Individual Details
Robert "Bob" PRATHER of Magnet, Perry Co., IN
(Ca 1800 - 16 Aug 1870)
Most current researchers have him as the son of William "Skipjack" of KY and Lucinda Ashcraft; however, Census information which shows him born TN leads others to believe he was the son of Reese, contrary to the research of Dewey Prather (q.v. Skipjack). There is no documentation other than family oral history that Skipjack was ever with Lucinda.
Events
| Birth | Ca 1800 | Rowan Co., KY | |||
| Marriage | 23 Jan 1823 | Mt. Pleasant, Perry Co., IN - Elizabeth Pleasant HORTON |  | ||
| Emigration | Abt 1828 | KY to Perry Co., IN | |||
| Emigration | Abt 1836 | Perry Co., IN to Meade Co., KY | |||
| Census | 1840 | Meade Co., KY | |||
| Census (family) | 1850 | Meade Co., KY - Elizabeth Pleasant HORTON | | ||
| Emigration | Abt 1850 | Meade Co., KY to Perry Co., IN | |||
| Occupation | Abt 1855 | horsethief | | ||
| Miscellaneous | Bef 5 Jun 1858 | and his sons were arrested for horse stealing - Perry Co., IN | |||
| Census (family) | 1860 | Meade Co., KY - Elizabeth Pleasant HORTON | | ||
| Census | 1870 | Caseville, Meade Co., KY | |||
| Death | 16 Aug 1870 | Meade Co., KY | |
Families
| Spouse | Living |
| Spouse | Elizabeth Pleasant HORTON (1804 - 1866) |
| Child | William Jennings PRATHER (1827 - 1900) |
| Child | Jonathan PRATHER (1829 - 1860) |
| Child | Ransler "Rance" PRATHER (1830 - 1903) |
| Child | Reuben PRATHER (1832 - 1903) |
| Child | Thomas P. PRATHER (1834 - 1859) |
| Child | Jackson "Jack/Jackie" PRATHER (1836 - 1910) |
| Child | Pleasant "Doc" PRATHER (1838 - 1916) |
| Child | Richard Thomas PRATHER (1939 - 1870) |
| Child | Cynthia PRATHER (1842 - 1850) |
| Father | Judge William B. "Skipjack" PRATHER (1766 - 1853) |
| Mother | Lucinda ASHCRAFT ( - 1800) |
| Father | Reese PRATHER of Greene Co., TN (1763 - 1771) |
Notes
Marriage
From: Indiana Marriage Collection, 1800-1941 (Ancestry.com)Census (family)
Robert Prather 50Elizabeth Prather 45
Reuben Prather 20
Thomas Prather 16
Jackson Prather 14
Pleasant Prather 12
Ruhama Prather 10
Cynthia Prather 8
Occupation
Their system of stealing horses avoided stealing horses from the near vicinity, favoring nearby counties instead. The horses were lead by the crippled Robert Prather who decided the price to be obtained in gold for each. The horses were then taken to distant states and sold. All this occurred during 5 or 6 years in the 1850s. Most of the gold was supposed to have been buried in several locations around the homestead, and there have been many unsuccessful hunts since then.In late May 1858 a posse of vigilantes from Crawford and Harrison Counties raided the Prather homestead and arrested 5 of the brothers and Samuel Scott; they were jailed at Leavenworth. In December 1858 the Perry County Sheriff arrested Robert and the youngest son, Richard. The oldest son, Jonathan, was never caught. Another son, Rueben, seems to have remained in Meade County, probably acting as agent in moving horses through Kentucky to more distant parts.
Robert remained in jail at Rome from December 1858 to late May 1859. He received a 5-year sentence and son Richard received 4 years. However, on 16 August 1860, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Prather, Jonathan, and Rueben are listed in Meade County. On 16 July 1860 Jackson, Pleasant, and Renslear Prather are listed in Jeffersonville prison. Thomas had died in jail at Leavenworth before May 1859. William and Richard are unaccounted for in 1860. The Perry County property of Robert and Jonathan Prather was sold at auction by the sheriff. It did not raise enough to settle the fines and court costs of more than $700.00. -- History of Perry County, Indiana. Goodspeed. 1985. p.590.
Census (family)
Reuben Prather 27Thos R Prather 2
Robert Prather 56
Elizabeth Prather 42
Jonathan Prather 31
E A Prather 4/12