
were being asked by officials regarding the gold that was carried by the
ship that had washed ashore. (none of this has been proven and is only
a "family tail").
We do know that he moved to Ky. and that a document was found showing that
he had buried gold under an old log house which was located accross the
river form his home. He paid Bill Hatfield $10. to dig up the gold hidden
under this log cabin. The amount of gold is unknown, but $10. in this day
and time was alot of money to pay for a common laborer to dig up anything
small or simple. The log cabin was located near Magnet, Ind.
After moving to Ky. he was involved with surveying. One of the areas that
he surveyed was in Fayette Co., KY. where his twin brother, Baruch William
"Peter" Prather later built his plantation home about 6 miles southeast
of present day Lexington, KY.

His Will was proved 7 Oct., 1822.

The Will of Basil was lost during the 1937 flood in Clark Co., Ind. as was
his original tombstone.

Basil married Clorinda unknown, Chloe Maryland. Clorinda (daughter of Lloyd Robertson and Mrs Robertson, daughter of Loyde Robertson and Mrs Loyde Robertson) was born 14 Aug 1748, Lower, Frederick, Md; died 27 Jul 1812, Utica Twp., Clark Co., Ind.; was buried , New Castle Cem., Watson, Ind.. [Group Sheet]

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• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009

Notes:

!P-A,give 2 b.14 Aug 1747 & 8 Aug 1748,Take your pick.

She was born in the Lower Potomac Hundred, Salisbury Dist., Fredrick Co., Md.
She was the daughter of Lloyd Robertson.