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Benjamin Paul Prather

Male 1880 - 1902  (22 years)


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  • Name Benjamin Paul Prather 
    Relationshipwith Kathleen Alice Jones-Rouse
    Birth 29 May 1880  Urbana, Champaign County, Illinois, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Occupation Farmer 
    Stories and Notes See Notes  [1
    • Benjamin Paul Prather, for many years a prominent farmer in Brown County, South Dakota, was born in Urbana, Illinois, May 29, 1880. He was the son of Homer Silsby and Jessie Emma (Marriott) Prather who were born in Ohio and Illinois, respectivel y.

      "Paul" Prather married Cordie May Reese in Urbana, Illinois, in 1902, to which a son Avery Montell Prather was born in 1903. After their divorce in 1906, Paul removed to the plains of South Dakota where he met his second wife-to-be, Mae.

      In his beginning years in South Dakota Paul worked on a local farm, the "Lincoln Ranch". Near there he met Mae Rose Harrington of Brown County, SD. They married in 1907, and lived and farmed on rented land near Plana, SD, Cambria Township. In 19 15 they bought 160 acres in Bath Township, raised their four children (Homer, Jessie, Raymond, Frank), and lived until Paul's death in 1947.

      Over the years Paul and his family raised live stock, including hogs, a few cattle, milk cows, horses, and chickens. One of Paul's specialities was the development of "Improved Brown County Yellow Dent Seed Corn". To develop this champion seed c orn he took a good ear of corn, cut off and discarded the tip and butt (small kernels), shelled the ear, "graded" the kernels, and planted the bigger plump kernels. The result was ears with bigger plump kernels. Paul sold this improved seed cor n by the ear to farmers who came from miles around.

      During the dry weather periods of the 30's, their sandy South Dakota plains soil blew easily, requiring extraordinary measures to ensure a crop: these included the spreading of manure and straw using horse power to keep the soil in place. Horse s were used extensively in farming in those days. In 1938 a new house was built on the farm. Daughter Jessie applied her talents in the drawing of the house plans. Paul liked trees and so planted many around the homestead.

      At a later date, Paul and Mae purchased a second quarter section of farm land. Years later it was subdivided into two 80 acre parcels and deeded to sons Frank and Raymond. Frank farmed as a close neighbor to his parents until 1946 when he sold h is land and moved to California. Raymond farmed about 6 miles from Paul and Mae's farm until his death in 1962.

      After Paul's death from a heart attack at age 67, Mae moved to Aberdeen, SD, and son Homer worked and lived on the farm briefly.
    Death 21 Nov 1902  Aberdeen, Brown, South Dakota, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I7539  Enchanted Family Tree
    Last Modified 14 Mar 2012 

    Father Homer Silsby Prather,   b. 10 Jun 1853, , Clermont, Ohio, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 23 Sep 1905, Urbana, Champaign County, Illinois, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 52 years) 
    Mother Jessie Emma Merriott,   b. 18 Feb 1857, Somer Township, Champaign County, Illinois, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 13 May 1883, Somer Township, Champaign County, Illinois, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 26 years) 
    Family ID F3880  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Cordie May Reese,   b. 30 Jul 1884, St. Joseph, Champaign County, Illinois, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 26 Jul 1962, Masonville, Delaware, Iowa, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 77 years) 
    Marriage 6 Sep 1902  Urbana, Champaign County, Illinois, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
    +1. Avery Montell Prather,   b. 31 May 1903, St. Joseph, Champaign County, Illinois, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 25 Nov 1931, Dubuque, Dubuque, Iowa, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 28 years)
    Family ID F3884  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 14 Mar 2012 

    Family 2 Mae Rose Harrington,   b. 4 May 1888, Groton, Brown, South Dakota, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 11 Sep 1950 (Age 62 years) 
    Children 
     1. Homer Justin Prather,   b. 24 Feb 1908, Aberdeen, Brown, South Dakota, United States Find all individuals with events at this location
    +2. Jessie Myrtle Prather,   b. 25 Jan 1910, , Brown, South Dakota, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 13 Nov 1997, Aberdeen, Brown, South Dakota, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 87 years)
    +3. Raymond Howard Prather,   b. 10 Mar 1912, Plana, Brown, South Datoka, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 31 Jul 1962, Plana, Brown, South Datoka, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 50 years)
     4. Frank Edward Prather,   b. 18 Feb 1914, Aberdeen, Brown, South Dakota, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Aug 1980, Napa, Napa, California, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 66 years)
    Family ID F3946  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 14 Mar 2012 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - 29 May 1880 - Urbana, Champaign County, Illinois, United States Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - 6 Sep 1902 - Urbana, Champaign County, Illinois, United States Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - 21 Nov 1902 - Aberdeen, Brown, South Dakota, United States Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Sources 
    1. [S60] Researcher - Jessie Myrtle Prather Phillips & Patricia Mae Phillips Dennert.