|
|
justice October 15, 1796, and held office until
October 10, 1801, when he was appointed asso-
ciate justice of the Maryland Court of Appeals;
resigned his justiceship in 1806 to resume private
law practice. LOCAL OFFICES: Committee of Ob-
servation, Frederick County, elected 1776; clerk,
Frederick County Court, 1777-1778 (resigned
when he started his law practice); chief justice,
Frederick County Court, appointed March 20,
1797; All Saints' Parish Vestry, Frederick County,
1804-1808. MILITARY SERVICE: ensign, Frederick
County Militia (Middle District), a part of the
34th Battalion, and aide to Brig. Gen. Thomas
Johnson (1732-1819), 1776. our OF STATE SERV-
ICE: delegate, Continental Congress, 1781 (elected
on January 16, 1781, to fill vacancy); presidential
elector, 1792; senator, U.S. Congress, 1793
(elected to fill vacancy; seated on February 4,
1793), 1793-1795, 1795-1796 (resigned on Oc-
tober 24, 1796); declined an appointment as one
of the commissioners for Washington, D.C., 1794.
WEALTH DURING LIFETIME. PERSONAL PROPERTY:
assessed value £510.0.0, including 7 slaves, 6 serv-
ants, and 264 oz. plate, Frederick Town Hundred,
Frederick County, 1782; 22 slaves, Frederick
County, 1790. LAND AT FIRST ELECTION: 482 acres
in Frederick County (all by purchase). SIGNIFI-
CANT CHANGES IN LAND BETWEEN FIRST ELEC-
TION AND DEATH: purchased parts of two lots in
Frederick Town, which included his dwelling
house, a yard, garden, and stable in 1782, plus
one other lot by 1782; purchased more than 250
acres in Frederick County in 1784, probably for
speculation, with Joseph Sim (?-1793) and Thomas
Sim Lee (1745-1819); between 1788 and 1797
purchased 3 pieces of property adjacent to his
home and incorporated them into his dwelling lot;
purchased 1,851 acres in Frederick County be-
tween 1781 and 1802, plus 6 lots, probably in
Frederick Town (643 acres and the town lots were
confiscated British property); patented 1,467 acres
in Frederick and Allegany (now Garrett) counties
between 1785 and 1794; sold 847 acres in Fred-
erick County between 1783 and 1795 and all of
his town lots except the property where he re-
sided. WEALTH AT DEATH. DIED: on November 26,
1808; buried at All Saints' Cemetery in Frederick
Town, later removed to Mt. Olivet Cemetery in
Baltimore County. PERSONAL PROPERTY: TEV,
$189,440.18 current money (including 57 slaves,
substantial livestock, and grain taken from two
farms, as well as his town property); FB, $7,568.49.
LAND: ca. 3,200 acres, all in Frederick County
except for one small tract located in what is now
|
Garrett County, plus the Frederick Town lot where
he resided.
PRATHER, JOHN SMITH (1706-1763). BORN
in 1706 in Prince George's County; second son.
NATIVE: third generation. RESIDED: at "Sprigg's
Request Plantation," Prince George's (later be-
came Frederick) County; Bladensburg, Prince
George's County, 1761-1763. FAMILY BACK-
GROUND. FATHER: Thomas Prather (1673-1712),
son of Jonathan Prather (?-1680), who immi-
grated from Eton Water, Wiltshire, England, ca.
1650, and wife Jane (?-1713), who was probably
the daughter of George Goldsmith of Baltimore
County. In 1682 Jane married a wealthy Prince
George's County tobacco planter, John Smith.
STEPFATHER: Capt. Stephen Yoakley of Charles
County. MOTHER: Martha (?-by 1747), daughter
of Thomas Sprigg (1630-1704) of Calvert County
and probably his second wife Eleanor, who was
the daughter of John Nuthall. UNCLE OR HALF
UNCLE: Thomas Sprigg (by 1670-by 1739). AUNT:
Mary Sprigg, who married Thomas Stockett (1667-
1732), son of Thomas Stockett (?-1671). BROTH-
ERS: Thomas (1704-1785), who married first, in
1725 Elizabeth Claggett (?-1765) of "Weston,"
and married second, Jennet (probably Smiley).
Thomas was a justice of Prince George's County
in 1747, justice of Frederick County, 1748-1775,
and sheriff of Frederick County in 1762. Philip
Gilleno (1708-?). Aaron (1711-1777), who mar-
ried his first cousin, Jane Prather. SISTERS: Eleanor
(ca. 1699-post 1749), who married Thomas Wil-
liams of Prince George's County; Rachel (1702-
?), who probably married Joseph Milburn Simms
of Charles County. FIRST COUSINS: Sarah Pierce
(?-ca. 1700), who married John Beale, of Lawson
(ca. 1674-1751); Elizabeth Sprigg (?-1787), who
married Turner Wootten (ca. 1695-1760); Priscilla
Sprigg, who married Ralph Crabb (?-1733/34);
Osborn Sprigg (ca. 1707-1749/50); and Edward
Sprigg (1697-1751). NEPHEW: Elisha Williams
(1735-?). MARRIED on February 17, 1725/26, his
first cousin Elizabeth Nuthall (1712-?), in St.
Barnabus Church. Elizabeth subsequently mar-
ried William Deakins, Sr. (1700-?), of Rockville.
CHILDREN. SONS: Josiah (1727-?), who married
Jane Deakins; Jeremiah (1731-1807), who mar-
ried Anne Edmonston, and resided in Fayette
County, Kentucky; Aaron (1735-died at birth);
and Zachariah (1736-?), who married Rosamond
Callahan. DAUGHTERS: Martha (1730-?), who
married James Odell of Anne Arundel County;
Eleanor (1734-?), who married Josiah Beall;
659
|
|
