John Holmes Prentiss

19th century American politician

John Holmes Prentiss (April 17, 1784June 26, 1861) was an American newspaper publisher and politician in the U. S. state of New York. He represented New York's 19th congressional district in the 25th and 26th U. S. Congresses from 1837 to 1841.

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.

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.

John Holmes Prentiss was the third of nine children born to Dr. Samuel Prentiss and his wife Lucretia ( Holmes). 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).