History of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade and Barton Counties, MO
Cedar County Biography Section

   Lemuel T. Preston, farmer and stock-raiser of Cedar County,
Mo., and the son of William C. and Caroline (Horn) Preston, 
was born in St. Clair County, Mo., in 1860. His parents were 
born in Tennessee, in 1833 and 1842, respectively.  William C.
Preston emigrated to St. Clair County, Mo., with his parents 
in 1839, grew to manhood there, and was there married to Miss 
Horn.  He continued to reside in that county until 1872, when 
he moved to Cedar County, Washington Township, Mo., and is now
one of its leading farmers.  Lemuel T. Preston is the eldest 
of twelve children, eleven sons and one daughter.  He attended
the common schools, and also Wapello Institute, Hickory County,
and also attended school at Stockton.  He came with his parents
to Cedar County, Mo., and, in 1880, was united in marriage to 
Nancy, daughter of Hart and Sarah Cowan.  Mr. Cowan was born 
in Tennessee, and came, when a young man, to Cedar County, Mo.,
was married there, and there died in 1882.  His wife was born 
in Cedar County, and died in 1883. She was the daughter of 
James B. Harris, an early settler.  To Mr. and Mrs. Preston 
were born four children, two sons and two daughters.  After 
living in St. Clair County until 1884, Mr. Preston moved to 
Cedar County, and on his present farm in 1887.  This farm consists
of 280 acres of land.  Mr. Preston is a Democrat in politics, 
and his first presidential vote was for Cleveland in 1884.  
He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, Stockton Lodge No. 
283.  Mrs. Preston has one brother and two sisters, Wade M. 
Cowan; Mollie, wife of Thomas Nelson, of St. Clair County; 
and Maggie, wife of Newton Hohnan, of Dade County. Their father
was one of the most successful and thorough-going business men
in Cedar County, and one of its extensive stock-dealers.  He 
came to the county with about $1,000, and died in the prime of
life, being worth from $15,000 to $20,000.  His wife's father,
James B. Harris, was born in Boone County, Mo., in 1818, came 
to Cedar County about 1840, and for many years ran a tanyard 
in different parts of the county.  He was a wealthy and prominent
citizen, and died in 1884.  His first wife, Caroline E. Berger,
who was the grandmother of Mrs. Preston, died in 1849.  

History of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade and Barton Counties,
Missouri, published by Goodspeed, 1889--Pages  768, 769  
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