Notes for Lyle Jan MACKAY
The Following notes by Gary Benton Prather :
They built their home called "Prather Hall", near the present site of Ft. Washington on the Potomac River, Swan Lake Road, about 10 miles due south of the U. S. Capitol Building.
Jonathan's wife "Jane" was thought to be Jane Goldsmith due to the fact that she was the only recorded unescorted female passenger on the ship that Jonathan took when he went up the Potomac from Va. to Md. on 06 Oct 1658. We now know that she was not his wife. His wife was Lyle Jane MacKay and they were married at Jonathan's home, "Prather Hall" on 12 Sep 1666. GBP
At the death of Jonathan Prather I., his children were very young. Jonathan II, the oldest, being 14 years of age, and Jane the youngest being less than two. They were living, at their father's death, on his land in Collington Hundred adjoining the land of Thomas Sprigg, called "Sprigg's Request Plantation;". Their mother also owned 100 acres in that manor, and was still a young and beautiful woman. Jonathan's estate was valued at 13,750 pounds at his death.
In 1682, Jane (Jonathan's widow) married John Smith, a wealthy tobacco planter on the Patascent River at Mattapany Landing. His dwelling plantation there was known as, "Brookfield". He had a number of indentured white servants of English, Scotch-Irish and Welsh birth, but no negro slaves. He was a public spirited man, a trustee for the rebuilding of "All Faith's Church " and one of it's vestry men. He had a nephew, John Bowie, but no children of his own. He was a devoted and generous step father to Jane's little Prather boys and girl. As each boy grew up and married he gave him 200 acres of a large plantation in Prince George's County which he named "Orphans' Gift", and to the little daughter he gave part of "Thorpland" which he bought from James Keech, for that purpose.
Jane had been the wife of Jonathan Prather for fourteen years. She was the wife of John Smith , for 25 years and his widow for 6 years. During all these 31 years she was mistress of Brookfield and her children grew to manhood and married from that beautiful home. By Eva Hampton Prather.
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