John Rockefeller Prentice
Encyclopedia
John Rockefeller Prentice (December 17, 1902 – June 13, 1972) was born to Chicago
lawyer Ezra Parmalee Prentice and Alta Rockefeller Prentice
in New York
. Prentice's maternal grandfather is the Standard Oil
tycoon, John D. Rockefeller
(1839–1937).
While attending Yale University
, Prentice became a member of the Skull and Bones
society and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He graduated in 1928. During his years at Yale, Prentice had accumulated debts and consequently was cut off from his parents. He worked in Boston
for a wholesale hardware firm for four years to make enough money to return to Yale. Upon his return to the Ivy League
school, Prentice continued to work to support himself. He graduated from Yale Law School
in 1932 and practiced law
with a Chicago law firm throughout the 1930s. In March 1941, before the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor, Prentice volunteered in the U.S. Army
as a private
. While serving in the Pacific Theatre
of World War II
, he became a Captain in the Artillery
.
Prentice became a cattle breeder and is known as a pioneer of artificial insemination
in farm animals as a means of improving their genetic pool.
On August 11, 1941, Prentice married Abbie Cantrill. The couple had one daughter, Chicago philanthropist
, Abra Prentice Wilkin
.
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
lawyer Ezra Parmalee Prentice and Alta Rockefeller Prentice
Alta Rockefeller Prentice
Alta Rockefeller Prentice was the third daughter of oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller and his wife Laura Celestia "Cettie" Spelman . Alta married Colonel Ezra Parmalee Prentice , a prominent Chicago attorney, son of Sartell Prentice and wife Jemima Parmalee, in 1901...
in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Prentice's maternal grandfather is the Standard Oil
Standard Oil
Standard Oil was a predominant American integrated oil producing, transporting, refining, and marketing company. Established in 1870 as a corporation in Ohio, it was the largest oil refiner in the world and operated as a major company trust and was one of the world's first and largest multinational...
tycoon, John D. Rockefeller
John D. Rockefeller
John Davison Rockefeller was an American oil industrialist, investor, and philanthropist. He was the founder of the Standard Oil Company, which dominated the oil industry and was the first great U.S. business trust. Rockefeller revolutionized the petroleum industry and defined the structure of...
(1839–1937).
While attending Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, Prentice became a member of the Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones is an undergraduate senior or secret society at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. It is a traditional peer society to Scroll and Key and Wolf's Head, as the three senior class 'landed societies' at Yale....
society and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He graduated in 1928. During his years at Yale, Prentice had accumulated debts and consequently was cut off from his parents. He worked in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
for a wholesale hardware firm for four years to make enough money to return to Yale. Upon his return to the Ivy League
Ivy League
The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...
school, Prentice continued to work to support himself. He graduated from Yale Law School
Yale Law School
Yale Law School, or YLS, is the law school of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Established in 1824, it offers the J.D., LL.M., J.S.D. and M.S.L. degrees in law. It also hosts visiting scholars, visiting researchers and a number of legal research centers...
in 1932 and practiced law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
with a Chicago law firm throughout the 1930s. In March 1941, before the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor, Prentice volunteered in the U.S. Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
as a private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
. While serving in the Pacific Theatre
Pacific Theater of Operations
The Pacific Theater of Operations was the World War II area of military activity in the Pacific Ocean and the countries bordering it, a geographic scope that reflected the operational and administrative command structures of the American forces during that period...
of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he became a Captain in the Artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
.
Prentice became a cattle breeder and is known as a pioneer of artificial insemination
Artificial insemination
Artificial insemination, or AI, is the process by which sperm is placed into the reproductive tract of a female for the purpose of impregnating the female by using means other than sexual intercourse or natural insemination...
in farm animals as a means of improving their genetic pool.
On August 11, 1941, Prentice married Abbie Cantrill. The couple had one daughter, Chicago philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
, Abra Prentice Wilkin
Abra Prentice Wilkin
Abra Prentice Anderson Wilkin is an American philanthropist. She is the daughter of John Rockefeller Prentice and his wife, Abbie Cantrill Prentice. Wilkin is the great-granddaughter of the Standard Oil tycoon, John D. Rockefeller .Wilkin attended both The Latin School of Chicago and The Ethel...
.