| 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.
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Prater/Prather Genealogy* 120,000+ Family Members
1766 - 1858 (91 years)