By Linus Joseph Dewald Jr., Editor
Spring 2004 and Revised 28 Dec 2007
Willard Prentice is a descendant of Valentine Prentice and is #307 in our PRENTICE 307. (Probably son) Willard Prentice (John, 116). Born, circa 1807, in Jefferson Co., NY [347]. Died, 1883, in Hartford, Van Buren Co., MI. He does not appear in the 1830, 1840 or 1850 census. The 1860 and 1870 census shows him in Hartford, Van Buren Co., Mi. He was a farmer.
Willard married Mary Ann Castleman who was b. c. 1810, in NY. Known children:
George's wife, Mary "Mary E." might be the same person as Mary Elizabeth Prentice, b. c. 1839,
who d. 31 Mar 1906, Hartford, MI, age 67 y., 0 m. 2 d, b. NY, dau. of John & Elizabeth Castleman.
There is an Edward Seeley (perhaps a brother to Hiram Seeley, above) shown in the 1870 census
in Hartford, Van Buren Co., MI, as b. c. 1859 and living in James' home. He relationship
to them is not indicated on the census, but might be a son of Eunice (Prentice) Seeley, above, and grandson
of Willard and Mary since they are only about 4 residences away on the preceding census page.
There is an Ellen Healey (Seeley?)
(perhaps a sister to Edward and Hiram Seeley, below) shown in the 1870 census
in Hartford, Van Buren Co., MI, as b. c. 1859 and living in George's home. Her relationship
to them is not indicated on the census, but might be a daughter of Eunice (Prentice) Seeley, below, and
granddaughter of Willard and Mary since they are only about 4 residences away on the preceding census page.
307.2 Barbara Prentice, b. c. 1829, NY (per 1870 census) and d. 25 Dec 1897 in Hartford, Van Buren Co., MI, age 68y-5m-11d. She and her husband are bur. in Pioneer Cemetery, Hartford, MI.
She married Joseph Smith Jr. c. 1850-1854. He was b. c. 1828, NY. She appears in the 1850 census in Clarkson, Monroe, NY. They both appear in the 1870 census in Hartford, Van Buren Co., MI living 4 households away from that of her parents, Willard and Mary (Castleman) Prentice. Barbara and Joseph do not appear in the 1880 census. Children (per 1870 census and Sandra Northrop):
307.3 Eunice Prentice, b. 28 Dec 1835 (per Karen Thornhill, email, 28 Dec 2007), probably NY (see Hiram, b. c. 1859, below) and d. 14 Nov 1923 (per Karen Thornhill, ibid) in Hartford, Van Buren Co., MI per
Ancestry.com . Census: 1850, in Clarkson, Monroe, NY. Eunice and Hiram do not appear in the 1870, 1880 or 1900 census.
She married Hiram Seeley, probably NY (see Hiram, b. c. 1859, below). He was b. 1826, NY and d. in the Civil War on 24 Apr 1862, Pittsburg Landing (also known as the Battle of Shiloh), TN (per Karen Thornhill, email, 29 Dec 2007). His death apparently was from wounds suffered earlier in the battle on April 6 and 7, 1862 (see Wikipedia: Battle of Shiloh .
Eunice and Hiram had 4 children:
307.4 James Prentice. He may be the James Prentice shown in the 1870 and 1880 Hartford, Van Buren Co., MI census as b. c. 1832, NY, with his wife, Susan, b. c. 1841, NY. Not in 1900 census. Children (per 1870 and 1880 census):
There is an Edward Seeley (perhaps a brother to Hiram Seeley, above) shown in the 1870 census in Hartford, Van Buren Co., MI, as b. c. 1859 and living in James' home. He relationship to them is not indicated on the census, but might be a step-son of Eunice (Prentice) Seeley, above, and step-grandson of Willard and Mary since they are only about 4 residences away on the preceding census page. That same Hiram appears in the 1880 census in Hartford, Van Buren Co., MI, living in the home of Willard Prentice (#1, above).
307.5 Nancy Prentice, b. 9 Jan 1838, NY and d. 19 Jun 1870 in Hartford, Van Buren Co., MI. Bur. Pioneer Cem., Hartford.
She m. Reuban Benjamin Conklin on 14 Aug 1859, Van Buren Co., MI. Census: 1850, in Clarkson, Monroe, NY.
Children per Ancestry.com :
307.6 Hiram Smith, b. Mar 1862, MI, and d. 7 Aug 1919, Hartford, MI. He appears in the 1900 Hartford census with his wife, Ellen, b. Aug 1862, IL, and children:
307.7 Willard Ryland "Riley" Seeley (Back), b. 1 May 1854, Monroe Co., NY, and d. 15 Feb 1923, Van Buren Co., MI. He does not appear in the 1900, 1910 or 1920 census.
Willard does not appear in the 1900 or 1910 census. His Obituary appeared in the "Hartford Daily Springs" in MI on 23 Feb 1923:
His father died in the Civil War.
He came with his mother to Hartford and the mother died here. He then went to live with a family at Sodus where
he grew tomanhood. At the age of 19 he was married to Maggie Castleman. Two children were born to them
both of whom died in infancy and the mother passed away a few days later. Some years later Mr. Seeley was
married to Marie Cramner. One daughter was born to them:
In 1907 Mr. Seeley was married to Mrs. Della Darlington of Covert, who also survives. He also leaves
one brother, Hiram Seeley of Hartford, and one sister, Lilly Reynolds of Whitehall, Mich, besides other relatives
and friends.
Funeral services for him were held Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock at the Baptist church, Rev. L. G. Kent officiating.
Burial was made at the Old Cemetery on West Main Street.
By email of 29 Dec 2007, Karen Thornhill advises that Willard actually was married 5 times. Her email reads as follows:
Riley was buried in the Old Cemetery on West Main Street, Hastings Addition, Hartford, Michigan. . .
Accordingto Ardath McIntyre (grand niece of Riley), The Old Cemetery is now called Pioneer Cemetery.
Riley isburied in Section 2, near the road but there are no markers. He is buried near the Smiths and Prentices.
Sexton's records do not indicate any wives are buried there. (Hartford is in Van Buren Co.). Wives:
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.
Caution: If you don't use the above email link, your email to us may be deleted as spam by our email filter.
Note: Joseph Rollin Prentice, #446, below, the great-grandfather of this author, Linus Joseph Dewald Jr.,
also served with Union forces at the Battle of Shiloh.
Milton m. 2nd Mary A. Washburn on 11 Dec 1893, Van Buren Co., MI. She was b. 18 Jul 1868, Berrien Springs,
Berrien Co., MI. Children with additional descendants found at
George m. 2nd Clara Sophia Vogel on 26 Sep 1894. She was b. 15 Mar 1874.
Children with additional information found at
Ancesty.com:
George m. 3rd Jessie May Murrey on 20 Apr 1904. She was b. 1884. Children with additional information found at
Ancesty.com:
George m. 4th Pearl, b. 1880, MI per
Ancesty.com:
Ryland Seeley, aged 71, died suddenly last Thursday morning at his home in the Hastings addition.
His death was due to a heart attack superinduced by influenza. Mr. Seeley had been a resident of Hartford
and vicinity a greater part of his life. He was born in New York May 1, 1854, but at the age of seven came with is parents
to Monroe, Mich.
Riley was married five times as opposed to the three times in his obituary, below.
Numbers (2) & (3) are not mentioned in his obituary.
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