Prentiss family papers, 1855-1987.

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Prentiss family papers, 1855-1987.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/682142393

Letters, journals, diary, and miscellaneous documents created by William S. Prentiss, Roderick Prentiss, William Prentiss, and their descendants. Nine letters were written by Roderick to his brother, William which describe his experiences as a cadet at the U.S. Naval Academy and an officer serving aboard the U.S. naval vessels Portsmouth, Crusader, and Monongahela. The letters describe student life, shipboard incidents, and fellow shipmates in some detail. Two additional letters from Roderick were written to his father, William S. Prentiss, just days before Roderick's death during the Battle of Mobile. These letters describe Roderick's religious conversion and presentiment of death in addition to preparations for the upcoming fight. One letter from William S. Prentiss to his wife discusses the aftermath of their son's death, and two additional letters to William S. Prentiss from William B. Lewis and Oliver Ambrose Batcheller, officers on the USS Monongahela, give additional details on Roderick's death. Three bound journals kept by Roderick document his service on the Plymouth, Portsmouth, and San Jacinto. Much of the information in these journals is as detailed as a ship's log, but although often signed by the ship's commander, they do not appear to be the official log for any of the vessels. The overland trail diary of William Prentiss documents his departure from LaGrange, Ind., and subsequent journey to the gold fields of Montana Territory. Prentiss traveled with several other men, following a route along the Platte River in present day Nebraska to Fort Laramie. From that point they veered northwest and followed the Bridger Trail from present day Caspar, Wyo., and through the Big Horn basin. After reaching the Yellowstone River they went through the Bozeman Pass and ended their journey at Virginia City. The diary records Prentiss's unsuccessful time searching for gold in Alder Gulch and his decision to return to Indiana after reading of his brother's death in a Salt Lake City newspaper. The route home followed the Virginia City-Salt Lake City trail to Soda Springs, and then southeast to Fort Bridger before again turning east across Nebraska. The diary describes travel companions and trail incidents in varying detail. The collection also includes transcriptions of Roderick's letters, some of his journals, and William's overland trail diary prepared in 1987 by his great-great granddaughter, Carol Opstad Jaeger. A single folder of miscellaneous documents, including an unidentified reminiscence by a Prentiss family descendant, is included.

0.4 linear ft.

Montana State University (Bozeman, Mont.). Library

Information

SNAC Resource ID: 7971260

Montana State University (Bozeman, Mont.). Library

Related Entities

There are 17 Entities related to this resource.

Prentiss, Jane M. Clark, 1808-1890

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6pc730q (person)

Crusader (Screw steamer)

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w68x00xq (corporateBody)

Batcheller, Oliver A.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w63z272z (person)

Prentiss, William S., 1798-1872

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6p028dg (person)

United States. Navy. South Atlantic Blockading Squadron (1861-1865)

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6fb99nz (corporateBody)

Lewis, William B., active 1864

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6ms7thn (person)

Prentiss, Roderick, 1840-1864

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w679858s (person)

United States Naval Academy

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6w12w0r (corporateBody)

Taffinder was born on March 18, 1884, graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1906, attained the rank of Vice Admiral, retired from the Navy in 1947, and died in 1965. From the description of Diploma, June 14, 1906. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 704931343 Founded in 1845, the United States Naval Academy trains students in a four-year Officer Development Program, preparing them for assignments as midshipmen after graduation. The courses focus on moral...

Jaeger, Carol Opstad

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w63z2759 (person)

Plymouth (Sloop of war)

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w68h2r8x (corporateBody)

Prentiss, William, 1835-1911

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6m0861c (person)

United States. Navy

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w68m0zj8 (corporateBody)

Built and launched at New York Navy Yard; commissioned Nov. 12, 1944; scraped in 1993. Served in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. From the description of USS Bon Homme Richard (CV/CVA-31) photograph collection 1944-1971. (The Mariners' Museum Library). WorldCat record id: 41657866 The federal government decided in 1941 to send Supply Corps personnel to Harvard Business School for training in the business of equipping the Navy. This was effected by a transfer...

Portsmouth (Sloop of war)

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w68w84x2 (corporateBody)

The Portsmouth was under Commander John B. Montgomery and sailed chiefly on the coasts of Mexico and California. From the description of Logbooks of the Portsmouth, 1844-1847. (University of California, Berkeley). WorldCat record id: 214990328 U.S. naval vessel launched at the Portsmouth, N.H., navy yard in 1843 and commissioned in 1844; wooden sloop of war; 1,022 tons; struck from the navy list in 1915 and subsequently sold. From the description of Logbook, 1850...

Prentice family

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6f85mzh (family)

San Jacinto (Steam frigate)

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6cg4gsp (corporateBody)

U.S. Navy screw frigate, laid down by the New York Navy Yard in Aug. 1847, and launched on 16 Apr. 1850. From the description of Logbook of the steam frigate San Jacinto, 1863 Jan. 1-1865 Feb. 4. (Old Dartmouth Historical Society Library). WorldCat record id: 371501192 ...

Monongahela (Screw sloop)

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6vx738c (corporateBody)

Prentiss family.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w67q86vz (family)

William S. Prentiss was an early pioneer of La Grange County, Ind. He was born in Massachusetts in 1798 and moved west to Indiana in 1832. He became a successful farmer, sawmill owner, and probate judge in Springfield Township. Prentiss married Jane M. Clark (1808-1890) on 25 Dec. 1832 and the couple had five children, including Roderick and William. William S. Prentiss died in 1872. Roderick Prentiss, born in 1840, received an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy in 1854. He graduated in 1859 ...