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Thomas D. Prentice was born about 1805 in Delaware to unknown parents. He first appears in the 1850 Seneca, Lodi, NY census with his wife, Elizabeth S., b. c. 1824 in PA. He later appears in the 1860 Macon, Lenawee, MI census, and still later in the 1870 census in Odessa, Ionia Co., MI (where his name again is spelled Prentice) with his wife. Not in 1880 census.

He m. Elizabeth (Sutherland?), b. c. 1825, PA, . Children (per census records and LDS-recorded birth records):

1. Mary Prentice, b. c. 1849, NY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [2]
2. Margaret Prentice, b. c. 1852, NY. At home in 1860 and 1870.
3. Jonas Prentice, b. c. 1858, MI. At home in 1860 and 1870. Not in 1880 or 1900 census.
4. William H. Prentice, b. c. 1865, MI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [3]
5. Archibald T. Prentice, b. 11 Jun 1873, Ft. Gratiot, St. Clair, MI. 1880 census living with his grandfather, Thomas Sutherland, probably Archibald's mother's father.
6. Charles W. Prentice, b. 7 Mar 1876, Ft. Gratiot, St. Clair, MI. Not in 1900 census.
7. Clarence Prentice, b. 27 Sep 1878, Ft. Gratiot, St. Clair, MI. 1880 census living with his grandfather, Thomas Sutherland, probably Archibald's mother's father. Clarence might be the Clarence Prentiss who appears in the 1900 Detroit, Wayne Co., MI census as b. c. 1879 in MI.

The 1880 Ft. Gratiot census also shows in the household Elizabeth S. Prentice, age 24 and b. 1856 in Canada.

2. Mary Prentice, b. c. 1849, NY. At home in 1860. She m. Eldridge Houseman, b. c. 1851, and in the 1870 census they are living with her parents in Odessa, Ionia Co., MI. Not in the 1880, 1900 or 1910 census.

3. William H. Prentice, b. c. 1865, MI. He might be the William Prentice shown in the 1900 census in Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., OH as b. c. 1866 in MI and is a lodger. Or, he might be either:

1. William H. Prentice who appears in the 1920 census in Greenville, Montcalm Co., MI census with his wife, Lillie B., b. c. 1868, Canada,
2. or he may be the William H. Prentiss, b. c. 1864 MI, who appears in the 1920 census in Portland, Ionia Co., MI with his wife, Dora M., b. c. 1888, MI. Children:
   1. Elon C. Merchant, stepson, b. c. 1920. He is likely a son of Dora by a prior marriage.
   2. Nathan Prentiss, b. c. 1915, MI.

He does not appear in the 1930 census.

We checked the 1800, 1810 and 1820 DE census to see if possible parents may appear, but none are listed in for those census years. Birth places are not indicated in census prior to 1850, and the only Prentice birth in DE shown in the 1850 census is that of Thomas, above. Investigation is continuing.

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