John Holmes Prentiss

John Holmes Prentiss
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 19th district
In office March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1841
Preceded by	Sherman Page
Succeeded by	Samuel S. Bowne
Personal details
Born	(1784-04-17)April 17, 1784 Worcester, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died	June 26, 1861(1861-06-26) (aged 77) Cooperstown, New York, U.S.
Resting place	Lakewood Cemetery, Cooperstown, New York
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Catherine Cox Morris ​ ​ (m. 1815; died 1818)​ Urilla Shankland ​ ​ (m. 1828⁠–⁠1861)​
Children	with Catherine Morris Mary Martha (Strong) (b. 1817; died 1854) Catharine Lucretia (Dodge) (b. 1817; died 1901) with Urilla Shankland Alexander Shankland Prentiss (b. 1829; died 1854) John Holmes Prentiss Jr. (b. 1832; died 1923) Rachel Ann Prentiss (b. 1834; died 1874) Charlotte Darbyshire (Browning) (b. 1837; died 1935)
Relatives	Samuel Prentiss (brother) Theodore Prentiss (nephew)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	New York Militia
Rank	Colonel

John Holmes Prentiss (April 17, 1784 – June 26, 1861) was a United States Representative from New York.

Career[]

Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, he attended local and private schools. He completed an apprenticeship as a printer, and then went into the newspaper business.

Prentiss became foreman of the New York Evening Post before moving to Cooperstown, New York, in October 1808. He became the printer of The Impartial Observer, which had been founded by Judge William Cooper. In 1809, the paper's name was changed to The Cooperstown Federalist to reflect its political affiliation. When Cooper died Prentiss became the paper's owner and editor. In 1818, the name was changed to The Freeman's Journal dropping the Federalist label as Prentiss shifted his political support to the Democratic-Republican Party. He operated the newspaper until his retirement in 1849.

In addition to operating the newspaper, Prentiss served in the New York Militia, appointed by Governor DeWitt Clinton as inspector of the 16th Division with the rank of colonel. He was postmaster of Cooperstown from April 24, 1833, to February 17, 1837, and was vice president of the 1837 New York State Democratic convention in Albany.

Prentiss was elected as the Twenty-fifth and Twenty-sixth Congresses as a Democrat, serving from March 4, 1837, to March 3, 1841. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1840 and returned to his newspaper, in addition serving as president of the Bank of Cooperstown.

Death and burial[]

Prentiss retired in 1849 and continued to reside in Cooperstown. He died there on June 26, 1861, and was buried at Cooperstown's Lakewood Cemetery.

Family[]

In 1815 Prentiss married Catherine Cox Morris (1795–1818), the daughter of General Jacob Morris and granddaughter of Lewis Morris. In 1828 he married Urilla Shankland (1799–1890). His children with his first wife included Mary Martha (1817–1854) and Catharine Lucretia (1817–1901). With his second wife his children included Alexander Shankland (1829–1854), John Holmes, Jr. (1832–1923), Rachel Ann (1834–1874), and Charlotte Darbyshire (1837–1935).

John Holmes Prentiss's brother, Samuel Prentiss, was a U.S. Senator and United States District Court judge from Vermont. His nephew, Theodore Prentiss, was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly and the first mayor of Watertown, Wisconsin.

References[]

• United States Congress. "John Holmes Prentiss (id: P000509)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• John Holmes Prentiss at Find a Grave