Back in the 1970’s when the Magoffin County Historical Society was established there was no Internet, no email, and none of us had home computers. Our communication was done via US mail with pen and paper and occasionally the telephone. We were fortunate to have several avid researchers in various parts of these United States who corresponded regularly with us and shared the family info they gleaned from their travels to resource centers. Some among these were C. E. Shepard of Dayton, OH (Shepherd and Hale families), Mrs. L. W. (Marian) Ledgerwood of Arkansas, Elisabeth Salyer of Nickelsville, VA (Salyer and related families), Iva P. Baker of Oklahoma (Carpenter family) and Martha Heinemann of Tennessee (Prater and Bradley families). The help they gave us in those early years has remained valid and important in our research efforts.
Just this week we had a visitor David Prater who wanted to establish the lineage of his Prater family. He was born at Carver, here in Magoffin County but his family lived earlier in Breathitt County and later moved to the Parma, Michigan area.
At first we did not think we could help David in his research as his family did not match the Prater’s found in the later Magoffin County census records. From our 1980 Prater family book we soon found that he was a distant relative of Martha Heinemann mentioned above and also related to our own Magoffin County Historical Society member Nancy Prater Bays.
David was a son of Pearl Prater b. 1931 d. 1989. David’s mother was Esta Fay Watkins b. 21 Aug 1939 and died 23 Dec 1963. She is buried in the Parma Cemetery in Jackson Co. MI along with her husband Pearl and his 2nd wife Florence L. Prater (1929-2010). We are still in search of info on David’s mother Esta Fay Watkins and request the help of anyone who can tell us of her parentage. Please write Magoffin County Historical Society, PO Box 222, Salyersville, KY 41465 (email:
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David’s grandparents were Stewart Prater (1899-1982) and Caroline Noble. Stewart was a son of William "Will" Prater and Rebecca Campbell who were married 3 Nov 1898 in Breathitt Co. KY. Rebecca was a dau of Jeremiah "Jerry" Campbell (1857-1950) and Armina Thorpe (also spelled "Tharp") Armina was born in 1862 Tennessee. She may be a dau of Oliver and Rebecca Tharp.
The 1940 Breathitt census lists Jerry Campbell as age 80 and wife Armina as age 77. They are buried in the Tharp Cemetery, Portsmouth, Breathitt Co. KY.
Will Prater was born in 1878 and was a son of George Prater and Polly Ann Hays who lived at Lambric in Breathitt Co. KY. Will and Rebecca were the parents of these children: (1) Amanda Prater b. 1898, (2) Stewart Prater b. 1900 m. 1st Caroline Noble and m. 2nd Hattie Manns (they lived at Tip Top in Magoffin Co.), (3) Jerry Prater b. 1904 m. Vicie Nicks, (4) Dulcina Prater b. 1905 m. Andy Clemons, (5) Edward Prater m. Linda Smith (lived at Knox, IN), (6) America Prater b. 1912 m. Mainard Griffith and Kelly Clemons, (7) Laura Prater b. 1914) m. Woodrow Ritchie, (8) Lizzie Prater b. 1917 m. Ellis Bailey, (9) Elvira Prater b. 1920 m. Breckenridge Fugate and (10) Rosie Prater m. Clarence Griffith.
Will’s father George Prater was born in 1846 on Salt Lick of Floyd Co. KY and died 23 Jan 1911. George and Polly (Hays) Prater were the parents of (1) George Prater, Jr. m. Rose Stacy and Mollie Mullins, (2) Phillip Prater b. 1867 d. 1929 m. Dora Smith, (3) Jack Prater, (4) Will Prater m. Rebecca Campbell (Nancy Bays’ ancestors), (5) Sylvia Prater m. -?- Shepherd, (6) Clarinda Prater m. Henry C. Clemons, (7) Catherine Prater m. Hiram Miller.
George Prater was a son of Lorenzo D. Prater and Sarah Bradley. Lorenzo D. was a son of Thomas Prater (1790 VA -1860 Floyd Co. KY) and Elizabeth Salisbury who were married in 1818.
We do not have an established parentage for Thomas Prater yet.
In our Prater manuscript revision we have several "branches" of the Prater family tree. We have more information on the descendants of William and Obedience Prater than others. William Prater was born in 1780 and is believed to be a son of Jonathan and Sarah Elizabeth (Musick) Prater. He married Obedience who was also a Prater, her father being an earlier William Prater.
Other Prater lineages include James Wesley Prater b. 1782 VA, married Phoebe Griffith, d. 1855 Morgan Co. KY, and believed to be a son of Jonathan and Elizabeth Musick.
We have a section on a younger Jonathan Prater b. 1790 VA and married in Virginia to Margaret Griffith. They appear in the 1840 and 1850 Floyd Co. KY census records.
Our Allen families are also Prater descendants. Samuel Allen married Sarah Prater 17 Sep 1783 in Henry Co. Virginia. Sarah is believed to be a daughter of Jonathan and Elizabeth (Musick) Prater.
Most of the Praters we have recorded, if not all, seem to be descendants of Archibald Prater b. 1755 d. 1831 (married Sarah Fugate) or of his brother Jonathan Prater b. 1750 d. 1795 (m. Sarah Elizabeth Musick).
Archibald Prater, age 25, a farmer by trade, born in Pittsylvania Co. VA and a resident of Henry Co. VA at the time, enlisted in the Revolutionary forces on 11 Sep 1780. His physical description was given as 6 feet 2 ½ inches in height, brown/blond hair and fair complexion. The next man on the list was Jonathan Prater, age 22 years, 6 feet 1 inch in height, light brown/blond hair, blue eyes, fair complexion and same trade, birthplace, residence and enlistment date as Archibald Prater.
Archibald Prater was a pioneer settler living in the area that became Magoffin County in 1860. His home was in present day Salyersville. His wife, Sarah Fugate, was a daughter of Josiah and Elizabeth Fugate. Josiah Fugate’s will is lodged in Ralls Co. Missouri.
Magoffin County Historical
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