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In working with Aubrey "Buzz" Prentice is trying to identify the parents and ancestry of James Monroe Prentice who was born 14 Apr 1884 at Buffalo Valley, TN, he mentioned that family tradition has it that James came from South Carolina

In a related article on South Carolina Prentices is found a "John Prentice" of Charleston, likely the same person, in the 1790 and 1800 Charleston District census in St. Phillips and St. Michaels Parish.

The 1790 census says the household consists of 16 Free White Males over 16 and 2 under 16. No females.

The 1800 census, pg. 140, catagorizes the household as 00221-20000-00. That indicates:

• 1 male over 45 and born before 1755.
• 2 males 26-45 and born between 1755 and 1774.
• 2 males 16-26 and born between 1774 and 1784.
• 2 females 0-10 and born between 1790 and 1800.

The only family appearing in the 1810 SC census is that of "D. Prentice" in Charleston on pg. 208. That suggests that John may either have moved or died by 1810.

Also in the 1800 Charleston census, but on pg. 104, is James Otis Prentice who may be found on pg. 175 of our new PRENTICE book. James, a descendant of Thomas Prentice of Newton, MA, may, or may not, be related to John. James did have a brother named John, born c. 1740, but Binney's 1883 book says that he died by 1760 (pg. 173).

James also had another brother named John who was born in 1761, but he appears to be living in Lancaster, MA because of the birth of sons there in 1798 and 1801 (pgs. 173, 185-6). However, John is mentioned as "going to South Carolina to attend to some business for his brother James Otis Prentiss and the slaves on the plantation were fond of 'Massa John'." No year is given. (Pg. 174)

However, if John were there in 1790 and the place was a plantation, that might explain why the census showed 16 males over 16 and 2 under 16. John also had two young daughters under 10 in 1800 and the absence of an adult female might be explainable if John left the rest of his family in Lancaster, MA.

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