Thomas Henry Prather, Sr

Other Events:

• Reference Number: 4.068.02
• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009

Notes:

1820 Iredell Co., Census:
Home of Thomas Sr.

1 male 10-16
1 male 16-26
1 male 45+
1 female 0-10
1 female 10-16
1 female 26-45
1 female 45+
0 slaves

Thomas Jr.
3 male 0-10
2 male 10-16
1 male 26-45
1 female 0-10
1 female 26-45
0 slaves

Thomas went to Iredell Co., N.C. with Benj. Gaither on a surveying trip
(he was married to Benj. Gaither's sister) he remained in N.C. where he
had his children.

Thomas married Eleanor Gaither Rowan Co., n.Carolina. Eleanor (daughter of Edward Gaither and Eleanor Davis, Mrs Whittle) was born Abt 1745, of, Montgomery, Md; died Bef 1783. [Group Sheet]

1. Miss Prather was born , of Rowan Co., Nc.
2. Eleanor Prather, Nellie was born , Rowan Co., n.C..
3. Phillip Prather was born , of Rowan Co., Nc; died , Prob. York or Pickens Dist., S.C..
4. Rachel Odell Prather was born Abt 1766, of, Montgomery, Md; died Abt 1851, ,Patrick, Va.
5. Amelia Prather was born 1767, of, Montgomery, Md; died 12 Aug 1855, ,Bracken, Ky.
6. Sarah Ruth Prather was born 17 Feb 1774, of, Montgomery, Md; died 12 Sep 1845, of, Rowan, Nc.
7. John Prather was born Abt 1775, of, Rowan, Nc; was christened , Lived in Iredell Co., n.C.; died Aft 1825, In..

Thomas married Verlinda Robey, Lena 12 Jan 1783, Rowan Co., n.C.. Verlinda (daughter of Thomas Roby and Sarah Smallwood) was born Abt 1762, of, Rowan, Nc. [Group Sheet]

1. Sarah Prather was born , of Nc.
2. Thomas Henry Franklin Prather was born 02 May 1784, ,Rowan, Nc; was christened , Also Lived Mecklenburg Co., n.C.; died 1855, of, Surry, Nc.
3. Mary Polly Prather was born Abt 1785, of, Rowan, Nc.
4. Elizabeth Prather, Betsey was born Abt 1786, of, Rowan, Nc.
5. Elias Prather, Eli was born Abt 1787, of, Rowan, Nc; died Bef 1812, Prob. York Co., S.C..
6. Hiram Henry Prather was born 14 Jan 1796, ,Rowan, Nc; died 10 May 1861, Houstonville, Iredell, Nc; was buried , Butler Cem, Harmony, Nc.
7. Eleanor Ellender Prather was born Abt 1798, ,Iredell, Nc; died Aft 10 Jun 1840, of, Clark, In.
8. Nathan Jeffros Franklin Prather was born 24 Nov 1800, ,Iredell, Nc; was christened , Lived in York Dist., S.C. For Short Time; died 12 Mar 1884, Gastonia, Nc; was buried , U Presbyterian C, Gastonia, Nc.
9. John Prather was born Abt 1801, of Nc.
10. Amelia Prather was born Abt 1802, of Nc.
11. Elisha R Prather was born 01 Aug 1803, ,Iredell, Nc; died Abt 1867, ,Bureau, Il.
12. Mr Prather was born Abt 1804, of, Rowan, Nc.
13. Hamilton Erwin Prather was born 06 Oct 1804, ,Iredell, Nc; died 27 Apr 1840, ,Lincoln, Nc.

Other Events:

• Occupation: Plantationer
• Reference Number: 3.023.06
• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009

John married Rachel Odell Queen Ann Par., Maryland. Rachel (daughter of Thomas O'Dell, II. and Margaret Beall) was born 1717, of, Md; died 19 Nov 1796, ,Montgomery, Md. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009

Other Events:

• Occupation: Plantation
• Reference Number: 2.004.04
• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009

Notes:

15 June, 1700:
Ninian Beal of Prince George Co., ..... in consideration of ye sum of two
Thousand pounds of Tobacco in hand paid... by Said Thomas Prater...sell
Enfeeof & Confirme unto ye said Thomas Prater... Six and fiftly acres of Land
More or Less .. Ruth Beale, wife of Ninian, waived dower.

13 Mar., 1733:
William Prather Sr. sold to William Prather Jr. for 10 pounds sterling ..
"Thukie Flight" 100 acres.

William sold to Priscilla Prather, spinster, for 20.8.8 (20 pounds, 8
shillings, 8 pence) Tract on where I now live, part of "Orphans Gift"
100 acres.

15 Dec., 1735:
William Prater Sr. and Ann sold a tract of land called "Cheney7" in Baltimore
Co., to Richard Snowden for 10 pounds sterling.

14 Arp., 1746:
William Prather Jr. sold to Christopher Lowndes, Merchant, for 2416 lbs.
Tobacco.. "Poplar Thickett", 50 acres.

17 Apr., 1746:
William Prather Jr. sold his son John Prather for 10 pounds Sterling "Turkie
Flight" ... 100 acres.

1750 :
William Prather aquired "Hog Harbour" .... 583 acres.

31 Mar., 1752:
John Prather, son of William Prather, of Frederick Co., sold for 65 pounds
stering ..100 acres of "Turkey Flight" to Benoni Fowler. Abarilla, Wife of
John, released her dower.

Ann Yates was the daughter of Geoge & Mary Well (Stockett) Yates.
The Yates family descends from many noble families of England back to the
same nobles that the Prater family had married into in the 13, 1400's.
The Mallets, Walronds, and others including the Counts of Flanders.

William married Anne Yates St. Barnalas, Queen Ann Par. Maryland. Anne (daughter of George Yate, Sr. and Mary Wells) was born Abt 1672, of, Queen Annes Par, Md; died Aft 1735, ,,Md. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009

Notes:

!Her mother was a descendant of Baron Richard de Clare,one of the 25 sureties
who stood at Runnemeade and forced King John,on the 15 Jun.1215 to sign the
Magna Charta.

Ann is the daughter of George Yates and Mary (Wells) Stockett.
The Yate or Yates family descends from the Counts of Flanders, but it is also
said that this family has been traced back before the Counts of Flanders to
Numerius Julius Caesar.

!Her mother was a descendant of Baron Richard de Clare,one of the 25 sureties who stood at Runnemeade and forced King John,on the 15 Jun.1215 to sign the Magna Charta.

Other Events:

• Ancestral File Number: HRSS-M5
• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009

Thomas married Margaret Beall Prince George, Md. Margaret (daughter of James Beall, Sr. and Sarah Pearce) was born , of Anne Arundel Co., Md; died , ,,South Carolina. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Ancestral File Number: HRSS-NB
• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009

Other Events:

• Occupation: Resurrection Plantation
• Reference Number: 1.001.01
• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009

Notes:

!Birth place provided by Robert Gardine.Marriage rec on LDS film says m.bef
1663 Calvert Co.MD.He is also sealed to Jane McKay-AFN;227H-4N-,m.1660,MD.
Date 1 Oct 1992 Arizo.There is a question as to Jane's last name and was she m.
before.GRS-NGC Confrences,21 Oct,1993,Cyndi Pote gives his wife as Lyle Jane
MacKay.She refers to Gary Benton Prather as her source.In Calvert Co.MD.He
purchased land on Swan Creek and built Prather Hall[inf from Don
Silvius,E-mail. His 2 wives listed here are the same person,she could be a relative of his mother as I question whether her maiden name was McKay or Powell, The death rate of that colony was so high that few families
stayed intact.(see Jonathon's mother's line) Wendell J Prater.

Jonathan was born in Va. and later moved to Maryland ca. 1652/58.
His name is recorded in several documents and we find it spelled several
different ways. As example; he assigned land he owned,which stated it was
land owned by Jonathan Prether but when he signed the document he signed:
Jonathan Prater. He is also recorded in other such documents as Prater,Prator,
Prether,Praither and Prather. Such was the level of education in those days,
most people "sounded out" the spelling, and then spelled that way.
We find the names Prater and Prather the most commonly used in documents
concerning Jonathan.
When Jonathan died his wife remarried to John Smith, a very wealthy Planter.
He was very good to Jonathans children and when he died he willed them a
Plantation he called "Orphans Gift" which was located near the city of St.
Mary in Maryland. John Smith's will was proved 13 Oct. 1707
Jane(Prather) Smith's Will was proved 7th Dec., 1713.
We thought for years that "Jane" was a Goldsmith, daughter of George Goldsmith
but now know she was Lyle Jane McKay. She was raised by the Goldsmiths.
Jonathan Prathers Coat-of-Arms was registered with the College of Heraldry
and has proven to be the continueing and long established "Prater Family"
whose ancestrial estates were located on Eaton Water, in the County of
Wiltshire, England. The Eaton Water Estates include Latton Manor, Inglesham
Manor which are located along the head waters of the Thames River North of
Swindon, Wiltshire, England. Jonathan used the "Prater" coat-of-arms
on some of his documents. Several other docucments were also found.
Below are examples of some of the documents we have found:

MSS. (preserved in the State Paper Dept. of Her Majesty's Public Record
Office, Eng.) "Muster Rolls of the Settlers of Va.".

21 Aug. 1680 Inventory of Estate of Jonathan Prather, dec'd. appraised by
Jn. Mils and Robt.Clark.
6 Oct. 1658 Jonathan and settled on his land at the Potomac River.
12 Nov. 1658 Jonathan Prator demandeth Warrant agst. Cornelius Kennede
warrant to the Sheriff of Calvert Co.

1 Apr. 1680 Jonathan Prater serving as Juror at Resurrection Manor, in
Calvert Co., Maryland.

Ref. Liber Q, Folio 302, Maryland Provencial Records, Land Office, Annapolis,
Md.
Jonathan Prather was transported by water from Virginia
up Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River to Swan Crk. then to
Calvert Co.,Md. (now Pr.George Co.) with four men and one other woman;
Alexander Forcarson, Robert MacKay & wife, Wm. Woodrose, Wm. Mill and
Wm. Jones. In a small vessel owned by young George Reed of Calvert Co.,
Md. We suspect that the "other woman" was Lyle Jane Mackay, sister of Rbt.
Vol. I, p.35 "Calendar of Wills - Maryland
Jonathan Prather and wife Jane , on Swan Crk., built their home on their
estate they called "Prather Hall Plantation". Arrived Md. 6 Oct., 1658.
They did not live there long and disposed of it to George Gouldsmith, who
in his Will of Apr. 1666, bequeathed Prather Hall to his daughter, Mary
Gouldsmith.
This "Prather Hall" was located near present site of Ft. Washington,
near what became Swan Crk. Rd. on the Potomac River. (about 10 miles
south of the present Capitol Bldg., Washington D.C.)
----------------------------------------
Many earlier searchers have claimed that Jonathan was born in England
but these were assumtions made by people who were involved in the "early"
research of our family before the research was more complete.
It was also reported that Jonathan Prather and Thomas Prater (the father
of Jonathan ) were not of the same family. --------- But even these
earlier researchers have stated that Jonathan was from Latton, Wiltshire
and Thomas was from Eaton Water, Wiltshire. Little did they know that these
two places are in fact the same estate. Eaton Water, Latton Manor, Inglesham
Manor all adjoining one another and owned by John Prater in 1547 and later
his son George who died in 1564. Their property was so vast that it borderd
three county lines in Nothern Wiltshire.
"Eaton Water" was located in the area known today as Eaton Hastings /
Lechlade / Inglesham and also included Latton Manor which is located about
one mile up river. All of these Manors are located along the bank of the
Thames River in North Central Wiltshire. (About 4 miles North of Swindon).
I have spent many a wonderful evening visiting and exploring this part of
England and still find myself returning again, year after year.
In the time of our forfathers, England was the worlds supplier of wool and
woolen goods. While England was the supplier of wool, it was Flanders that
converted the greatest amount of this wool into products, using their
great weaving houses and world market connections.
The Thames River was very important to the family, because it supported
the primary family business, the woolen trade. They used the river waters to
wash and process the wool and then transport it down river to the ports of
London. This was only one of many businesses the family was involved in.
Today the village (manor) of Lechlade has grown and is a beautiful village
with its sidewalk shops, tea rooms and a large church of a later period.
Inglesham was much larger than Lechlade when John Prater lived there in 1547,
and now "old Inglesham" only has the church to remind us that the village
even existed. ("new Inglesham" has about 6 houses and is located about one
mile south of the Inglesham of Johns Praters day..).
At Eaton Hastings, only the old church and "Ferry House" remain to remind
us that a village once stood there. The north side no longer exist.
Lord Hastings came into possession of southern part of Eaton village and it
became known as Eaton Hastings, while the "old Eaton Water" no longer exist.
He built a beautiful Manor home on the foundation of the old abot house
which sat next to the church. Lord Hastings later desided that he did not
approve of the location of the old church because it obstructed his view of
the Thames River, so he had the church moved stone by stone and
reconstructed about 50 yards west of its original location.
The local residents (which most likely included members of the Prater
family) were upset with Lord Hastings "for fear for the souls of their
ancestors buried in the floor of the old church", thus they proceded to take
Lord Hastings from his home and "stuffed him down his well, drowning him".
There were several hundred years of Prater ancestors that lay under the floor
of that old church at Eaton Hastings but today they lay in what is now the
flower garden of the Hasting Manor House at Eaton Hastings.
I had coffee with the present residents of the old Eaton Hastings Manor
House and to my supprise they were totally unaware that the church had
ever been moved, but they did exclaim, "that explains why our gardener
finds an odd bone from time to time". (Such is the British humor.)
Latton Manor is the most beautiful of what remains of our family manors
which sat on Eaton Water, on the Criklade of North Wiltshire.
I spent several nights in Latton Manor, sleeping in one of the homes
that stood during the time that George Prater lived there (d.1564).
George Prater is buried under the floor (3rd. Isle 7 Row) of the church of
Latton Manor, Wiltshire.
Latton has been in existance since before Roman occupation of England
(A.D.64) and Roman villa ruins can be found there today. It is a small
beautiful, quiet village with only about a dozen houses and the church
remaining. Some homes have the old style grass roofs.
We now know that Jonathan was born near Newport News, Va. and was the
son of Thomas (Prater) Prather of "Eaton Water, Wiltshire, England "
who landed in Elizabeth Citties, Va. in 1622. Thoams was between 18
and 20 years old when he came to America.

* Thomas was Born at Eaton Water, on the Criklade, Northern Wiltshire 1602/4.
His son Jonathan was his heir in America, Jonathan Prather's estate was
valued at 13,750 pounds at his death. Jonathan and his wife Jane, lived
in their home near the present site of Ft. Washington on the Potomac
River, Swan Creek Road, about 10 miles due south of the U.S. Capital
Building. It was called "Prather Hall". G.B.Prather

!Birth place provided by Robert Gardine.Marriage rec on LDS film says m.bef 1663 Calvert Co.MD.He is also sealed to Jane McKay-AFN;227H-4N-,m.1660,MD.
Date 1 Oct 1992 Arizo.There is a question as to Jane's last name and was she m. before.GRS-NGC Confrences,21 Oct,1993,Cyndi Pote gives his wife as Lyle Jane MacKay.She refers to Gary Benton Prather as her source.In Calvert Co.MD.He purchased lan d on Swan Creek and built Prather Hall[inf from Don Silvius,E-mail.

Jonathan married Lyle Jane MacKay 12 Sep 1660, ,Calvert, Md. Lyle was born 1635, Va.; died 07 Dec 1713, Brookfield Plantation, Prin.George Co., Md; was buried 1713, Prince George, Md. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Reference Number: 513
• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009

Notes:

Inventories & Accounts, Liber & C. ff 237/8 Hall of Records, Maryland.

Jonathan Prather died without a Will:

Inventory of goods and Chattles of Jonathan Prather appraised by Jno Mils and
Robt Clark Aug. ye 21th 1680.

4 cows + calves att 700 pounds sterling apice. 4900
1 cow with a calv 600
1 Mare 4 yars ould 500
3 Heiffers 1 Bull 3 year old 1500
5 Yarlings att 150 apiece 750
1 old Mare with a hors colt 1200
1 Young Mare 3 yar old 800
1 Saddle hors of 5 yar old 12000
3 Sows 5 Barrows 2 Boars & 5 Piggs 1000
A parcell of putr with a prcell tinn saucpans 150
a boxed Iron with 2 heatrs 30

An old Flock bed with a Bolster 2 blankitts-
& a Rugg & a bedstad. 300

An old dedstad with a bolster 2 blankitts &
a pillow all old. 150

an old woodn couch & a woodn cubboard, 2 woodn
chairs, 1 tray, 2 woodn plattrs 250

1 chs fatt 10
2 smll Butter potts 10
1 Iron pestle 25
1 old gun 150
1 Grinding Ston 60
2 Iron potts & an Iron Kettle 120
1 Smll Chest 50
1 hand saw, 1 chisll, 1 Goudge, 1 Curbb Briddle,
1 rest all old. 120

200 lbs. of tobacco due upon accot. to this
Estate from Bryan Crowle 137.50

JnO Mils (seal)
Robt Clark (seal)

No records have been found giving an inventory & accounts of his lands
and/or slaves.

Jane MacKay Prathers Will leaves the remainder of her land in England to her
14 grandchildren. Her Will was written Dec., 1713 and is on fileat the Hall
of Records in Annapolis, MD.

After the death of Jonathan Prather, Jane remarried to John Smith a wealthy
Scottsman and they lived on a plantation named "Brookfield" which was located
on the Patuxent River about 7 miles from Upper Marlboro, MD.
John Smiths Will was written on 3 Sept., 1707 and was proved on 23 Sept., 1707
in Prince George Co., MD. (Pr.Geo.Co. Wills Liber1 ff30-2).

Jane (Prather) Smith: Last Will & Testament, Prince George Co., MD.
7 Dec., 1713.

property as dowery from George Goldsmith where he later built" Prathers Hall"
Jane was on the ship when Jonathan went up the Potomac from Va. to Md.
She was listed as "one other woman"./ His wife was Lyle Jane MacKay and they
were married at Jonathans home, "Prather Hall" on or before 12 Sept., 1666.
Lyle Jane MacKay stayed with George Gouldsmiths family for a time as a young
girl.They may have raised her for several years. (The Will of G.Goldsmith )

!JWP says her name was not Goldsmith.GBP gives her name as Lyle Jane McKay,
No parents.She was raised by Geo Gouldsmith.When Jonathon was transported from
VA,there was a Robert MacKay & wife with him.She could have been the wife of
Robert or his sister and wife of Jonathon.

Other Events:

• Ancestral File Number: 7TVF-H1
• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009

George married Mary Wells May 1671, A. a. Co., Md.. Mary (daughter of Richard Wells and Frances Whyte) was born 1631, of Herring Creek, Anne Arundel, Md; died 21 Jan 1698, All Hallow's Parish, Anne Arundel Co, Md; was buried 21 Jan 1698, All Hallow's Parish, Anne Arundel Co, Md. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Ancestral File Number: 46Z0-H4
• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009

Notes:

!AFN-46ZO-H4 has her b.1631,makes her 9years older than husband.

Other Events:

• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009

Thomas married Sarah Ridgely of Anne Arundel Co., Md. Sarah (daughter of Col. Henry Ridgely and Elizabeth Howard, daughter of Col. Henry Ridgely and Sarah Warner) was born , of Anne Arundel Co., Md; died Bef 28 Jun 1729, , Prince George, Md. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009

Other Events:

• Ancestral File Number: MRFS-VC
• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009

James married Sarah Pearce 1695, ,Prince Georges, Maryland. Sarah (daughter of John Peerce and Sarah Sprigg) was born 1680, ,Prince Georges, Maryland; died 1722, Prince George Co, Maryland; was buried Bef 28 Nov 1761, Prince George Co, Maryland Colony, America. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Ancestral File Number: MRFS-WJ
• Record Change: 12 Apr 2009