Joseph Prentis
Joseph Prentis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Judge of the General Court | |
| In office January 4, 1788 – June 18th, 1809 | |
| 6th Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates | |
| In office October 16, 1786 – January 8, 1788 | |
| Preceded by | Benjamin Harrison Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Matthews |
| Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from York County | |
| In office 1777–1778 | |
| In office 1782–1788 | |
| Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from James City County | |
| In office 1781–1782 | |
| Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from Williamsburg | |
| In office 1776–1778 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 24, 1754 Williamsburg, Colony of Virginia, British America |
| Died | June 18, 1809 (aged 55) Williamsburg, Virginia, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Spouse(s) | Margaret Bowdoin
(m. 1778; died 1801) |
| Children | 8
|
| Parents | William Prentis Mary Brooke |
| Relatives | John Prentis (brother) |
| Education | College of William & Mary |
Joseph Prentis (January 24, 1754 – June 18, 1809) was a Virginia politician. He represented Williamsburg in the Virginia House of Delegates, and served as that body's Speaker from 1786 until 1788. From 1788 until his death, Prentis was a judge in the General Court of Virginia.
Biography[]
Joseph Prentis was the youngest son of Williamsburg merchant William Prentis and his wife, Mary Brooke. He attended the College of William and Mary and became a lawyer (see read law). He was a member of the Virginia Convention of 1775 in Richmond where Patrick Henry delivered the famous words, "Give me liberty, or give me death!" Later, he was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates, serving from 1776 to 1788 and representing Williamsburg, James City County, and York County.
From 1786 to 1788, Prentis served as the 6th Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates. On January 4, 1788, he was appointed to the General Court of Virginia, where he served as a judge until his death.
Personal life[]
Prentis was known to enjoy gardening and his papers, correspondence and even the naming of his home demonstrate that interest. He married Margaret Bowdoin 16 December 1778. The couple had eight children but only four survived infancy or childhood. In 1782 he acquired Green Hill where they lived for the rest of their lives. He died on the 18th of June in 1809 at the age of 55.
References[]
- Jamerson, Bruce F., Clerk of the House of Delegates, supervising (2007). Speakers and Clerks of the Virginia House of Delegates, 1776-2007. Richmond, Virginia: Virginia House of Delegates.
- Winter, Kari J. (2011). The American Dreams of John B. Prentis Slave Trader. The University of Georgia Press. ISBN 0-8203-3837-0
- Richter, Caroline Julia, "The Prentis Family and their Library" (1985). Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects. Paper 1539625287. doi:10.21220/s2-42by-1r17
- Virginia House of Delegates Clerk's Office. "Joseph Prentis". House History. Virginia House of Delegates Clerk's Office. Archived from the original on 4 December 2020. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
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External links[]
- Virginia Government - House History Joseph Prentis
- Colonial Williamsburg Portrait of Joseph Prentis
- University of Virginia Library A GUIDE TO THE WEBB-PRENTIS FAMILY PAPERS
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- Members of the Virginia House of Delegates
- Speakers of the Virginia House of Delegates
- Politicians from Williamsburg, Virginia
- 1754 births
- 1809 deaths
- Virginia colonial people
- Virginia Delegate stubs