| Notes |
- ARCHIBALD PRATER:
After the Rev. War and he was discharged he moved to Washington Co., VA. where
he patented 153 3/4 acres of land. This property was located near Ceder Bluff
in present day Tazewell Co., VA.
The name Archibald Prater was on the personal property tax list of Russel Co.,
Va. as late as 1799.
According to the 1850 census of Floyd Co., KY. his daughter Nancy was born in
VA. about 1802 and his daughter Celia was born in KY. on 1807... thus the
family must have moved from VA. to KY. between 1802 & 1807.
We do know that he had a brother, Jonathan Prather born ca. 1758 in Halifax
Co., VA. and enlisted with Archibald in the Rev. War. Jonathan married
Elizabeth Musick.
Archibald first came to Nicholas Co., Ky., which at that time included
what is now Bath & Fleming Co., & expected to settle there. A terrible drought
occurred in the section, crops drying up, livestock dying for the lack of
water & pasture, & general desolation threatened.
Archibald and his older boys, having heard of the heavy pea-vine growth &
abundance of water in Floyd Co. & having realized they were facing starvation
if their stock died, moved to Floyd Co., Ky.
They built a house & planted crops. Sarah & the other children remained in
Nicholas Co. The boys did so well in Floyd that the next year Sarah & the
children went back with them. They increased the size of their house & spent
the remainder of their lives there.
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The earliest record of Archibald Prater is in the list of those who signed
the Oath of Allegiance to the United States in Henry Co., VA. on 3 Jan.,
1777, all free males over 16 years of age were asked to sign this oath.
On the Henry Co., VA. list are Archibald Prater, Jonathan Prater, Samuel
Allen, and Electious Musick.
His military service record listed him as 25 years old, 6ft.2in. tall,
Brown Hair, Blue Eyes, fair complexion.
He enlisted Henry Co., Va. 11 Sept., 1780 & served 1.5 years.
Enlisted: Chesterfield Court House in 1780; Chesterfield Court House Roll
pages #53A & #53B. File can be found at VA. State Library.
Archibald Prater and Jonathan Prater enlisted same day, with names next to
each others. Both Privates.
Listed as farmers by trade, born in Pittsylvania Co., VA., resideing in
Henry Co., VA.
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COLLINS HISTORY OF KY. p. 536:
Magoffin Co., Ky. was first settled about 1800 by emigrants,
Archibald Prather (Prater), John Williams, Clayton Cook, Ebenezer Hanna, &
a few others.
Some of them had attempted the settlement in 1794, but were driven back by
Indians.
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KY. ENCYCLOPEDIA p.795:
Situated on the upper part of the Licking River, Salyersville was the site of
a pioneer station known as "PRATERS FORT" or "LICKING STATION".
An attempt at settlement was made there in 1794, but the pioneer were driven
off by Indians. Many of the same group of early settlers returned around 1800
to remain permanently. Among these were Archibald Prather, Clayton Cook,
Ebenezer Hannah & a few others.
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THE WILL OF ACHIBLAD PRATER (PRATHER):
"Floyd Co., Ky., Feb. 9, 1831: I, archibald Prater of the county and state
aforesaid, being weak in body but of sound mind, being well-stricken in years
& in bad health, seeing that I am about to go the way of all the earth. I feel
it my duty to resign my body to the grave & my spirit to the God who gave it.
As to my estate both real & personal, at my death I wish it disposed of in the
following manner: my son, John $1; my son Wm$1: dau Elizabeth $1; son Thomas
$1; son Archibald, $1; son Elijah, $1; son James $1; dau Sally $1; dau Nancy
$1; dau Celia $1; dau Mary $1; son Josiah $1; The balance, both real &
personal, I will & bequeath to my dearly beloved wife, Sally, And at her
death, if my son Josiah is alive, I wish him put in the hands of my son
Thomas as long as he lives. Also Will & beqqueath son Thomas 2 shares of all
my estate; also to Elijah Prater & Isadore and James Picklesimer, my
grandchildren, sons of dau Sallie. I Will them each $50 to be paid out of
estate. The balance, after all debts are paid, to be divided among all the
rest of my children with the exception of son Josiah. "I don't want him to
have any of my estate". Only the $1 aforementioned.
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MAGOFFIN CO. HISTORICAL SOCIETY :
Archibald & Sarah Prater lived near Salyersville in Magoffin Co., Ky. ; their
house overlooked the Licking River. They were buried about 100 yds from the
house on what is now the campus of the Magoffin Co., High School. The county
purchased the school property from Magoffin Baptist Institute, which was moved
to Breathitt Co., Magoffin Baptist Insitute, in constructing a new building,
destroyed the four graves of Archibald & /Sarah Prater & son, James & wife,
and built the new school building over their graves.
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Cira 1782/5 Archiblad Prater moved to Washington Co., VA. where he patented
153 3/4 acres of land. The property was located near Ceder Bluff in present
day Tazzwell Co., VA. The name of Archibald Prater was on the personal
property tax list of Russel Co., VA. as late as 1799.
According to the 1850 census of Floyd Co., KY. his daughter Nancy was born in
VA. about 1802 and his daughter Celia was born in KY. in 1807, thus the family
must have moved from VA. to KY. between 1802 and 1807.
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NOTE: Also refer to the files of Achibalds brother, Nehemiah Prater.
Since Pittsylvania Co. had not been created from Halifax when Archibald
and Jonathan Prater were born (based on enlistment age, when they enlisted
at Chesterfield Court House), they probably were born in that part of
Halifax which became Pittsylvania and still later Henry Co.
The Statutes of the Legislature of Virginia (Hening's Statutes) contain
a list of payments of residents of halifax Co., in Sept., 1758, mostly for
service in the militia, for hire of horses, or for provisions.
On these list are Nehemiah and Nungum Prator.
In the County Court Orders of Pittsylvania Co. the following names were found:
1767= Nehemiah Prater, 1768= William Prater, 1778= Ninian (Ningum) Prater.
In 1766 land was surveyed for Elexious Musick.
Personal Property Tax List Henry Co., VA.: 1778= Nehemiah, Archibald,
Jonathan,and Ninion (Ningum) Prater.// 1779= Jonathan, Archibald, Ninian,
William, and Minar (Nehemiah) Prater. // 1780= Nehemiah, Jonathan, William,
Ninion, and Archibald. During 1782/87 Samuel Allen and Elexious Musick were on
the list.
In Henry Co., VA. Marriage Records is listed the marriage of Samuel Allen
to Sarah Prater 17 Sept., 1783. (Sarah is the daughter of Nehemiah Prater).
Jonathan Prater, brother of Archibald, married Sarah Musick, daughter of
Elexious Musick.
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Prater/Prather Genealogy* 120,000+ Family Members
1755 - 1831 (76 years)