Basil William Prather, Prater

1742 - 1822  (79 years)

• Name	Basil William Prather
  Suffix	Prater
  Born	20 Oct 1742	Rock Crk., Pr.George Par., Fredrick, Md.
  Christened	Was in Washington Co., In. 1815
  Gender	Male
  Died	07 Oct 1822	Utica Twp, Clark Co., In.
  Record Change	12 Apr 2009
  Occupation	Surveyer
  	Farmer/Pioneer
  Reference Number	4.123.03
  Buried	New Chapel Cem, Clark, In
  Person ID	I22651	120k
  Last Modified	28 Jul 2015

  
  

  Father	Aaron Allen Prater, I,   b. 10 Oct 1710, Orphans Gift, Prince George, Md ,   d. 14 Feb 1777, Rockville, Montgomery, Md  (Age 66 years)
  Relationship	Natural
  Mother	Mary Jane Prater,   b. 29 Aug 1710, ,Calvert, Md ,   d. Bef 1777, ,Montgomery, Md  (Age < 66 years)
  Relationship	Natural
  Married	10 Oct 1738	South River Parish, Anne Arundel Co., Md
  Family ID	F6290	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Clorinda unknown, Chloe,   b. 14 Aug 1748, Lower, Frederick, Md ,   d. 27 Jul 1812, Utica Twp., Clark Co., Ind.  (Age 63 years)
  Married	Maryland
  Children	1. Nancy Elizabeth Prather,   b. 1765, ,of Amelia, Va ,   d. Abt 1840, ., Ky.  (Age 75 years)  [Natural]   2. William Prather, Judgeskipjack,   b. 15 Aug 1766, Rockville, Frederick, Md ,   d. 12 Apr 1858, ,Jennings, In  (Age 91 years)  [Natural]   3. Walter Prater, Prather,   b. 02 Feb 1768, ,Frederick, Md ,   d. 27 Oct 1841, ,Clark, In  (Age 73 years)  [Natural]   4. Thomas Prater Prather, Sr,   b. 23 Jul 1769, ,Frederick, Md ,   d. 25 Mar 1854, Jeffersonville, Clark Co., Ind.  (Age 84 years)  [Natural]   5. Basil Robertson Prather,   b. 27 Jun 1771, Lower Potomac Hundred, Frederick Co., Md. ,   d. 12 Oct 1823, ,Clark, In  (Age 52 years)  [Natural]   6. Catherine Prather,   b. 1772, ,Rowan, Nc  [Natural]   7. John Asa Prather,   b. Abt 1775, ,Rowan, Nc ,   d. Aft 1850, Utica, Clark, In  (Age ~ 76 years)  [Natural]   8. Aaron Prather, Prater,   b. Abt 1777, Bladen, Rowan, Nc ,   d. 27 Dec 1825, ,Clark, In  (Age ~ 48 years)  [Natural]   9. Samuel Prather, Judge,   b. Abt 1780, ,Rowan, Nc ,   d. Aft 1850, ,Clark, In  (Age ~ 71 years)  [Natural]   10. Lloyd Benton Prather,   b. 25 Nov 1782, ,Rowan, Nc ,   d. 25 Apr 1867, ,Douglas, Ks  (Age 84 years)  [Natural]   11. Rebecca Prather,   b. Abt 1784, ,Rowan, Nc ,   d. Crawford Co., In.  [Natural]   12. Rachel Prather,   b. Abt 1787, ,Rowan, Nc  [Natural]   13. Sihon Simon Prather,   b. 09 Nov 1790, ,Iredell, Nc ,   d. 12 Jan 1843, ,Clark, In  (Age 52 years)  [Natural]   14. Chloe Clorinda Prather,   b. Abt 1794, ,Iredell, Nc ,   d. Aft 1850  (Age ~ 57 years)  [Natural]   15. Susannah Prather,   b. Abt 1798, ,Iredell, Nc  [Natural]
  Last Modified	28 Jul 2015
  Family ID	F11073	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• 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.