Thomas and John Prentice of Scotland and OK

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Thomas and John Prentice of Scotland and Kay Co., OK
By Linus Joseph Dewald Jr., Editor
Spring 2002 and Revised 22 Feb 2008
Update of 22 Feb 2008: This article is now replaced by our Spring 2006 article about Philip Prentice of Barlas, Haddington .
Introduction: The following family tree comes from information contained in US census records and correspondence from Martin Mabey's emails beginning 22 Feb 2008.
1. Philip Prentice was b. c. 1845, Whitekirk, Haddingtonshire.
He later appears with his family in the 1881 census living in Bariae Cottage in Dalry, Kirkcudbrightshire. He was a Gamekeeper.
He m. Helen Brown. She was b. c. 1843 in Stobo, Peebleshire. Known children:

Isabella Pentice, b. c. 1874, Dalry, Kirkcudbrightshire. At home in 1881 census.
William Prentice, b. c. 1875, Dalry, Kirkcudbrightshire. At home in 1881 census.
Jane Prentice, b. c. 1877, Dalry, Kirkcudbrightshire. At home in 1881 census.
Thomas Walker Prentice, b. 8 Aug 1880, Dalry (St Johnstown of Dalry), Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. . . [2]
John Prentice, b. 21 Dec 1879, Dalry, (St Johnstown of Dalry), Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. . . . . . . . . . . [3]
Robert George Prentice, b. 1884, Dalry (St Johnstown of Dalry), Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. Martin Mabey's email of 22 Feb 2008 advises that his wife, Margaret (nee Prentice), is a descendant of Robert Prentice

2. Thomas Walker Prentice was b. c. 1880-81 in Scotland. Thomas is probably the Thomas Prentice shown in the SSDI as b. 8 Aug 1880 and d. c. Feb 1963 in an unspecified location in OK.
Thomas and his kin emigrated to America, traveling Second Class, on on the SS Cameronia (Anchor Line) Glasgow-New York, departing 2 December 1911. Thomas's occupation is given as "Clerk" and John's as "Seedsman". Thomas and his kin initially were in PA in 1911 and later appear in the 1920 and 1930 Ponca, Kay Co., OK census with his wife and family.
He m. Nellie, b. c. 1888 in MS. Nellie's maiden surname may be Cox because the 1920 shows Sorenthia(?) Cox, b. c. 1855, MS, living in their home and identified as "mother in law." She does not appear in the SSDI. Children:

Thomas Walker Prentice, Jr., b. c. 1916 in NY. . . . . . [4]
Helen B. Prentice, b. c. 1919-20 in OK. At home in 1930.

3. John Prentice, b. 21 Dec 1879, Dalry, (St Johnstown of Dalry), Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. He emigrated to America with his brother (see above). He appears in the 1920 Kay Co., OK census, unmarried, as a border in the home of W. D. Kirkpatrick. John does not appear in the 1930 Kay Co., OK census.
4. Thomas Walker Prentice, Jr., b. c. 1916 in NY. At home in 1930. WW II military death records identify him as a Pilot Officer, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 250 Sqdn., who d. at age 27 on 22 Jul 1942, son of Thomas Walker Prentice and Nell Prentice, of Ponca City, Oklahoma, U.S.A., A.B. (Dartmouth), LL.D. (Oklahoma). His memorial can be found at Column 249, Alamein Memorial. A Google search discloses the following information:
El Alamein Memorial: In Egypt, the memorial at El Alamein bears the names of 213 Canadian airmen. These men served all over the Middle East during the Second World War. Above the entrance to the cloisters, which protect the 11,868 names of those of the Commonwealth who died with no known grave, is the following inscription:
WITHIN THIS CLOISTER ARE INSCRIBED THE NAMES OF SOLDIERS AND AIRMEN OF THE BRITISH COMMONWEALTH AND EMPIRE WHO DIED FIGHTING ON LAND OR IN THE AIR THERE TWO CONTINENTS MEET AND TO WHOM THE FORTUNE OF WAR DENIED A KNOWN AND HONOURED GRAVE.

The name panels are of Portland stone and the cloisters are of limestone quarried nearby. This is desert country, but beds of roses front the memorial. Water from tanks along the nearby railroad and stored in underground reservoirs, ensures an oasis-like atmosphere. A short approach road, marked by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, leads to the Memorial site off the main desert highway.

Correspondence: If you have any information about the folks mentioned in this article, please send your information to us at the Prentice Newsletter. Be sure to give the full title and date of this article in the Subject line of the email.
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