200 Years in the melting
pot with the PRESTON-STONER-BROWN-HAWKINS-WRIGHT-WATSON-JORDAN
and
ALLIED FAMILIES
By Alva L. Preston, Jr.
200 YEARS IN THE MELTING POT
WITH THE
PRESTON-STONER-BROWN-HAWKINS-
WRIGHT-WATSON-JORDAN
AND
ALLIED FAMILES
Alva L. Preston Jr.
1824 Cliff Drive
Columbia, Missouri
February, 1977
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ..................................................................... Page 5
GENEALOGY IS FUN ................................................................ Page
6
FAMILY CHARTS ..................................................................... Page
6
FAMILY SKETCHES
Preston ................................. Page
31
Stoner ................................... Page
51
Wright ........................................... Page 57
Lingrel ................................... Page
52
Ball................................................ Page
55
Trainer........................................... Page
70
Jordan............................................ Page
72
Mercier-Wagers-Jacks-Powell-Wildon Page 74
Brown............................................ Page
76
Watson.......................................... Page
79
Hawkins......................................... Page
82
King............................................... Page
85
BIBLIOGRAPHY................................. Page
88
SURNAME INDEX............................... Page
90
APPENDIX A …………………………......... Page 94
APPENDIX B …………………………......... Page 95
APPENDIX C …………………………......... Page 97
APPENDIX D …………………………......... Page 98
APPENDIX E …………………………......... Page 103
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
It
would have been impossible to have accumulated the material presented in this
publication, without the help of the writer’s father, Alva L. Preston. His
curiosity, and active mind prompted the writer’s original interest in
genealogy. His memory of people, and events was quite remarkable for a man of
his years, and was invaluable in accumulating much of the material. His sister,
Aunt Ruie, (Mrs. Ben Bishop) also made many helpful contributions.
So
many other people were involved, that it is impossible to give adequate credit
to all the individuals who played an important role. Publications and notes by
Truman Murphy, Charles A. Stoner, Amber Stoner (Mrs. Russell Culp), Vivian
Pritchard, and Vilas Young were the source of much information. Mrs. S. B.
Boyer, Mrs. Caroline Anderson, Mrs. Cecil McNair, Mrs. Fredrick (Fritz) Bickel,
Tilford Toalson, and Mrs. James Akeman are others who provided much needed
assistance.
INTRODUCTION
It began, as far as this
record is concerned, in 1696 with the marriage of Elizabeth Powell to
Christopher Waters. Two children were born of this marriage, before his death
sometime prior to 1704. Elizabeth married the second time in 1704, to Thomas
Jacks (Jaques) of Maryland. From that beginning, we know of 38 different family
lines which have been merged by marriage, and while these unions were taking
place the clan has migrated from the eastern seaboard to the west coast and
back again.
With biology being what it
is, it seems likely that marriage will continue in future years, and that
progeny will be produced. Future generations may also continue to be highly
mobile. If so, someone, somewhere, sometime, may stop to ask “Who am I – How
did I get in this particular spot, etc.” Should that happen the names, dates
and places, found on the following pages may be of help. It is by no means
complete, and for the most part covers only the period from 1800 to the
present. In addition the writer elected to pursue as many different family
lines as possible. The result is a “little” information about several families,
rather than complete genealogies of a few families. The bicentennial year
seemed like an appropriate time to put information accumulated on paper.
However, the year ended too quickly, so the task was carried over into 1977.
The material presented has been documented by official records, publications,
etc., except in a few cases. In those situation comments indicating that
assumptions have been made are included.
The material has been divided
into three sections. The first portion, in narrative form, gave the writer
space to express opinions and editorialize. This was an opportunity, which
couldn’t be resisted. It also includes some incidents gleaned from various
sources which may be of interest to family members interested in the trials and
tribulations our ancestors experienced. The second section contains the “dull”
charts giving the names, dates, and places, which might be helpful to the
person adding to the family tree. The third section consists of brief details
of those individuals who were members of the Clan, and our Ancestors.
GENEALOGY IS FUN
I am glad I have the “hangup”
about ancestors. Finding out who they are is a lot of fun. Those who share my
weakness will understand. Those who don’t provide me with an opportunity to
comment about the joy, and rewards of looking at tombstones, old newspaper
files microfilm, census records, etc.
In the first place an air-conditioned historical library has a lot going for it
on a hot summer day. It can also be a welcome haven on a cold winter afternoon,
or at any other time when getting out of the house has merit. In addition, it
forces one to learn something about history, and gain an appreciation of those
who preceded us, and their contribution to each of us personally, and to the
total society in which we live.
It is hard to be humble, but
it doesn’t hurt, and genealogy helps bring some pleasure on our excessive egos.
“I am a self-made man,” or “He is a self-made man” appears in print
occasionally. A more accurate statement might be “He inherited the right genes
from his ancestors, was reared in a favorable environment, and has worked
hard.” Our Lives might have been different, had the Great-Great Grandfather
married the “dunderheaded” girl who lived on the adjoining farm. In other
words, it’s important to you
for your ancestors to marry
well, if you can accept “well” as a possession of common sense, dignity, and
the other long established virtues.
Some people obviously have
the idea that anyone working on his family tree is looking for someone famous.
In some cases this is undoubtedly true, but it’s a losing proposition. It has
always been easier to become infamous, than famous.
Consequently, one who goes
looking for an ancestor of note should be prepared to take his “lumps.” There
are lawbreakers and there are lawmakers, and more average Joes and Janes than
eminent citizens. Consequently the odds of finding someone to talk about with
pride are against The Average Person. However, things aren’t as bad as they
sound. Simply take the ancestors found and be proud of them. After all, they
are responsible for you being here. “They were great people.”
All of us have heard of the
good old days, and in recent years some suggestions have been made to turn back
the clock. I can go along with that to a certain extent, but family history
warns me that we can go too far too fast. Past family experience is one of the
reasons for my conservative attitude. Two of my Great-Grandmothers gave birth
to children en-route to Missouri. Parthena Trainer, left Greene County, Tennessee
in 1830 or 1831, bound for Platte County, Missouri. Somewhere in Tennessee they
camped at a school house, which was vacant for the
summer, and she gave birth to
her first child. Also, John Preston loaded his wife Margaret and several little
ones in a wagon in Ohio. When they
arrived in Missouri there were eight little ones, Margaret had given birth to a
son as they camped in Southern Iowa. Dad told how his grandmother related the
incident to him and indicated she was afraid Indians in the area near the
campsite would steal her baby. The census records support the story with seven
of the children born in Ohio, Isaac in Iowa, and the younger ones in Missouri.
That I suppose is natural childbirth at its extreme. Fortunately we don’t have
to go that far today.
Modern day health care is
expensive, but here again I have no desire to turn back the clock. My
Great-Grandfather Preston died about 1865 at age 45 or less. Cause of death is
not known, but information passed down to Dad led him to suspect pneumonia, or
tuberculosis, or a combination of the two. Great Grandfather Wright also died
in his early forties. He was hauling wood on the “running gears” of a wagon.
Somehow one of his toes caught on a stump, and he suffered a compound fracture
of the leg. Infection resulted, and he died within a few days. Great
Grandfather Trainer cut himself with a hemp hook while harvesting hemp. This was a crop, which was grown as a source
of cash income, by Platte county pioneers. “Blood poisoning”, as it as called
in those days, set in and proved to be fatal. Exact date of his
death is not known, but had
to be in the early 1850’s, so he was in his later forties or very early
fifties. Modern day medicine probably would have saved all three.
The hemp hook incident, probably
deserves a brief explanation in order to protect the integrity of the Trainer
family, and to illustrate that customs do change somewhat over 125 year period.
“Hemp”, which is also know as marijuana, was grown to ship, not smoke. The
stalks were harvested, then “softened by soaking” in water, or “retting”.
Pounding separated the pulp from the fibers, and after the fibers were dried,
they were baled, and sent down the Missouri river by flat boat, and used at
their destination for rope making. This
was one of the few sources of money available to Platte county residents. Apparently they got their “highs” from the
cash received, so found no need to smoke the stuff. One can speculate about
modern day hemp harvesters. If they put the labor into the production,
harvesting and marketing of the crop that the old timers found necessary,
smoking the stuff might lose some of it’s appeal.
Nobody knows the troubles I
have seen --- or do they? Take the case of Rebecca Gladden, my maternal
Great-Great Grandmother. She was born Rebecca Ball to a Virginia family which
appears to have been at least moderately successful. She married John Gladden
of Tennessee, but by 1830 the marriage ended in separation, and possibly
divorce. In 1830 or 1831 she
migrated with most of her family, to Platte county Missouri. She apparently had
some money, and I suspect her father, who died in 1832, gave her a share of his
estate, before her departure from Tennessee because his will does not mention
her as an heir. At any rate the money
didn’t last long, and shortly after her arrival in Missouri she began living
with her children. During the gold rush two unmarried sons, Elijah, and William
Gladden went to California. Elijah died there in 1849, and William, who
apparently did well, sailed for home from the west coast. He died a few days
out of New York, was buried at sea, and according to family history his money
was divided among fellow passengers. The untimely death of her son-in-law James
Trainer followed shortly after this.
Then came the tension and finally the War Between the States. Sometime
during the 1850’s she moved into Mercer county Missouri where three of her
daughters and their families lived. Two grandsons were in the confederate army,
and one son-in-law and a grandson-in-law to be, were union soldiers. A
bushwhacker shot and killed son-in-law Britian Williams as he worked on his
farm near Modena, Missouri. This prompted another son-in-law, Thomas Miles,
also of Modena to relocate, and he moved his family to Pike County, Illinois.
Maybe we don’t have things too bad after all. At least we are not the first to
face problems, and know sorrow.
Frontier Humor, Justice,
Hospitality, are topics, which have been written about rather extensively.
However, it is difficult to resist relating some examples picked up from Dad.
Justice, or whatever you might want to call it, is represented by the
experience of his Great Uncle, Isaac Titsworth. Ike noted that corn in one
corner of his crib was disappearing. At that particular point, the horizontal
slats of the crib were far enough apart to permit the removal of an ear of
corn. This observation led him to set an animal trap. The next morning revealed
that he had bagged an animal in the form of a neighbor. After releasing the man
from the trap, Ike gave him a bag of corn, and sent him home. I don’t know
whether this violated the man’s constitutional rights or not, or whether it
might be considered inhuman, but I would wager it was effective.
Humor, or politics, or
whatever you might want to call it is illustrated by a member of the Stoner
clan. One history of Muskinghum County, Ohio tells of the actions of George
Stoner during a local election. Apparently George was in charge, and after the
voters expressed their desires on a blank piece of paper, George collected them
by passing his stovepipe hat. According to the history he apparently sensed
that his side was losing. T any rate, when the ballets had been collected, he
promptly placed his hat, ballets included, on his head
and left the election place.
The outcome of the particular election has never been announced.
Hospitality was something
else, and is hard to comprehend in our modern society. During the 1880’s the
Preston family returned home from a Sunday visit with a relative to discover that
someone had been in their house during their absence. They had in fact built a
fire in the cook stove, helped themselves to food and utensils, eaten and
washed the dishes, then left a signed note of thanks for my Grandparents
hospitality. Apparently this was not unusual, and was an accepted social
practice. The clock will certainly need to be set back to regain that type of
accepted behavior.
Dad could also recall a time
during what must have been the 1880’s. A stranger wearing two six-guns appeared
at the home asking for food and lodging. This was likely during the period when
the Wild West was dying but didn’t know it. Frontier custom in which he was
reared, made it impossible for Grandfather to refuse the man’s request, even
though he did not like his looks. After stabling the man’s horse, and providing
supper, he sent the man upstairs to sleep with Dad, the oldest son. As a small
boy, Dad was quite impressed when the man hung his six-guns on the bedpost when
he retired. The next morning he urged the man to show him how he could shoot.
He put on what apparently was a passable demonstration. Upon his
departure, Grandfather
expressed his relief at being rid of his guest, and gave his young son a
lecture on the type of hero to worship.
Great-Great Grandmother Wright, was born Elizabeth McCune, in
Athens county, Ohio. One history of Athens County contains a sketch about her
family, which has the potential to stir up both pro and con sides of the
Wildlife Conservation controversy. It is reproduced here, with tongue in cheek,
for whatever interest it may create.
“In the year 1798 Samuel,
John and Thomas McCune, three brothers, and David, Jacob and Peter Boyles, came
from Pennsylvania and settled temporarily on the Hockhocking, on what is now N.
O. Warren’s farm, where they remained until 1802, when they removed to the
township of Ames and settled within half a mile of the present village of
Amesville. George Ewing Jr. brother of Thomas Ewing, married a daughter of this
David Boyles. The three McCune brothers, as also two of the Boyles brothers,
were strong athletic men, and great hunters, sometimes killing it is said
twelve or fourteen dear and three or four deer in a day. John McCune was
something of a mechanic, and used to repair the guns of his neighbors. On one
occasion a man brought his gun to be mended and borrowed McCune’s gun to use in
the meantime. Before repairing the gun, McCune went out with it to kill some
game. Coming unexpectedly on a bear, he tried to shoot it,
but the gun failed to go off,
when the bear, as if seeing his advantage, made for the hunter. McCune, unlike
the gun went off. He ran as fast as he could for some distance, the bear
closely pursuing, and McCune trying every few rods to fire his gun, which,
however seemed to like the situation, and refused to be discharged. After
running about half a mile a neighbors dog came to his assistance, and bruin was
driven off but not killed. Wolves were very abundant at that time, and killing
a wolf was a common occurrence. The wife of John McCune seeing something pass
the door of their cabin one evening, which she took for a dog set their own dog
upon it, and at the same time stepping out of the door, found it was a large
black wolf. Arming herself with a pitchfork that stood within reach, she and
the dog kept up a running fight of several rods and finally killed the wolf.
John Boyles and John McCune,
while hunting one day, came upon a mother bear and two cubs. Boyles fired at
and wounded the old bear, and when, wishing to see his dog kill one of the
cubs, laid down his gun and hissed his dog on to attack the cub --- the old bear and other cub beating a
retreat. Boyles, becoming interested in the fight between his dog and the cub,
had approached hear them, when he was disagreeably startled by seeing the old
bear return, brought by the cries of her cub, and place herself between him and
his gun. He was preparing to make
the best battle he could with
his hunting knife, when McCune, hearing his call for help hastened to the spot
and dispatched the bear by a bullet from his rifle. The sons of the McCune
brothers still live in the county, and, like their father before then. Have
been famous hunters and contributed much toward ridding the settlement and
eastern part of the county of the wild game and “vermin” that so annoyed the
early settlers. Jacob McCune, one of the sons of John McCune, a few years
since, on the occasion of a squirrel hunt, killed in one day one hundred and
three grey squirrels, and Samuel McCune his brother, killed eighty-three.”
I do not know your reaction
to the above, but frankly am happy that I became interested in fishing. For
once in my life I made the right decision, when I rejected bear hunting as a
sport.
Family ties were strong in
earlier days. There were several obvious reasons for this. The strength of the
family relationship varied from one clan to another, again for various reasons.
A letter written by one of my wife’s ancestors gives a clue to what was
important in the particular family. Walter Watson, was born in Maryland, in
1760 served in the Revolutionary army, and moved to Virginia where he reared
his family. By 1840, a son Benjamin, grandsons James and Walter Jr., daughters,
Nancy Norris, and Margaret Norris had all moved to
Boone County, Missouri. The
following letter was written when he was eighty-four.
Albernarle Co., Va. May the 15th, 1844
Dear Son,
I received your letter the
fourth of this month. Gave me great satisfaction to hear from you all. I am in
as good health as could be expected for a man of my age thanks be to the
almighty for His mercies bestowed on us. Hoping these lines may find you all
enjoying the like blessings. Please to present thee lines to James and Margaret
B. Morris and all their families and to all my grandchildren that is in that country,
and to Nancy Norris and to all her family. I am now living with James Watson
and Catherine and they both wish to be remembered to all their relation and
friends that is in that country. Their four sons are living with them.
Benjamin, William, Peter and Hezekiah and they all wish to be remembered to all
their relation that is in that part of the country. Thomas Thurston and
Elizabeth and family are well and wish to be remembered to all their relation
that is in that part of the country. Lettie Walton is left a Widow. Edmond
Walton died the 13 of last March. Was found the 14 on his way home going from
the warm springs, by his son Andrew and his switch in his hand and his horse
close by where he was found. It is generally supposed that he had an Auplose fit.
As to this country times is very hard and has been very sickly and has been
several deaths at a distance off. I am now at Tehu Waltons and he is writing
this letter for me. I have his complements to you all. I am living near
Michigan Via and he wishes to hear from his son Winston. Please to write in
your next letter how he and his family
Is. Brightberry Via was
married a few months ago to a Miss Hall and still living with his father.
Francis Walton wishes to hear from his sister Margaret Murray how she is and
how she comes on and all the children. Please to write in your next letter how
they are coming on in the world. Please to send in your next letter the names
and ages of all my grandchildren that was born in your country as I don’t
expect to hear from them much longer, as I am so old that I can’t expect to
ever see them. Times in our country is hard. Money is very scarce and produce
is high. Corn is $3 per barrel four $4.50 per barrel bacon ten cents per pound
oats 45 cents per bushel and as to potatoes they are running very high. One man
shot another in congress in the leg not long since. I am rather doubtful there
will be worse times soon than they was in the old Revolution war. Please to
write in your next letter to James Watsons boys to persuade them to come to
your country and get out of the smoke of their fathers chimney and do better. I
think they could do better if they would undertake it as their brother James
did for he went off a poor boy and I understand he is pretty well off in that
country. Please to send me a letter as soon as you receive this. Catherine says
she can make out 25 cents to pay for a letter if you think it worth you while
to send her a letter for she has not forgot you if you have forgot her. She
thinks very hard of her children that none of her children ever sends her a
letter. She has not forgot them if they have her. I have nothing more at
present but remain your loving father till death.
Walter Watson
The above, along with several
other letters, and documents are part of this Watson-Westlake papers, on file
in the Western manuscripts collection, Missouri Historical Society, Columbia,
Mo.
Also included in the
Watson-Westlake file is a public sale bill covering the estate of Caleb R.
Harris, member of a prominent Boone county family. It provides a clue as to the
livestock, equipment, household goods, and other items, needed to make a Boone
county farm a going concern in the year of 1843.
PUBLIC SALE
Their will be sold to the
highest bidder on Wednesday the 4th day of next month (Oct.) at the
late residence of Caleb R. Harris in Boone County all the personal estate of
the said deceased. Consisting of 4 first rate work horses a good stock of
cattle among which is a first rate blooded bull and a first rate yoke of oxen. A
stock of hogs amound which is a good lot of pork hogs – 1 large – 4 tree wagon
a first rate wheat fan – a lot of ten or eleven likely yearling mules – Some
old corn and the crops in the fields --- A quantity of house hold and kitchen
furniture consisting in part of Two first rate Bureaus, Sugar Chest, Table and
press. 1 – 8 day Brass Clock – and the best kind of Beds, bedsteads, and bed
clothing and a number of other articles too tedious to mention. Bonds and
approved security will be required for all sums of $5.00 and upward under that
sum Cash in hand – There will be hired at the same time until Christmas two
first rate Negro Men.
10th
Sept. 1843 Tyra
Harris
Stephen Wilhite admins.
The James Watson mentioned in the Walter Watson letter,
married Nancy Harris who was a daughter of Tyre Harris above, on May 4, 1834,
in Boone county. She died and he remarried to Mary F. Johnson. Kay Denham
Dinwiddle is a descendent of the Nancy Harris – James Watson marriage.
Another fascinating aspect of climbing one’s family
tree is the intermingling of family lines. Some families seem to like each
other real well. For example my Grandmother Preston confessed to my father (as
the two of them were en-route to purchase his license to marry Melissa Stoner)
that she had been fond of one of the Stoner boys before John Rees Preston came
along. Her younger son Melvin also married into the Stoner clan, when he wed
Flossie Phillips, daughter of Mollie Stoner Phillips a second cousin to mother.
Then there were the Wrights and Kinnisons. Two of
David Wright’s daughters married Kinnison brothers, and two of his sons married
Kinnison brothers so a double cousinship existed in three families. The other
Kinnison girl was a cousin to the above three, and that really doesn’t
constitute distant relationship.
Another interesting example is the connection between
the writer’s family, and the descendents of Slyvester and Margaret Taylor
Wright. Slyvester Wright was a brother to my paternal grandmother, or my
father’s uncle. Margaret
Taylor Wright was the daughter of Edmund Taylor and
Rachel Stoner Taylor. Thus she was a first cousin to my mother. Thus a double
relationship exists between the writer and the descendents of Uncle Vess and
Aunt Margaret. To make matters more complicated Edmund Taylor died, and his
widow Rachel Stoner Taylor, married John S. Wright, who was an uncle of
Slyvesters. No children were born of this marriage, which saved a lot of
confusion.
Perhaps the most complicated situation is the one
between the writer’s family, and the descendents of Arnold Harrold. His
grandmother, Sarah Preston Harrold, and my Paternal grandfather Preston were
brother and sister. His Maternal grandmother, Sarah Wright Stiner, (Mrs. Joseph
Stiner), and my paternal grandmother were sisters. His maternal
great-grandmother, Sarah Ann Stoner Stiner (Mrs. William Stiner) was a sister
to my maternal grandfather Stoner. You may be able to figure out the exact
relationship, but it is too much for me. I indicated earlier that genealogy was
fun. I failed to mention that it can get confusing. By now you probably agree,
and are ready to turn to the charts and summaries of the families on the
following pages.
THE PRESTON FAMILY
Of
New Jersey-Ohio-Missouri-Illinois-Kansas-Nebraska
There is some disagreement as
to the nationality represented by the name Preston. Some sources refer to it as
English, others as Scottish. At least one source indicates that the name
evolved from a town known originally as “Priests Town”. Just when the family arrived in America is
also, at this point, clouded in obscurity. One author indicates that two
brothers came very early to this country. One settled in the New England area,
and his descendents scattered through many of the New England states. The other
brother settled in Virginia. One of the Virginia Preston’s descendents is known
to have lived in Boone County (in the Rocheport area) during the mid 1800’s.
Most of the evidence
available indicates that the Preston clan in which we are interested was living
in New Jersey, during the latter part of the 1700’s. There is however, one of
two suggestions that they may have resided in New York, or Pennsylvania. To
date it has been difficult to pinpoint the exact location of the clan. The
census of 1790, was lost, which was a handicap in documenting the location of
the family, prior to their migration to Ohio. Just recently however the Militia
Muster Rolls for New Jersey
in 1793, have been published. This is a list of all the males ages 18 through
45 who were residing in the state in 1793. Abijah, Bejamin, Ephriam and Isaac
were all residents of Cumberland County. James, Joseph, and William were all
residents of Monmouth County, while John Preston resided in Burlington, which
adjoins Monmouth. These last four names are of special interest, and could well
be the group in which we are interested. Anyone researching the family would
certainly be well advised to take a careful look at Monmouth and Burlington
counties.
The first accurate record of
the Preston family found to date is in Ohio in the year 1820. At that time the
family was living near Newcastle, in Coshocton County. This small community is
relatively near the Knox county line and the family lived in both counties in
succeeding years.
Just when the family arrived
in the area is now known. One early history of Knox County gives an A. Preston
as an early settler, along with a minister named Rees. Both these names tempt
one to speculate, because the names Alva, and Rees, or Reece, have been used
since then by several generations of the family. However it would be strictly
speculation at this point, and may remain so, because records of that period
are incomplete, and space limitations in many of the courthouses of the area,
have made indexing and accessible record storage impossible.
Early histories of Coshocton
County name a Henry Preston as one of the soldiers from that county in the War
of 1812. Tax records show James and William Preston paying taxes in the county
during the late teens. These are the two Prestons in which we are interested.
Later records show other Prestons living in the county, but their relationship,
if any, is not known. At any rate the 1820 census lists William Preston as
residing in Newcastle Township. The household consisted of one infant male, a
young woman, two young males, and an older male. Subsequent information
suggests that one of the young males is William Preston, the young female his
wife, and the infant is their son. The other young male is James Preston, who
was married the following year. I have speculated that the older male was
William Preston, father of the two grown sons. This may be an error, but I have
chosen to designate William Preston as GENERATION I.
History tells us that life in
that part of Ohio was rather primitive during the above period. The county was
part of the northwest military lands, granted to those who served in the
revolution. A severe drought, and depression, during the 1790’s caused many
residents of the eastern seaboard to seek a better situation on the frontier,
and many moved west as soon as the lands were opened for settlement. Once
located in this new country, they lived partially by farming, and partially by
hunting.
Since there was no way to
transport large quantities of produce, food and fiber production consisted of
the amount needed for food, and for bartering. In spite of the problems, the
Preston clan seemed to survive in a satisfactory manner. Certainly the evidence
suggests that the brothers William and James had a close personal relationship,
and their families migrated together to Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, and
Kansas.
GNERATION II: WILLIAM
PRESTON, ca 1790-1840. Place of birth appears to have been New Jersey, but this
is a subject to debate, and it could have been New York. He was married before
1819 to Elizabeth, who was born in New Jersey. Her maiden name is not known.
They lived in Coshocton County until 1835 when they purchased land in Knox
County. (Lot No. 19-100 acres – SE corner of first quarter, 6th twn,
and 10th range of the United States military lands. - $130.00). William died before 1850, but Elizabeth
continued to live in Knox County until the 1860’s when she either died, or
migrated west with some of her children. The family consisted of at least the
following:
a.
John
Preston: 1818-1860’s, married Margaret Coplen. See GENERATION III.
c.
James
Preston: born ca 1827 no other information.
d.
William
Preston: Born 1832 married Adaline Bride August 24, 1863. Moved to Tazewell
county Ill., then to Harrison and Mercer counties Mo. Children include at least
the following: Almeda; Sarah; Atwilda; Samantha; James; John; and Margaret.
e.
David
Preston: born 1834 married to Rebecca Young April 6, 1856. One child Alice
Preston. David died at an early age whether from natural causes or in the war
is not known, and Rebecca remarried to Henry McMahan, and they were residing in
Tazewell county Illinois in 1870.
f.
Sarah
Preston may have married Benjamin Shino, or a Cullison. May have lived in
Saline county Nebr. During the 1880’s.
g.
Nancy
Preston: born 1821, married David D. Wilcox in Coshocton county Ohio, then
apparently moved to Tazewell county Illinois. Evidence suggests that they both
died at an early age and left small children, who lived with other members of
the family. This appears to be the relationship, which existed between the
Wilcox and Preston families.
GENERATION III: JOHN PRESTON,
born 1819 near Newcastle, Ohio. Married to Margaret Coplen (Copeland) on March
17, 1842. Lived in that area, until the summer of 1856 when the family migrated
to Harrison county Missouri, where on December 27, 1856 he purchased the SW1/4
of the NE1/4 of Section 16, T65 R27 Harrison County. His death which was
discussed earlier occurred while the War Between the States was going on, and
the oldest son William was away serving in the army. John Rees, who was the
next son, was twelve at the time, so his death was sometime near 1864-65. One
can imagine the problems widowhood presented to Margaret. There were five
teenage sisters older than John Rees, and three brothers younger. Sometime
after William returned from service he took his mother and younger brothers to
Wilbur, Nebraska, where they lived for a time. Date of Margaret’s death is not
known but appears to have been in the 1890’s. She and John are buried in
unmarked graves immediately south of Isaac, in the Blythedale Cemetery. Their
children and some of their grandchildren were:
a.
William
Preston: married Mary Jane Robinson, moved to Nebraska, then to Colby Kansas.
Children: George; Belle; and Robert. Dewey Preston, a son of George, currently
lives at Colby. One daughter of Robert, Mrs. Minnie Riedel, resided at 2617
Jackson St., Long Beach California, in 1967.
b.
Sarah
Preston: married Jesse Harrold, and lived near Blythedale Mo. Children:
William; May (Mrs. Henry Allen); Ada; Belle; Tom; Fred; Burt; and Maude.
c. Mary Preston: Married Elijah Hultz. Children: Elizabeth; Charles.