Surry-Sussex-Southampton County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Presson, J. Henley, 1945 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/vafiles.htm ************************************************ JOEL HENLEY PRESSON J.H. PRESSON DIES AT HOME IN SURRY WAKEFIELD - May 14, Joel Henley Presson, prominent farmer and businessman of Surry County, died Monday morning at his home near Wakefield. Mr. Presson served on the county board of supervisors for nearly 20 years. At one time he was a member of the board of directors of the Bank of Dendron and vice-president of the Bank of Wakefield. He was for a long time a member of the Democratic County Committee, of which he was chairman for eight years. Mr. Presson was a member of Rocky Hock Methodist Church. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Irene Harris Presson; one son, Corporal Arthur Lee Presson, overseas; three daughters, Mrs. J.B. Darden, Jr., Norfolk; Mrs. E.T. Swink, Blacksburg, and Mrs. T. Lee Richardson, Norton, and one sister, Mrs. W.H. Joyner, Courtland, Va. Funeral services will be conducted at the residence by the Rev. W.G. Bates Tuesday at 4 p.m., with interment in Rocky Hock Cemetery. ****************************************************************************** THE HISTORY OF OUR (ROCKY HOCK) CHURCH PEWS: GIVEN IN MEMORY OF OUR MOTHER & FATHER: IRENE HARRIS PRESSON & JOEL HENLEY PRESSON Joel Henley Presson (1874-1945) was the son of Joel Juniius Presson. Henley was born at his family's home on Crumpler Road in Southampton County just north of Route 460. Henley was initially employed by James Thomas Harris as a foreman of Oak Ridge Farm and married Mr. Harris's daughter, Irene (1872- 1949). Oak Ridge is located on the northern side of the junction of 604 (now called Owens Grove Road) and Route 31 (John Rolfe Highway). The current farm is part of the old Birch Island Plantation. Irene inherited the farm from her father and mother, Alice Jane Edwards Harris. Henley and Irene resided at her farm and had six children - Howard, Joel, Virginia, Louise, Helen and Arthur. He and his family were members of Rocky Hock Methodist Church. His wife's grandfather had donated the land for the church's original building. After his marriage, he continued farming and started a general store in Dendron, in which he later partnered with his brother as an owner. J.H. Presson shared the store's building with O.P. Higgins, Sr., who ran a Ford Agency there. Presson also owned a small bottling company in Dendron. He belonged to numerous civic organizations and served as a director of the Bank of Dendron. He also served several years as a member of the Surry County Board of Supervisors of which he eventually became chairman. In 1944 Henley suffered a heart attack. At that time his remaining son, Arthur, was serving as a member of the 135th combat engineer battalion of the U.S. Army in the Battle of the Bulge. After a great deal of effort, Henley's family was able to secure orders from the Pentagon for Arthur to return home to his dying father, but the orders were destroyed in a mortar attack which killed Col. Dwyer, Arthur's commanding officer who was delivering the orders. Henley eventually died in his family home surrounded by other members of his family. Irene Presson passed away one month after the birth of her granddaughter, Alice, in 1949. Henley and his wife, as well as his sons and their respective wives, are buried at Rocky Hock Cemetery. Thanks to Alice Presson Higgins, granddaughter, for the information and picture. Joel Henley PRESSON, of Surry Co., farmer & businessman, b. 17 Sep 1874, Southampton Co., d. 14 May 1945, at home, near Wakefield, interred in Rocky Hock Methodist Church Cemetery (Plot 37*), Surry Co., 15 May 1945, "The Richmond (VA) Times-Dispatch," May 15, 1945, p. 17; Rocky Hock Church pew history *Rocky Hock list, an extension of the Southampton County Historical Society {SCHS} Cemetery Project: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/surry/cemeteries/rockyhk.txt A photo of his gravestone is posted with Find a Grave Memorial #137184569. His father is marked in the same plot. Birthdate &c. from D.Cert. #11435 (Sussex; Wakefield #6), which gives son of Joel H. Presson & Lucy Ann Holloman, all b. Southampton Co. His widow's obit ("Richmond Times-Dispatch," Feb. 1, 1949) is posted at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/obits/p625i1ob.txt They m. 25 May 1898. The Surry Co. M.Reg. (#36) gives son of Junius J. & Martha Presson. His father, Junius Joel PRESSON (1846 - 1906), was a Confederate veteran, having served as a private in the Surry Light Artillery. The application to the War Department for a gravestone gives Joel Junius - edited to Joel J. He was buried in a private cemetery near Ivor. His service record is posted at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/military/civilwar/cwvets_so.txt He 1m. Martha A. BOOTH, 7 Mar 1871 in Sussex Co. (Ancestry.com VA Select Marriages 1785 - 1940, citing p. 12 #18) Widowed, he 2m. Ellen Frances HARGROVE, daughter of Samuel & Matilda HARGROVE/HARGRAVE, 4 Nov 1884 in Sussex Co. (Surry Co. #74) His parents, Joshua & Lucy Caroline (HOLLAMAN/HOLLEMAN/HOLLIMAN) PRESSON. m. 17 Sep 1829. (Southampton Co. M.Reg. pp. 694) Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Carolyn Keen (VAHistoricHouses@aol.com) & Mrs. Bruce Saunders (bs4403@verizon.net), and re-formatted by File Manager. file at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/surry/obits/p625h2ob.txt