John Fairman Preston
(1811-1875)

John Fairman Preston (4/26/1811)(1/16/1875), son of Robert Preston Jr. and Jane Preston, married  in 1837 Jane Nancy Rhea born in Blountville, TN in 1813 and died in Abingdon, VA on 5/4/1876. They had 6 children.

  1. Nannie Montgomery Preston (5/4/1838)(6/13/1906) m. Col. John Calhoun Summers (2/1/1839)(6/19/1907). When this country was in its infancy, John Summers grandfather killed the Indian Chief 'Sunshine Arrow' so he called his 8th child by that name in honor of the chief. John was a captain of the "Monroe Invincibles", Company A, 3rd Virginia Regiment, and a major and Lieutenant Colonel of the 60th Virginia Infantry. John and Nannie had 10 children:
    1. John Fairman Summers b.abt 1870 in Sullivan Co., TN (?) married Mary Elder b.abt.1870 in Sullivan Co., TN.  They had two children, Von Moltke Summers & Mary Elder Summers..
    2. Lewis Preston Summers b.1868 d.1943 m. in 1897 Annie Katherine Barbee. Lewis was the author of "Summers Histroy of Southwest Virginia." Lewis was the Abingdon Post Master from 1890-1894. He began his legal practice in 1895. He was appointed U.S. district attorney, by President Harding in 1922. He was a member of the Virginia State Bar Association and the Presbyterian Church. Summers was also chairman of the Walnut Grove Cemetery Association, Washington Co., VA. The land for this cemetery was originally owned by Robert Preston, Sr., whose wife Margaret Rhea Preston, and mother, Eleanor Fairman Preston, established the cemetery. Lewis and Annie had 7 children:
      • Gay White Summers
      • Jane Douglas Summers
      • Lewis Preston Summers, Jr.
      • Katharine Barbee Summers
      • John Grant Summers
      • Andrew Rowan Summers
      • Olivia Wirt Summers
    3. Olivia Weit Summers b.abt1874.
    4. Robert James Summers b.abt.1878.
    5. Jennie Pinkney Summers b.abt.1878 married George Thomas Mitchell b.5-17-1865 d.5-17-1897. George was born in Virginia and his parents were Patton Thompson Mitchell and Sarah Ann Roller.
    6. Nannie America Summers b.abt 1880.
    7. Fanny Rhea Summers b.abt 1882.
    8. Sunshine Andrew Summers b.abt 1884.
    9. Von Moltke Summers b.abt 1884.
    10. John Carlisle Summers b.abt1888 named for his distinguished cousin.
  2. Sarah Ellen Preston (10/21/1843)(6/22/1927) m. on 2/29/1872  Col. David Flournoy Bailey (1/23/1845)(10/30/1922)
  3. Jennie Fairman Preston b.11/1856   m.in 1897 Thomas James Newman 1844-1924. Thomas  married Alda Roper in 1876. Alda was the daughter of Benjamin Roper. Alda Roper Newman must have died sometime prior to 1897.   (Note:The information on the Newman children was supplied by Ed Tucker, professor at VT and by Katharine Long Newman)(Another note: My father's mother died in 1898 when he was only 5 years old. His aunt Jennie Preston Newman lived in Bristol, VA near where my father's home was and apparently he spent considerable time in the Newman home. I have a letter written by my father when he was 8 in 1900 which refers to Jennie and Thomas Newman. I also have Jennie's will which is posted under DOCUMENTS and this clearly shows she was married to Thomas Newman. I have several pieces of furniture from their house. See also Jennie's WILL.
    1. Carol Montgomery Newman 1879-1941 m. Carolyn Amelia Fain (whom I referred to as Cousin Carrie) of Bristol, VA in 1902. Carol was born in Wytheville, VA, attended King College in Bristol, then entered Univ. of Virginia where he received his MA degree. While teaching at UVA he also received his Phd in English, Latin and German. He then went to Virginia Tech where he was an English Professor and later dept. head until his death in 1941. In May 1956, a $1.8 million dollar library was dedicated to Carol Newman. They had 4 children:
      • Carol Montgomery Newman Jr. 1910-1997 m. in 1942 Jean Mills. Carol Jr. taught during several periods at Tech but pursued a career in journalism which included working as an editor of the New Yorker for 20 years, 1949-1969. Carol and Jean had 2 children:
        • Nancy Newman.
        • Steven Newman.
      • James Preston Newman (called Preston) 1913-1982 m. in 1951 Katharine Long of Blacksburg. Preston also taught as instructor, asst. prof and associate professor from 1939-1978. The Newmans lived in 'Faculty Row' on campus. I, Fred Preston, visited their home several times while attending college. At that time Preston and Mrs Carolyn Fain Newman were present. Preston and Katharine had 2 children:
        • Florence Newman.
        • James Preston Newman Jr.
      • Virginia Newman b.1907 who married Prof. Walter Wakefield of State Teachers College in Potsdam, NY.
      • Thomas Fain Newman b.1902 and married Marjorie Cole in 1926. They had a daughter Carolyn and a son Tommy who died as an adult. Thomas was a geologist who lived in Ft. Worth, TX.
  4. Robert J. Preston b.1-25-1841 in Washington Co., Va. m. Martha E. Sheffey b.3-15-1849 in Marion, Smythe Co., VA.
  5. * James Brainard Preston (12/3/1845)(10/21/1922) m. Hattie Tinsley (2/18/1861)(7/1/1898. They had one son:
    1. Seaton Tinsley Preston Jr. "ST" b.8-29-1921 at Lothair, Perry Co., KY d.9-24-1994 in Winetka, IL. m. Aline Marie Debbaut b.4-27-1923 in Antwerp, Belgium. They have 4 sons and 1 daughter.
      • Seaton Tinsley Preston, III b.6-19-1946 m Anita Hulefeld on 9-6-1975 and they have 3 children:
        • Anne Kathrine Preston b.4-29-1979
        • Robert Tinsley Preston b.4-20-1982
        • Susanna Debbaut Preston b.12-2-1983
      • Christiane Marie Preston b.9-4-1947 m. William Walker. Divorced. They had one child:
        • Colin b.7-15-1981
      • John Thomas Preston b.3-18-1950 m. Sean Otis on 10-28-1972 and they have 2 children.
        • Patrick Preston b.9-17-1977 m. Erin Elizabeth Carpenter b.3-19-1978 on 6-24-2006.  Pat and Erin have one child:
          • Edward Thomas Preston b.3/21/2010
        • Tommy Preston b.4-23-1981.
      • Thomas Gaines Preston b.9-8-1951 never married.
      • Philip Kenneth Preston b.8-9-1956 m. Alissa A. Taylor on 11/02/2002.   Philip and Alissa have three children:
        • Philip L. Preston born 9/6/2006.
        • Adele Leigh Preston born 12/15/2007
        • Louise Aline Preston born 12/15/2007   
    2. James Brainard Preston b.3-30-1923 in Pikeville, KY and d. 9-5-1984 in Boothbay, Maine m. Cynthia Joan Houghton Glasson b.5-23-1925. They have 2 daughters and one son.
      • Cynthia Houghton Preston b.3-5-1952 m. on 2-2-1974 Erwin Jay Pinkham. They have two children:
        • Matthew Owen Pinkham b.8-30-1975
        • Jessica Heather Pinkham b.6-30-1980
      • James Brainard Preston, Jr. b.8-8-1954 d.2008 m. Peggy Anne Smoyer on 8-24-1974. They have three children:
        • Andrew James Preston b.12-19-1979.
        • Scott Roy Preston b. 2-23-1984.
        • Ryan Preston b.1986
      • Martha Leigh Preston b.3-19-1960 m. David Michael Powell on 8-21-1982. Divorced.
    3. Frederick Leigh Preston b.1-27-30 in Charleston, WV m. Betty Louise Aumack b.2-12-1933 in Rahway, NJ. They have 2 sons and 2 daughters.
      • Frederick Leigh Preston, Jr. b.10-10-1955 at Fort Huachuca, AZ. m. Corrina Smith b.1-18-59 d.4-22-98. They have two girls. Fred Jr. m second Betsy Bowling on 4-24-2010.  The wedding was held at his parents house in Lufkin, TX.  Guests were all family members.  Betsy has two children from her first marriage, Brian Bowling m Katy Uhl and Andrea Bowling O'Neill.  Andrea divorced 2011. Fred and Betsy live in San Dimas, CA.
        • Melissa Louise Preston b.2-27-1982 m. on 5-24-2003 Nicholas Hennon.
        • Kelly Ann Preston b.8-29-1986.
      • Linda Louise Preston b.10-23-1956 in Dunkirk, NY m. Charles Edward Snyder b.10-22-1954. (Divorced 1988). Linda married second, Gordon Reay on 12-14-1996 in St. Joseph, MI. They have three girls.
        • Joanne Margaret Snyder b.6-16-80 has one daughter: Joanne is in a relationship with Ryan Knight.
          • Layla Lynn Snyder 5-4-1999
        • Cynthia Arlene Snyder b.1/8/1982 m. Bobbie Myers on 7-30-2011 in St. Joseph, MI.
        • Kathryn Nicole Snyder b.7/6/1992
      • Robert James Preston b.8-14-1961 in Dunkirk, NY m. Terresa Hartwick b.xx-xx-xx. They have 3 girls and 2 boys.
        • Amanda Rhea Preston b.3/17/1987  in a  relationship with  Jon Beamer.  They have one son, Benjamin Beamer.
        • Amy Renee Preston b.6/26/1989    in a relationship with  ?
        • Samantha Rose Preston b.4/6/1998
        • James Robert Preston b.10/6/1999
        • Christopher Thomas Preston b.4/2/2003
      • Rebecca Ann Preston b.6-11-1964 in Dunkirk, NY m.6/8/91 Lynn Weaver b.9-26-67. Becky and Lynn divorced They had one daughter. Becky m. 2nd Pat Darcangeli on 6/7/2013.
        • Nicole Lynn Weaver b.12-22-1992
  6. Samuel Rhea Preston b.abt 1848 married in Columbia, SC on 6/30/1874 Ida Sutphin b.abt 1850 in Columbia, SC. Samuel was a minister in Columbia, SC, then Bristol and Johnson City, TN churches. They both died in Sullivan Co., TN (?). They had 8 children:
    1. John Fairman Preston 4/30/1875-1975 in Bristol, TN m. on 9/2/1903 Annie Shannon Wiley 1879-1983. John was a Presbyterian Minister and worked as a missionary to Korea for some 35 years.   Their children:
      • Samuel Rhea Preston  died young.
      • Miriam Wiley Preston 1905-xxxx m. Kenneth Edson St. Clair living in Tarkio, MO. They had 4 children:
        • Fairman Preston St.Clair 1945-1964, never married.
        • Miriam Wiley St.Clair 1941-xxxx m. Charles Guzis.
        • Kenneth Edson St.Clair, Jr. 1943-xxxx m. 1st Dianne Sue Gelband and had a dau. Heather Lea St.Clair. He m. 2nd Mary Lea Spray and had a son Michael St.Clair.
        • Charles Ainsworth St.Clair b.1948 m. Susan Heaton. They had one son Eric St. Clair.
      • Annie Shannon Preston 1907-2003 m. Rev.Daniel James 'Kim' Cumming. Annie was a Presbyterian Missionary to Korea. They had 6 children:
        • William Cumming 1935-xxxx m. Janice Eslick. They had 4 children:
          • Lisa Anne Cumming
          • William Frank Preston Cumming
          • Daniel James Cumming
          • Mary Kim Cumming
        • Fairman Preston Cumming 1937-xxxx, Decatur, GA. Never married.
        • Anne Shannon Cumming 1939-xxxx m. Joseph McCormick, Decatur, GA. They have 3 children:
          • Christopher Robert McCormick
          • Peter Joseph McCormick
          • Anne Shannon McCormick
        • Sarah Stokes Cumming 1940-xxxx m. Francis Marion Mitchell III, St Louis, MO. They had 3 children:
          • Francis Marion Mitchell IV
          • Anne Wiley Mitchell
          • Caroline Hay Mitchell
        • Robert Bruce Cumming, Rev. 1946-xxxx never married.
        • Margaret Wiley Cumming 1953-xxxx m. James Reavis Linton living in Black Mtn., NC. They have 7 children:/li>
          • Elizabeth Shannon Linton
          • Hugh Nathaniel Linton
          • William Evan Linton
          • Michael Duncan Linton
          • Anna Evangeline Linton
          • Daniel Alan Linton
          • Peter James Linton
      • John Fairman Preston, Jr. 1909-xxxx m. Imogene Bird living in Pebble Beach, CA. They had 3 children:
        • John Fairman Preston III 1942-1984 m. Judy Unknown. They have 2 sons:
          • John Fairman Preston IV b.xxxx d.1986/87
          • Andrew Preston
        • Andrew Preston
        • Sally Preston
      • Florence Sutphen Preston 1911-xxxx m. Roland Walter Bockhorst living in St. Louis, MO. They had 4 children:
        • Roland Preston Bockhorst 1940-xxxx m. Dianne O'Hare. They have one son Adam Bockhorst.
        • Rhea Wiley Bockhorst 1942-xxxx m. Leslie Bishop and had 2 sons, Peter Rhea Bockhorst and Andrew Bishop Bockhorst.
        • Mary Anne Bockhorst 1944-xxxx m Charles Jacob Kunkle III had 2 children, Charles Jacob Kunkle IV and Amanda Kunkle.
        • Fairman Kennedy Bockhorst 1950-xxxx m. Julie Ward and they have 2 children, Lindsey Grey Bockhorst and Jonathan Fairman Bockhorst. (Fairman supplied much of this information, thanks !!)
      • William Wiley Preston 1915-2000 m. Sarah Tankersley Tolson. No children.
      • Rhea Sutphen Preston 1921-1992 m. Katherine Gaines. They had 4 children:
        • Katherine Gaines Preston 1949-xxxx
        • Anne Shannon Preston 1952-xxxx never married.
        • Rhea Sutphen Preston, Jr. m. Unknown and had one son.
        • Patsy Preston m. Julian Broadhead and they had 4 children, Rhea, Preston, Brandon and Sacha Broadhead.
    2. Samuel Rhea Preston b. 3/23/1877 d.1938 in Bristol, TN m. Mecca Cooper and they lived in Columbia, SC. They had four children:
      • Elizabeth Rhea Preston m. John Henry. They had one child:
        • John Henry, Jr. M. Ann ?. They have one child and live in Wash. DC.
      • Mary Preston m. Byron Villwock. Mary is living in a nursing home in Orlando (6/06). They had two sons:
        • John Villwock
        • Arthur Villwock m. ??, no children. Living in West Palm Beach, FL.(6/06)
      • Samuel Rhea Preston b.xxxx d.1970's m. Twice and has 2 children:
        • Samuel Rhea Preston
        • Mecca Preston m Brett Hawkins. They have 2 children:
          • Unknown
          • Brittney Shea Hawkins, living in Chester, VA.
      • Jane Cooper Preston m. Robert Beverley Evans. They have two children:
        • Jane Preston Evans m Mr. Jones
        • Robert Beverley Evans, Jr.
    3. Robert James Preston b.1878  in Bristol, TN. Died young.
    4. Mary Florence Preston b. 1879 in Bristol, TN.
    5. James Brainard Preston b.5/27/1882 in Bristol, TN m. Margaret Stewart and they had 2 children:
      • James Preston
      • Margaret Preston
    6. Nathan Bachman Preston b.10/10/1887 m. Ethyl Unknown. Ethyl referred to as "Spiffy". No children.
    7. Ida Sutphen Preston b.9/16/1889 d.xxxx m. Arthur Warden. They had one child:
      • Elizabeth Warden
    8. Janef Fairman Newnan Preston b.10/22/1897 d.5/1973 , never married. Janef was an English Professor at her alma mater, Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Georgia. The Academy of American Poets awards a prize named after her.

      9. COMMENT:My father was also born in Bristol, TN, but only because the hospital for Bristol was located in Tennessee. His parents lived in Bristol Virginia.

      Information on Alda Roper was obtained from L. David Roper and William Alexander Roper, Jr. on 1/24/2006.

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      Original 6/10/97
      Last updated 8/8/2013
      Page by F. L. Preston