Individual Details

The earliest identifiable ancestor is William's father, William Prather, who married Marthea Berwick in 1794 in Opelousas Louisiana Supposedly he was from Virginia and his parents names were Cheri Prather and Marie Williams. Probably he was a relative of Azariah Prather of Opelousas Louisiana whose genealogy has been traced to 11th century England, but the exact relationship is not yet known.

William Prater (1798-1850), the son of William and Marthea married Fanny Lyons in 1822 , settled in Calcasieu Parish Louisiana about 1832, was a farmer, purchased land in 1841, and had about 15 children. Edwin, their oldest, moved to Beaumont Texas in the 1850s, had 7 children, taught school, farmed over 700 acres, and was buried there in a small family cemetery bearing his name.Doris married Joseph Broussard and is buried next to her parents in Big Woods Louisiana Lyons Prater had 4 children and died young. William Hampton Prater had 2 children who died in childhood. Charles Prater was a merchant and had 8 children . Ellen married Gabriel Robertson and had 9 children. Mary Emaline married Marcelous E. Hasha and had 15 child ren. Jasper Newton Prater, had 12 children, and was a prominent lumberman, grocer, realestate investor , and banker in Calcasieu Parish. Anderson, Mary, Hermogin, Virgil, and Sara are named in census and succession records of 1850.

Birth	6 Oct 1798	TX
Marriage	27 Aug 1822	Lafayette Par., LA - Elizabeth Francois "Fanny" LYONS
Census	1840	Calcasieu Par., LA
Death	5 May 1850	Big Woods, Calcasieu Par., LA
Alt name		William J. PRATHER
Burial		Big Woods Cemetery, Edgerly, Calcasieu Par., LA

Spouse	Elizabeth Francois "Fanny" LYONS (1804 - 1877)
Child	Edwin PRATER (1823 - 1905)
Child	Doris PRATER (1825 - 1882)
Child	Lyons PRATER (1826 - 1861)
Child	Anderson PRATER (1827 - 1850)
Child	William Hampton PRATER (1829 - 1903)
Child	Charles PRATER (1831 - 1897)
Child	Ellen Prater (1834 - 1922)
Child	Hermogen PRATER (1835 - 1850)
Child	Virgil PRATER (1838 - )
Child	Mary Emmeline Prater (1839 - 1908)
Child	Sara Prater (1840 - )
Child	Jasper Newton PRATER (1845 - 1926)

Father	William PRATHER (1775 - 1829)
Mother	Agnes Marthea Imogene BERWICK (1776 - 1832)
Sibling	Charles PRATER (1797 - 1798)

Notes