(NOTE: David W. Preston probably never had his portrait taken prior to the Civil War. During the six months he was in the service, he may not have taken the time to sit for a portrait as well, but there is a possibility that he did. If he did take that time, the portraits were most often printed in the form of what was called a CDV, a paper picture glued to a heavier card stock about the size of a modern day baseball card, and the soldiers didn't just have one or two copies made. Most of the time, they had a dozen or more made, so they could swap pictures with their tentmates, messmates and for their friends, in the 86th and back home.

Then David survived the war and lived well into the 20th century. During his life, David probably had his picture taken dozens of times, if not hundreds of times. I would dearly love to see a copy of a CDV of David in uniform if he sat for one and if one still exists, but at this point in time, I would be thrilled to see some pictures of him added to his Find A Grave Memorial, even ones of him as an old man. Can anyone help me? Thanks, Baxter)

Private DAVID WILLIAM PRESTON, Co. D, 86th Illinois

David William Preston was born on July 4, 1845 in Shelby County, Iowa the son of Joseph Preston and Rebecca (Platt) Preston. Joseph Preston was born in 1814 in New Jersey and moved to Ohio where he was first married. Joseph's first wife Rebecca Platt, was born in 1808 in New Jersey, the daughter of John Platt (1785 - 1857) and Elizabeth (Letts) Platt (1798 - 1868). Joseph and Rebecca are believed to have had quite a few children, though only some of their names are known. They are believed to include;

1. Alice A. Preston, born c. April 10, 1831 possibly in New Jersey or Ohio; married to John H. Anderson on May 18, 1854 in Peoria County; Alice died on May 6, 1918 in the home of Charles Anderson in Trivoli, Peoria County, Illinois and her earthly remains were laid in the Pleasant Grove Cemetery in Eden, Peoria County, Illinois.

2. Mary A. Preston, born c. September 8, 1834 in Ohio; died on February 15, 1852 at the age of 17 in Trivoli, Peoria County, Illinois; Her mortal remains were laid in the Trivoli Cemetery in Trivoli, Peoria County, Illinois.

3. Samuel Preston, born c. 1836 in Ohio; believed to be the Samuel Preston who served in the 32nd Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry from Elmwood, Illinois and to have died on January 8, 1903 at the age of 67; His mortal remains were laid in the Elmwood Township Cemetery in Elmwood, Peoria County, Illinois.

4. Sarah Maria Preston, born ___________ __, 1838 in Ohio; married to Henry Kemple on May 3, 1856 in Peoria County, Illinois; Henry may have died before 1860 or perhaps they were divorced before 1860 as at the time of the 1860 census, Sarah is found residing with her daughter Henrietta Kemple in the home of her sister and brother-in-law, Alice and John H. Anderson in Trivoli Township in Peoria County;

1801 Anderson John 29 M farmer 1,100 500 VA

1801 Anderson Alice 28 F OH

1801 Anderson Emery 5 M IL

1801 Anderson Ross 3 M IL

1801 Preston Susan 9 F OH

1801 Kemple Sarah 21 F servant OH

1801 Kemple Henrietta 1 F IL

Sarah Maria Preston was married to Thomas Daniel McCoy of Christmas Day, December 25, 1861 in Peoria County; Thomas Daniel McCoy would serve in Co. D of the 86th Illinois with three of Sarah's brothers; Sarah died on ___________ __, 1936 and her mortal remains were laid in the Elmwood Cemetery in Fruita, Mesa County, Colorado.

5. Lydia Preston, born c. 1844 in Ohio; Lydia was married to ___________ ___________ on ____________ __, 18__ at ___________, ___________; Lydia died on ____________ __, 18__ at ___________, ___________ and her mortal remains are believed to have been laid in the ______________ Cemetery in the St. Louis, Missouri area.

6. Hester E. Preston, born c. 1844 in Ohio; Hester is likely the Hester E. Preston who was married to James M. Campbell on January 17, 1867 in Peoria County, Illinois; Hester died before 1918; Hester and James may be the Hester and James M. Campbell whose mortal remains were laid in Springdale Cemetery.

7. Martin Preston, born c. 1843/45 in Ohio, possibly in Green County; enlisted in the 86th Illinois along with two of his brothers; Martin died on Jan. 15, 1923 in Hot Springs

Fall River County, South Dakota; See his Find A Grave site for his biography.

8. John R. Preston, born c. 1845/46 in Shelby County, Ohio; enlisted in the 86th Illinois along with two of his brothers; John R. Preston died on Jul. 10, 1865 in Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky; See his Find A Grave site for his biography.

9. David William Preston, born c. July 4, 1845 in Shelby County, Ohio; See his biography below.

10. Susan Elvira Preston, born c. August 10, 1852 in Sydney, Ohio; Susan was married to Ignatus Schaaf on January 8, 1873 in Peoria County, Illinois; died on November 16, 1923 in Lowpoint, Illinois; their mortal remains were laid to rest in the Baptist Cemetery in Washburn, Woodford County, Illinois.

Joseph and Rebecca brought at least some of their family west to Illinois in the 1850's. Some may have come later in the early 1860's as the family moved back and forth from Illinois to Ohio. They settled in Peoria County near Trivoli, Illinois. It was also there that Rebecca died on Nov. 10, 1854 in Trivoli, Illinois. Her earthly remains were laid to rest in the Trivoli Cemetery in Peoria County, Illinois.

Rebecca had a brother named Jonathan Platt, who was born

on Sep. 19, 1822 in New Jersey. Jonathan was married to a woman by the name of Mary Attison (or Atkinson). They also came west to Peoria County about the same time, the early 1850's. Jonathan died in Peoria County on June 11, 1856 and his earthly remains were also laid to rest in the Trivoli Cemetery next to those of his sister Rebecca (Platt) Preston. Joseph and Mary then apparently returned to Ohio, where they were married in Shelby County, Ohio later in 1856.

The Prestons may have returned for a short time to Peoria County after they were married. Joseph is found in Peoria County, without Mary though, at the time of the 1860 census. They both returned permanently to Shelby County, Ohio shortly after this where they remained the rest of their lives. Joseph died on Apr. 16, 1881 in Shelby County, Ohio and his earthly remains were laid to rest in the Plattsville Cemetery in Plattsville, Shelby County, Ohio.

David William Preston is believed to have been one of the family who came to Illinois in the early 1860's. He is known to be residing in Peoria, Illinois in Peoria County in 1864 & 1865. It was there that David William Preston volunteered in Peoria, Illinois to serve as a Recruit for service in Co. D of the 86th Illinois on February 22, 1865. At that time the 86th was on the march near White Oak Station, South Carolina headed north toward North Carolina. David's two older brothers also were serving in Co. D at this time. They are Martin Preston, who was born c. 1843, apparently in Greene County, Ohio, and who had volunteered on August 11, 1862, and John R. Preston, who was born c. 1845 in Ohio and who had volunteered to serve in Co. D as a Recruit on December 29, 1863.

ILLINOIS CIVIL WAR DETAIL REPORT

Name PRESTON, DAVID

Rank PVT Company D Unit 86 IL US INF

Personal Characteristics

Residence PEORIA, PEORIA CO, IL Age 18 Height 5' 4 3/4 Hair BLACK

Eyes HAZEL Complexion DARK Marital Status N/A Occupation FARMER

Nativity SHELBY CO, OH

Service Record

Joined When FEB 22, 1865 Joined Where PEORIA, IL

Joined By Whom MAJ NORTON Period 1 YR

Muster In FEB 23, 1865 Muster In Where PEORIA, IL

Muster In By Whom N/A Muster Out N/A

Muster Out Where N/A Muster Out By Whom N/A

Remarks TRANS TO CO G 34 ILL INF MAY 18, 1865

David William Preston was mustered into service on February 22, 1865 and probably put on a train headed east with other recruits. It is not known when David joined the 86th, but he may have joined them in early March of 1865. If he did, then he would have present with Co. D when the 86th was engaged in the Battles of Averasboro, North Carolina and Bentonville, North Carolina, the later a Union Victory which truly sealed the fate of the Confederate with General Joseph E. Johnston surrendering what remained of his army to that of General William Tecumseh Sherman.

On May 18, 1865, because he was a late war Recruit, David William Preston, along with John R. Preston and all of the other late war Recruits, was transferred to the 34th Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry for a few weeks of further duty. David and John were both transferred to Co. G of the 34th.

ILLINOIS CIVIL WAR DETAIL REPORT

Name PRESTON, DAVID

Rank PVT Company G Unit 34 IL US INF

Personal Characteristics

Residence PEORIA, PEORIA CO, IL Age 18 Height 5' 4 3/4 Hair BLACK

Eyes HAZEL Complexion DARK Marital Status N/A Occupation FARMER

Nativity OH

Service Record

Joined When FEB 22, 1865 Joined Where PEORIA, IL

Joined By Whom CPT ALLEN Period 1 YR

Muster In FEB 22, 1865 Muster In Where PEORIA, IL

Muster In By Whom N/A Muster Out JUL 12, 1865

Muster Out Where LOUISVILLE, KY Muster Out By Whom CPT PAPST

Remarks TRANS FROM 86 ILL INF JUN 2, 1865

By July of 1865, the 34th had been sent north to Louisville, Kentucky, where on July 12, 1865, Private David William Preston, John R. Preston and the other late war recruits of the 86th, were mustered out of the service and they then returned to their homes in Peoria County.

On December 22, 1872, there is a record of a David Preston being married to a Nancy Ellen Bitner in Peoria County. This is believed to be a different David Preston, though this is not known for certain.

David William Preston is known to have been married to Mary Alice Hall on March 6, 1879 in Peoria County, Illinois. Mary Alice was born in Ohio on January 7, 1862, the oldest of at least nine children born to Ammi Hall and Rebecca (_________) Hall. Ammi and Rebecca brought their family west to Illinois about 1868/69, where they settled in Elmwood, Illinois in Peoria County.

Eight children were born to David and Mary Alice. They are;

1. Ernest Preston; born c. Sept. 16, 1879 in Elmwood, Illinois; Ernest was married to Kathryn Davis on __________ __, 19__ at ____________, Iowa; At the time of the 1910 census they are found in Jefferson Township in Madison County, Iowa;

SELF Ernest Preston M 30y Illinois

WIFE Kathryn Preston F 20y Iowa

SON Les D Preston M 1y 4m Iowa

Ernest died Oct. 17, 1851; Ernest and Kathryn's earthly remains were laid in the Winterset Cemetery in Madison County, Iowa.

2. Mabel Preston, born __________ __, 18__; died in infancy.

3. Harvey H. Preston, born March __, 1883; In 1910, Harvey and his family are found in Webster Township in Madison County, Iowa;

SELF Harvey H Preston M 26y Illinois

WIFE Addie L Preston F 25y Iowa

DAU Helen E Preston F 3y Iowa

DAU Elmo T Preston F 1y Iowa

Harvey and his family eventually moved to New Jersey; He is living in Irvington, New Jersey at the time of his father's death in 1930.

4. Roy Preston, born August 14, 1884 in Illinois; at the time of the 1920 census, Roy is found residing in Madison County, Iowa;

SELF Arthur Willits M 61y Illinois

WIFE Minnie Willits F 44y Iowa

Ethel Wright F 12y Iowa

Roy Preston M 38y Illinois

Roy died on October 19, 1960 in Madison County, Iowa and his mortal remains were laid in the Winterset Cemetery; His grave is believed to be unmarked.

5. Bessie I. Preston, born on February __, 1889; married to Townsend Earl Murphy; Bessie and Earl are found in Jefferson Township of Madison County, Iowa in the 1910 census;

SELF Earl Murphy M 24y Iowa

WIFE Bessie Murphy F 21y Illinois

SON Loyd Murphy M y 3m Iowa

Bessie died on Oct. 23, 1928 and her mortal remains were laid in the Winterset Cemetery.

6. Angela Mae Preston, born on July __, 1892 in Knox County; Married Albert Leroy Libby; This is the way her family appears in the 1930 census of Walnut Township of Madison County, Iowa;

Head Albert R Libby M 44 Iowa

Wife Angela M Libby F 36 Illinois

Daughter Mary R Libby F 17 Iowa

Son Francis W Libby M 16 Iowa

Son Harrold C Libby M 14 Iowa

Daughter Inez M Libby F 10 Iowa

Daughter Ruth P Libby F 8 Iowa

Daughter Ella L Libby F 6 Iowa

Angela died on January 2, 1969; buried in the Winterset Cemetery.

7. Loyd Preston, born ____________ __, 18__; died in infancy.

8. Amy Lillian Preston, born June __, 1898 in Iowa. Amy was married to James L. Armstrong c. 1915. They were living in Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa at the time of her father's death in 1930; Here is the way the family looks in the 1930 census;

Head James A Armstrong M 34 Kansas

Wife Amy L Armstrong F 32 Iowa

Daughter Mary I Armstrong F 14 Kansas

Daughter Kathryn L Armstrong F 12 Kansas

Daughter Loal I Armstrong F 10 Iowa

Son Rex E Armstrong M 9 Iowa

Daughter Bonnie J Armstrong F 6 Iowa

Mother Sylvia C Armstrong F 77 Indiana

After they were married, David and Mary Alice resided first in Peoria County near Elmwood for several years. At the time of the 1880 census, they are found in Elmwood Township of Peoria County, Illinois;

Self David Preston M 30 Ohio

Wife Mary Preston F 18 Ohio

Son Ernest Preston M 0 Illinois

In 1887, some of the surviving members of the 86th organized a reunion which was held in Peoria, Illinois during the week of August 27, 1887, the 25th anniversary of the mustering in of the 86th back in 1862. More than 130 veterans and their family attended this reunion, which was such a hit that it was decided to hold them every year on that anniversary date in Peoria, Illinois as long as the veterans could attend. They grew for several years as more and more veterans of the 86th were located and they were held every year in Peoria through the year 1923, when the 22 veterans who were able to attend that reunion tearfully decided that they were getting to be too old and too few to continue then after that 1923 reunion. David W. Preston only attended one reunion and that was the 3rd reunion of 1889 when 12 members of his old Co. D gathered together, which was the most Co. D men that ever attended any one reunion.

In the 1880's or very early 1890's, David and Mary Alice moved the family to Knox County, Illinois. About 1894, David and Mary Alice are known to have moved west, where they settled near Winterset, Iowa in Madison County. At the time of the 1900 census, the Preston family is found in Petterson, Iowa in Crawford Township in Madison County;

Head David Preston M 51 Ohio

Wife Mary A Preston F 39 Ohio

Son Ernest Preston M 21 Illinois

Son Harve H Preston M 17 Illinois

Son Ray Preston M 16 Illinois

Daughter Bessie J Preston F 11 Illinois

Daughter Angela M Preston F 8 Illinois

Daughter Amy L Preston F 2 Iowa

They remained there the rest of their lives. David is known to have farmed some there as well as working as a Carpenter.

David was an active member of the G.A.R. (Grand Army of the Republic). He is known to have been a member of Pitzer G.A.R. Post 55 in Winterset, Iowa.

At the time of the 1910 census, David and his family are found in Ward 4 of Winterset, Iowa;

SELF David W Preston M 63y Ohio

WIFE Mary Preston F 49y Ohio

DAU May K Preston F 19y Illinois

DAU Amy Preston F 11y Iowa

Mary Alice (Hall) Preston died on January 9, 1912 in either Winterset or Des Moines, Iowa. Her earthly remains were laid to rest in the Winterset Cemetery in Winterset, Iowa. David was married a 2nd time on January 6, 1915 to Esther A. (Turcott) Patterson in Madison County, Iowa. Esther had been previously married to John Newton Patterson. Esther was born on May 2, 1854 in Grant County, Wisconsin, the daughter of Alexander Turcott and Elmira (Dejarlais) Turcott. At the time of the 1920 census, David and Ester are found in Madison County, Iowa;

SELF David W Preston M 73y Ohio

WIFE Ester A Preston F 60y Wisconsin

Private David William Preston died on May 31, 1930 there in Madison County, Iowa. His earthly remains were laid beside those of Mary Alice in the Winterset Cemetery.

The following funeral notice appeared on page 1 of the June 5, 1930 edition of the Winterset Madisonian in Winterset, Iowa;

"Death of David Preston

Funeral services were held Sunday, June 1st, at 11 o'clock, at the United Presbyterian church, for David William Preston. Rev. W. C. Porter conducted the service, assisted by Rev. J. H. Colvin, of India, and Rev. J. E. Barr, of Waterford, Pennsylvania. Mr. Preston was a member of the G. A. R., having served several years in the Civil war. He was bodyguard to General Sherman and took part in the march to the sea. He was born in Shelby county, Ohio, on July 4th, 1845. He passed away at the Winterset hospital, May 28, 1930, at the age of 85 years.

On March 6, 1879, he was united in marriage to Mary A. Hall, who preceded him in death. There were ten children born to this union. Mr. Preston came with his family to Madison county in 1894, settling at Tileville. He moved to Winterset in 1908. He was united in marriage to Mrs. Esther A. Patterson, January 6, 1915."

The following obituary appeared on page 6 of the June 5, 1930 edition of the Winterset Madisonian in Winterset, Iowa.

"David William Preston

David William Preston was born in Shelby county, Ohio, July 4, 1845, and died in Winterset, May 28, 1930.

He went to Peoria, Illinois in early manhood and continued to reside there and near Prairie City, Iowa, until 1878. On March 6, 1879, he was united in marriage to Mary A. Hall, and eight children came to bless this union: Ernest, of Winterset; Mabel, who died in infancy; Harvey H., of Irvington, New Jersey; Roy of Winterset; Mrs. Bessie Murphy, who died in 1926; Mrs. May Libby, of Peru; Loyd, who died in infancy, and Mrs. Amy L. Armstrong, of Des Moines.

He moved with his family to Madison county in March, 1894, settling at Tileville, and living in or near there until 1908, when he moved to Winterset, which continued to be his home.

He was converted in early manhood, but did not affiliate with any church. In 1902, he renewed his covenant with God and joined the Providence United Brethren church.

In 1863, he joined the 86th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, Co. D., and was transferred to the 34th Illinois Regiment. He was General Sherman's personal body guard, and was with that illustrious person on his famous march to the sea.

His wife died January 9, 1912.

He was united in marriage to Mrs. Esther A. Patterson, January 6, 1915, and the same year he had his membership transferred from the United Brethren church at Providence, to the United Presbyterian church at Winterset. He is survived by his wife, 5 children, 19 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild."

Mrs. Esther A. (Turcott) Patterson Preston died on November 20, 1941 in Madison County and her earthly remains were also laid to rest in the Winterset Cemetery.

by Baxter B. Fite III

(Baxter would enjoy hearing from anyone, especially descendants of the Preston family, who might be able to add to the biographical material that we have on Private David William Preston and the Preston family. Baxter would also love to get a copy of any picture of Private David William Preston which may have survived to this day, especially one of him in uniform from his days in the service, if any have survived, for the local Historical Society and for his Find A Grave site.)