PRENTICE
.--The Prentice family in Illinois descended from Thomas Prentice and Grace, his wife, who came from England in 1648. There is a tradition in the family that he served in the army of the Commonwealth, and was one of Oliver Cromwell's Life Guard. However that may be, soon after he came to this country, "in 1656, he was chosen Lieutenant of a troop of horse, and chosen Captain in 1662." The brilliant exploits of the "old trooper" are fully recorded in Hubbard's history of the early Indian wars. He settled in Newton, Massachusetts, and died there in 1709. The stone is still there which marks his grave, and bears the following inscription: "Here lies ye body of Capt. Thomas Prentice, dec'd July ye 7th, 1709, in ye 89th year of his age." His death was caused by a fall from his horse, while returning from church on Sunday. Capt. Thomas Prentice and his wife, Grace, had eight children, one of whom was Thomas Prentice, Jun., who was born in Newton, Mass., Nov. 11, 1649, and who married Sarah Stanton, Jan. 1, 1675. They had four children, one of whom was Samuel, who was born in 1680. He married Esther Hammond, and in 1709 moved to Stonington, Conn. They had nine children, one of whom was Saumel Prentice, Jun., who was born Nov. 25, 1702. He married Abigail (???). They had thirteen children, one of whom was Amos, who was born April 24, 1748, and who married Anna Owen. He was a physician, and was for some time Surgeon in the Revolutionary army. He resided in New London, Conn., at the time that town was burned by the traitor, Arnold, and lost his residence, drug store, and very near all he had, by that act of vandalism. After the close of the war he removed to Milltown, on the Susquehanna river, near the spot where the little city of Waverly, N. Y., now stands, and died there, July 19, 1805. Dr. Amos Prentice and his wife, Anna, had five children, one of whom was John Owen Prentice, who was born in Groton, Conn Dec. 25, 1776. He married Rache Swain in 1799, emigrated to St. Clair county, Ill., in 1816, and died at his residence, at Cold Spring, Shelby county, Jan. 1, 1838, leaving seven children. The following are their names, with the dates of birth: Charles, born in 1800; Owen, in 1802; Amos, in 1804; Harriet, in 1809; Julia, in 1814; William Swain, in 1819; and James B., in 1821. We will continue the history of but one member of this family:--PRENTICE, WILLIAM SWAIN, was born May 21, 1819, in St. Clair county, Illinois.