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We are helping Jo Ann Prentice who is seeking to identify the parents of her William H. Prentice. This article originally appeared in our Prentices of the South Issue several years ago and we are here updating that earlier article.

1. William H. Prentice, was born in New York in 1830 (per 1870 census) or 1832 (per Lisa Morris, email, 24 Feb 2004).

William married Eliza Jane "Jane" Bates in Bibb County, Alabama, on 4 Dec 1853 by Ephraim McClaim, JP. William was then about 21 or 23. Eliza Jane b. c. 1836 in AL married there at age 17, and d. 28 Jun 1941. Eliza's parents were both b. in SC. William and Eliza lived in Bibb Co. until at least the 1870 census in Scottsville, Bibb Co., where he is shown as a farmer. At some unknown date before 1880 they moved to Hampton Co., SC (per Lisa Morris, above).

William and Eliza Jane had 1 or more children per Ancestry.com : including:

1. James Preston Prentice, b. 7 Feb 1857 in Tuscaloosa or Bibb Co., AL. . . . . . . . . [2]

Also shown in William's home in the 1880 census is a ward, Eliza Pulaski, b. c. 1871.

2. James Preston Prentice, b. 7 Feb 1857 in Tuscaloosa or Bibb Co., AL, d. 28 Jun 1941, Brent, Bibb Co., AL, and is bur. in the Centreville Memorial Cemetery in Centreville, Bibb Co. AL. James' parents moved to At some unknown date before 1870, where James and his parents are shown living in cotsville, Bibb Co., AL. He is shown in the 1880 census living with Henry Parker in Avery, Bibb Co., AL where he is described as a farm laborer (per Lisa Morris, above).

James m. Nancy Marcella James 24 Dec 1882 in the Bibb Co. home of Daniel M. James, her father, by Judge John S. Gardner. Nancy d. 6 May 1914 and is buried in Centreville Memorial Cemetery, Centreville, Bibb Co., AL, where James P was buried. In 1930, Nancy was living with the family of her son, Daniel. James appears in the 1920 James, Bibb Co., AL census as a farm labourer with a son:

1. Daniel William Prentice, b. 9 Oct 1883, probably Bibb Co., AL. . . . . . . . . [3]
2. Jesse J Prentice, son, 1885 – 1887
3. Ida Prentice 1887 – 1888
4. Ada Prentice, b. Oct 1888, Bibb Co., AL, and d. 1920, Colorado, USA. She m. James Luther Thompson (1883-1971)on 22 Nov 1905, Oklahoma City, OK Co., OK.

3. Daniel William Prentice, b. 9 Oct 1883, Brent, Bibb Co., AL and d. 2 Mar 1956-7, Brent, Bibb Co., AL. He was called a farm laborer, living with father in the 1920 census.

He m. Eula Agnes Hopper on 21 Mar 1920. She was b. 21 Dec 1889 in Perry Co., AL, and d. 29 May 1969 in Brent, Bibb Co., AL. She was the dau. of William Hopson Hopper and Didamiah Bolling Clark (per Ancestry.com). Daniel and Eula had 7 children, including Lisa Morris' grandfather, Johnnie Raymond Prentice ( See Footnote 1) Children (per 1930 census in James, Bibb Co., AL and Ancestry.com):

1. James William Prentice, b. 24 Dec 1920, Bibb Co., AL and d. there on 4 Sep 1999. He had residences in Greensboro, Tuscaloosa and Brent, Alabama. He worked at B.F. Goodrich and for the Hale County Highway department. He was a member of the Baptist Church and served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He m. Beulah Audry Lyles on 8 Jun 1945 in Montgomery, AL. She was b. 6 May 1925 in Greensboro, Hale Co., AL. They had:
   1. (son) Prentice.

2. Johnnie Raymond Prentice, b. 6 May 1923, Bibb Co., AL. He resided in Bibb County, Alabama and worked for B.F. Goodrich. He was a farmer and served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He m. Adell Irene Reynolds on 27 May 1946, Selma, AL, She was b. 17 May 1925 in Selma, AL, dau. of Robert Reynolds and Ida Johnson. Children:
   1. (son) Prentice.
   2. (son) Prentice.
   3. (dau.) Prentice.
   4. (dau.) Prentice.

3. Edith Juanita Prentice, b. 4 Nov 1924, Bibb Co., AL. She m. James Oliver Kiker on 8 Jun 1946 in Bibb Co., AL. He was b. 13 Sep 1924, Walker Co., AL, and d. 29 Nov 1946 in Tuscaloosa Co., AL. He had residences in Jasper and Greensboro, Alabama and Memphis, Tennessee. He was a civil engineer and a member of the Presbyterian Church. Her served in the U.S. Army.
   1. (son) Kiker.
   2. (son) Kiker.

4. Daniel Ethridge Prentice, b. 13 Sep 1927 in Brent, Bibb Co., AL. He resided in Bibb County, Alabama and Peoria, IL. He was an auto mechanic and a member of the Presbyterian Church. He m. Madell Ingram and had 2 daughters. Daniel's obituary reads as follows:
   Daniel Ethridge Prentice age 86 of Brent, AL passed away at his home on Thursday, February 13, 2014. He was preceded in death by four brothers, two sisters, and his twin sister, Elsie. Mr. Prentice was an Army veteran who served his country well.

   He is survived by his loving wife Madell Prentice; two daughters, JoAnn Prentice, and Janet Kay Prentice Owens; two grandchildren, Steve and Tim Owens all of Brent, AL; as well as a host of Nieces and Nephews.

   Funeral services will be held on Saturday, February 15, 2014 at 11 AM at Rockco Funeral Home Chapel with a viewing time one hour prior to his service. Rev. Billy Wallace will officiate his service. Burial will be in Pineland Memorial Cemetery. Pallbearers, Kenny Murphy, James Murphy, Brad Elam, Darlene Terry, Ken Owens, Mike Owens, William Mayfield, and Mathew Murphy. Honorary Pallbearers, all of his many friends. Rockco Funeral Home of Centreville directing.

   Children of Daniel and Madell:

   1. JoAnn Prenticein, 2014 living in Brent, AL.
   2. Janet Kay Prentice. She m. Ken or Mike Owens (see Pallbearers, above). Children:
      1. Steve Owens, 2014 living in Brent, AL.
      2. Tim Owens, 2014 living in Brent, AL.
5. Sarah Elsie Prentice, b. 13 Sep 1927 in Brent, Bibb Co., AL. She drowned in the Cahaba River in Bibb Co. on 25 Jun 1943 at the age of 15 years.
6. Clarence Compton Prentice, b. 6 Jun 1929 in Bibb Co., AL and d. 2 May 1976 in Tuscaloosa Co., AL. He was a laborer in road construction. He m. Annie Elizabeth Ingram. She was b. 7 Apr 1935 in Harrisburg, Bibb Co. AL and d. 25 Jun 1989 in Birmingham, Jefferson Co., AL. She is buried in Mt. Nebo Cemetery, Perry County, Alabama. She was a seamstress.
7. (dau.) Prentice. She m. 1st James W. Champion and 2nd Henry Gray.

In the 1880 Hampton County census, Peeples Township, William H. Prentice is age 49, a grocer, born in New York. He gives his father's birthplace as Rhode Island, and his mother's birthplace as New York. We do not know his parents' ages from that census, but they were likely b. c. 1780-1800.

Since William married in Bibb Co. in 1853 at age 23, it seems somewhat unlikely that he would have moved from NY to AL by himself. If that be true, then William's parents probably probably also moved with William to Bibb Co., AL.

We checked the 1866 AL State census and there were 4 Prentices shown: 1. D. W. Prentice, b. c. 1806-1816 with son b. 1846-1856, 2. Mahala Prentice: Black, 3. Randall Prentice: Black. 4. William H. Prentiice: #1, above.

The 1860 Federal AL census did not show any Prentices in Bibb County.

From the foregoing, there seems a fair chance that William's father D. W. Prentice, b. 1806-1816. If born 1810 or earlier, his age would be suitable to have William born in 1830. If born 1812 or earlier, that would be appropriate for William born in 1832.

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