Representative Percy Lucius Prentis View All Years

HON. PERCY L. PRENTIS

MR. SPEAKER: Your committee, appointed to prepare resolutions in commemoration of the life, character and services of the Hon. Percy L. Prentis, beg leave to submit the following report:

Percy L. Prentis, United States district director of immigration, stationed at Detroit, Michigan, died June 22, 1928, following an illness of more than a year.

Dr. Prentis had been in the service of the government continuously since 1901, having been stationed at several border posts both in the United States and Canada. Born on a farm near Rich Valley, Indiana, in 1870, he migrated with his parents in a covered wagon to Delphos, Ringgold county, Iowa, when he was a lad ten years old. The family settled on a prairie farm near Delphos, and cultivated the frontier homeland until 1884, when both parents died.

Dr. Prentis, with his young sister and brother, spent the rest of their childhood in Bedford, Ohio, in the home of their mother’s youngest sister, Mrs. Mary L. Davenport.

He was graduated from Bedford high school in 1887, and from the Euclid Avenue Business and Shorthand College in 1888. Five years later he was graduated from the Cleveland Homeopathic Medical College, and entered the practice of medicine at Delphos.

The following year he was married to Anna Pfeffer, in Cleveland, and returned to Delphos, where he continued in the practice of medicine until 1901, at which time he accepted an appointment in the immigration service. He was first stationed at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.

In 1902 Dr. Prentis was transferred to Winnipeg, Man., as a medical examiner. His work proved that a large percentage of applicants refused admission at eastern United States ports were reshipping from Europe and entering the country by way of Canada. As a result of his endeavors, the Dominion government took drastic steps to stop the traffic.

His next assignment was at Van Couver, B. C., where he had supervision of the immigration work covering entry of all aliens via Canadian ports. Chicago was Dr. Prentis’ next headquarters. Here he had the direction of immigration in the states of Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan.

In 1917 Dr. Prentis was placed in charge of the United States employment service in the central western states, where he successfully directed the recruiting of thousands of war workers.

Following the World War, he was reassigned to the immigration service and was stationed at Detroit, where he continued in charge until he was taken ill, in April, 1927. During his residence in Iowa, Dr. Prentis was three times elected State Representative, being the youngest Representative of his party. He represented Ringgold county in the Twenty-sixth, Twenty-sixth extra, Twenty-seventh and Twenty-eighth General Assemblies.

Dr. Prentis was an officer and active member of the Central Woodward Christian church.

He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Anna Prentis; one daughter, Mrs. Hennings Rylander of Detroit; a son, Roscoe Johnson Prentis of Chicago; one sister, Mrs. Clarence H. Beasley of Lamar, Missouri, and a brother, Glasier Edwards Prentis of Leon, Iowa.

Therefore, Be it Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Forty-third General Assembly, That in the death of the Hon. Percy L. Prentis, this state has lost a loyal citizen, a man of fine ideals and public spirit, and this House by this resolution tenders its sympathy to the relatives that survive him, and

Be It Further Resolved, That these resolutions be spread upon the Journal, and an enrolled copy sent to the surviving relatives.

D. A. VAUGHN,

W. H. CAMPBELL,

R. W. COX,

Committee.

Unanimously adopted April 8, 1929.