Jerry Prentice, father of Rev. Joseph Sidney Prentice of Montevallo, Shelby County, Alabama. Prentice slaves.

RE: Rev Joseph Sidney Prentice's father THE PROBLEM: Rev. Joseph's parent Jerry Prentice claims South Carolina as place of birth, and John Prentice and family came to Shelby County from Tennessee, and before that, Kentucky and Virginia. So how can Jerry born about 1815 be born in South Carolina? MY SOLUTION: Jerry Prentice was not an inheritance. He would have been a local purchase by either William L. Prentice or Daniel W. Prentice, the two sons of old John Prentice, sometime between 1840 and 1860. John Prentice ( husband of Rhoda Lovelady) died in 1854. The slave sale of those he held in bondage took place soon after. Appraised on 18 November 1854. Sold on 20 December 1854. 1. Ben , Appraised for $800 Sold for $700 2. Jenny and child Appraised for $1150 Sold as "Jane and child" $1000 3. Malinda and child Appraised for $1000 Sold for $800 4. Fanny Appraised for $700 Sold for $460 5. Harriett Appraised for $600 Sold for $500 6. Susan Appraised for $550 Sold for $450 7. George Appraised for $1000 Sold for $900 8. Franklin Appraised for $1150 Sold for $1030 9. Wesley Appraised for $1000 Sold for $800 This is why Jerry Prentice has the birth states as South Carolina, South Carolina, North Carolina ( on his son James Monroe Prentice's 1926 death certificate). Jerry was not brought here by John Prentice from Virginia or Kentucky or Tennessee ( the migration of the white family ) or he would be in the above sale. He was a PURCHASE by one of the sons, either William L. Prentice ( who had 24 slaves by 1850, and 48 slaves in 1860) or by Daniel W. Prentice ( who lists 18 slaves in 1860 ). Now since Jerry is a MULATTO, as is Rev. Joseph as a child on his father's census in 1870 and 1880, we look at the slave census of 1850 and 1860.... 1850. John Prentice born Virginia, the old father, has 9 slaves, all black , none mulatto and none named Jerry based on the 1854 slave sale at his death. So we can eliminate him from the list of owners. Now his two sons: 1850 William L. Prentice has 1 male mulatto age 60 ( born about 1790 ) and no more mulatto. He has other black slaves. 1860 William L Prentice has 1 male mulatto age 65 ( born about 1795 ) probably the same person as on 1850. He has 4 mulatto females, ages 20, 30, 25, and 10; and 2 male mulattos ages 10 and 1. ( Rev. Joseph should be about 3 ) He has other black slaves. He has 48 slaves total. 1860 Daniel Prentice of Montevallo has 18 slaves. Of these: He has 1 Male mulatto age 50 ( born about 1810) 2 female mulattos ages 20 and 12 2 male mulattos ages 9 and 4 ( Rev. Joseph should be about 3 ). AFTER FREEDOM: Jerry Prentice is on the colored free census of Shelby County in 1866: On this census is 1 male age 50 to 60 ( himself) 1 female age 40 to 50 ( his wife) 1 male age under 10 ( that should be Rev. Joseph who should be about 9 ) Total in the household living at home ( does not mean older children have moved out nor should we think there might be older children ) 3 In 1870, Federal Census, Shelby County, Alabama Jerry Prentice, mulatto, age about 55 ( born therefore about 1815 ) born South Carolina, a carpenter Mary wife age 49 born South Carolina ( born about 1821) Mollie age 8, Joseph age 12 ( this is Rev. Joseph) Sallie age 5, Virginia age 2. Children all born Alabama. 1880 Federal Census, Shelby County, Alabama Jerry Prentice, mulatto, age 70 Born South Carolina, both parents born South Carolina ( born about 1810) Mary, age 57 ( born about 1823) ( 1821 in 1870 no problem with either of their ages. Within 5 years is GOOD) Sallie age 15 ( she was 5 in 1870 so her age is on target) Jennie age 13 ( she was Virginia age 2 in 1870; perfect) Jerry lists himself as suffering from paralysis. Joseph Prentice age 27 ( born about 1853 ) ( tombstone by 1944 brings date of birth up to 1857 no problem) Martha age 20 born Alabama. Both parents born Alabama Herbert 7 months born October 1879 ) in Alabama Skip forward to 1900 ( Joseph has become Josire. His occupation Preacher) Josire Prentice born November 1859 Age 40 Born Alabama Parents born Alabama ( he doesn't know what they said in 1870 and 1880) Mattie ( nickname for Martha like Patsy) born October 1860 age 34 Mother of 10 children all living and all still at home ! Herbert is the oldest, born "October 1879 age 20) ( Oct 1879 matches with 1880 census; indicates there is a family bible and the ability to read and write) Other children Arthur, Edward, Josire Jr. , George, Frank, Robert, Walter, Leslie, Annie. He and wife and 4 oldest children can read and write. Next four children are at school. The 5 and 2 year olds are not at school yet. Death Certificates: Caution: These are based on the informant after the person dies. I found James Monroe Prentice. Wife Mollie Cox. born 19 Oct 1851 at Montevallo. Age 75 father Jerry Prentice born North Carolina. Mother Mary BUTLER, born Shelby County, Alabama. He died 19 November 1926. ( The Butler plantations, stemming from Zachariah Butler, are in Shelby County ) . ************ What confuses researches is this death certificate: A second J. S. Prentice J. S. Prentice wife Charity Chambers born 1866 Shelby County Alabama. age 63 at death. Father Tom Prentice born South Carolina, mother Nancy born South Carolina. Died 15 Nov 1929. ( The father of this person, Tom Prentice, will be another purchase of the Prentice sons...It appears they purchased slaves from some estate whose owner had slaves from South Carolina ! ) Also, Rev. Joseph's son Joseph S. Prentice Jr confuses people on the census. He was born 10 July or Jan. 1885 and died 22 Dec 1960. Rev. Joseph Sidney Prentice is 12 Nov 1857 15 March 1944. Mary Prentice, wife of Jerry Prentice, died 20 November 1908 "aged 80 years" ( born 1828) ( lost another 5 years ! ) The normal custom was, as soon as a person was purchased, they took the last name of the new owner. Jerry Prentice was NOT a Prentice during his early years. But as soon as Daniel Prentice ( or William L. Prentice ) purchase him, his last name at FREEDOM would be PRENTICE. ( There are other Prentice white men in 1850/1860 in Shelby County. They are also part of my Prentice family. They are Zachariah Prentice born in Virginia in 1793 ( brother or cousin to John) ; Zach's son William Prentice born 1817 in Tennessee ) and James Prentice born in Tennessee in 1793. John Prentice and Rhoda Lovelady didn't marry until about 1805 or so in Sevier County, Tenn. There are no South Carolina Prentices here. Based on the above 2 sons of John Prentice both having older MULATTO men in their lists, and looking at the lists in 1860, it is my GUESS that Jerry is the property of Daniel Prentice of Montevallo. Either way, he was a PURCHASE after arriving here in Montevallo. A great grand daughter of Rev. Joseph Sidney Prentice told me the Rev.'s parents were Jerry Prentice and Mary KING. That would make Mary the property of Edmund King of Montevallo. It was more common than people think that slaves would have children by people on nearby plantations. Dr. Fuller told us slave owners encouraged their people to have children by fellow slaves, but many would fall in love with people on other nearby plantations. Both plantations were in Montevallo. Rev. Joseph would not be either of the little boys on the 1860 slave census below. He would be with his mother as a child on the King plantation. Many slaves are said to be "running away" were trying to see wives or family on other plantations. The Mary on the 1870 census as wife of Jerry would therefore ( if she is a King as the great grand daughter said) would not be on the 1860 slave census of either of the Prentice sons. She is MULATTO in 1870. No Mulatto women her age are owned by the Prentice men in 1860 or 1850. Edmund King died ca. 1863. He has an estate in the court house. I am going over there soon to get a list of his people. I hope this answers the question of Jerry Prentice and the South Carolina connection. Based on old John Prentice's slave sale, Jerry was not brought here by him or he would have been in the sale. Jerry is a purchase sometime before 1860. The only way to research this further would be to go through all the huge Wills and Estate books for the 1850's 1860's in Shelby County and look at the slave inventory for all the men/women who died and look for a slave named Jerry on the inventory then look at the sale and see if one of the Prentice men bought him. It is possible but a big task. And they may have bought him in Bibb County. Or from a slave market or travelling slave trader. Also , many families here had NO slave inventory; they were simply divided among the children and then the children would sell. If children were under the age of adulthood, the slaves were commonly sold by their guardians, as the only practical thing to do. I'm just telling you how it was. The above explanation is my OPINION of the matter at hand. I do not believe at all in the probability that a black man named Jerry Prentice suddenly showed up in 1866 in Montevallo from South Carolina. There were already at least 70+ freed Prentice slaves here in Montevallo at the time.