| Notes |
- His son was Mayor of Missouri Valley, Iowa in 1915.
History of Harrison Co., IA.
by Hon. Charles W. Hunt & Will L. Clark
pub. 1915, Bowen & Company Inc.
Jonathan C. Prather: One of the leading citizens of Missouri Valley, IA.
He is now serving as May0or of the city. He has spent most of his life since
1870 in Missouri Valley and has been engaged in business there most of the
time.
As a young man, he taught school for a few years and later engaged in the
grocery business for many years. He has taken a prominent part in the Civic
Life of his city and has held various official positions before becoming
mayor.
Jonathan C. Prather, the son of J.C. Prather and Elizabeth Roland was born
27 March, 1853, on a farm in the eastern part of Lucas Co., IA.
His father died in Oct., 1852, before his b9irth in the following spring, and
consequently, Jonathan has no knowledge of his paternal history.
His mother was a native of Indiana, and after her husband's death, married a
Mr. Chambers. To her first marriage were born two children, Mrs. Nacny Shore
of Lucas Co., IA. and J.C. Prather of Missouri Valley, IA.
To her second marriage were born five children, Frank and Albert, farmers
of Harrison Co., IA.; Arthur, a banker of Linwood, IA.; Mrs. M. Haight and
Mrs. E. Gash of Harrison Co., IA.
J. C. Prather was educated in the common schools and had one year of training
in the Missouri Valley High School. He workded on farms in the summer seasons
and went to school during the winter. In 1870 he came to Missouri Valley and
spent most of the remainder of his life in this city. He started to teach
school before reaching his majority, and for four years taught in Harrison and
Pottawattamie Counties. While still a young man, he engaged in the groucery
business in Missouri Valley, and for ten years conducted a successful grocery
in the city. He then disposed of this business and engaged in tubular well
drilling for 15 years.
J.C. Prather has always been active in local Democratic politics and was
elected to the city cuncil in 1886, serving for 8 consecutive years. He was
appointed mayor in the early nineties to fill out an unexpired term, and was
elected mayor in 1913. He servied another term on the city council, beginning
in 1911. In that year he was the nominee of this party for county supervisor
and many of his friends thought he was elected. It was a close race, but he
finally was declared defeated. As Mayor, in cooperation with the council, he
has been instrumental in hav9ing $14,000 expended for curbing and gutters in
the city and a similar amount was expended in the summer of 1914. The city is
also engaged in paving operations at an expense of nearly $58,000, an
improvement which will greatly enhance the beauty of the city. Mayor Prather
also has taken an active part in behalf of the drainage system of the town,
and improvement which is much needed. In fact, Mr. Prather is deeply
interested in every movement which he feels will benefit the city of which he
has the honor to be the chief executive. He is a popular man throughout the
county and is well known and universally liked be everyone with whom he comes
in contact.
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Prater/Prather Genealogy* 120,000+ Family Members
Abt 1822 - 1852 (~ 30 years)