My Genealogy Hound

HON. HENRY A. PRENDERGAST, for many years a prominent citizen of Westfield, and whose ancestors were among the earlier settlers of western New York, was a son of Stephen and Almira (Abell) Prendergast, and was born in the town of Ripley, Chautauqua county, New York, October 31, 1821. His great-grandfather, William Prendergast, Sr., was born in Waterford, Ireland, came to Dutchess county, where he married Mehetable Wing, and at seventy-eight years of age was one of the pioneer settlers of Chautauqua county, where he died February 14, 1811 (for a fuller account of him and his family see historical part of this volume). His second son, Thomas, married Deborah Hunt, and their only son, Stephen Prendergast, was born at Pawling, New York, January 23, 1793, and died January 31, 1852. Stephen Prendergast came in 1805 to Ripley, where he married Almira Abell, who was born January 23, 1796, and died at an advanced age. They had four children: Thomas N., Hon. Henry A., Stephen and John L.

Henry A. Prendergast was reared on the farm, and in the fall of 1838 entered Union college, from which he was graduated in 1842. He then became a law student in the office of D. Mann, of Westfield, but in a short time was compelled by impaired health to abandon his legal studies and take up the more healthful employments of farming, fishing and hunting. For several years he gave his attention to farming, during which time he imported into the country some of the finest stock that could be obtained in England. He refused to enter political life until the American party came into existence, when, in the fall of 1855, he yielded to continued importunings, became a candidate for the Assembly and was elected by four hundred and fifty majority, although his district was American by one thousand, and he was opposed by two strong candidates. In 1856 he was nominated by acclamation and was elected by over two thousand majority. During his second term he served as chairman of the committee of ways and means. He afterwards completed his law studies, was admitted to the bar, and practiced for a time at Quincy, where he was engaged in the mercantile business for several years. In 1861 he served a third term as a member of Assembly, and shortly afterwards entered the Army of the Cumberland as a paymaster. While with that army in Tennessee he was taken sick, and by advice of the surgeon returned home, where he died a few days after his arrival.

He married Mary S. Sexton, daughter of William Sexton (see his sketch), and to their union were born two children: Minerva E., married June 17, 1869, George W. Fargo., Jr., of Buffalo, who died December 30, 1872, and whom she followed to the tomb on October 11, 1873, leaving twin daughters — Anne E. and Mary C., now at school at Buffalo; and Charles S., who died in 1865, aged fifteen years.

“Henry A. Prendergast was a man of fine intellect, a good speaker and a thorough business man. In person he was tall (nearly six feet), of good mould, of nervous sanguine temperament, and blue eyes, brown hair and pale features. He was frank, genial and respected.” Of his paternal ancester, William Prendergast, Sr., it is recorded in Howe’s historical collections that during the anti-rent troubles of Dutchess county he was known as the “Big Thunder” of that exciting time. “The Prendergasts became the possessors of some of the finest lands in this county and have been considered among the most wealthy, public-spirited farmers in the West.” On the paternal side Henry A. Prendergast’s ancestors were real Vermonters and bore arms in the Revolutionary war, in some of whose great battles his great-grandfather. Captain Abell, who has often been mentioned honorably in history took a distinguished part.