PrenticeNet

We are working with Chris Hickenbothem and James Prentice in tracing the ancestry of his Thomas Prentice. Here is what we have so far:

1. Alexander Brash may have been b. c. 1790-1880, probably in Scotland.

He m. Margaret Rennie or Wenner on 29 Jun 1821 in Scotland. They had 2 daughters:

1. Elisa(beth) Brash, b. 14 May 1822. She may have married and emigrated to California before 1860.
2. Christiana Morton Brash, b. 20 Dec 1823. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [2]

2. Christiana Morton Brash, b. 20 Dec 1823.

She m. 1st John French in Scotland and had daughters:

1. Elizabeth French. Elizabeth French m. William Simpson in 1860 in Victoria and remained in Australia. Children (per Chris Hick, email, 28 Oct 2000:
   1. William Simpson, b. 1865, Emerald Hill, Victoria, died 1944, Windsor, Victoria.
   2. James Simpson, b. 1868, Emerald Hill, Victoria, died 1868 at 5 months of agek.
   3. Mary French Simpson. She m. Herbert James Marshall, 1895, Victoria.
   4. Christina Morton Simpson, born 1860, Emerald Hill, Victoria. She m. Mr. Mason and d. 1945, Melbourne, Victoria.
2. Christina French. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [3]

Christiana m. 2nd Thomas Prentice in Feb 1852 at New Monkland, Lanark, Scotland (per the IGI).

We do not have a birth date for Thomas, but he d. 5 Sep 1865, Stockton, San Joaquin Co., CA (per IGI) and is bur. in Stockton per IGI and Cris Hickinbotham, email, 28 Jan 2009.

Christiana and Thomas emigrated to Australia aboard the HOPE about 1852 with Christiana's two daughters by John French. Christiana had a baby:

1. Margaret Prentice, b. c. 1852 aboard the HOPE who died shortly after their arrival in Melborne.

Thomas Prentice and Christiana and had 3 more sons who were b. in Australia:

1. Thomas Prentice, b. 1853 and d. 1854 or 1855. However, Ancestry.com says he was b. 1855, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and d. there 1860.
2. Thomas Prentice, b. 1855 and d. 1860,
3. James Brash Prentice, b. 1857, Australia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [4]

In 1860 Thomas Prentice and his wife, Christina, with their children, Christina French and James Brash Prentice, emigrated to California and settled in Stockton, CA.

3. Christina French. She moved to California with her mother and step-father, Thomas Prentice. She m. Silas Eichlburger, b. c. 1840, PA, a carpenter. They appear in the 1880 Stockton, San Joaquin Co., CA census with their children:

1. Harriet Eichlburger, b. c. 1864, CA. At home in 1880.
2. John Eichlburger b. c. 1866, CA. At home in 1880.
3. Elizabeth Eichlburger, b. c. 1868, CA. At home in 1880.
4. Christine Eichlburger, b. c. 1871, CA. At home in 1880.
5. Margaret/Maggie Eichlburger, b. c. 1877, CA. At home in 1880.
6. Isabella Eichlburger, twin, b. c. 1879, CA. At home in 1880.
7. Stella Eichlburger, twin, b. c. 1879, CA. At home in 1880.

4. James Brash Prentice, b. 12 Oct 1857, Melbourne, Australia. He moved to California with his parents and in 1880 was a "Plumbing & Gas Fitter", unmarried, living with his step-sister, Christina. Moved tO Lodi, CA, c. 1896, James later appears in the 1910 and 1920 San Joaquin Co., CA census with his wife and family.

He m. Martha A. Post on 25 Jan 1885. She was b. c. 1866 in CA, and d. 7 Sep 1954.. Children per James Prentice::

1. Martha Violet Prentice, b. 23 Mar 1886 and d. 1 Apr 1958. She m. Mr Call. Daughter
   1. Dorothy Jane Call, b. 15 Mar 1920 and d. 20 Feb 1988.

2. Grace E. Prentice, b. c. 1888, CA. She m. Biggs and lived in Fresno, CA.

3. James Melbourne Prentice, b. 4 Jun 1890, CA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [5]

4. Harry B. Prentice, b. 1891 and d. 1901.
5. Christiana Prentice. b. 1994 and d. 1901.
6. Bertha H. Prentice, b. 1897 and d. Sep 1901.

7. Harriet V. Prentice, b. c. 1901, CA. At home in 1920.

8. Charles W. Prentice, b. 22 Jul 1902, CA and d. 30 Sep 1965, San Joaquin Co., CA (per Cal. Death Records). He appears in the 1930 Elkhorn, San Joaquin Co., CA census with his wife, Evelyn P., and living inthe home of her parents, Frank and Harriet Thomas. Children:
   1. Barbara Prentice.
   2. James Prentice.

9. Helen Prentice.

10. Kenneth R. Prentice, b. 17 Sep 1905, CA and d. 26 Mar 1991, Contra Costa Co., CA (per Cal. Death Records). Not in 1930 CA census. He m. Ruth. They adopted a daughter:
    1. Susan Elaine Prentice.

11. Wendel W. Prentice, twin, b. 1906. He may be deceased since he does not appear with his family in the 1920 census. Not in 1930 CA census.

12. Walter Prentice, twin, b. 1906.

5. James Melbourne Prentice, b. 4 Jun 1890, CA and d. 11 Aug 1948, Calaveras Co., CA, age 58. 1910 census in Elkhorn Twp., San Joaquin Co., CA. An article about his death appeared in the Stockton Record of 12 Aug 1948.

He m. 1st Delma May Wakefield c. 1915 in CA. She was b. 26 Sep 1893, Elliot, San Joaquin Co., CA and d. 10 Dec 1955, San Joaquin Co., CA (per Cal. Death Records). An Ancestor Chart for her can be found at Ancestry.com . They divorced with no children (per Stella Naomi Prentice Williams, email, 22 Feb 2010). He appears in the 1920and 1930, Libery, San Joaquin Co. CA census with his wife, Delma M.,

James m. 2nd the wife of his brother-in-law, Orin Wakefield, Lilybelle Scott Wakefield on 20 Nov 1938 per the Lodi News Sentinel. She was "Miss Lodi" in 1928. Orin and Lilybelle were earlier m. on 23 Oct 1929, Lodi, CA, per the Oakland Tribune of 25 Oct 1929.

James and Lilybelle had 2 children:

1. James Michael Prentice, b. 2 Feb 1940 (see Note, below).

2. Stella Naomi Prentice, b. 7 Jul 1941. She m. Charles Williams of Napa, CA (see Note, below).

Note: An email of 7 Jun 2006, probably from a grandson of James, reads as follows: "*** Automated Delivery from PrenticeNet *** Guest Book: /roots/guests.htm
James Matthew Prentice - St. Louis, MO., USA
My great grandfather was James Brash Prentice. Came from australia around 1880. His father came from Scotland. Anybody know anything about them? Nice website." An attempt to contact him was unsuccessful as the email address he gave was incorrect.

By email of 23 Sep 2009, James Michael Prentice identified himself as a son of James Melbourne Prentice and the above email as being from his [James Michael Prentice's] son. He also advised that he [James Michael Prentice] also had a sister, Stella Naomi Prentice-Williams of Napa, CA.

Although only a guess for now, Thomas Prentice (2nd husband of #2 Christina Morton Brash who was b. 20 Dec 1823) might be the Thomas Prentice who was b. 15 Apr 1830 in Carnwath, Lanark, son of James Prentice and Isobel Stewart. However, that Thomas would be 6 years younger than Christina.

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