PrenticeNet :: William Prentice of Scotland and PA

f William Prentice of Overtown, Lanarkshire, Scotland and Westmoreland Co., PA
By Linus Joseph Dewald Jr., Editor
Spring 2000 and Revised: 28 Jan 2016

Update of 20 Sep 2005: Christine Hadden's email of 19 Sep 2005 relates that scotlandspeople.gov.uk. shows William Prentice to be the son of Thomas Prentice and Jane Gilbert of Whitburn. This article has now been replaced by our Winter 2002 article on Peter Prentice and Mary Freemantle, Victoria, Australia .

Update of 17 Sep 2005: This article first appeared in the Spring 1998 Prentice Newsletter. It has been revised to include new information received from William Prentice Smith Jr., and Patrick Joseph McGrane, descendants, and from obituary information about William F. Prentice Jr. and his wife, Jane, #2, below.

1. William Prentice was born Oct 1861 at Overtown, Lanarkshire, Scotland (but see discussion at end of this article about William Prentice and Janet Gray). He married Catherine "Mary" Kennedy on 31 Dec 1882 in Wishaw. She was born in Wishaw and apparently d. before 1930 as William was living with his son, Alexander in Latrobe inc1930.

William was a coal miner in Wishaw. He and his family came to America in 1885 and went to work in the coal mines of Latrobe, PA. They appear in the 1900, 1910 and 1920 Westmoreland Co., PA census and in the 1930 Latrobe, Westmoreland Co., PA census..

Shown living with William and his family in the 1900 census is Mary's father, Alexander Kennedy, b. Feb 1826. One could infer that Alexander's wife also came to America but was deceased by 1900.

The following is from William's obituary daed Wed., 31 Dec 1947:

Besides his daughter here these other children survive: Thomas D., Chalfont, Pa.; Alex, New York City; John, Latrobe. Twenty-eight grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren also survive. He was a member of the United Brethern Church of Latrobe and of the LOOM of Latrobe.

Friends will be received at the home of his daughter here where funereal services will be conducted Friday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock, in charge of Rev. Fred Turney, Interment will be in Unity cemetery, near Latrobe."

Children of William and Mary shown in the 1900 Westmoreland Co., PA census are:

Thomas D. Prentice, b. Feb 1884, Scotland. He appears in the 1910 and 1920 Greensburg, Westmoreland Co., PA census with his wife, Emma (b. c. 1888, PA). Not in 1930 census. Children (per 1920 census):
1. William Prentice, b. c. 1908, PA.
2. Thomas Prentice, b. c. 1910, PA.
3. Maurice Prentice, b. c. 1912, PA. Not in SSDI.
4. Robert Prentice, b. c. 1914, PA. 1940 in New Britain, Bucks Co., PA, living with his sister, Emma.
5. Alexander Prentice, b. c. 1915, PA. He is likely the Alexander Prentice shown in the SSDI as b. 27 Jun 1915 and d. 30 Apr 2003 in Galeton, Potter Co., PA.
6. Jean Prentice, b. c. 1917, PA.
7. Miriam Prentice, b. c. 1919, PA.
8. Emma Prentice, b. c. 1923, PA. 1940 in New Britain, Bucks Co., PA, living with her brother, Robert.
Catherine/Katie Prentice, b. Apr 1890, PA. She m. William P. McGrane. Children (per Patrick Joseph McGrane, email 5 Nov 2002, grandson):
1. Randall McGrane.
2. John Robert McGrane.
3. James McGrane.
4. Martha McGrane.
5. George McGrane, twin. He had 1 or more children, Patrick Joseph McGrane.
6. William McGrane, twin, b. 1923 and d. shortly after birth..
Margaret "Maggie" Prentice, b. 27 Jul 1892, PA and d. 13 or 21 Mar 1945. She m. S Lewis Smith and is William Prentice Smith Jr.'s grandmother.
William/Willie L. Prentice, b. Dec 1894, PA. His brother, Alexander, appears in the 1920 Allegheny Co. census. He appears in the 1940 census in the Turtle Creek, Allegheny Co. census with his wife, Mary Wall(?), b. c. 1896, PA. Living with them was Elizabeth Wall, called Mother in Law. Children:
1. William Prentice Jr, b. c. 1917, PA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [2]
2. Vivian M. Prentice, b. c. 1920, PA. 1930, 1940 at home.
3. John R. Prentice. His obit. relates that he was b. 14 Jan 1924 in Pittsburgh, son of William and Mary Prentice, and d. 11 Feb 2005, in Sarasota, FL. 1930 in Turtle Creek, Allegheny Co., PA. He was a retired engineer for the Crossing Development Co. and a World War II Navy veteran. Friends received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Monday at the Devlin Funeral Home, 806 Perry Highway, Ross. Mass of Christian Burial in St. Sebastian Church. Burial at Allegheny County Memorial Park. Children (per obituary):
  1. David J. Prentice of Broomfield, CO.
  2. Lynn A. Prentice. She m. Mr. Lewis and in 2005 lived in Basking Ridge, NJ.
  3. Bradley J. Orentice, of McCandless, FL.
4. Doris A. Prentice, b. c. 1927, PA. 1930, 1940 at home.
Alexander Prentice, b. Apr 1898, PA. He appears in the 1920 Williamsburg, Alleghany, PA census and in the 1930 Latrobe, Westmoreland Co., PA census with his wife, Luticia(?), b. c. 1898, PA, and their children:
1. Jean C. Prentice, b. c. 1917, PA. At home in 1930.
2. Melvin A. Prentice, b. 4 Mar 1919, PA, and d. 24 Feb 1999, Erie, Erie Co., PA (per SSDI)
3. Louisa Prentice, b. c. 1923, PA. At home in 1930.
John Prentice, b. c. 1906, PA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [3]

2. William Prentice Jr., b. c. 1917, PA, and d. 10 Aug 2002, Pittsburgh, PA. His obituary reads as follows:

William F. Prentice Jr., age 85, on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2002. Beloved husband of Jane (Przybylski) Prentice; loving father of Carol Glatz, Noreen Miller and James Prentice; nine grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; brother of , Vivian Jack PrenticeWillis and the late Doris Young. William was retired from Westinghouse. Friends received at the JOHN L. QUINLAN FUNERAL HOME INC., 975 Airbrake and 11th avenues, Turtle Creek, on Monday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Funeral Mass at 11:15 a.m. Tuesday in the St. Colman Church, Turtle Creek.

He m. Jane T. Przybylski. She was b. c. 1919 and d. Wed., 15 Jun 2005 in Monroeville, PA. Her obituary relates the following information:

Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at the JOHN L. QUINLAN FUNERAL HOME INC., 975 Airbrake Ave., Turtle Creek. Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. Saturday in St. Colman Church, Turtle Creek. Interment in Good Shepherd Cemetery.

Children of William and Jane, per obituary:

Carol Prentice. She m. Mr. Glatz.
Noreen Prentice. She m. Mr. Miller.
James Prentice

3. John Prentice, b. c. 1906, PA. He is likely the John P. Prentice, b. c. 1904, PA who appears in the 1930 & 1940 census in Latrobe, Westmoreland Co., PA with his wife,

He m. Josephine C. McHenry. She was b. 12 Oct 1908, obtained her SS# in PA, and d. 20 Jun 1992in IN per the SSDI. By email of 18 Jun 2010, Amy Nehrkorn advises that she is the granddaughter of John and Josephine and that their descendants are as follows:

William Prentice. Deceased by 2010. He m. Jane. She died in a car accident. They lived the majority of their lives in Scotsdale, AZ. William re-married and moved to Utah where he passed away. Children of William and Jane:
1. Brian Prentice.
2. Brett Prentice.
John "Jack" Prentice, b. c. 1928, PA. He m. Jo and lived in NY. They had 1 or more children, including:
1. James/Jim Prentice.
Richard Wilber Prentice. He m. Geraldine Salandro. They lived in Latrobe/Derry, Westmoreland Co., PA. Children:
1. John Paul Prentice.
2. Amy Ruth Prentice. She m. Mr. Nehrkorn and lives in WI.
Jacqueline Prentice. She d. shortly after birth.

Who are William's parents?

William Prentice Smith Jr. advises that William's father may have been William Prentice. His mother's name may have been Janet Gray. The IGI shows that William Prentice m. Janet Gray on 23 Mar 1860 at Cambusnethan. The IGI also shows a son, William Prentice, b. 25 May 1862 at Cambusnethan. That birth date, however, is different from the Oct 1861 census given by the 1900 Westmoreland census and may refer to a different William Prentice.

Apparently by 1881 his parents had died. According to an 1881 census, William was living with his grandparents, William Prentice, 70 (b. c. 1811) and Elizabeth Gray, 66 (b. c. 1815) in Hamilton, Lanarkshire, Scotland.

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Richard Prentice 2020-01-16 21:09:44	Richard Wilber Prentice had 2 more wives and 3 more children 2nd wife Jeannie L Prentice 2 sons Richard William Prentice Douglass William Prentice daughter Tricia Ann Prentice wife number 3 Carol Prentice

Tricia SCHELL 2020-01-16 20:52:00	Amy Newrkorn is wrong William Prentice he died in between the years of 2001 and 2003. He lived in Boise Idaho with his wife Lynn and died in Boise Idaho. I am the daughter of Richard Wilbert Prentice born May 4,1942 he was divorce and married Jeannie Louise Ahlborn and had 3 children 2 sons Richard William Prentice b.c March 14, 1971 Douglass William Prentice b.c April 2, 1974 and Daughter Tricia Ann Prentice b.c September 15, 1975 Our Fathers middle name is not Wilber it is Wilbert Amy is from his first marriage and we are from his second marriage and he is currently Married to Carol Hackman Prentice.