Finding aid for the Frederick J. and Samuel B. Prentiss Papers

Biography of Frederick James and Samuel Blake Prentiss

Samuel Blake Prentiss (1807-1894) and Frederick James Prentiss (1816-1895) were two of the twelve children born to Samuel (1782-1857) and Lucretia Prentiss of Montpelier, Vermont. Their father was a lawyer by profession and is remembered for numerous accomplishments in his home state of Vermont. In 1825 he accepted a position on Vermont's Supreme Court. In 1830 he was elected as a Unites States Senator, and in 1842 he accepted an appointment as a judge on the Federal Court for the Vermont district.

Emulating their successful father, both Samuel and Frederick Prentiss decided to study law. In 1839 Frederick gained admission to the bar and moved to Cleveland, Ohio. He was joined the following year by Samuel, who also decided to settle in Cleveland upon the completion of his law studies. The two brothers formed the law firm of Prentiss and Prentiss, which dealt in both civil and criminal cases. The brothers enjoyed a successful practice until Frederick's withdrawal from the firm in 1860. Afflicted by ill health, the younger Prentiss left the practice of private law for a seemingly quieter judicial post. He was twice elected to the office of Clerk of Common Pleas and District courts. In 1867, Samuel, who also desired a judgeship, quit the firm and took a seat as judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Cuyahoga County, a position he held for three consecutive five-year terms. The law practice the brothers started remained in existence under the name Prentiss, Baldwin, and Ford until 1878.

On retiring from the bench, Samuel and Frederick Prentiss also retired from professional life. Both men died in Cleveland, Ohio.

Scope and Content

The Frederick J. and Samuel B. Prentiss Papers, 1825-1888 and undated, consist of correspondence, legal records and financial papers relating to the Prentiss brothers' law firm and its client transactions; and family correspondence. Included in the legal papers are petitions, statements, depositions, powers of attorney, mortgage deeds, leases, rental agreements, quit claims, warranty deeds, contracts, liens, settlements, protests involving promissory notes, briefs, motions, and transcripts. Included in the financial papers are bills, checks, drafts, requisitions, invoices, statements, accounts, receipts, and ledgers. The correspondence covers both the day-to-day operations of the Prentiss law firm and personal matters between Frederick and Samuel Prentiss and their other brothers.

This collection presents an opportunity to study the day-to-day working of a nineteenth century law firm in Cleveland, Ohio, dealing in both civil and criminal cases. The researcher interested in the details of a particular case or suit will find abundant information if the Prentiss firm was connected with it. The researcher may note that a good amount of the correspondence from areas other than Cleveland is contained in the collection, including letters from Baltimore, Buffalo, Milwaukee, New York City, and Montpelier, Vermont.

Statement of Arrangement

Restrictions on Access

None.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Subjects:

Preferred Citation

[Container ___, Folder ___ ] MS 3350 Frederick J. and Samuel B. Prentiss Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio

Acquisition Information

Provenance unrecorded.

Processing Information

Processed by Paul Weinstein in 1973.

Other Finding Aid

A list of correspondents represented in this collection is available at the Reference Desk of the WRHS Research Library.

Detailed Description of The Collection