Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

tired from the bench in consequence of
great age, in 1427. Children of Judge
John Preston: Rev. John, Richard, his
heir, and a daughter. The American families
are undoubtedly descended from
some branch of this family. The Connecticut
family has been traced to George
Preston, of Valley Field, who was cre-
ated a baron of Nova Scotia in 1537,
through his son William, the Connecti-
cut immigrant, came in 1635, died in 1639,
leaving land in Yorkshire, whence he had
come to this country.
Roger Preston was born in England in
1614. In 1635, at the age of twenty-one
years, he took the oath of allegiance to
London, and sailed in the ship "Elizabeth,"
April 8, 1635, William Stagg, mas-
ter. His name first appears as a resident
of Ipswich in 1639. His wife Martha,
whom he married in 1642, was born in
1622. In 1657 they removed to Salem,
Massachusetts, where he died January 20,
1666. Martha, his widow, married (sec-
ond) Nicholas Holt, of Andover, and she
resided there, taking her sons, Samuel,
John and Jacob Preston, with her. She
died at Andover, March 21, 1703. Roger
Preston was a tanner by trade.
Samuel Preston, son of Roger Preston,
was born in 1651, at Ipswich, and settled
in Andover with his mother. He married
(first) May 27, 1671, Susanna Gutterson,
who died December 29, 1710.
Jacob Preston, fourth child of Samuel
Preston, was born February 24, 1680-
81, and in 1723-24 we find him in Windham,
Connecticut, at which time he united
with the church of Canada Parish. He
married, June 2, 1702, Sarah Wilson.
Benjamin Preston, son of Jacob Pres-
ton, and the ancestor of the Willington
Prestons, was born in April or May, 1705.
He married, May 5, 1727, Deborah Holt,
of Canada Parish, Windham county. He
and his wife died within the same hour,
and were buried in the same grave.
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
74
Darius Preston, son of Benjamin Pres-
ton, was born at Willington Hollow, in
1731, and died there May 30, 1821. His
powder horn, dated 1771, is now in Major
Preston's possession. He married, November
15, 1759, Hannah Fisk, who died
January 12, 181 3.
Amos Preston, son of Darius Preston,
born February 8, 1782, was the youngest
of eleven children, and died October 6,
1864. He married, September 4, 1803,
Martha (Patty) Taylor, who was born
February 8, 1782, and died December 7,
i860. Her father, Thomas Taylor, died
April 5, 1815, aged sixty-three years.
Joshua Preston, son of Amos and Mar-
tha (Taylor) Preston, was born July 15,
1813, the youngest of six children. He
learned the trade of tanner, and was for
many years foreman of the tannery owned
by his eldest brother, the late Hon. S. T.
Preston. For a time he was the proprietor
of a hotel in the village of West-
ford, Connecticut, and also owned the
Lincoln tannery. He was a stanch Demo-
crat, but was indifferent to the lure of
political office. He was decided in his
opinions and outspoken, especially on the
temperance question, and was one of the
first to identify himself with the temperance
movement, which he believed went
well with the Christian principles he professed.
He was a member of the Bap-
tist church at Willington, and was quite
an accomplished player on the double
bass viol, with which he furnished music
at the meetings of the church. In 1857
he became foreman for P. Jewell & Sons,
tanners, of Hartford, and remained with
them until 1879, when he removed to
Chicago, where he held a similar posi-
tion in the plant of his son, Captain E. B.
Preston. In 1895 he returned to Hartford,
and made his home with his daugh-
ter, Mrs. W. Chapin Hunt, until his death,
March 18, 1900. He married, March 3,
1835, Caroline, daughter of Ariel and Bet-