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In our Winter 1997 Edition, we had an article about Nathaniel and Henry Prentice of Burlington, NY, twins and both said to have been born in 24 Oct 1787 in CT, in which we were trying to identify their parents. We noted in the article that Nathaniel's name might, instead, be Nathan. Although we had Henry's wife and family, we had no information whether his brother, Nathaniel/Nathan had a wife and children.

While reviewing the 1850 Nauvoo, Hancock Co., IL census we noticed the following family:

1. Nathan Prentice, b.c . 1787, CT and d. 22 Apr 1872 at Nauvoo, IL.

He m. Elizabeth Briggs, b. c. 1791, NY and d. 1864, Nauvoo. By email of 9 May 2007, Becke Dawson reports that Nauvoo's County Seat, Carthage, IL, show that Elizabeth was b. 22 Jan 1791 in Otsego Co., NY, and d. 16 Aug 1864 in Nauvoo. Becke believes Elizabeth to be the daughter of Perez Briggs (b. 1746 Voluntown, New London Co. CT) and Elizabeth Smith (b. 1754 Voluntown, New London Co., CT.

Perez Briggs was an original settler of Otsego Town, NY, moving there in 1789 with his family. According to an entry in Ancestry.com :

Perez Briggs was b. 7 Sep 1746 in Voluntown, CT, and d. 24 Apr 1818 in Burlington, Otsego, NY. He served in the American Revolution from May 8 to December 15, 1775 as a 'sargent' of the 6th Company, raised in Voluntown and Plainfield, of Col David Waterbury's 5th Regiment. By 1790 Perez and Eliabeth were in Otsego Township, Montgomery, NY. Perez was the first tavern keeper of the town of Burlington. The will of Perez Briggs was drawn in Cherry Valley, Otsego, NY April 8, 1818 and proved May 19, 1818.

By email of 11 May 2002, Connie Eccles advises that both Nathan and Elizabeth have a joint stone at the Historic Nauvoo Cemetery. Living with him were:

1. Luke P. Prentice, b. Oct 1817, NY, his wife, Christianna, and daughter, Lucia. . . . . . . . . [2]

2. Luke P. Prentice, b. Oct 1817, NY (per 1900 census) and d. after 1900 when he appeared in the Carthage, Hancock Co., IL census at age 82. . He is probably the Luke P. Prentice who m. Christina L. Hall on 15 Jun 1847 in Hancock Co., IL. She was b. 1821 and d. 1854 and is also bur. in the Historic Nauvoo Cemetery, Nauvoo, IL. Children:

1. Lucia I. Prentice, b. c. 1848, IL. She m. William H. Walters on 1 May 1871 in Hancock Co., IL. He was b. c. 1841, PA. They appear in the 1880 Dallas, Hancock Co., IL census with their children:
   1. Jessee M. Walters, dau., b. c. 1871, IL.
   2. Mary H. Walters, b. c. 1878, IL.

2. Mary E. Prentice, b. c. 1853, IL. She is probably the Mary Prentice who m. James T. Gill on 3 Nov 1872 in Hancock Co., IL. She appears as a widow in the 1880 and 1900 Carthage, Hancock Co., IL census with her son:
   1. Thomas E. Gill, b. c. 1874, IL. At home with his mother in 1900 Carthage census. He may, or may not, be the Thomas Gill. b. c. 1874, IL, shown in the 1910 census in Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., ND with his wife, Margaret, b. c. 1876, and children:
      1. William Gill, b. c. 1905, ND
      2. James T.(?) Gill, b. c. 1907, ND.
      Thomas does not appear in the 1920 census. He may, or may not, be the Thomas E. Gill, b. c. 1874, IL, shown in the 1930 census in Los Angeles, CA, with his wife, Myla F., b. c. 1874, IN, and son:
      1. James R. Gill, b. c. 1910, CO.

He is likely the Luke T/P Prentice, shown in the IL Marriage Index, who m. Lydia A. Belt on 9 Jan 1856 in Knox Co., IL (per IL Marriage Index) which was about 2 years after the death of Luke's first wife, Christina. Lydia was b. c. 1826, MD. They appear in the 1860 Sonora, Hancock, IL census and the 1880 Carthage, Hancock, IL census. Children (per 1860 and 1880 census):

1. William H. Prentice, b. c. 1857, IL. At home in 1880 census.
2. Ella Prentice, b. c. 1862, IL. At home in 1880 census.
3. Adda Prentice, b. Jul 1865, IL. She m John W. Wllliams, b Nov 1865, IL. In the 1900 census they are living with her father, Luke, in Carthage, Hancock Co., IL with daughter:
   1. Miriam E. Williams, b. Nov 1896, IL.

It occurred to us that this Nathan, born 1787 in CT, may be the same person as the one mentioned in our Winter 1997 article

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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