Preston Family Collection

Object Type: Folder
In Folder: Manuscript Collections

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Preston Family Collection

MS 74-87

Item Data

Title: Preston Family Collection

Collection Number: MS 74-87

Scope and Content: This collection consists of papers of the Clark Preston family. The collection includes correspondence, dating 1862-1866, which includes essays concerning the Civil War, holidays, and loss of friends.

Author: Preston, Clark A., 1833-1910

Author: Preston, Sarah

Language: english

Type of Resource: correspondence

Genre: text

Extent: 152 files, 1.3 GB

Digital Origin: reformatted digital

Subject: Ionia (Mich.) -- Social life and customs

Subject: Preston family -- Archives

Subject: United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Personal narratives

Subject: Farm life -- Michigan -- Ionia

County: Ionia County (Mich.)

City: Ionia (Mich.)

Inclusive Dates: 1862-1866

Location of Originals: Archives of Michigan

Use Restrictions: Please contact the Archives of Michigan for permission to publish.

Access Restrictions: Records are open to the public.

Notes

Biography or Historical Note: Clark A. Preston (1833-1910) was born in Buffalo, N.Y. He moved to Michigan in the 1840's, living first in Oakland County (Troy) and then Ionia (1844). In 1855, he married Sarah Cunningham (1834-1910). Sarah, the daughter of John Cunningham, was born in Casnovia, Madison County, N.Y. The Prestons had 7 children, 3 dying in infancy. The surviving children were Hessie (b. 1860), Thad (1861-1938), Thede (1863-1885), and Nina (b. 1870). Clark was a dry goods merchant in Ionia and operated a store under the name Stevenson, Preston, and Company (1866) and then under the name Preston and Merriam (1869). He was a Civil War veteran serving in Company K, 7th Regiment, Kansas Volunteers. He was a member of the GAR, William H. Brown Post No. 211 of Ionia. The Prestons were charter members of the Ionia Church of Christ and members of the Christian Missionary Society of Michigan. Both sons were businessmen (wholesale lumber and oil). Thede died at age 22. Thad took over his father's business. Hessie was a teacher in Ionia and Nina was a librarian. Hessie married H.G. Thorton in 1904.

System of arrangement: Records are arranged by date.

Technical Access Note: Researchers will need an image viewer to access these files.

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