Tulare County Biographies

William Jeter Prather

Submitted by Sally Kaleta, January, 2007

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       Dr. William Jeter Prather, oldest son of Rev. R. R. Prather, 
native of North Carolina, was born May 11, 1827. The family home was in Guilford 
County, where the subject of our sketch lived until he reached his twentieth 
year, attending public and also private schools at various times. At the age of 
twenty he went to Florida on a prospecting tour, remaining, however, only a 
short time. Returning north, he made a visit to the Western District of 
Tennessee, where he had relatives and where he lived for eight months. In the 
spring of 1849 he crossed the plains to California, the trip to Sacramento river 
consuming six months. He engaged in mining more or less for three years, and 
then settled in Yolo County, took up a tract of 160 acres of land and turned his 
attention to farming. After living there six years, he went to Sacramento, where 
he commenced the study of dentistry. In the absence of a dental college, he was 
obliged to seek private instruction, and located himself with prominent members 
of the profession both in Sacramento and Wood-land. He was one of the pioneers 
of the latter place, having built a house there before the town was 
incorporated. After practicing for a number of years in Woodland, Dr. Prather 
came to Fresno County on a tour of inspection. He located a piece of farming 
land and lived on it for a few months; returned to Woodland in the fall of 1878, 
closed up his matters there, and in the fall of 1880 came to Fresno County, 
where he has continued to reside ever since. It was not until 1883, however, 
that the Doctor located in Fresno. He then opened his dental office in the 
Donahoo building, where he remained for some time. Then he removed to the Fiske 
building, and remained there until burned out in 1888, and thence came to his 
present headquarters in the Fresno Loan & Savings Bank building. He has a large 
and lucrative practice, and stands high in the profession. The Doctor has a 
small vineyard and also a stock-farm adjacent to the city, in which he takes a 
great interest. His first marriage was in October, 1853, to Miss Margaret 
Lawson, a native of Missouri, by whom he had nine children, six of whom are now 
living. Mrs. Prather died in 1879, and December 13, 1883, Dr. Prather wedded 
Miss Mary Healey, a native of Wisconsin. This union has been blessed with two 
children - a girl and a boy. He enjoys the distinction of being one of the 
pioneers of California, and is a member if the Pioneer Society of San Francisco. 
He is also a member, and one of organizers of California State Dental 
Association.
 
Source: "The Memorial and Biographical History of the Counties of Fresno, Tulare 
and Kern, California," Lewis Publ. Co., 1892, p. 344.