Biography

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Prather-72

Jonathan was born in 1630, son of Thomas Prather [uncertain] and Mary McKay (Powell) Prather [uncertain]

Jonathan Prather and his wife Jane, on Swan Creek, built their home on the estate they called Prather Hall Plantation. Arrived in Maryland, 6 October 1658. They did not live there long and disposed of it to George Gouldsmith, who in his Will of April 1666, bequeathed Prather Hall to his daughter, Mary Gouldsmith [adopted daughter]. This 'Prather Hall' was located near the present site of Ft. Washington, near what became Swan Creek Rd. on the Potomac River. (about 10 miles south of the present Capitol Bldg., Washington D.C.)[8]

Children of JOHNATHAN PRATHER and LYLE MCKAY are:

1. WILLIAM NATHAN PRATHER I, b. 1670, Calvert Co., Maryland; d. 1747, Calvert Co., Maryland.
2. JONATHAN PRATHER II, b. September 12, 1666, Calvert Co., Maryland; d. March 20, 1736, Prince George Co. Maryland.
3. GEORGE (PRATER) PRATHER, b. 1668, Calvert Co., Maryland; d. July 29, 1698, Prince George Co. Maryland.
4. THOMAS M. PRATHER, b. Abt. 1673, Calvert Co., Maryland; d. Abt. 1712, Prince George Co. Maryland.
5. JOHN PRATHER, b. 1676, Calvert Co., Maryland; d. December 20, 1718, Prince George Co. Maryland.
6. JANE PRATHER, b. Bet. 1678 - 1680, Prince George Co. Maryland.
7. ELIZABETH PRATHER, b. 1680, Prince George Co. Maryland.

Note: British Roots of Maryland Families doesn't list Elizabeth as a child of Jonathan and Jane. It does state that Jonathan was the first one to use the Prather spelling.

Notes

Jonathan purchased land on Swan Creek and built Prather Hall[4]. His 2 wives listed here [Mary-Jane and Lyle-Jane] are the same person, [sic - They may be two different women: Jonathan married in 1654 in VA and again in 1660 in MD][5] She could be a relative of his mother as some question whether her maiden name was McKay or Powell, The death rate of that colony was so high that few families stayed intact. [6].

It has been claimed that Jonathan was born in Virginia and later moved to Maryland around 1658. His name is recorded in several documents and we find it spelled several different ways. For example; he assigned land he owned, which stated it was land owned by Jonathan Prether but when he signed the document he signed: Jonathan Prater. He is also recorded in other such documents as Prater, Prator, Prether, Praither, and Prather. Such was the level of education in those days, most people 'sounded out' the spelling, and then spelled it that way. We find the names Prater and Prather the most commonly used in documents concerning Jonathan.

When Jonathan died, his wife [Lyle-Jane Prather] remarried to John Smith, a wealthy Maryland planter. He was very good to Lyle-Jane and Jonathan's children, whom he raised as his own (he had no direct heirs; just a nephew). When John Smith died, he willed them a Plantation he called Orphans' Gift which was located near the city of St. Mary, Maryland. John Smith's will was proven 13 Oct. 1707 Lyle-Jane (Prather) Smith's Will was proven 7th Dec. 1713.

We thought for years that 'Jane' was a Goldsmith, daughter of George Goldsmith [aka Gouldsmith] but now know she was Lyle Jane McKay. She was raised by the Goldsmiths. [NOTE: there may have been a Mary Jane ?? who was a ward of the Goldsmiths as Jonathan's first wife.][7]

Jonathan Prather's Coat-of-Arms was registered with the College of Heraldry and has proven to be the continuing and long-established 'Prater Family' whose ancestral estates were located on Eaton Water, in the County of Wiltshire, England. The Eaton Water Estates include Latton Manor, Inglesham Manor which are located along the headwaters of the Thames River north of Swindon, Wiltshire, England. Jonathan used the 'Prater' coat-of-arms on some of his documents. Several other documents were also found.

References

• http://prathergenealogy.com/defaultmain.htm

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Family Tree data standardization: removed suffix

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Family Tree data standardization: corrected name designation category. Variation in spelling of last name.

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Family Tree data standardization.

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Secondary Source: Find A Grave Index

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Died of heart attackPlantation owner ~~ Please attach and reference a valid Primary or Secondary source. Thanks!

Died of heart attack Plantation owner

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of Prater's Hall on Swan Creek and of Ca

of Prater's Hall on Swan Creek and of Calverton Manor.

Sources: Lorretta Sullivan

Jonathan Prather (from Comp. Amer. Gen. Vol IV Pg. 4) lived Calvert Co.,MD.

Archive records.

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Memorial Some genealogy researchers have claimed that Jonathan was born in England but these were assumptions made by people who were involved in the 'early' research of our family before the research was more

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Jonathan Prather was born in VA and lat

Jonathan Prather was born in VA and later moved to Maryland about 1652 to 1658. His name is recorded in several documents and we find it spelled several different ways. As example; he assigned land he owned, which stated that Jonathan Prather owned it but when he signed the document he signed; Jonathan Prater. We have also found the name spelled Prater, Prator, Prether, Praither, and Prather. Such was the level of education in those days; most people "sounded out the spellings and then spelled them that way. When Jonathan died his wife remarried to John Smith, a very wealthy Planter. He was very good to Jonathan's children and when he died he willed them a plantation he called "Orphans Gift" which was located near the city of St. Mary in Maryland. John Smith's will was proved 13 Oct 1707. Jane Prather Smith's will was proved 7 Dec 1713. The oldest son, JONATHAN PRATHER II, at the death of his father, JONATHAN PRATHER I, was only 14 years old. The children's mother was still a young woman. Two years after Jonathan's death Jane married a wealthy Scots tobacco farmer named John Smith whose home was "BROOKFIELD" at Mattapany Landing on the Patuxent River, Prince George County MD. Jane's son, Jonathan II then received the land of Thomas Sprigg, which was called SPRIGG'S REQUEST. Jonathan also received 100 acres belonging to his mother in the same manor. John Smith had no children of his own but became a devoted and generous stepfather to Jane's children. As each grew up and married, he gave him a plantation and gave "THORLAND" to the daughter's of the girl. Jane had been the wife of Jonathan Prather for 14 years, She was the wife of John Smith for 25 years and his widow for 6. During those 31 years all of her children grew up at "BROOKFIELD" and were married from that home. John Smith died 3 Sept 1707 and left Jane 350 acres-- - - part of "BROOKFIELD" for life. This property passed to his nephew. John Bowie, at Jane's death in December 1713.

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Prather Bulletin

Jonathan Prather born in Viginia about 1631 married Jane, born 1635-1638. They were transported by water from Virginia to Maryland in a small vessel owned by George Reada, priore tro Feb. 23 1658 with five other men and one other woman. Jonathan Prather died Calvert County Md. 1680, prior to Aug. 21, leaving his widow Jane Prather, and six surviving children: Generation 3: 1. Jonathan Prather, 2 2. Jane Prather 3.George Prather 4. William I. Prather 5. John Prther 6. Thomas Prather

Johnathan's widow, Jane,died 1713. Will (Annapolis Wills, page 623). She married (2) John Smith.

II. Samuel Prather (no information) III. William Prather (no information)

(from Stout Lillard to Mrs. George W. Prather)

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Memorial Latton Manor is the most beautiful of what remains of our family manors which sat on Eaton Water, on the Cricklade of North Wiltshire. I spent several nights in Latton Manor, sleeping in one of the ho

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Source: "The Early Settlers of MD" by

Source: "The Early Settlers of MD" by Gus Skordas (Geneal. Pub. Co., Baltimore, MD.) Jonathan Prather--Immigrant b. ?, Wiltshire, Eng., arrived in MD 6 Oct 1658 (Patents Liber Q, Folio 202), d. 1680 Wife, Jane, b. ? d. will probated 7 Dec 1713, P. G. Co., MD, Liber 1, Folio 74 father: George Goldsmith? Spouse #2, John Smith of Mattapony Landing P. G. Co., MD, m. 1683, d. 1707-will 23 Sep 1701, (Liber 1, Folio 30) Jonathan's estate was valued a 13,750 pounds at his death. Built their home near the present site of Ft. Washington on the Potomac River, Swan Creek Rd., about 10 miles due south of the U.S. Capitol Bldg.

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Memorial NPE Event: These parents would be adoptive. The mom from Endland is not likely as Mary Prather born in 1608 would be having a child after the age of 55 years John Prather, George Calvert Prather, Elin

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Memorial Jonathan was born in 1630. Jonathan Prather[2]

Jonathan Prather (Prather I)'s Birthplace was provided by Robert Gardine.[3]

Jonathan purchased land on Swan Creek and built Prather Hall[4]. His 2 wiv

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Life Sketch

He traveled up the Potomac River on a small boat owned by George Read. He settled at a spot called Swan's Creek, about 10 miles south of the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.

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Jonathan and Jane were transported by w ~~ Please attach and reference a valid Primary or Secondary source. Thanks!

Jonathan and Jane were transported by water from Virginia to Maryland in a small vessal owned by George Reade, prior to February 23, 1658 with five other men and one woman. Jonathan died in 1680 leaving no will. However, his wife appeared before the August 1680 Court of Calvert County and showed the letters of adminstration on her husband's estate.

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From Gary Benton Prather (entered 08/10/

From Gary Benton Prather (entered 08/10/95): "Jonathan Was born in Virgina and later moved to Maryland (circa 1652/1658). His name is recorded in several documents and we find it spelled several different ways. As example, he assigned land he owned, which stated it was land owned by Jonathan Prether, but when he signed the docuemnt he signed "Jonathan Prater". He is also recorded in other such documents as "Prater", "Prator", "Prether", "Praither" and "Prather". Such was the level of education in those days; most people "sounded out" the spelling, and then spelled that way. We find the names "Prater" and "Prather" the most commonly used in documents concerning Jonathan. When Jonathan died, his wife remarried to John Smith, a very wealthy planter. He was very good to Jonathan's children and, when he died, he willed them a plantation he called "Orphans' Gift", which was located near the city of St. Mary in Maryland. John Smith's Will was proved October 13, 1707. Jane Prather Smith's Will was proved December 7, 1713. We thought for years that "Jane" was a Goldsmith, daughter of George Goldsmith, but now we know she was Lyle Jane McKay. She was RAISED by the Goldsmiths. Jonathan Prather's coat of arms was registered with the College of Heraldy and has proven to be the continuing and long established "Prater Family", whose ancestrial estates were located on Eaton Water Estates, including Latton Manor and Inglesham Manor, which are located along the headwaters of the Thames River, north of Swindon, Wiltshire, England. Jonathan used the Prater coat of arms on some of his documents. Several other documents were also found. Jonathan Prather was transported by water from Virginia up Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River to Swan Creek, then to Calvert County, Maryland (now Prince George County) with four men and one other woman; Alexander Forcarson, Robert MacKay and wife, William Woodrose, William Mill and William Jones. They traveled in a small vessle owned by you ng George Reed of Calvert County, Maryland. We suspect that the "other woman" was Lyle Jane Mackay, sister of Robert Mackay.

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The Praters descended from "Reinbald De ~~ Please attach and reference a valid Primary or Secondary source. Thanks!

The Praters descended from "Reinbald De Presbyter" (Reinbald Prater the Elder), who was the first Chancellor of England under King William, Duke of Normandy.

References

• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Prather-72
• https://www.multiwords.de/genealogy/Pr16%20Williamus%20Prather.html
• https://prathergenealogy.com/TNG/getperson.php?personID=I113526&tre...
• https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I1184...