His WW I draft registration card, filed 5 June 1917, records Wess Prather, age 24, residence Morehead, Ky, born 30 April 1893 in Morehead, Ky, occupation farmer, self-employed, single, supporting one child. (The marital status field asks “Married or single (which)?”, and thus does not make a distinction between widowed and never married.)

His death certificate records Wess Prater (Prather), age 36 years 4 months 0 days, born 30 April 1892 in Ky, died 29 Aug 1928 in Morehead, Rowan Co., Ky, married, husband of Mrs. Clara Prater, father Alfred Prater, mother’s maiden name Lizsa Hall, both born in Ky, cause of death “don’t know - probably due to too much moonshine whiskey” - medical statement from G. Nickell, informant Mrs. Wess Prater, Morehead, Ky, burial in Caudill Cemetery.

1920 census of Rowan Co., Ky, Morehead precinct, enumerated 14 Jan, lists on p. 7B as family #143/152:
Prayther, Perry, 21, coach cleaner for rail road; Zelma, wife, 17; Wesley, brother, 26, widowed, drayman for G-- works (first word illegible, has no ascenders or descenders.) All born Ky Ky Ky.

In the 1920 census, Wess was listed as widowed, and Clara as single, in separate households. Their son Grover was listed in the birth index as Grover Praytor, but in the 1920 census as Grover Eden. Either Grover was born out of wedlock but was given his father’s surname at birth, and Wess and Clara married sometime after 1920, or else they were married earlier, but separated in the 1920 time frame, then reunited later.

1930 census of Rowan Co., Ky, Morehead precinct, enumerated 14 April, lists on p. 19A as family #159:
Prather, Clara, 29, widowed, age at first marriage 18; Grover, son, 12; Eden, Roadie, mother, 56, widowed, age at first marriage 15. All born Ky Ky Ky.

The 1920 census, though, listed Wess as widowed, living with his brother Perry, and Clara Eden as single, 19, living with her mother Rhoda.