Memories from the Homestead: The real Alonzo Prather

     Last week you'll recall that some interesting detective work revealed the truth on one of our loyal Taney County residents. I have really enjoyed researching this! He used the pen name of Sam Tompkins, with he and his wife having quite the following as "Sam T. and Betsy" out of Taneyville. Sam's real name was Alonzo Smith Prather. His family is very well known around here, and he still has a number of living descendants right here in Taney and Stone County.

     Alonzo was born near Vernon, Indiana, on July 25, 1840. He was the fourth child born to Hiram and Mary (Huckleberry) Prather. They had a total of fifteen children born between 1835 and 1860.  Alonzo attended Indiana Asbury University in Greencastle. Today this is DePauw University. 

Alonzo Prather with his sons Ben and Frank in 1880 shortly after they moved to Taney County. (Photo courtesy of the Doug Mahnkey Collection--White River Valley Historical Society)

    Alonzo, along with his six brothers, and their father Hiram, all enlisted in the Union Army on April 13, 1861, the day Fort Sumter (South Carolina) fell. Alonzo's grandson, longtime Taney County resident Doug Mahnkey, recalled some interesting details. "I remember my grandfather telling of that day," Doug stated in a 1970 interview. "They were all at the depot and telegraph station in North Vernon, Indiana, and the news was coming on the wires of the bombardment of the fort. Finally, the ticker spelled out 'Fort Sumter has fallen.' With that, Hiram took a piece of paper and in a firm hand wrote, 'We the undersigned volunteer our services to the Government of the United States for so long as needed.'  Every man and boy in the crowd signed, including the telegraph operator."

    Hiram and his seven sons served in the Sixth Regiment of the Indiana Volunteers. Alonzo's youngest brother Johnny was only fifteen and due to illness couldn't finish out the war. The others went the whole distance. Hiram was wounded at the Battle of Shiloh and resigned on May 19, 1862, but reentered service as Lt. Col., serving three more years. Alonzo also fought at Shiloh, Stone's River, and was wounded at Chickamauga. Recovering from his injuries he fought at Chattanooga, and marched with Sherman to sea.

     Alonzo married Ada Maria McMillan in October 1863 in Jennings County, Indiana. They would have nine children between 1865 and 1886. After the war, the family moved to Madison County, Arkansas, living in Huntsville. Alonzo became the prosecuting attorney.

      Doug Mahnkey also recalled, "He raised the Stars and Stripes over the Courthouse on the 4th of July a few years after the war ended, and this was the first time Old Glory had flown from the Courthouse since before the war. He took his old Army pistol and double-barreled shot gun with him early the morning of the 4th and hoisted the old flag. He sat on the courthouse steps all day long, guarding the flag from the threats of some die-hards. Grandmother carried a basket lunch to the courthouse at noon and they sat on the steps and ate together. At sundown he pulled the flag down and every day from then on, the flag was displayed with no trouble."

     While prosecuting attorney, Prather was appointed Superintendent of Public Instruction of the 4th Judicial District of Arkansas, which covered the Counties of Madison, Washington, Carroll, Benton, Marion, Searcy, Newton, Boone and Van Buren. During this time Prather assisted in the founding of Arkansas Industrial University in 1871 at Fayetteville, which is now the great University of Arkansas. 

     Later the Prather family moved to Harrison, Arkansas. He was appointed receiver of the U.S. Land Office there. They thought about moving to Oklahoma Territory, so Alonzo, with his sons Ben and Frank set out by wagon looking for a place to relocate. They were arrested and taken to Fort Gibson for violation of trespassing near an Indian settlement. Since Prather had been in the war, and had friends in Washington, he and his sons were released. In 1879 the Prathers came to Taney County and they would spend the rest of their lives here.

     They settled near Oak Grove not far from the White River. The present-day T Highway off of East 76 runs near where their homeplace was located. They were neighbors to Nathaniel Kinney and his family.  

     In January 1885, it was Kinney, Prather and eleven other individuals who formed The League For Law and Order in Forsyth. This group of men became the Baldknobbers and they operated the league for around fifteen months. I won't go into further details on this because it's all very well documented and is easily accessible. 

      Alonzo and Maria's son Robert married Kinney's daughter Gertrude in March 1887. They all attended church together at the Oak Grove school.

    Prather practiced law in Taney County and became a State Representative in 1888, serving in the 35th, 39th, 40th, 42nd, and 45th General Assemblies.

     Remembered for playing a large role in the development of Taney County and being involved in politics and local church work, everyone felt he was one of the best campaigners in the state. His editorials under his pen name of Sam T. gained him and his wife a huge following, Prather truly believed in the power of printers’ ink in using the Taney County Republican and other newspapers to his best advantage.

     Prather gave the dedication address at the opening ceremony of the School of the Ozarks on September 24, 1907 in Forsyth.   

     Receiving a cancer diagnosis in 1909, the man known to so many as "The Colonel," Alonzo Prather died in Branson on Friday, June 3, 1910. He was laid to rest in Kirbyville at the Van Zandt Cemetery. He was survived by his sons Frank, Richard, and Joe, plus his daughters Mamie, Maggie and Delia. Also survived by his wife Maria, she later relocated with family to California. She lived a long life, passing at the age of 95 on March 2, 1940 in San Luis Obispo, California. 

     Since several of their family are so well known here in our area, next week I'll tell you all about Alonzo and Maria's daughter Mamie. Her writings are considered one of our region's great treasures.

     Happy trails, everyone!