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Edward Washington Prather, or "Grandad Prather" as he was known to his family, was born in Gilmer county, Georgia in June of 1882. He was the third of 5 children born to Ansel Berdine and Emily Jane Prather. I am unsure when the Prather family moved from Georgia to Texas, but 1900 census records show him living with his parents in Rains county at the age of 18. He married Mary Angeline Davis just two years later in August of 1902 and they began their family in the small East Texas town of Alba. My memories of Grandad Prather are vague. I had just turned 6 at the time of his death in February 1967, but I can remember a visit to his home in Alba. What I remember the most about him is that he was tall and thin and wore bib overalls. I know very little else about him, but my research into my family history has revealed that he was a farmer. Edward's father was Ansel Berdine Prather. I had no knowledge of him whatsoever until I began researching my family history. By searching census records and old Civil War records I was able to find out a little about him. Ansel was born in February 1846 in Blount county Alabama. He moved with his family to Georgia when he was 8 years old where he worked on the family farm until the start of the Civil War. He joined the Confederate Army in the spring of 1862 and was promoted to the rank of Colonel. His command was within the 8th Georgia Battalion. |
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The Ansel Prather family at their East Texas home in the late 1800's. Ansel fought in the Civil War as a colonel in the Confederate Army. |
He served until the spring of 1864 when he was sent home due to an unspecified illness. In August of 1866, he married Emily Jane McDaniel and they began their family in Gilmer county Georgia. At some time prior to the 1900 census, the family moved to East Texas where they lived out the rest of their lives. Ansel passed away in March of 1931 at the age of 85. His wife, Emily Jane followed him barely 4 months later, she was 82. They are both buried at the Salem Cemetery in Alba, Texas.
The Prather family in 1937. |
Above is a family shot from 1960. Edwards nealth had been declining and he would pass 7 years later. |
The last photo I have of Granny Prather, which was taken sometime in the mid to late 1970's. |
Ed & Mary photographed at their home in Alba, Texas in the late 1950's |
