Thomas Prather

Other Events:

• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009

Notes:

This information given by Thomas Prather and published in the Thurston
Co. Pioneer reminiscences. (ca. 1914)

In 1849 my brother James went west to the gold fields of Calif. and I followed
him later, leaving the school room and joined an ox train to Calif.
I made $6 a day and saved $250 which was more money than I ever had.
I returned home by way of water by way of Panama.
In 1852 the west called again, when Judge Gilmore Hays and Andrrew Cowen, as
partners, organized a wagon expedition to come to the almost unknown country
called Oregon. This train consisted of 14 wagons with a total of 99 people.
I rode my own horse. It was my duty to take care of the 5 girls who rode their
horses and other odd duties on the train. One special job I had was to make
sure that Capt. Hayes saddlebags were strapped securely every morning to a
mule. Capt. Hayes had 12,000 in $20 Gold peices in these saddlebags to buy
cattle, horses and homestead upon his arrival.
Just before the train reached the Dalles, which was our destination, I became
infatuated with the appearance of the Grande Rounde Valley and persuaded the
Capt. to sell me a wagon-load of flour, bacon, sugar and coffee. I set a small
'A' tent up beside the road and soon disposed of the entire stock at quite
advanced prices to the emigrants who came along the train and were running
short of provisions. I again joined Capt. Hays at The Dalles and helped him
drive a drove of cattle, which he had purchased douwn the columbia river, to
the site of the small village of Portland.
In 1853 I came to Olympia, which was only a few years old. I walked carring
my blankets and worldly possessions all the way from Cowlitz landing.
My first work was logging for Capt. Percival and spent the winter with a small
crew of men slashing 35 acres of forest land for Nathan Eaton, nine miles from
town, out on Chambers' Prairie. As soon as Spring arrived I took a job as
axman and helped make the first survey of an airline from Portland to Puget
Sound. I stayed with this surveying party 2 years, when the indian war broke
out - in 1855. Then I volunteered under Judge Gilmore Hays, who was raising
the first Vol. Co. in the territory. Our Co. comprised of 80 volunteers. We
were mustered in at Ft. Steilacoom, Judge Hays being commissioned Capt.
But we had no more crossed over to the east side of the mountains than along
caomes Bill Tidd, the pony express rider, with a message from acting Gov.
Mason to the effect that Col. steptoe in command of the US troops, was
surrounded at Walla Walla by 1,000 indians and that Puget Sound Indaians were
also on the warpath. We were to hasten back to protect the settlers in the
White River Country. Returning to this side of the mountains, through the
Natchez Pass, we camped for the night as Connell's Prairie, just about where
the interurban line traverses the White River Valley. In the morning Capt.
Hays detailed me and four other men to guard the supplies and with the rest of
the co., which had now been increased in numbers by the addition of Lt.
Slaughter and 20 soldiers from US troops, started to ford the White River to
battle with the indians. As the men plunged into the river, the indians,
concealed along the banks on the far side, opened fire and about a dozen of
our men were killed, after which the indians retreated through the jungle.
As they carried their dead and wounded with them, we had no means to knowing
how many of the enemy our men picked off, but from blood prints along the
train they certainly met with a considerable loss.
Capt. hays and his men came back to the camp for the night, and in the
morning, each man takeing one day's rations with him, we started after the
indians along a trail so wild and narrow that we had to go single file most
all the way. We could hear the indians not far ahead of us - their ponies
crashing thrrough the brush and dogs yelping. In this way we came to a branch
of Stuck river. The indians were not in sight, but it was expected they were
ambushed on the other side of the river. Capt. Hays called for volunteers to
wade across the river and draw the indians fire, if indeed they were hiding
in the brush. After a monent's hard thinking I said: "Yes, Capt. Hays, I'll
go. Then Lt. slaughter, William Billings, Joe Givson and Joe Brannon joined
me. When I stepped into the water I went in over my waist into a chuck hole
made by the indian horses. My blunderbuss go wet, but I held it over my head
the rest of the way across the river. Every step I sxpected the next instant
would be my last, but we reached the far shore in saftey and were joined by
the rest of the Co. The boys begain firing wildly into the brush, but as I
didn't see anything to shoot at I saved my bullets and waited before firing.
So it came about that I was never really in an indian fight, for after
crossing the river the trail grew so bad that Capt. Hays decided we had
better return to Montgomery's, a Hudson Bay man's place, and wait further
orders. Soon after this the entire Co. was ordered to Mound Prairie, near
Tilley's ranch, for winter quarters. the time for which I had enlisted had
expired and the war was in the hands of the regular troops, I was honoraby
discharged and did not re-enlist.
My next adventure upon rturning to Olympia was to join Capt. J.g.Parker for a
trip to Victoria B.C. He had the first steamboat on Puget Sound. She was named
The Traveler, and was put under charter to bring military supplies from
Victoria, for which the government was to pay $50 a day.
In 1858 I went back to surveying, we located the military road form Ft.
Steilacoom to Ft. Bellingham. I am the man who drove the first stake in a
preliminarry survey of the Northern Pacific railroad, under supervision of
Jarred S. Hurd. this was near Snaqualmie Falls, in King Co. About this time I
acquired the lot of land on Washington Street, which for so many years was
known as the Prather home. For 12 years I was County commissioner, which is
the only public office I have ever held.
I think I may state: whithout undue boasting, that it was largely through my
efforts that thurston Co. received the $150,000 from the sale of public lands
to build the county court house, the same building which is now the state
capitol building, having been purchased by the state about 15 yearrs ago.
In the early 70's I became a guard at the asylum for insane at Steilacoom and
took my third trip east in 1876, to attend the Philadelphia exposition. Soon
after my return to the state of Washington I was married at Steilacoom to Miss
Agnes Winsor, who was also an attendant at the asylum, although for the 12
previous years had been teaching school. To us were born 3 children, Edith and
her twin brother, who died in infancy, and my son Samuel. Edith is now Mrs.
Walter C. Thompson and lives in the Puyallup valley and my son is in Alaska.

Thomas married Barbara Ellen Cowan 12 Apr 1855, , Boone, Mo. Barbara was born 1836, of, Boone, Mo. [Group Sheet]

1. Thomas Prather was born 11 Dec 1881, Olympia, Thurston Co., Wa..

Thomas married Agnes Winsor 26 Aug 1879, Steilacoom, (Olympia) Thurston Co., Wa.. Agnes was born Abt 1849, of, Olympia, Wa. [Group Sheet]

1. Edith Prather was born Abt 1880, ,Olympia, Wa.
2. Samuel Prather, Twin was born Abt 1880, ,Olympia, Wa.
3. twin Prather was born Abt 1880, , Olympia, Wa.

Other Events:

• Occupation: Plantation
• Reference Number: 6.619.02
• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009

Notes:

*Thomas was born in Pulaski Co., Ky and moved to Boone Co., Mo.
He died on his farm 3 miles north of Columbia, Mo. He and his family settled
an area that is known as Prathersville, Mo.
(Note: there are two small townships named Prathersville in Mo. , this one
is near Columbia, in Boone Co.)
He has a 2nd death date, 3 Nov 1849. AF.

Thomas married Mary Elizabeth Polly Cowan 16 Dec 1822, Pulaski Co., Ky.. Mary was born 16 Feb 1807, of, Pulaski, Ky; died 12 Apr 1861, ,Boone, Mo. [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

Other Events:

• Occupation: Planter; Court Justice
• Reference Number: 4.105.03
• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009

Notes:

!Lillard says he moved to Madison Co.KY.He is in AF as James Hunt
Prather,AFN-JFFJ-D2

In his Will he named the children from his only marriage.

It is generally thought that he came west to visit his sister who had
married an officer who was later stationed at Fort Harrard and his cousin
Capt. Basil Prather (who settled at Louisville,Ky.) was involved in land
speculation in this area and John also came to establish claims for land.

John was recorded as a Court Justice in Madison Co., Ky. 1810 & 1811.
He was also involved in laying out the city boundry for other townships
near Richmond, Ky.

It is possible that his wife was a Quaker and John may have followed some of
the Quaker beliefs but it is not known if he became a Quaker himself.

His Will is found in Will Book # B, pp 13-14 and was Proved 3 Jan., 1814 by
William Berry and Samuel Turner. (Madison Co., Ky.)

He is referred to: John Prather, Esquire in the Circuit Court Minutes
Book, 24 Apr.1811, Present "Honorable John Prather,Esq."
He was also named as one of the members of the first Grand Jury held in the
county, and he was named one of the Commissioners to lay out the plan for
the Town of somerset (the county seat) 25 Feb.1801./ Notes by Judge forest of
Garrard Co.,Ky./Deed book# D;115 Mad.Co.Ky/Deed bk#5;261 Rowan Co.,N.C.

!Lillard says he moved to Madison Co.KY.He is in AF as James Hunt Prather,AFN-JFFJ-D2

John married Ellender Eleanor Turner 13 Jul 1753, Rowan Co., n.C.. Ellender (daughter of Edward Turner and Mrs Edward Turner) was born 1740, of, Prince George, Md; died Aft 1813. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Ancestral File Number: JFFJ-F7
• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009

Notes:

Her husband John Hunt Prather went to Ft.Harrod, Ky. from Rowan Co., N.C.
to visit his sister Margaret Prather Freeman. He liked it so much in Ky. that
he took up land in Madison Co., near the present town of Richmond.

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• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009

John married Mrs John Dever of Madison, Ky. Mrs was born , of Madison, Ky. [Group Sheet]

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• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009