By Linus Joseph Dewald Jr., Editor
Winter 1999 and Revised 17 Apr 2016
Update of 17 Apr 2016: Marvin Prentice is #/298.1 in our John3 Prentice eBook. That eBook material now replaces this article.
Update of 10 Nov 1999: Marvin's parents are John Prentice and Alta Stark. They are so-identified in a copy of NOBLE COUNTY INDIANA MARRIAGES, 1830-1995, provided to us by Daniel Replogle who has been most helpful in providing Noble County information. Now we need to identify John Prentice's parents. John was born likely in the period 1859-1879. We know that Alta Stark is the daughter of John Stark who is identified as the grandfather of Marvin Arthur Prentice in the 1900 Noble County census.
Update of 15 Apr 2001: By E-mail of 16 Apr 2001, Matt C. Smith relates that Alta Stark was b. 3 Oct 1871 in Stark County, OH. She might have moved, when young, to Noble County, IN. The 1900 census of Noble County, IN has Marvin living with his grandparents John Stark and Mary Ann Kammerer near Kendallville Noble County, IN.
It appears that it was Alta's marriage to John Prentice was her 1st marriage and that she m. 2nd, George Kern in 1891 in Noble Co., IN, 2 years after the birth of her son, Marvin Prentice, in 1889.
The 1920 Census of DeKalb County, IN shows Marvin Prentice in Fairfield Twp. He listed his father's place of birth as "unknown". Someone scratched through that and changed it to "U.S.".
Original Article:
1. Marvin Arthur Prentice was b. 27 Mar 1889 in Indiana and d. 17 Jun 1962. He first appears in the 1920 De Kalb County, IN census. It shows he was then 30 and b. c. 1890 in IN. A history of De Kalb Co., IN identifies his residence as Fairfield township, Corunna, De Kalb Co., IN.
He married, on 22 Jan 1914 in Noble Co., Indiana, Alma Ewell who was b. 19 Oct 1892 in Noble County, IN. She is the daugher of John and Julia (Spatz) Ewell. At the time of her death in Dec 1978 at DeKalb Memorial Hospital, Auburn, she lived at Rt. 1, Hudson. Children (per census and correspondence with Dan Replogle):
- Ralph E. Prentice, b. c. 1915, IN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [1,1]
- Leona A. Prentice, b. c. 1918, IN (per census). She m. Warren Becker and in 1978 lived at Rt. 1, Hudson.
- Neil Arthur Prentice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [2]
- Wallace Eugene Prentice, b. 1924 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [3]
1.1 Ralph E. Prentice, b. c. 1915, IN (per census) and d. 30 Mar 2000 (per wife's obituary).
He m. Wava A. Shields on 26 Apr 1941 in Corunna. She was b. 6 Oct 1923 in Steuben County and d. 2 May 2001 in the Kendallville Manor Nursing Home, daughter of Ford Shield and Zoe Cox (Ref: Dan Replogle, email, 5 May 2001). Her obituary reads as follows:
- Huntington Journal Gazette, The (Fort Wayne, IN) - Friday, May 4, 2001: WAVA A. PRENTICE
WAVA A. PRENTICE, 77, died Wednesday at Kendallville Manor. Born in Steuben County, she was a homemaker. Her husband, Ralph E., died in 2000, and a son, Larry, died in 1972. Surviving are a son, Ronnie of rural Hudson; a daughter, Sharon Miller of Fort Wayne; six grandchildren, a great-grandchild and two step-great- grandchildren. Services at 11 a.m. Saturday at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, with calling one hour before services. Calling also from 4 to 8 p.m. today at Johnson Funeral Home, Hudson. Burial in Wright Cemetery, rural Hudson. Memorials to the church.
Childen of Ralph and Wava:
- Sharon Prentice. She m. Farrell Miller and in 2001 lived in
Fort Wayne. Children:
- Todd Miller.
- Angela Miller.
- Ronald/Ronnie Pentice. He m. Gloria and in 2001 lived in Hudson.
Children:
- Lisa Prentice who m. Mr. Esterline.
- Randy Prentice.
- Chris Prentice.
- Chad Prentice.
- Larry Prentice. Died 1972.
2. Neil Arthur Prentice who m. Doris Elaine Rossow. Her obituary reads as follows:
- DORIS E. PRENTICE, 77, 47-year resident of St. Joe, died Sunday, Dec. 12, 2004, at Wesley Health-care, Auburn. Born Aug. 16, 1927, in Detroit, Mich., she was the daughter of Louis F.W. and Alvina H.L. (Esch) Rossow. She was a homemaker, a member of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Garrett and R.S.V.P. of DeKalb County.
She married Neil A. Prentice, Jan. 15, 1947, in Detroit, and he survives in St. Joe. Also surviving are sons, Michael Prentice of Kendallville, Lowell Prentice of Ashley, Leonard Prentice of Arab, Ala., Roger Prentice of Butler; daughters, Marlene Carpenter and Carol Mansfield, both of Fort Wayne; 14 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; seven step-great-grandchildren; and brother, Howard Rossow. She was preceded in death by her parents, and brother, Richard Rossow.
Service is 11 a.m. Thursday, with calling one hour prior, at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Garrett. Pastor Jeffrey Horn is officiating. Calling is also from 2 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Thomas Funeral Home, Garrett. Burial at Fairfield Cemetery, Corunna. Memorials to the church or DeKalb Memorial Hospice. Condolences may be e-mailed to condolencethomas@skyenet.net. Published in the Fort Wayne Newspapers on 12/14/2004.
Children of Neil and Doris:
- Lowell Arthur Prentice, born 30 Aug 1954 at Garrett, De Kalb Co., IN. . . . . . . [4]
- Michael Prentice. . . . . . . . . [5]
- Leonard Prentice. In 2004 he lived in Arab, AL.
- Roger Prentice. In 2004 he lived in Butler (IN?
- Marlene Prentice. She m. Mr. Carpenter and in 2004 lived in Fort Wayne, IN.
- Carol Prentice. In 2004 she lived in Fort Wayne, IN.
3. Wallace Eugene Prentice, b. 1924. He m. Ruth Ruby Uhl, b. 1931. In 1978 he lived at Rt. 2, Kendallville, Noble Co., IN. Children:
- Cynthia Renee Prentice, b. 25 Nov 1958, Kendallville, IN.
- Gloria Marie Prentice, b. 21 Jan 1954, Kendallville, IN.
- Marsha Jean Prentice, b. 26 Nov 1961, Kendallville, IN.
In the 1900 census, Marvin was living with his grandfather, John Stark in Noble County. No other persons appear in the household in our abstract of the census record. Marvin was then shown as 11 years of age, b. Mar 1889 in IN.
4. Lowell Arthur Prentice, born 30 Aug 1954 at Garrett, De Kalb Co., IN son of Neil Arthur and Doris Elaine (Rossow) Prentice of St. Joe, IN. Lowell attended school at Eastside HS, Butler, IN. He has worked at St. Joe Elevator, 1972-1973 and was later production foreman at Vulcraft, St. Joe, IN. Lowell and his family lived near Butler, IN. In 1978 he lived Rt. 1, St. Joe.
Lowell married Sheryl Ann Perlich on 26 Jun 1976 at Pleasant Chapel Church of the Brethren, Ashley, IN. She was born 11 Dec 1953, Kendallville, IN, daughter of Donald Lee and Belva June (Getts) Perlich, of Corunna, IN. Her paternal grandparents are Earl Cecil and Hazel (McCoy) Perlich of Albion, IN. Her maternal grandparents were John Jay and Hazel Adelia (Perkins) Getts, of Fairfield township, Ashley, IN. Sheryl attended school at DeKalb H.S., Waterloo, IN and collge at Manchester College, North Manchester, IN. She received a BA degree in English, 1976, Master's degree in English, 1981, form Indiana-Purdue, Fort Wayne, IN. She has taught English at Eastside, grade 7 through 10, and was employed at IPFW, English Dept., Associate Faculty. She has also been Butler's reporter for the Evening Star. Children:
- Jeremy Austin Prentice, b. 11 March 1980, Auburn, IN.
- Dawn Renee Prentice, b. 15 Nov 1982, Auburn, IN.
5. Michael Prentice, in 1999, was a ready-mix truck driver for Erie Haven Concrete Company out of Fort Wayne, IN. He wife, Kathleen is a teacher and has taught at Lakeland High School in Lagrange, IN. Michael Prentice moved from De Kalb County to Kendallville in 1978 and lives at 1011 S. Main St., Kendallville, Noble, IN, Tel. 219-347-4421. Children:
- Daniel "Dan" Prentice, b. Jan 1976. He graduated from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, IN in May 1998 and in 1999 is a design engineer for Rockwell Collins Inc. in Ceder Rapids, IA. His address: 2215 C St. SW#3, Ceder Rapids, IA 52404, Tel. 319-365-6935.
- Mark Prentice, adopted, b. Mar 1978. He m. Adrianna Valenti(?)
in Jan 1999 and has 3 children:
- Austin Prentice, b. Mar 1998.
- Miles Prentice, b. Mar 1999.
- Mason Prentice, b. Mar 1999.
- Chris Prentice, b. Jun 1978.
- Missy Prentice, b. c. 1982. She is a graduate of East Noble High School and in 1999 is entroled at Rose-Hulman Institute of Gechnology.
- Leah Prentice, adopted, b. Aug 1981. In 1997 she was a student at East Noble High School.
While Michael Prentice's Kendallvile residence suggests he may be a descendant of Russell E. Prentice of Kendallville, the fact that he moved there in 1978 from De Kalb County suggests otherwise.
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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