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Introduction: This is a follow-up article to our Winter 2000 article entitled William H. Prentice of New York and Ionia Co., MI . William's father has been identified by an email of 27 Nov 2008 from Sandy Ward of Caledonia, MI, as Erastis Printice. We begin this article with such informationa as we presently have about him.

1. Erastis Printice. For convenience, we will use the more conventional spelling as Erastus Prentice. He may have been b. c. 1785-1800 based on the 1820-1822 birth of his son, William. The 1880 census record for William indicates that he was b. in VT, but William's Death Certificate says Erastis was b. in NY (per Sandy Ward's email of 27 Nov 2008).

He probably m. Betsey, although his wife is identified in William's Death Certificate as "Lorance Prentice." (Note: See the Comment, below, and note also the surname spelling is different from that given for her husband.)

Erastis and his wife had 1 or more children, including:

1. William H. Prentice, b. c. 1820-1822, NY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [2]

2. William H. Prentice was b. c. 1820-22 in NY, and d. 18 Dec 1895 in Boston Twp., Ionia Co., MI. He appears in the 1870 census in Saranac, Ionia Co., MI and 1880 Boston, Ionia Co., MI census as a Farmer at the age of 48-50 with his wife and family. Curriously, the 1870 census reported that William was "Without occupation."

He m. Emma L. Ingraham, b. c. 1842, NY. She appears in the 1850 census in South Bristol, Ontario Co., NY, as age 8 years, , b. c. 1842, NY. She was the dau. of Warren Ingraham, b. c. 1800, NY, and his wife, Lavina (Perry?), b. c. 1805, NY. Warren Ingraham may be the Warren Ingraham shown in Ancestry.com as b. 19 Sep 1801, son of Benjamin Ingraham (1776-1831) and Joanna Treman/Tremain (1775-1860). An Ancestor Chart for John Tremain, Joanna's father, can be found at Ancestry.com .

Emma later appears in the 1920 and 1930 census in Ionia Co., MI, living with her son, William. Children of William and Emma:

1. William A. Prentice, b. c. 1865, MI. William appears in the 1900 OH census. Living with his mother, Emma, in the 1920 and 1930 Ionia census. Did not marry.

2. Fred B. Prentice, b. Sep 1869, MI. Fred appears in the 1910, 1920 and 1930 Ionia Co., MI census with his wife, Ida May, b. Jan 1877, in English Canada. No children.

3. Carrie M. Prentice, b. c. 1873, MI. She m. William R. Link. He was b. c. 1870, MI. She appears in the 1900 Ionia census with her husband and family, and in the 1910 census as a divorced mother in Ionia, Ionia Co., MI. She does not appear as Carrie Link in the 1920 census. Children:
   1. Ray Otto Link, b. 25 Oct 1893, MI. At home in Ionia in 1900 and 1910 census. He appears in the 1930 census in Ionia with his wife, Greta A., b. c. 1899. Not in SSDI. Children:
      1. Lloyd E. Link, b. c. 1921, MI.
      2. Robert O. Link, b. c. 1923, MI.
      3. Ivis L. Link, b. c. 1928, MI.
      4. Betty Jean Link, b. c. 1929, MI.

   2. Fay Melvin Link, b.3 Oct 1896 and d. Apr 1982 in Alto, Kent Co., MI (per SSDI). At home in Ionia in 1900 and 1910 census. (Sandra Ward's grandfather). Her appears in the 1920 census in Redford, Wayne Co., MI, with his wife, Myrna M., b. c. 1900, MI with no children shown. Not in 1930 census and not in the SSDI.

   3. Murl William Link, b. 16 Feb 1901. At home in Ionia in the 1910 census, spelled "Myrel Lenk". Not in 1920 census. Not in SSDI.

   4. Lyle Link. Not in 1900 or 1910 census and may have d. young.

Also living with William and Emma's family in 1880 is Betsey M. Anderson, age 80 and b. c. 1800, called a widow and "Mother." It is unclear whether the Betsey M. Anderson living with the family in 1880 is his mother or, as suggested by the different surname, his wife's mother. On the other hand, Sandy Ward's email of 28 Nov 2008 indicates that Betsey was the Betsey M. Prentice who m. Elihu Anderson in 1855 when she was 55 years old, perhaps a 2nd marriage for her. That would suggest Betsey might be William's mother.

Comment: Sandy Ward's email of 28 Nov 2008 indicates that Betsey was the Betsey M. Prentice who m. Elihu Anderson in 1855 when she was 55 years old, perhaps a 2nd marriage for her. That would suggest Betsey might be William's mother.

In checking for Elihu Anderson in the 1860 census for Boston, Ionia Co., MI, Elihu's his wife is called "Maria", b. c. 1800, NY. It would seem that Betsey M. Prentice's middle name was Maria, and that she was then going my her middle name, Maria.

With that clue, we checked the earlier 1850 census and found, also in the Boston, Ionia Co., MI, census a Maria Prentice, b. c. 1800, NY. Marital status was not indicated, but she is almost certainly the Maria who married Elihu Anderson and appears as his wife in the 1860 Boston, Ionia Co. census. In the 1850 census the only other person in Maria's household is Amon Willson, a Merchant, b. c. 1813, NY. Relationships were not indicated, but we surmise he was a boarder.

The foregoing would seem to firm up the thought that William's mother is not "Lorance" as shown on his Death Certificate, but rather is quite likely Betsey Maria Prentice, wife of Erastis Printice listed on William's Death Certificate. It may be that "Lorance" is a 2nd wife to Erastis and that his prior marriage was not known to the person who originally provided the information for William's Death Certificate.

The foregoing would also seem to indicate that Erastis Printice died before the 1850 census and that "Maria" was then a widow.

The name, Erastus/Erastis, is rather rare. He might be the same person as the Erastus Prentice discussed in our Winter 2002 article entitled Erastus Prentice of Pittsfield, MA .

Investigation is continuing.

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