PrenticeNet :: Zachariah Ransom Prentice

Zachariah Ransom Prentice
By Linus Joseph Dewald Jr., Editor
Summer 1998 and Revised 9 Oct 2008

Update of 9 Oct 2008: See now our Winter 2008 article entitled Ransom Prentiss of Canandaigua Co., NY . That article replaces this article.

Is he the son of Ransom Prentice?

We are helping Sandra Canterbury of Marietta, OH trace identify the parents and ancestry of her great-grandfather, Zachariah Ransom Prentice (his name may also be spelled Prentiss, but for convenience we will use the more typical spelling). Referencing our correspondence file (Pren40, pg. 102 et seq.) here is what we have so far:

1. Zachariah Ransom Prentice, was born 23 Dec 1815, perhaps near Canandaigua Twp., Ontario Co., NY and died 11 Nov 1900, Fairlawn, Portage Twp, Summit Co., OH. By email of 25 Oct 2001, Susan Bos provides additional information about him. The Skagit County book at the Mount Vernon, WA, Library says that Zachariah was "of Akron, OH [and was] a man of influence in that part of the state, at one time owned farm land in the present city of Akron.

Note:

unidentified wife

Clara Minerva "Minerva" Prentice, b. c. 1834, NY (per 1860 census in Manchester, Bennington Co., VT, and d. 1873 at the age of 39. She is reported to have m. a Robert Hutchinson (b. c. 1834, AL per 1860 census). The Skagit County book at the Mount Vernon, WA, Library contains the statement that Clara was the "niece of General Prentiss of historic memory." The reference is apparently to Civil War General Benjamin Mayberry Prentice. However there is no present evidence that the General ever had a brother named Zachariah. Perhaps the blood link is through her mother whose name is yet to be determined. Clara m. Robert Hutchinson and had:
1. Estella Hutchinson, b. c. 1855, VT. At home in 1860 census in Manchester, Bennington Co., VT.
2. Haley R. Hutchinson, b. c. 1859, VT. At home in 1860 census in Manchester, Bennington Co., VT. He m. Cozella Smith on 3 Oct 1880.

Zachariah's 1st documented marriage is to Almira S. Hawkins on 18 Oct 1846, in Summit Co., OH. She was b. 22 Jul 1822 in Portage Twp, Summit Co., OH, and d. there 2 Feb 1865 at the age of 42 years. She was the dau. of John Emerson Hawkins (1780-1858) and Jemima Pratt (1785-1861).

Census: 1850, in Portage, Summit, OH. (Note: The 1870 census in Portage calls his wife Augusta but he had remarried by then to his 2nd wife.) Children (for more information on them and their descendants, see our EDB):

Perkins S. Prentiss, b. 12 July 1846 in Ohio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [2]
Amelia Prentiss. Born, circa 1848, in OH. Census: 1850, in Portage, Summit, OH. . . . . . . [3]
Ann/Anna Prentiss, b. c. 1849, in OH and she appears in the 1850 Portage, Summit Co., OH census. Living with the family of her sister, Amelia, in Independence, OH, in the 1880 census. She d. unmarried (per Sandra Canterbury).
Eva Prentice, b. c. 1853, OH. At home in 1870 census.
Charles Prentiss, b. Jun 1857 in OH. At home in 1870 census. Later, in the 1900 Summit Co., OH census with his wife, Barbara Beck, b. Jul 1862 in OH. She was the daughter of Catherine Beck, b. Oct 1827 in Germany, who was living with Charles' family at the time of the 1900 census. Their children, as shown in the 1900, 1910 and 1920 Summit County census are:
1. Edna M. Prentiss, b. Jun 1891, OH. Her obit. in the Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Summit Co., OH, reads as follows (Mon. 3 Apr 1944, pg. 13, col. 7):
2. Sarah "Sadie" Mabel Prentiss, b. 5 Jul 1892, OH, and d. Feb 1971, Akron, Summit Co., OH, per SSDI. Living in 1944 and unmarried (per obit. of sister, Edna).
3. Zacharias Ransom Prentiss, b. 1 May 1897, OH, and d. Jul 1978, Akron, Summit Co., OH, per SSDI. Not in 1920 census. He appears in the 1930 Akron census as "Z. Ransom Prentiss" with his wife and family. In 1944 he was a teacher at Hower Vocational school (per obit. of his sister, Edna)., He m. Esther, b. c. 1901. Children per 1930 census:
  1. Charles H. Prentiss, b. c. 1925. At home in Akron in 1930 census.
  2. Margaret L. Prentiss, b. c. 1928. At home in Akronin 1930 census.
Ellen Prentice, b. c. 1859, OH. At home in 1870.
Nettie Prentice, b. c. 1861, OH. At home in 1870.
Addalin/Adeline Prentice, b. c. 1863, OH. At home in 1870.

Zachariah's 2nd documented marriage is to Augusta Minerva Baird on 1 Jan 1869, in Summit, OH. She was b. Feb 1837 in OH and d. 11 Jan 1916, Summit Co., OH. She was the dau. of Royal D. Baird and Elizabeth Marie Caswell. Zachariah and Augusta appear in the 1900 census in Summit Co., OH. Children (for more information on them and their descendants, see our EDB):

Burton "Burt" C. Prentiss. Born, 5 Feb 1874, in Portage, Summit, OH. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [4]
Hayes Hubert Prentiss, b. Aug 1877, Portage, Summit, OH. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [5]

2. Perkins S. Prentiss was born 12 Jul 1846 in Ohio. He died 11 Feb 1928 in Copley, Summit Co., OH and was buried in Copley Cemetery on 14 Feb 1928 (OH death cert. #12371; Akron Beacon Journal obit, 13 Feb 1928, p. 29, col. 7).

Family tradition is that Perkins is named after Simon Perkins, one of the founders of Akron, an associate of Zachariah Ranson Prentiss. Perkins, at age 2, appears in in Zachariah's household 1850 Portage Summit Co. OH census. He is still there in the 1870 census. He is "of Copley" in Zachariah's obituary in 1900, and is also administrator of Zachariah's estate.

Perkins m. Mary Ellen Hankey on 4 Feb 1872 in Summit Co., OH. She was b. 2 Feb 1852 at Wooster, Wayne Co., OH and was the daughter of Samuel Hankey and Anna M. Witmer, both b. PA. Mary Ellen died 10 Dec 1913 and is also buried in Copley Cemetery (OH death cert. #7222; Akron Beacon Journal obit, Dec 12, 1913, p. 24).

Children of Perkins and Mary per Sandra Canterbury email of 16 Oct 2002:

Milton Henry Prentiss, b. c. 1878. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [6]
Bessie May Prentiss, b. 2 Nov 1881 (Summit Co. Births Index L-R, Vol. 2, page 54). At home, unmarried, with her father in the 1920 census in Copley, Summit Co., OH. Bessie m. 1st Mr. Leiby after 1920. Bessie appears as a widow in the 1930 census in Copley, Summit Co., OH, living with her aunt, Anna Prentis, b. c. 1852, OH. Daughter:
1. Ardis Leiby, b. c. 1924, OH, and at home in Copley in 1930 census.
Bessie m. 2nd George McCord of Columbus, OH.

3. Amelia Prentiss was b. c. 1848, in OH. She appears in the 1850 census for Portage, Summit Co., OH. 1880 census in Independence, Cuyahoga Co., OH

Sandra Canerbury's email of 11 Oct 2002 provides the following additional information.

She m. Frank Gleason on 12 Mar 1871 in Summit Co., OH. He was b. c. 1849, OH, with both parents b. in OH. Amelia also appears in the 1870 census in Portage Twp., Smmmit Co., OH; her mother, Almira, has died and Zachariah has since remarried to Augusta Minerva Baird. Amelia's father's obituary in the Akron Beacon Journal of 14 Nov 1900 gives says she was then living in Independence OH.

The final distribution of her father's estate (Summit Co. Wills & Estates, Vol 12, page 79, case #8362, Aug 21 1921 Final distribution) still Independence OH. Children of Amelia and Frank (per 1880 Independence, Cuyahoga Co., OH):

Frederick Gleason, b. c. 1875, OH. 1880 census at home in Independence, Cuyahoga Co., OH..
Charlotte Gleason, b. c. 1879, OH. 1880 census at home in Independence, Cuyahoga Co., OH..

4. Burton "Burt" C. Prentiss. Born, 5 Feb 1874, in Portage, Summit, OH. Census: 1900, in Unk., Summit, OH. Census: 1920, in Unk., Summit, OH. In 1920 and 1930 census in Copley, Summit Co., OH with his wife and family.

He m. Rhea C., b. c. 1904, PA, (Rhea was shown as a "Boarder" in the 1920 census in Burton's home, so they obviously later married) and children:

Susan/Susie Prentice, b. c. 1923, OH.
Robert C. Prentice, b. c. 1925, OH.
Alice Prentice, b. c. 1926, OH.
Ruth Prentice, b. c. 1928, OH.
Louis Prentice, b. c. 1929, OH.

5. Hayes Hubert Prentiss, b. Aug 1877, Portage, Summit, OH. 1920 and 1930 census in Copley, Summit Co., OH with his wife and family. (Ref: Ancestry.com )

He m. 1st. Bertha L Evers. She was b. 1882, OH, and d. 29 Jan 1918, Summit Co., OH, age 36 years, perhaps in the great influenza epidemic. She was the dau. of Henry Evers (1836-1900) and Louise (1844-1819). Children:

Mary Augusta Prentiss, b. 16 Jan 1903, OH, and d. Oct 1985, North Branch, Lapeer Co., MI. She m. Irvin P Myers (1901 1982). Children, with additional information at Ancestry.com :
1. Barbara Myers
2. Donna Myers
3. Janet Myers
4. Lee Myers
5. Living Myers
6. Living Myers
7. Living Myers
8. Living Myers
9. Pauline Myers
10. Waynard Paul Myers, 1924 1983
11. Winifred A Myers,
12. Norman Myers, 1935 1935
13. Stanley P Myers, 1945
Hazel D. Prentiss, b. c. 1906, OH.
Earl R. Prentiss, b. 22 Nov 1907, OH, and d. 21 May 1983, Spencer, Medina Co., OH. Not home and not shown in 1930 census. He m. Mae.
Carl H. Prentiss, b. 20 Sep 1914, OH, and d. 31 Dec 1976, Akiron, Summit Co., OH. At home in 1930. He m. Donna. She was b. 14 Dec 1913 and d. 9 May 1997, Akron, Summit Co., OH, per SSDI.

He m. 2nd Helen/Helena L., b. 5 Jun 1900, OH, and d. 14 May 1986, Akron, Summit Co., OH, per SSDI. Children (per 1920 census):

Mildred Prentiss, b. c. 1920.
Lester H. Prentiss, b. 28 Jun 1923 and d. 3 Jul 1994, Stow, Summit Co., OH, per SSDI.
Glenn R. Prentiss, b. 22 Oct 1926 and d. 28 May 1999, Akron, Summit Co., OH, per SSDI.

6. Milton Henry Prentiss, b. 1873 in Munroe Falls and d. 15 Feb 1945. 1930 census in Akron, Summit Co., OH. His obit. reads as follows (per Sandra Canterbury, email, 16 Mar 2007):

Milton Prentiss, Ex-Realtor, Dies. A retired Kenmore district real estate and insurance man and former Kenmore justice of the peace, Milton H. Prentiss, 72, died early today at his home, 98 Kenilworth dr., from a heart ailment. Retired for nine years, Mr. Prentiss had been ill two years.

Born in Munroe Falls in 1873, Mr. Prentiss moved to Barberton in 1900 and opened the Barberton Feed store. In 1914, he and his brothers-in-law, John and William McCoy, organized the Kenmore Realty Co. He was active in his business for 22 years until his retirement. In 1924 he was appointed Kenmore justice of the peace and was active in civic affairs in that community.

A member of the Kenmore Methodist church, Mr. Prentiss leaves his widow, Mary E., a son Jay Prentiss of Sharon Center; one daughter, Mrs. Earl C. Vandersall of Akron; a sister, Mrs. George McCord of Columbus, and three grandchildren. Services will be held at 2:30 p.m. Sunday in the Prentice funeral home in Kenmore district. Burial will be in Copley.

He m. Mary E. McCoy on 2 Nov. 1881 (Summit Co. Marriage index 1898, no.10, page 241). Milton was the informant on his father's (Perkins) death certificate. The 1920 Kenmore Village, Summit Co., OH census shows she was b. c. 1879 in OH, and living in 1945. 1930 census in Akron, Summit Co., OH. Known children:

Jay Manley Prentiss b. 13 Feb 1900 (Summit Co. Births Index L-R Vol. 4, page 205). 1930 census in Akron, Summit Co., OH. He d. 25 May 1977 Altoona, Lake Co., FL and was bur. 28 May 1977 Rose Hill Burial Park, Summit Co., OH (Akron Beacon Journal obit, 27 May 1977). Apparently widowed in the 1930 census, a young female is shown following his name, apparently his daughter:
1. Virginia Prentiss, b. c. 1925, OH, with both parents b. in OH. At h ome in 1930.
Ray Stanley Prentiss, b. 13 Feb 1900 (Summit Co. Births Index L-R Vol. 4, page 205). At home in 1930 census. He does not appear in the SSDI.
(male) Prentiss, b. 20 Feb 1902 (Summit Co. Births Index L-R Vol. 4, page 205).
Bessie May Prentiss, b. 4 Jan 1906 (Summit Co. Births Index L-R Vol. 4, page 209) and d. 30 Mar 1993 Akron, Summit Co., OH and is bur. at Rose Hill Burial Park (Akron Beacon Journal obit, 1 Apr 1993). She m. Earl C. Vandersall and lived in Akron (per obituary).

Who are Zachariah Ransom Prentice's Parents?

With the rather unusual middle name of "Ransom," Zachariah (b. 1815) seems likely to be related to, and likely the son of, the Ransom Prentice, born c. 1775, shown in the 1810, 1820 and 1840 Ontario County census and who may have died 18 Oct 1846 at the age of 71 and who is buried in the Remington Cemetery in Canandaigua County, NY.

It also seems likely that Ransom's mother, or one of his grandmothers, had a maiden name of RANSOM.

Using information from the 1810 and 1820 census, we can identify Ransom's family structure in 1850 as follows:

1 son, age 1-10. (Comment: Zachariah was b. 1815)
3 daughters, under 10, b. 1810-1820
1 daughter, age 10-16. She was under 10 in 1810, so she was under 6 in 1800, and, consequently, b. 1804-1810,
1 daughter, age 16-20. She was under 10 in 1810, so she has to be over 16 and under 20 in 1820, and, conseqently, b. 1800-1804

The census shows Ransom over 45, which would be consistent with his c. 1775 birth date from his death record or headstone. His was born 1770-75 since the 1820 census shows her born not later than 1775 and the 1840 census shows her born not earlier than 1770.

Ransom is not indexed for the 1830 census, but the 1840 census shows only Ransom and his wife, all the children apparently having married and moved out by then.

The 1850 census also BETSEY PRENTISS, age 75, living in Canandaigua. With a birth date of about 1775, she is quite likely Ransom's widow.

Note: The 1850 census shows a James W. Prentiss, b. c. 1798, living with a BEAVER family in the town of Victor, 8-10 miles NW of Canandaigua; he may not be RANSOM'S son since JAMES would have been only about 12 in 1810 and should normally have showed up in RANSOM'S household.

Other roots possibilities

Samuel Prentice: Geneva and Shortsville, both in Ontario County, are only about 5-10 miles from Canandaigua, and both towns have connections with SAMUEL PRENTISS SR. (See Binney98, pg. 273, #37). SAMUEL JR'S daughter, Elizabeth, died at Geneva and his son, SAMUEL, married at Shortsville.

SAMUEL SR. is a descendant of VALENTINE PRENTICE. His age in 1815 was such that it is unlikely that he was the father of ZACHARIAH, born 1815. However, RANSOM (b. c. 1775) might be a previously undiscovered son of SAMUEL PRENTICE (#37). If so, that could make ZACHARIAH a grandson of SAMUEL SR.

Zachariah Prentice of CT: There is another possible set of parents for the 1815 ZACHARIAH. ZACHARIAH PRENTICE is a very unusual name and we have only 1 person of that name in our computerized database. And, interestingly, that ZACHARIAH PRENTICE (Binney96, pg. 418, #5v) is the son of a first cousin to OZIAS (#9) whose name is CHRISTOPHER PRENTICE (Binney96, pg. 418, #5).

ZACHARIAH (#5v) was b. 15 Jan 1757 in Woodbury, CT and died in Woodbury from a fall while plastering the Episcopal Church. We have no information as to the date of his death, whether he married, and whether had any children, but if he did, he would have been only 58 in 1815 and could be expected to name a son after himself. One other possibility: even if he did not have a son named ZACHARIAH, one can speculate that maybe OZIAS' son, OZIAS G., named one of his own sons ZACHARIAH in honor of his cousin CHRISTOPHER'S deceased son, ZACHARIAH; if so, that would make him a brother of RANSOM.

There is another possibility: CHRISTOPHER, above (#5), also had a son (brother to the 1757 ZACHARIAH) named GIDEON PRENTICE, b. 1769. All we know about GIDEON is that he is said to have moved to the State of NY. GIDEON was 46 in 1815 and, if married, might have named a son ZACHARIAH in honor of his deceased brother. While possible, this set of parents are somewhat less likely that the possibility that RANSOM and ZACHARIAH may be the son and grandson of SAMUEL SR.

Christopher Prentice of Penfield: We are also working on another Prentice who might, or might not, be related to RANSOM and ZACHARIAH. He is CHRISTOPHER PRENTICE who may be found in Binney's 1883 book at pg. 337.

CHRISTOPHER PRENTICE is said to have been born in Connecticut on 9 Oct 1779. On 23 Jan 1802, at the age of 22, he gave a mortgage on some land he owned in Claverack, Columbia County, NY. Co-mortgagors with him were SILAS DUNHAM (his future father-in-law) and GERSHOM DUNHAM, probably SILAS' brother. CHRISTOPHER PRENTICE married SILAS' daughter, DEBORAH MATILDA DUNHAM, on 3 Oct 1804, almost certainly at Penfield, Munroe Co., NY. We also have information that CALISTA THORNTON, wife of STEPHEN PRENTICE and daughter f WILLIAM THORNTON, died in Penfield on 22 Feb 1842. We do not know CALISTA'S age at the time of her death; she could have been anywhere between roughly 20 and 70.

If CALISTA were somewhat younger than STEPHEN, that gives him a birth date anywhere between 1772-1822. However, we think we have a complete list of CHRISTOPHER'S children and none are named STEPHEN. It seems likely, therefore, that STEPHEN is CHRISTOPHER'S brother.

We are exploring the idea that maybe CHRISTOPHER and STEPHEN are brothers of RANSOM for the following reasons:

Penfield lies only about 20 miles NW of Canandaigua.
PRENTICE families were few and far between in that area and in that time frame and, as a rule-of-thumb, PRENTICE families living in proximity are often closely related.
CHRISTOPHER and RANSOM were born in close time proximity: RANSOM about 1775 and CHRISTOPHER in 1779.
Both appears at locations within 20 miles of each other at about the same time: CHRISTOPHER in 1802 and RANSOM between 1800 (he's not in that census) and 1810.

If Christopher and Stephen are brothers of Ransom, and if they are sons of SAMUEL SR. (273/#37), they could fit within the gaps we have as to SAMUEL SR'S children. He married in 1771 and his wife is thought to have died about 1792. Within that 21 year span we have only children born in 1772, 17 Oct 1778, 1791, and forth born sometime after 1773 and who was old enough to be a sailor in 1800 when he died. For the 21 year span one would expect to find at least 7-8 rather than only 4.

Ozias G. Prentice: RANSOM PRENTICE is a very unusual name and probably runs within a single family line. Ozias G. Prentice, b. c. 1787, who appears in the 1850 Colesville, Broome, NY census, named one of his children RANSOM L. PRENTICE. Ozias' father is OZIAS (Binney96, 419/9). ZACHARIAH'S probable father, RANSOM, was b. c. 1775. Cosnider the following possibility:

				   OZIAS, b. cc. 1756
				            |
				Ozias G-------------Ransom
				 1787		     1775
				   |		       |
				Ransom 1829	   Zachariah 1815

Under that theory, Ozias G. named his son after his older brother, RANSOM. The theory is plausible since, so far, we have not identified a specific family for OZIAS.

Brother of General Benjamin Mayberry Prentice: Finally, a HUTCHINSON family genealogy says that Zacharia Ransom Prentice is a brother to Civil War General Benjamin Mayberry Prentiss. It cites no evidence in support of such statement and there is no available evidence indicating that the General ever had a brother by that name.

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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