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1. William Prentice may have been b. c.1766-1776, perhaps Harpenden or elsewhere in Hertfordshire, England.

He m. Sarah (per IGI). Known children (per IGI):

1. Sarah Prentice, chr. 23 Oct 1796, Harpenden. Not in 1841 census.
2. Mary Prentice, chr. 9 Sep 1798, Harpenden. Not in 1841 census.
3. Hannah Prentice, chr. 1 Mar 1801, Harpenden. Not in 1841 census.
4. William Prentice, chr. 26 Feb 1804, Harpenden, Hertfordshire. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [2]
5. John Prentice, chr. 26 Jul 1807, Harpenden. Probably d. bef. 1813, see John, below.
6. Sarah Prentice, chr. 28 Jan 1810, Harpenden. Not in 1841 census.
7. John Prentice, chr. 31 Oct 1813, Harpenden. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .[3]

2. William Prentice was chr. 26 Feb 1804, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, England (per IGI). He appears in the 1841 census in Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire, England with his wife. Also living in their home in 1841 was Sarah Prentice, b. c. 1771, Hertfordshire, probably his mother.

He m. Elizabeth Newson on 31 Dec 1929 in Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire (per Marriages). Witnesses to their marriage inthe Parish Church were Sarah Cornisher, Richard Newson, Mary Webb and Sidney Webb (per Prentice Witnesses to Marriages in England). Elizabeth was b. c. 1806, Luton, Bedfordshire.

William and Elizabeth appear in the later 1881 census living in Cold Harbour Cottages, Wheathampstead where he was a Laborer, his age was given as 77 (b. c. 1804) and her age was given as 75 (b. c. 1806), Hertford, England. Also living with them in 1881 was Sarah Newson, age 62 and b. c. 1819, Wheathampstead, and called Elizabeth's sister.

3. John Prentice, chr. 31 Oct 1813, Harpenden and perhaps deceased by 1861. Not in 1841 census.

He may be the John Prentice who m. Elizabeth Bigg(s) on 31 Oct 1837, in the Parish Church in Harpenden. Witnesses were Frank Robinson and Sophia Scrivener. He may be the John Prentice who, on 11 Nov 1839, witnessed the marriage of James Parsons and Ann Bigg in the Harpenden Parish Church. Probable childen of John and Elizabeth:

1. George Prentice, b. c. 1845, Harpenden. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [4]
2. Harriett Prentice, b. c. 1854, Harpenden (per 1881 census). She m. Mr. Bassil. In 1881 she is living with the family of her brother, George, but without her husband. Not in 1891 and later census. She may, or may not, be the mother of:
   1. Ellen Bassil, b. c. 1876, Kinsbourne Green, Hertfordshire. Ellen appears in the 1901 census as a visitor in the home of Sophia and Thomas Reid (see #4, below).

John may also be the John Prentice who m., perhaps as a 2nd wife, Mary Ann Gregory on 8 Jul 1849 at the Harpenden Parish Church. In 871 census in Harpenden. She had 3 children by a prior marriage:

1. Charlotte Gregory, b. c. 1841, Harpenden. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [5]
2. George Gregory, b. c. 1842, Harpenden, Stepson. At home in 1851. In 1861 he is a Servant in Great Edstone, Yorkshire. Not in 1881 or 1891 census.
3. William Gregory, b. c. 1845, Harpenden, Stepson. At home in 1871 and 1881 census. Not in 1891 census, but he does appear in the 1901 census in St. Albans, Hertfordshire, with his wife, Emma, b. c. 1847, Luton, Bedfordshire, and daughter:
   1. Charlotte Gregory, b. c. 1876, Harpenden, Hertfordshire.

John and Mary Ann apparently had another son:

1. James Prentice, b. c. 1850-51, Harpenden. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [6]

John does not appear in the 1861 and later census records.

4. George Prentice, b. c. 1845, Harpenden. In the 1861 Harpenden census he is living at home with his mother and siblings. He is not in the 1871 census, but does appear in the 1881 Harpenden census living on Upper Cravells Rd. with his wife and family. He is not in the 1891 and 1901 census.

He m. Sophia, b. c. 1849, Kinsbourne Gree, Bedfordshire. Children per 1881 census:

1. Annie L. Prentice, b. c. 1879, Harpenden. At home in 1881. Living with her brother, William, in 1901.
2. Emily S. Prentice, b. c. 1877. At home in 1881. Living with Sophia and her 2nd husband, Thomas Reid, in 1901.
3. Ernest Prentice, b. c. 1875. At home in 1881. He appears in the 1901 census in Redbourn, Hertfordshire, with his wife, Olivia M. Martin, b. c. 1874, Redbourn, and children:
   1. Edith M. Prentice, b. c. 1897, Redbourn, Hertfordshire. At home in 1901.
   2. Olivia Prentice, b. c. 1898, Redbourn, Hertfordshire. At home in 1901.
   3. Ernest G. Prentice, b. c. 1900, Redbourn, Hertfordshire. At home in 1901.
   Living with Ernest and his family in 1901 was his mother-in-law, Sarah Martin, b. c. 1834, Cheddington, Buckinghamshire.
4. William G. Prentice, b. c. 1873. At home in 1881. Living with his sister, Annie, in 1901.

After George Prentice's apparent death before 1891, Sophia m. 2nd Thomas Reid, b. c. 1835, Harpenden. They appear in the 1901 census in Harpenden with their daughter:

1. Ellen Reid, b. c. 1891, Harpenden. At home in 1901.

5. Charlotte Gregory, b. c. 1841, Harpenden, Stepdaughter. She appears with her mother in the 1861 census in Harpenden. 1881 census in Harpenden.

She m. John Harris. He was b. c. 1838 in Hughendon, Buckinghamshire. Children per 1871 census.

1. Arthur Harris, b. c. 1868, Harpenden. At home in 1871 & 1881. In 1891 and 1901 Harpenden census with his wife, Jane, and children
   1. Frederick Harris, b. c. 1890, Harpenden. At home in 1891 and 1901.
   2. Phebe M. Harris, b. c. 1894, Harpenden. At home in 1901.
   3. Ernest W. Harris, b. c. 1899, Harpenden. At home in 1901.
   4. Grace W.Harris, b. c. 1900, Harpenden. At home in 1901.

6. James Prentice, b. c. 1850-51, Harpenden. In the 1861 and 1871 Harpenden census at home with his mother and siblings. He appears in the 1881, 1891 and 1901 census in Dukinfield, Cheshire as a house painter with his wife and family. He does not appear at home in the 1901 census and may be by then deceased.

He m. Ann, b. c. 1851, Stalybridge, Cheshire. Children per 1881 and 1891 census:

1. Arthur Prentice, b. c. 1878, Stalybridge, Cheshire. At home in 1891. In 1901 census in Gorton, Lancashire, with his wife, Emma, b. c. 1879, Openshaw, Lancashire. No children shown.
2. Charles Prentice, b. c. 1880-81. Not in 1891 and later census.
3. Alice Prentice, b. c. 1883, Dukinfield, Cheshire. At home in 1891 and 1901.
4. George Prentice, b. c. 1883, Dukinfield, Cheshire. At home in 1891 and 1901..

The IGI shows a William Prentice, chr. 16 May 1779, Great Gaddesden and Nettleden, Hertfordshire, son of Richard and Sophia Prentice. Great Gaddesden lies about 10 miles WSW of Wheathampstead.

William Prentice may, or may not, be the son of Richard Prentice and Sophia Smith who appear in our Spring 2003 article about the Prentices of Gaddesden, Hertford, England .

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