Samuel Preston 1775-1857

Cousin of Walnut Grove Line

Samuel Preston b.8-15-1775 d.2-17-1857 was reported by Mary Preston Gray to be a cousin of the Walnut Grove Prestons, but no connection was shown. Recently letters between cousins in Ireland and Robert Preston, Sr. have shed some light on Samuel. Samuel came to America with Robert Preston who was later to be adopted and become Robert Preston, Jr. Letters were uncovered by Robert Coontz, Jr. in the Special Collections section of the William and Mary College Library. One of these letters reads as follows: 21 July 1793, Philadelphia, From Robert Preston to Robert Preston. "Cousin Samuel and I are safe arrived. Excellent Captain Hickey, but inhuman mate. Uncle John Davis and Aunt were well when we left Ireland but is {sic} dead. Your uncle is getting very frail. When we came to town, we met with Cousin Robert Divinport (Davenport ?)." Samuel would have been 18 and Robert ('Irish Bob') would have been 21. He is buried in the Walnut Grove Cemetery with Prestons of Walnut Grove. Also, his second wife, Rebecca Snodgrass Preston, is buried in the Walnut Grove Cemetery and her inscription reads, Rebecca Snodgrass Preston wife of Samuel Preston of Walnut Grove. Samuel was born in Ireland and his parents are supposed to be Thomas and Nancy Preston. Other letters refer to Thomas Preston but have not determined the connection to Robert Preston, Sr. He married first Abigail (Abijial) Montgomery on April 10, 1800. Their children were:

  1. Nancy M. Preston b.1-1-1802 d.3-31-1843. She married Samuel A. Preston on Feb. 12, 1835. Would like information on Samuel A. Preston also.
  2. Jane Preston married Francis Irby.
  3. Thomas M. Preston b.5-14-1807 d.2-22-1875 married first Jane Orr b.5-29-1812 d.8-26-1837 and second, Evaline Gray Bradley b.5-2-1813 d.12-5-1834 ?

Samuel Preston married second, Rebecca Snodgrass b.12-24-1796 d.6-10-1858 on Jan. 19, 1832. (Rebecca'a birth date could be 12/22/1782 and her father was James Snodgrass b.10/31/1762 d.7/3/1828. Rebbeca's mother could be Ann Long but James was married to Mary Ann Redshaw 7/28/1795 ????) Their children were:

  1. Anne Preston b.11-10-1832 d.3-12-1904. She married Roland T. Legard (1822-1880).
  2. William Snodgrass Preston married Nancy Jane Millard on Jan. 6, 1858.
  3. Elizabeth Madison Preston b.5-29-1837 d.11-21-1901. She married Hugh M. Millard b.8-23-1824 d.6-27-1904 on March 29, 1855.
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Original 9/26/97
Last updated  5/5/2013
Page by F. L. Preston