To see full list of articles in this Winter '97 Issue, Click Here
By Linus Joseph Dewald Jr., Editor
Winter 1997 and Revised 9 May 2007
Update, 10 May 2007: This article has now been replaced by our Summer 2007 article entitled Nathan and Henry Prentice of CT and Nauvoo, IL.
We have been aiding Charles F. Prentice of Montrose, PA in his efforts to identify his Prentice roots. Here is what we have so far:
1. (unknown) Prentice m. (unknown). They had at least 2 children:
- Nathaniel/Nathan Prentice, perhaps twin, b. in or near Preston, CT in 1787. . . . . . . [2] .
- Henry Prentice, perhaps twin, b. in or near Preston, CT in 1787. . . [3]
It is Charles' family oral history that their widowed mother (name unknown) moved from the Preston-Plainfield area of CT to Burlington Flats, Otsego County, NY.
2. Nathaniel/Nathan Prentice, perhaps twin, b. in or near Preston, CT in 1787. He is probably the same person as the Nathan Prentiss who appears in the 1820 census in Burlington, Otsego Co., NY, age 26-45 (b. c. 1775-1794). with a wife, age 26-45 (b. c. 1775-94) and children:
- Son Prentiss, age 10-16 and b. 1804-1810. . . . . . . . [4]
- Son Prentiss, age 0-9 and b. c. 1811-1820.
- Son Prentiss, age 0-9 and b. c. 1811-1820.
Subject to verification, he is likely the Nathan who later appears in the 1830 census in New Lisbon, Otsego Co., NY, which lies about 10 miles SSW of Burlington, age 40-50 (b. c. 1780-90) with his apparent wife, age 30-40 (b. c 1790-1800) and children:
- Son Prentiss, age 10-15 and b. 1815-20
- Son Prentiss, age 15-20 and b. c. 1810-15
- Dau. Prentiss, age 10-15 and b. c. 1815-20.c. 1811-1820.
For his possible descendants, see our Spring 1999 article about Nathan Prentice of Nauvoo, IL .
3. Henry Prentice, perhaps twin, b. in or near Preston, CT in 1787. On 20 Feb 1812, Henry married Phebe Smith. and had several children (for additional descendants of Henry, see Appendix A . He appears in the 1820 Burlington, Otsego Co., NY census 2 households away from his brother, Nathan, with 2 children under 10 years of age. Known children:
- Henry Prentice Jr., b. 18 Apr 1816. Not in 1880 census.
- John Adams Prentice, b. 24 Oct 1817. He is probably the John Prentice who
appears in the 1880 Hartwick, Otsego Co., NY census with his wife,
Lydia, b. c. 1822, NY, and son:
- George H. Prentice, b. c. 1853, NY.
- George Loren Prentice, b. 8 Nov 1820. Not in 1880 census.
- Truman Prentice, b. 11 Jul 1824. . . . . . . . [5]
- Don Smith Prentice, b. 5 Feb 1828. He appears in the 1880 New Hartford,
Oneida, NY census with his wife, Caroline, b. c. 1833, NY, and children:
- Delamot Prentice, b. c. 1867, NY. Not in 1920 census.
- Carrie Prentice, b. c. 1875, NY.
- William Ledyard P.Prentice, b. 30 Jan 1830. He appears in the 1880 census in Otsego, Otsego Co., NY with his wife, Mary A., b. c. 1833, NY. No children are shown.
- Phebe Prentice.
4. Son Prentiss, age 10-16 and b. 1804-1810. Subject to verification, he is likely the Nathan Prentice who later appears in the 1930 census in Burlington, Otsego Co., NY as age 20-30 and b. 1800-1810 with his wife, age 20-30 and b. c. 1800-1810. Also living with them is an older female, age 60-70 and b. c. 1760-70 who might be either the mother of Nathan or Nathan's wife, and son:
- Son Prentice, age 0-5 and b. 1825-40
5. Truman Prentice, b. 11 Jul 1824, NY. Not in 1870 census. Although additional investigation is needed for confirmation, he may be the same person as the Truman Prentice who appears in the 1860 census in Clinton Co., PA, as b. c. 1826 in NY with his wife, Elizabeth, b. c. 1826, PA. He is probably the same Truman Prentis who appears in the 1880 census in Sterling Run, Cameron Co., PA. Children:
- William Prentice, b. c. 1849, PA. Not in 1870 census. He does appear in the 1880 census in Sterling Run,
Cameron Co., PA, working at a Tannery, and with his wife, Margarette, b. c. 1845, PA. Not in
1920 census. Children (per 1880 census):
- Ella Prentice, b. c. 1873, PA.
- Charles Prentice, b. c. 1877, PA. He may, or may not, be the Charles Prentice shown in the 1920 census in Baltimore, MD, b. c. 1878, PA and living with his sister, Cora, b. c. 1880, MD. If the same person, then Cora would be a daughter of William b. after the 1880 census and who had moved to MD in 1880. However, William does not appear at all in the 1920 census.
- John L. Prentice, b. c. 1852, PA. At home in 1880. Not in 1920 census.
- Mary C.(?) Prentice b. c. 1853, PA. At home in 1880.
- Amelia Prentice, b. c. 1865, PA. Not at home in 1880.
- Marcus E. Prentice, b. c. 1859. PA. Not in 1870 census. At home in 1880. Not in 1920 census.
Also shown in Truman's home in the 1880 census in Sterling Run, Cameron Co., PA are:
- Robery Littlefield, son in law, b. c. 1844,
- Robert L. Littlefield, grandson, b. c. 1872. Not in 1920 census.
- William Littlefield, grandson, b. c. 1874. Not in 1920 census.
- Truman Prentice, grandson, b. c. 1875, PA. . . . . . . [6]
It is improbable that Amelia Prentice, b. 1865, is the mother of the Littlefield children. It is more likely that Truman had another daughter, b. before 1849, who did not appear in the 1860 census, who m. Robert Littlefield.
6. Truman Prentice, b. c. 1875, PA. He might be the son of William Prentice, #3i, above. Truman appears in the 1920 census in Buffalo, Erie Co., NY, with his wife, Mary, b. c. 1876, PA, and children:
- Eva Prentice, b. c. 1899, PA.
- Rose Prentice, b. c. 1901, PA/
- John J. Prentice, b. c. 1909, NY. He appears in the 1930 census in Buffalo, Erie Co., NY as "John Prentis" with his
wife, Bertha, b. c. 1909, NY. He is likely the John Prentis shown in the SSDI as b. 1 Oct 1908, who obtained
his SS# in Maryland, and who d. Jul 1971 at an unspecified location. Children per 1930 census:
- Alice R. Prentis, b. c. 1927, Buffalo, Erie Co., NY.
- Truman Prentis, b. c. 1929, Buffalo, Erie Co., NY.
There are several possibilities as to the identity of the parents of Nathaniel and Henry:
Thomas Prentice of Stonington, CT.
Thomas Prentice Sr. is identified in Binney's 1883 edition, at page 334, as "of Stonington, CT" but does not give a birth date or birth place. Working backward from the 1786 birth of his son, Thomas Jr., this Thomas Sr. was probably born between 1736 and 1760. It seems likely, therefore, that Thomas Sr. is the same person as the Thomas Prentice who is #8v, pg 171, born 7 Apr 1743 at Stonington, CT. However, additional investigation is needed for confirmation.
Thomas Sr. may have married Martha E. Stanton and died about 1786-9 (see the Denison genealogy, pg. 344) but that has not yet been confirmed.
Thomas Sr. may also be the Thomas Prentice shown in the 1790 Middletown, Ulster Co., NY census with a wife, 2 sons under 16, 2 sons over 16, and 4 daughters. He might also be be the Thomas Prentice shown in the 1800 Oneida Co., NY census with a wife, 2 sons born 1774-84, a daughter born 1774-84, and a daughter born 1784-90.
If he did marry Martha E. Stanton, above, then he might be the father of Stanton Prentice discussed in our Fall '97 Newsletter as well as the father of Nathaniel and Henry.
Thomas Prentice Jr., his son, was born 25 Nov 1786. He was adopted and brought up by Rev. Jedediah Randall and wife (his uncle and his aunt who was probably Thomas Sr.'s sister, Esther). Thomas Jr. moved to Norwich, Chenango Co., NY and settled on a farm near Norwich. On 15 Mar 1810 he married Sally York of Brookfield, NY, born 29 Oct 1787. The only THOMAS of Stonington in a suitable time frame to be the father of the 1786 THOMAS for whom Binney had not identified as having a family was the 1743 THOMAS. This is a circumstance lending some support to the idea that Thomas Sr. died living a widow with young children.
What happened the THOMAS of Middletown? He is not there in 1800, and the only THOMAS in the 1800 NY census lives in Oneida County.
One factor seeming to suggest the Middletown THOMAS is the 1743 THOMAS is the mention in Binneys 1883 book that the 1786 THOMAS was adopted and brought up by his aunt and uncle. That would be consistent with a hypothesis that the Middletown THOMAS died after the 1790 census (when the 1786 THOMAS was only 4) and his children being thereafter adopted by others.
However, lest we get carried away with the theory about THOMAS PRENTICE of Middletown dying after 1790, the 1800 census index lists a THOMAS PRENTICE in Oneida County, 00201-01101, signifying: - parents, over 45, born before 1755 - two son, age 16-26, born 1774-84 - a daughter, age 16-26, born 1774-84 - a daughter, age 10-16, born 1784-90
That family is not inconsistent with that of the Middletown THOMAS 10 years earlier (born in 1743, he would have been only 57 in 1800) if one allows for possible marriages and deaths of children in the earlier family.
We have not yet identified the Oneida County THOMAS. Even if it is the same family, that wouldnt necessarily preclude HENRYS mother from being widowed at the time she moved to Burlington Flats (which lies only 15 miles or so south of Utica, Oneida County) at some unknown date before HENRYS marriage in 1812 in Burlington.
Joseph and Hannah Prentice of Preston, CT:
If Nathaniel/Nathen and Henry were born at Preston, they would likely be descendants of Joseph & Hannah (Chesebrough) Prentice, the proginators of all the Prentices born at Preston. The following descendants of theirs could be the parents of Nathaniel and Henry:
Appendix A: Descendants of Henry Prentice
1. Henry[1] Prentice, son of (Unknown) Prentice and Unknown. Born, 24
Oct 1787, in Preston, N.L., CT[1]. Died, 20 May 1836, in Burlington,
Otsego, NY.
He married Phebe Smith, 20 Feb 1812, in Burlington, Otsego, NY.
Born, 21 Oct 1793, in Burlington, Otsego, NY. Census: 1850, in Burlington,
Otsego, NY. Children:
i. Henry[2] Prentice Jr. Born, 18 Apr 1816, in Burlington,
Otsego, NY. Census: 1850, in Burlington, Otsego, NY. He
married, first, Harriet Meacham. He married, second, Laura
Bishop. He is probably the Henry Prentice shown living with
the Hubbard family in the 1850 Burlington census.
2 ii. John Adams Prentice.
3 iii. George Loren Prentice.
iv. Truman Prentice. Born, 11 Jul 1824, in Burlington, Otsego,
NY.
4 v. Donald Smith Prentice.
vi. William Ledyard P. Prentice. Born, 30 Jan 1830, in
Burlington, Otsego, NY. Census: 1850, in Burlington,
Ledyard, NY. Census: 1900, in Unk., Otsego, NY. He married
Maryann.
5 vii. Phebe Prentice.
viii. Arenath Prentice. Born, circa 1838, in Burlington, Otsego,
NY. Census: 1850, in Burlington, Otsego, NY.
2. John Adams[2] Prentice (Henry, 1). Born, 24 Oct 1817, in Burlington,
Otsego, NY. Died, 27 Jun 1900, in Guilford, Chenango, NY[2]. Census: 1850,
in Burlington, Otsego, NY. Census: 1900, in Guilford, Chenango, NY.
He married Lydia Ann Monroe, 20 Feb 1840. Born, 1 Mar 1822, in
Burlington, Otsego, NY. Died, 4 Jan 1904, in Guilford, Chenango, NY.
Census: 1850, in Burlington, Otsego, NY. Census: 1900, in Guilford,
Chenango, NY. Children:
i. George William[3] Prentice. Born, 21 Sep 1845, in Edneston,
NY[3]. Died, 25 Feb 1852. Census: 1850, in Burlington,
Otsego, NY.
ii. Henry Josiah Prentice. Born, 8 Oct 1850, in Edmeston, NY.
Died, 12 Mar 1852.
6 iii. George Henry Prentice.
3. George Loren[2] Prentice (Henry, 1). Born, 8 Nov 1820, in
Burlington, Otsego, NY. Died, 1906, in Guilford, Chenango, NY[4]. Census:
1850, in Burlington, Otsego, NY. Census: 1900, in Unk., Otsego, NY[5].
He married Abigail S. Perry, 8 Feb 1847, in Burlington, Otsego, NY.
Born, circa 1823, in NY. Died, before 1900, in NY[6]. Children:
i. Truman Cass[3] Prentice. Born, Apr 1849, in Burlington,
Otsego, NY. Died, 1910, in Guilford, Chenango, NY. Census:
1850, in Burlington, Otsego, NY. Census: 1900, in Unk.,
Chenango, NY. He married Chana R. Graves[7].
ii. John Rose Prentice. Born in Burlington, Otsego, NY.
Resided, 1910, in Mt. Upton, Chenango, NY.
iii. Mary Amanda Prentice. Born, circa 1850 (?), in Burlington,
Otsego, NY. Census: 1920, in Norwich, Chenango, NY[8].
7 iv. Charles Morton Prentice.
8 v. Frank Hamilton Prentice.
9 vi. Donald Prentice.
4. Donald Smith[2] Prentice (Henry, 1). Born, 5 Feb 1828, in
Burlington, Otsego, NY. Census: 1850, in Richland, Otsego, NY[9]. Census:
1880, in Unk., Oneida, NY. Census: 1900, in Washington Mills, Oneida, NY.
He married Caroline A. Tillson[10], 9 Nov 1851. Born, 12 Jan 1832,
in NY. Census: 1880, in Unk., Oneida, NY. Census: 1900, in Washington
Mills, Oneida, NY. Children:
i. Horace T.[3] Prentice. Born, 16 Jul 1855[11]. Died, 7 Jan
1873.
10 ii. Don Herbert Prentice.
iii. DeLaMot/Lamatt Prentice. Born, 16 Feb 1867, in Avon,
NY[11]. Census: 1880, in Unk., Oneida, NY. Census: 1900, in
Utica, Oneida, NY.
iv. Carrie Prentice. Born, 5 Aug 1874, in Washington Mills,
NY[11]. Census: 1880, in Unk., Oneida, NY.
5. Phebe[2] Prentice (Henry, 1). Born, circa 1832, in Burlington,
Otsego, NY.
She married Daniel N. Monroe. Children:
i. (perhaps) Ann Maria[3] Monroe.
ii. (perhaps) William Monroe.
6. George Henry[3] Prentice (John Adams, 2). Born, 17 Jan 1853, in
Edmeston, NY. Resided, 1900, in Moscow, PA. Census: 1900, in Unk.,
Lackawanna, PA. Census: 1920, in Aboca, Luzerne, PA. Occupation:
Pastor/Meth.Epis.
He married Hattie V. Chamberlain. Born, 24 Mar 1861. Census: 1900,
in Unk., Lackawanna, PA. Children:
i. Pearl Anna[4] Prentice. Born, 17 Apr 1886, in Mount Upton,
NY. Residence in Wanamie, PA. Census: 1900, in Unk.,
Lackawanna, PA.
ii. Neil Leslie Prentice. Born, 30 Oct 1889, in Gilbertsville,
NY. Residence in Wanamie, PA. Census: 1900, in Unk.,
Lackawanna, PA. Census: 1920, in Aboca, Luzerne, PA.
iii. Ruth Edna Prentice. Born, 10 Oct 1891, in New Berlin, NY.
Census: 1900, in Unk., Lackawanna, PA. Census: 1920, in
Aboca, Luzerne, PA.
iv. Julie Florena Prentice. Born, 17 Jun 1893, in New Berlin,
NY. Census: 1900, in Unk., Lackawanna, PA. Census: 1920, in
Aboca, Luzerne, PA.
v. Blanch Lydia Prentice. Born, 4 Aug 1895, in Waymart, PA.
Census: 1900, in Unk., Lackawanna,PA. Census: 1920, in
Aboca, Luzerne, PA.
vi. Myrah Henrietta Prentice. Born, 28 May 1899, in Moscow, PA.
Census: 1900, in Unk., Lackawanna, PA. Census: 1920, in
Aboca, Luzerne, PA.
7. Charles Morton[3] Prentice (George Loren, 3). Born, Sep 1852, in
Burlington, Otsego, NY. Resided, 1910, in Rockdale, NY. Census: 1920, in
Unk., Otsego, NY. Census: 1920, in Unk., Otsego, NY.
He married Cora. Born, Apr 1858, in NY. Census: 1900, in Unk.,
Otsego, NY. Census: 1920, in Unk., Otsego, NY. Children:
11 i. George R.[4] Prentice.
8. Frank Hamilton[3] Prentice (George Loren, 3). Born in Burlington,
Otsego, NY. Resided, 1910, in Mt. Upton, Chenango, NY. Census: 1900, in
Unk., Chenango, NY. Census: 1920, in Unk., Chenango, NY[12].
He married, first, Rozetta H., circa 1887, in NY. Born, Feb 1860, in
NY. Census: 1920, in Unk., Chenango, NY. Children:
i. Roy H.[4] Prentice. Born, Jan 1888, in NY. Census: 1900, in
Unk., Chenango, NY.
ii. Manda H. Prentice. Born, Dec 1891, in NY. Census: 1900, in
Unk., Chenango, NY.
He married, second, (probably) Ida, after 1891. Born, circa 1864, in
N. Census: 1920, in Unk., Chenango, NY.
9. Donald[3] Prentice (George Loren, 3). Born, Sep 1858, in Burlington,
Otsego, NY. Resided, 1910, in Norwich, Chenango, NY. Census: 1900, in
Unk., Otsego, NY. Census: 1920, in Norwich, Chenango, NY.
He married Cora. Born, circa 1864, in NY. Census: 1920, in Unk.,
Chenango, NYU. Children:
i. Myrtle[4] Prentice. Born, Jul 1885, in NY. Census: 1900, in
Unk., Otsego, NY.
10. Don Herbert[3] Prentice (Donald Smith, 4). Born, 19 Oct 1859, in
NY[11]. Census: 1900, in Washington Mills, Oneida, NY.
He married Nellie. Born, Jul 1867, in MA. Children:
i. Julia[4] Prentice. Born, Jul 1886, in IL. Census: 1900, in
Washington Mills, Oneida, NY.
ii. May Prentice. Born, Jan 1888, in IL. Census: 1900, in
Washington Mills, Oneida, NY.
iii. Rae Prentice. Born, Oct 1890, in IL. Census: 1900, in
Washington Mills, Oneida, NY.
iv. Alice Prentice. Born, Dec 1892, in IL. Census: 1900, in
Washington Mills, Oneida, NY.
12 v. Herbert Prentice Jr.
vi. Zeta Prentice. Born, Sep 1898, in NY. Census: 1900, in
Washington Mills, Oneida, NY.
11. George R.[4] Prentice (Charles Morton, 7). Born, circa 1878, in NY.
Census: 1880, in Unk., Otsego, NY. Census: 1920, in Unk., Otsego, NY.
He married Masie C. Born, circa 1890. Census: 1920, in Unk., Otsego,
NY. Children:
i. Loren B.[5] Prentice. Born, circa 1913, in NY. Census:
1920, in Unk., Otsego, NY.
ii. Lois W. Prentice. Born, circa 1914, in NY. Census in Unk.,
Otsego, NY.
iii. Charles F. Prentice. Born, circa 1917, in NY. Census: 1920,
in Unk., Otsego, NY.
12. Herbert[4] Prentice Jr. (Don Herbert, 10). Born, Dec 1895, in NY.
Census: 1900, in Washington Mills, Oneida, NY. Census: 1920, in Washington
Manor, Oneida, NY.
He married Victoria L. Born, circa 1898, in NY. Census: 1920, in
Washington Manor, Oneida, NY. Children:
i. Kenneth E.[5] Prentice. Born, circa 1917, in NY. Census:
1920, in Washington Manor, Oneida, NY.
ii. Donald L. Prentice. Born, circa 1919, in NY. Census: 1920,
in Washington Manor, Oneida, NY.
NOTES AND REFERENCES
[1]Charles F. Prentice, 10 Dec 1993.
[2]Floyd Kelling, 1 Apr 199. Helen Faziom 5 Nov 2000.
[3]Helen Fazio, 5 Dec 2000.
[4]Floyd Kelling, 1 Apr 1996.
[5]Living with son, Donald.
[6]Not shown in 1900 census where her h. is living with their son,
Donald.
[7]Surname based on FIL, Geo. F. Graves, in home in 1900 census.
[8]Living alone and apparently unmarried at age 70.
[9]Called "Smith Prentice"; probably same person.
[10]Dau. of Lorin Tillson.
[11]Tillson Genealogy.
[12]Assumed to be same person with second marriage.
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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