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We found the family of Joseph Prentice in the 1881 Canada census and the following account of the murder trial of Arthur Prentiss at Ancestry.com . 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.

1. Joseph Prentice, b. c. 1846, Ontario, appears in the 1881 census in Blenheim, Oxford North, Ontario Canada . He was a Farmer, "Methodist Canada," and of Irish ethnic origin.

He m. Mary, b. c. 1855, Ontario. Their children were:

1. Nellie Prentice, b. c. 1878, Ontario.
2. Arthur Prentice, b. c. 1879, Ontario. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [2]

Living with Joseph and his family in 1881 was David Prentice, b. c. 1848, Ontario, perhaps Joseph's brother.

2. Arthur Prentice, b. c. 1879, Ontario. Although additional investigation is needed for confirmation, Arthur may be the same person as the Arthur Prentiss mentioned in the newspaper account set out below:

Thomas Lingard Murderd
June 10th 1896 , Port Hope Ontario

THE LINGARD MURDER Arthur Prentiss was placed on his trial for the murder of Thomas Lingard in the Township of Hope on the 10th. of June last. The deceased Lingard was a man of between 50 and 60 years, who lived on a farm with his wife and some grandchildren.

The prisoner [Arthur Prentiss] is a young fellow of about 18 years [b. c. 1878], in the employment of a neighbor named Robinson. On the day in question there had been some dispute between Prentiss and young George Lingard, a grandson of the deceased, concerning some rabbits.

Late in the day the dispute was renewed, according to the Crown evidence, by the prisoner coming to the line fence near where Lingard was working. Prentiss carried a gun and was accompanied by a youth named Frederick Rush. The two were using abusive language to Lingard and his wife and their grandchildren, George and Maude, who were in the field with them.

The old man advanced to the fence and remonstrated with the two boys, and ultimately got through the fence. The boys retreated. He followed them. Mrs. Lingard and Maude Lingard also came through the fence, but George remained behind on the wagon. When the old man had passed about four rods inside of the fence Prentiss threatened to shoot him if he came any further. According to two of the witnesses Lingard did advance further, whereupon Prentiss raised the gun to his shoulder and fired.

He was so close to Lingard that the face of the latter was dotted by powder marks, and the upper edge of the wound was burned or blackened. The gun was loaded with shot and the charge tore a gaping hole in the upper part of Lingard's chest on the left hand side, causing almost instant death.

Mr. Roger Clut is crown counsel: Messrs. BB Osler, Q.C. and Macpherson appeared for the prisoner.

The case was submitted to the jury at noon, Thursday, who , after being out for nearly four hours, brought in a verdict of guilty of murder, with a recommendation of mercy. His Lordship then pronounced sentence of death on the prisoner, who stood calm and pale. The execution to take place on Thursday, December 17th. 1896. The Court room was crowded at the time sentence was passed.

LauraMitchell55added this on 6 Mar 2008
From the Globe and Mail Newspaper

By email of 7 Nov 2012, Doris Goheen provides the following additional information:

I have in my possession an original document written to His Excellency The Governor-General in Council. It was written by the neighbours pleading for clemency for this young man. Mine is not signed by the neighbours so it isn't the copy they sent. However, in the document it mentions that my grandfather, Henry Goheen, for whom Arthur Prencitce had been previously employed, gave the young man an excellent character reference. It was told in our family that some members of the community drove the young man across the border to save his life and the case was dropped.

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