John Preston ~1791-1854

Bedford Co., Virginia

 John Preston b. abt.1791 d.1854, third child of Stephen Preston and Dosha Smith, was born in Bedford County, Va. He married twice, first to Miss Nelms and second to Martha B. Early, niece of Bishop John Early, the Virginia divine. In 1834 he removed from his native state into Tennessee, where he settled on a farm some twenty seven miles from Nashville. He had issue by his first wife, Miss Nelms:

  1. Charles Preston who died young.

By his second wife, Martha B. Early, John Preston had twelve children:

  1. Samuel Preston who died young.
  2. Martha Early Preston who married Abner E. Christian of Bedford Co. and had two children.
  3. William Bowker Preston who enlisted with five of his brothers in the Confederate Service, when the Civil War commenced. He became a Captain and was killed in action. He had 4 children:
    • Martha Preston married M. B. Rogers.
    • Margaret Preston married Mr. Roberts and had issue.
    • William Bowker Preston Jr. who married Miss Watson and had issue.
    • John Wiley Preston who married Miss Andrews.
  4. Stephen Smith Preston, also a Captain in the Confederate Service. He was chairman of the County Court of Wilson County and representative in the Tennessee Legislature from that County for several years before his removal to Memphis. he married Ann M. Keyes of Aberdeen, Miss. on Jan. 12, 1853. They had 7 children:
    • James Harvey Preston, M.D. who lived in Humboldt, TN.
    • John Francis Preston of Wilson, TN.
    • Laura Preston who married Prof. William Taylor Watson of Memphis.
    • Ella Preston who married Dr. John Morgan Huddleston.
    • Stephen Stepthoe Preston.
    • Alice Preston.
    • Martha Preston who married Prof. W. S. Hess.
  5. Margaret Early Preston who married James Coskerey and had 3 daughters.
  6. Dosha Key Preston married Daniel Dubose and had one child who died young. Her husband, Daniel, was killed in the Confederate Service.
  7. Thomas Pleasant Preston, a Captain in the Confederate Army and was killed in action in 1864. He married and had three daughters.
  8. Arrovilla Preston died young.
  9. John Clement Preston was an officer in the Confederate Service and moved to Texas. He was a prosperous farmer. Married and had 8 children:
    • Annie Preston.
    • Mattie Preston.
    • Ellen Preston.
    • John Preston.
    • Thomas Preston.
    • Stephen Reuben Preston.
    • George Preston.
    • Roy Preston.
  10. Joshua Earl Preston, also a officer in the Confederate Service, one of the six brothers who fought on the Confederate side, became a lawyer at Navasota, Texas. Married and had 8 children:
    • Emma Belle Preston who married Hon. Franklin B. Chilton. Had a daughter, Annis Chilton.
    • Walter Preston died young.
    • Elgin Cato Preston died young.
    • Earl Smith Preston died young.
    • William Charles Preston married Anna Ellinger, no issue.
    • Bertha Elizabeth Preston married Fred H. Sage of Galveston, TX, no issue.
    • Ollorf Boone Preston.
    • Hilda McCoy Preston.
  11. James Stephen Preston also served in the Confederate Army and was killed in action, unmarried.
  12. Frances Early Preston.


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Original 9/29/97
Last updated 1/5/2007
Page by Fred L. Preston