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    Eban Prentiss of Detroit, Michigan
    By Linus Joseph Dewald Jr., Editor
    Spring 2009 and Revised 10 Jan 2009

    1. Eben (Ebenezer?) Prentiss, b. c. 1796, CT (per 1850 census) or b.c. 1793 (per 1860 census). He appears in the 1850 Detroit census as "Eban Prentiss" and in the 1860 Detroit, Wayne Co., MI census as "Eban Prentis." Not in 1870 census as perhaps by then deceased.

    No wife is shown, so she may have been deceased. Children:

    1. Rebecca Prentiss, b. c. 1833, CT. At home in 1850 in Detroit. Not home in 1860 census.

    2. John F. Prentiss, b. c. 1832 or 1835, CT. At home in Detroit in 1850 and 1860. No occupation is given for John in the 1860 Detroit cansus. Living with his brother, George, in the 1870 Detroit census with no occupation give. Not in the 1880 census.

    3. George H. Prentiss, b. c. 1835-36, MI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [2]

    4. Brown T. Prentiss, b. c. 1838-39, MI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [3]

    Also living with the family in 1850, but not 1860, is John Prentiss, age 49, b. c. 1801, CT. He is likely a brother of Eben.

    Living with Eban's family in the 1860 Detroit census i Jerusha Howe, b. c. 1820, CT, with her son, George Howe, b. c. 1845, MI. The 1860 census identifies her as Eban's Housekeeper.

    A posting at boards. ancestry.myfamily relates the following:

      Prentis/Prentiss/Prentice: Margrette50: Posted: 21 Nov 2004 7:49AM

      I took a trip to Allen,Hillsdale County, MI and I brought back an old book of poetry I purchased (printed 1871). It has inside the front cover "Mrs B T Prentis 479 Cass Avenue Detroit, Michigan. I have gone through it and I believe her husband was Brown Prentis, a lawyer in Detroit, MI. He also had a brother that was a lawyer. Also in this book of poetry are various dried clovers and some flowers. I have done some research on the family and believe his father is Ebenezer Prentis. Any one interested let me know. This family is not related but I was greatly moved by the book. Margrette

    2. George H. Prentiss, b. c. 1835-36, MI. At home in Detroit in 1850 and 1860 and shown as a Lawyer in the 1860 and 1870 census. Living with his brother, John, in the 1870 Detroit census.

    He appears later census records as follows:

    • in the 1880 Detroit census as George H. Prentis, a Lawyer, b. c. 1839, CT (with both parents b. in CT) and with his wife, Lavina, and children,

    • in the 1900 Detroit census as George Printis, Lawyer, shown in the 1900 Detroit census as b. Apr 1838, MI (with his father b. in VA and mother in CT), with his wife, Lovina, b. Aug 1844, NY (with both parents b. in VT).

    • and in the 1910 Detroit census as a widower living with his daughter, Caroline, and 2 servants: Blanche L. Forbes and Amy B. Granbery.

    Children of George and Lavina per 1880 and 1900 census:

    1. Caroline "Carrie" R. Printis, b. Dec 1868, MI. At home in Detroit in the 1900 census. Living with her father in the 1910 Detroit census, surnamed "Prentis."

    2. Ida A. Printis, b. May 1891, MI. At home in Detroit in the 1900 census. Not home in the 1910 census.

    3. George G. Printis, b. Oct 1871, MI. At home in Detroit in the 1900 census. He appears in the 1910, 1920 and 1920 Detroit census as a Lawyer, b. c. 1871, MI, with his wife, Edyth L., b. c. 1871, MI (with her father b. in Scotland and mother in Ireland). Daughter:

      1. Edyth R. L. Prentis, b. c. 1908, MI. At home in Detroit in 1910. She is probably the same daughter as Lindsay E. Prentice, b. c. 1909, MI, and living at home in the 1920 Detroit census. At home in Detroit in the 1930 census and called "Lindsay Prentis."

    3. Brown T. Prentiss, b. c. 1838-39, MI. At home in Detroit in 1850 and 1860 and shown as a Lawyer in the 1860 census and the internet posting, below, was married, and probably lived with his wife at 479, Cass Ave., Detroit.

    He is likely the same person as Dron Prentis, Lawyer, shown in the 1900 Detroit census as b. Jan 1842, MI (with his father b. in VA and mother in CT; see also George H. Prentiss, above), with his wife, Mary, b. Nov 1844, NY (with both parents b. in Ireland) and son: .

    1. John H. Prentis, b. Jun 1878, MI. At home in Detroit in the 1900 census.

    Who are Eben Prentiss' Parents?

    Additional research suggests that perhaps he is a descendant of Ebenezer Prentice who is 170/7iii in our PRENTICE book and who is the son of Samuel Prentice and Abigail Billings of Stonington, CT, descendants of Thomas Prentice..

    Binney, and the Barbour Index, show that Ebenezer was born 5 Oct 1731 in Stonington. He is likely the Ebenezer Prentice of Stonington shown by the Barbour Index as marrying Lucy Crary of Preston on 22 Apr 1762. He may also be the Ebenezer Prentis shown by the Barbour Index as marrying, perhaps as his second wife, Elisabeth Shapley on 6 Jul 1783 in New London, CT.

    The Barbour Index further shows Ebenezer and Elisabeth as having a son, Ebenezer Prentis, b. 29 Jan 1788, New London. They also had another son, John Prentis, b. c. 1790. The 1820 New London, CT census shows an "Ebenr Prentis" and the 1830 New London census shows only 1 an "Ebenezer Prentice". No other Ebenezer appears in the 1920 or 1930 census. None appear in the 1840 New London census and he/they are likely the same person as the "Eben Prentice" who then appears in the 1840 LaSalle, Monroe Co., MI, census.

    Although the birth dates are off, "Ebenezer" was an unusual name and, combinined with a CT birth, there seems a reasonable likelihood that the 1788 Ebenezer is the same person as the one found in Detroit, Wayne, MI, particularly since Ebenezer has a brother, John, living with his family.

    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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