Barnes-Prather House

Presented by Bettye Lessley:

On April 24, 1901, J. M. Lanning sold to L. F. and A. W. Barnes for $100.00 the following described lot.

Lot No. five (5) in Block two (2)  in the city of Sylacauga, bounded on the north by lot of Mrs. Alice Oden, bounded on the east by the lot of Rev. Mr. Johnson, on the south by lot of J. K. Lanning, on the west by Broadway.  Dimensions are 104 ft. front on Broadway, running back east on the north 160.5 ft. and on the south line 157.5 ft.  Fifty (50) cents M S I R stamp.  Justice of the Peace was R. M. Phillips.  Probate Judge was J. E. Camp (Talladega County, Alabama, Deed Book 57, page 80.)

Elizabeth Prather Hilt, granddaughter of  Lorenza and Annie Barnes, and daughter of Fred and Harriett Prather, said that the house was built in 1907.

The Federal Census of Talladega County for the year 1910 reveals that these people lived on Broadway Avenue in Sylacauga.

182-188 Prather, Fred	*Retail Merchant Hardware Store
Hattie B.	29-Wife
Annie E.	2-Daughter
Barnes, Lorenza F.	76-Father-In-Law
Annie W.	73-Mother-In-Law

*Mr. Prather’s age was omitted in the census, but he would have been about forty-one or forty-two years old since he was born November 11, 1868,  Fred Prather and R. W. Prather were owners of Prather Brothers Hardware Company, which was located at the southeast corner of Third Street and Broadway Avenue.

Annie W. Barnes died March 6, 1915, and Lorenza F. Barnes died April 23, 1918.  They are buried in Marble City Cemetery.

The census for 1920 indicates that the Prathers were still living in this house.  The census taker gave their address as 308 Broadway.

140-157  Prather, Fred	51 – Male, White, Head of Household
Hattie	39 – Female, White, Wife
Elizabeth	11 – Female, White, Daughter

The census also revealed that north of this house was the home of George E. Crowell and south of this house was the home of Frank Scott.

In  July of 1935, the Prathers were planning to add a second story to their home (The Sylacauga News.  Friday, July 5, 1935).

The Sylacauga City Directory for 1938 indicates that Fred and Elizabeth Prather lived at 1208 Broadway.  (Elizabeth was probably the wife and not the daughter).  At this time the home had become a boarding house.  Living here in 1938 were the following people:  Miss Norma Chandler, teacher; Miss Mary Ellis, teacher; Alfred T. Gaut, lawyer; Zeke Kimbrough, teacher; Fred Lewis; Miss Luverne Meadows, teacher; Miss Clyde Reinhardt, teacher, Sylacauga Public School; Miss Ruth Rowell, teacher; Miss Lucille Smith, teacher, Mignon; Miss Pauline  Taunum, teacher; Miss Beth Wallis, teacher.

The city directory for 1940 reveals that Fred Prather was the home owner, was living at 1208 Broadway, and there were 17 people living under his roof.

In 1942 The Junior Chamber of Commerce undertook the task of re-numbering the lots and houses in Sylacauga.  They began at Fort Williams Street and Broadway Avenue, and the numbers went north, south, east and west from that point.  Prior to this time the numbers began on the north end of town and increased as you came south.  The Prather house number eventually became 110 South Broadway Avenue.

In October of 1944, Hattie B. Prather and her husband, Fred Prather, sold the house and lot to Clyde H. Arnold and wife, Gertrude, for $6200.00  The Arnolds sold the house and lot in August of 1946 to C. L. Martin, Sylacauga Superintendent of Education.   Mrs. Vida M. Liles, widow of Dr. C. O. Liles, and her parents, the Charles Moultries, purchased the house from the Martins.  In 1948 Mrs. Liles named the house the Rest Haven Tourist Home, and many people boarded or had rooms there for a number of years.  Mrs. Liles married Harper Reeves, and at some point in time, the rooms upstairs were closed off, and the Reeves discontinued operation of the boarding house.

The Liles family sold the house to Rudy and Joyce White, who completely restored it.  In 1999, the Whites allowed their beautiful old home to be visited during an Open Homes Tour.  The Whites later sold the house, and the present owners are enjoying living in this ninety-five year old treasure.