Greenbrier County, West Virginia    Biography: John A. PRESTON

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Transcribed and submitted by Valerie Crook, <vfcrook @earthlink.net>, 1999.
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    JOHN A. PRESTON. While his home was always in his native community, and the place he 
loved best in all the world, Greenbrier County, the late John A. Preston was in every sense
a man of commanding importance and influence through West Virginia. He was a, great lawyer, 
and was the favorite son of his native county. People respected, trusted, admired and loved
him because they knew him to be worthy of all and that he was true to his high ideals, ideals
that he translated into action and conduct that fully earned him his high place in county
and state.
    His father was David R. Preston, a native of Southwestern Virginia, a minister of the 
Presbyterian faith, who completed his theological studies in Princeton University. David R. 
Preston probably came to Greenbrier County from Kentucky in the decade of the '30s. He had 
a charge at Union in Monroe County, but for many years his home was near Lewisburg in 
Greenbrier County. He married Jeanette Creigh, who represented one of the oldest and best 
known families in Greenbrier County. The Creighs were prominent Confederates during the 
Civil war.  Rev. David R. Preston died when a comparatively young man. He and his wife had 
six children, the late John A. Preston being next to the youngest.
    John A. Preston was born at the old Preston homestead, "Tuscawilla," March 14, 1847. 
On April 26, 1917, a few weeks past his seventieth birthday, he left home in Lewisburg to 
go to Clarksburg and perhaps due to the overexertion of getting to the station he died 
soon after taking his place in the railroad coach and while still in full view of the old 
farm and home where he was born. Re was reared there and accustomed to the work of the 
fields when he was a boy. He attended local schools, also the Lewisburg Academy, and in 
January or February, 1865, before he was eighteen, he enlisted in Company R of the 
Fourteenth Virginia Cavalry in the Confederate Army. He was in the service until the 
close of the war the following April. In later years he took a great deal of interest
in the history of the Civil war period, and particularly in the survivors of the cause 
for which he had fought. He was an eloquent orator who was in great demand for memorial 
and reunion speeches. Sometime after the war he entered Washington College, where he 
completed his literary education in 1869, and that institution had Gen. Robert E. Lee 
as its president and in whose honor it is now Washington and Lee University. Mr. Preston 
began the study of law with Samuel Price, who was lieutenant governor of Virginia during
the Civil war. He read in Governor Price's office at Lewisburg, was admitted to the bar
and for several years practiced with the former lieutenant governor and later married 
his daughter, Sallie Lewis Price. Mr. Preston practiced law in Greenbrier and surrounding
counties with a degree of success that few of his contemporaries ever obtained. In 1876 he
was elected State's attorney for the county, and by successive elections held that post of
duty for sixteen years. In 1896 he was again elected to the same office for four years. In 
1914, only a few years before his death, he was elected to fill out an unexpired term as 
county prosecutor. In the prosecution of criminals he made a great reputation for his vigor
and fearlessness.
    In addition to this long term of public service Mr. Preston was elected and served two
terms in the House of Delegates, in both regular and special sessions. In 1910 he was 
elected to the State Senate, holding that office four years. He was on many of the 
important committees of both Houses. For a number of years he was on the Board of 
Directors of the State Asylum for the Insane at Weston. He had served for a number of 
years, until his death, as one of the trustees of Washington and Lee University. He was
an ardent democrat, and was a power in maintaining and building up his party and one 
of the political speakers most in demand by the state and district committees.
    Mr. Preston for many years was a faithful member of the Old Stone Presbyterian Church
of Lewisburg, a church founded and built in 1796. He served it as deacon and also as 
ruling elder.
    A concise estimate of the life and character of this great Greenbrier lawyer and citizen 
is in the following editorial quoted from the Charleston Gazette:
    "In the death of Hon. John A. Preston, of Greenbrier, the state has suffered a signal
loss. He was not only a great lawyer, but also one of those types of honest, upright citizens
whose example and influence, counsel and help can little be spared at this time. He was a 
link between the men like Governor Price, Governor Mathews, Judges Snyder and Holt through 
to the present. He saw the old Virginia type and lived and worked with the modern West 
Virginia. His never failing stand for principle and truth was the crowning glory of his 
honorable, active and useful life. As prosecuting attorney, senator, lawyer and citizen he 
was always the courtly gentleman, the unswerving Christian, the courageous but kindly
man--trusted, respected and loved; a leader in his profession; a power, always for right
and justice; a good father and husband and a useful man, he filled the full measure of
every requirement of citizenship. The County of Greenbrier has lost one of its most
distinguished men, and this state will miss this able, good man. We extend our sympathy
to his family and relatives, and join with his hundreds of friends here in sincere regret
and sorrow."
    June 6, 1877, John A. Preston married Miss Sallie Price, third daughter of Governor 
and Mrs. Samuel Price. She died August 1, 1882, leaving two sons--Samuel Price and James
Montgomery. On February 4, 1892, Mr. Preston married Miss Lillie Davis, of Clarksburg,
daughter of Hon. John J. Davis. She survives her husband, and her two sons are John J.
D. Preston and Walter C. Preston. The former attended Washington and Lee University, 
served as a lieutenant in the World war, and is now a practicing lawyer at Charleston.
Waiter C. Preston was also a lieutenant in the World war, and is now a student in Johns 
Hopkins University at Baltimore.
    Samuel Price Preston, oldest of the sons of the late John A. Preston, was born July 3, 
1879, was educated in local schools, in the Greenbrier Military Academy the Lee Military 
Academy, Washington and Lee University, and then took his law course, spending two years 
in the University of Virginia and one year in the University of Michigan. After qualifying 
for the profession he was a partner with his father until the latter's death, and continues 
in the practice at Lewisburg. He married Elizabeth Montgomery Mason, daughter of Silas B.
and Elizabeth (Montgomery) Mason, of Lewisburg. The five children of their union are: 
Silas M., John A., Samuel P., Jr., William M. and James Tate.
    James Montgomery Preston, second son of John A. Preston, was born August 3, 1881, was
educated in Lewisburg, and later in Virginia attended Locust Dale Academy, Pantop's
Academy Valley High School, and Washington and Lee University. He completed his business
education with a course in Sadler's Business College in Baltimore. His home has always
been in Lewisburg, where he is prominent in local affairs. He is a Knight Templar Mason.
On June 6, 1906, he married Miss Frances Flournoy, daughter of former State Senator
Samuel L. Flournoy and Penny A. (White) Flournoy, of Charleston. The children of their
marriage are: James Stuart, Frances Flournoy, Margaret Lynn, James Montgomery, Jr., and
Minnie Frazier.

The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., 
Chicago and New York, Volume III, pgs. 616-17