My Dad, Thompson Alvernon Prather was born in Dodge City, Kansas on May 3, 1908. My Brother Tommy was born August 30, 1940 and I was born July 7, 1942. Dad talked a lot about his childhood and some of the memorable people that he met in Dodge City. I always liked the story of Ben Hodges! When Dad was 5 or 6 years old his Dad, a railroad engineer, would take hime to the General Store on Saturday.
My Grandpa would buy a plug of tobacco and have my did give it to the old black man that sat outside the store. This was Ben Hodges!

Dad told us that he was one of the best horseman ever & he was quick on his feet and had the magic with animals. He was a horse thief extrordinaire but he was also not mean or bad to anyone. When he was finally caught, they didn't hang him; they cut his achilles tendons so he could not run, only shuffle. I have known of Ben Hodges since 1946 and we visited his grave on a trip to Kansas in that same year.