Western Pennsylvania Genealogy
Compiled by Douglas H. Lusher


Family Group Record



picture
Thomas Hicks Prather, Sr. and Elizabeth Crunkleton




Husband Thomas Hicks Prather, Sr. 1

           Born: 2 Apr 1755 - Frederick Co, MD 1
     Christened: 
           Died: 15 Feb 1818 - East Hickory, Forest Co, PA 1
         Buried: 


         Father: Henry Prather (1732-1775) 1 2 3
         Mother: Elizabeth Mary Hicks (      -      ) 1 2


       Marriage: 25 Jan 1776 4



Wife Elizabeth Crunkleton 3

           Born: 11 Feb 1758 - Franklin Co, PA 3
     Christened: 
           Died: 30 Jun 1831 - Venango Co, PA 3
         Buried: 


Children
1 F Mary "Polly" Prather 5

           Born: 7 Nov 1776 5
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 



2 M Henry Prather 5 6 7

           Born: 5 Aug 1778 - Antrim Twp, Franklin Co, PA 5
     Christened: 
           Died: Nov 1818 5 6
         Buried: 
         Spouse: Lydia Ricketts (Abt 1780-1855) 8
           Marr: Bef 1800


3 F Sarah "Sally" Prather 5 9

           Born: 25 Oct 1780 5
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 
         Spouse: James Ricketts (1766-1857) 10 11 12
           Marr: Huntingdon Co, PA


4 M Robert Prather 1 5

           Born: 1782 5
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 
         Spouse: [Unk] Green (      -      ) 5


5 F Ruhama "Ruhany" Prather 5

           Born: 16 Dec 1784 5
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 



6 M Abraham Crunkleton Prather 1 13 14

           Born: 19 Sep 1786 - Franklin Co, PA 1
     Christened: 
           Died: 7 Jul 1850 - Plumer, Cornplanter Twp, Venango Co, PA 1 15
         Buried:  - U. P. Cemetery, Plumer, Cornplanter Twp, Venango Co, PA 15
         Spouse: Sarah McCalmont (1803-1874) 1 16
           Marr: 7 Feb 1822 15


7 F Rebecca Prather 5

           Born: 18 Nov 1789 5
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 



8 M Thomas Hicks "Hicks", "Hix" Prather, Jr. 5 17

           Born: 7 May 1791 or 1794 - Franklin Co, PA 5
     Christened: 
           Died: 26 Feb 1861 - East Hickory, Forest Co, PA 5
         Buried:  - Prather Cemetery, East Hickory, Forest Co, PA
         Spouse: Unknown (      -      )
         Spouse: Susanna Myers (1811-1889)
           Marr: 22 Jun 1829 17



General Notes: Husband - Thomas Hicks Prather, Sr.


In 1801, Thomas Prather left his home in Franklin County, PA, and, with two sons, Robert aged seventeen, and Abram, aged fifteen, came to a place within one-half mile of the present site of Plumer, Venango County, then a dense wilderness, bringing with them enough food for some time. Leaving the boys, the father returned to his home, expecting to return soon with the rest of the family. When he arrived home circumstances prevented his returning to where he had left his sons, for about three months. When he finally returned, he found the boys in a destitute condition: the Indians having stolen their provisions, and they, being unaccustomed to hunt­ing, were not able to procure food in that way. [HVC 1879, 575]

His family was well-to-do, but Thomas H. Pra­ther having lost the bulk of his property decided to attempt to retrieve his fortunes in the newer part of the country and came to Venango County, PA, in 1801, with his sons Abram C. and Robert, then fifteen and thirteen years old, respectively. After arranging for the purchase of a 400-acre tract and building a cabin, he supplied the boys with sufficient provisions and left them in charge of his holding, while he returned to the East for the rest of the family. The Indians stole all the boys had except the cornmeal, but they managed to get along with that and what other food they could secure through their own efforts and help from kindly neighbors. When the father returned, three months later, he decided to locate near the river, and removed to East Hick­ory, Forest County, where he remained until his death. [CAB, 366]

He and his wife lived in Huntingdon County, PA, before moving to Venango County, about 1800. They bought land from the Holland Land Company, settling at Plumer, Cornplanter Township, first on a tract of land near tracts settled by his sons, Abraham and Robert Prather, and son-in-law James Ricketts. He then went back east for a visit. When he returned he bought 100 acres on the Allegheny River at East Hickory, PA, and settled there after War of 1812.
He was in the Revolutionary War from 1777 thru 1782. He joined the Continental Army from Antrim Twp, Franklin County, PA (it was then Cumberland County), and served under Capt. William Berryhill 1780 - 1781. He also served in War of 1812 in the militia at Erie, PA.


General Notes: Wife - Elizabeth Crunkleton


Surname possibly spelled "Crounkleton", she was of Dutch descent.

picture

Sources


1 Charles A. Babcock, Venango County, Pennsylvania, Her Pioneers and People (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1919), Pg 366.

2 —, Biographical Annals of Franklin County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: The Genealogical Publishing Co., 1905), Pg 73.

3 Earl M. Prather, Pioneers 1795 - 1997 Ricketts, Prather, & McCalmont (Centerville, PA: Self-published, 1997), Pg 2.

4 Earl M. Prather, The Prather Family in America (Centerville, PA: Self-published, 1997), Pg 1.

5 Earl M. Prather, Pioneers 1795 - 1997 Ricketts, Prather, & McCalmont (Centerville, PA: Self-published, 1997), Pg 3.

6 J. H. Newton, History of Venango County, Pennsylvania (Columbus, OH: J. A. Caldwell Publishers, 1879), Pg 567.

7 —, History of Venango County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk, & Co., Publishers, 1890), Pg 590.

8 Earl Prather, The Alcorn Family in Northwestern Pennsylvania (Self-published, 1997), Pg 3.

9 Charles A. Babcock, Venango County, Pennsylvania, Her Pioneers and People (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1919), Pg 365.

10 J. H. Newton, History of Venango County, Pennsylvania (Columbus, OH: J. A. Caldwell Publishers, 1879), Pg 575.

11 —, History of Venango County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk, & Co., Publishers, 1890), Pg 545.

12 Charles A. Babcock, Venango County, Pennsylvania, Her Pioneers and People (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1919), Pg 365, 453, 587.

13 —, History of Venango County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk, & Co., Publishers, 1890), Pg 1085.

14 Earl M. Prather, McCalmont History in Venango County, Pennsylvania (Centerville, PA: Self-published, 1996), Pg 11.

15 J. H. Newton, History of Venango County, Pennsylvania (Columbus, OH: J. A. Caldwell Publishers, 1879), Pg 576.

16 —, History of Venango County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk, & Co., Publishers, 1890), Pg 650.

17 Earl M. Prather, The Prather Family in America (Centerville, PA: Self-published, 1997), Pg 5.


Home | Table of Contents | Surnames | Name List

This Web Site was Created 15 Apr 2023 with Legacy 9.0 from Millennia