My Genealogy Hound

CYRUS S. PRESTON, a resident of the village of South Hadley and foreman of the paint shop of Howard Gaylord & Co.’s sash, door, and blind factory, was born in South Hadley, April 6, 1834, son of Joel and Mabel (Smith) Preston. His grandfather, Gardner Preston, was born in South Hadley, September 15, 1749, and was reared to agriculture, which he followed through life. He was also County Surveyor, and made the original survey of Hampshire County when it was laid out. He died at his home in this town, May 26, 1834. Gardner Preston raised a family of four children, as follows (all now deceased): Jerusha, Gardner, Joel, and Calvin.

Joel Preston was born in South Hadley in 1800. He assisted in carrying on the farm, and after the death of his father purchased the interests of the other heirs. He later sold the property, and moved to Licking County, Ohio, where he bought a farm, which he conducted for twelve years, and then disposing of it returned to his native State by wagon, making the journey in twenty-one days. He purchased a farm of thirty-three acres in South Hadley, but after carrying it on for ten years sold it, and bought the place now occupied by his son, Cyrus S., with whom he passed the remainder of his life. He died September 19, 1881. Joel Preston was twice married. His first wife, Mr. Preston’s mother, was born in Granby, Mass., and was a daughter of Samuel Smith, a farmer and a lifelong resident of Granby, who was a prominent man in the community and a Deacon of the Congregational church. Mr. Smith died at the age of eighty-four years in the house in which he was born. Joel Preston was the father of eight children by his first union, namely: Abigail, who married Alonzo Percival, and is now dead; Cyrus S., the subject of this sketch; Martha, who married E. D. Ingraham, and resides in Worcester, Mass.; Joel, who died in Ohio; Henry Joel, an architect of Boston; Neville, who was killed in the Civil War; Sophia, who married Henry Mansfield, and resides in Newtonville, Mass.; and Lyman, a resident of South Hadley. The mother having died, Joel Preston wedded for his second wife Mrs. Harriet Joslyn, of Granby, who survives him and is now residing with a daughter in South Hadley.

Cyrus S. Preston attended district schools in Ohio, and later was graduated from the high school of South Hadley. He resided with his parents until reaching the age of twenty years, at which time he began to learn the pointer’s trade; and, after working one year in South Hadley, he went to Springfield, Mass., where he followed his trade for five years. He then returned to South Hadley, and engaged in working by the day until 1861, when as a journeyman painter he entered the employ of Howard Gaylord & Co., with whom he has since remained, at the present time having full charge of their paint shops.

On September 24, 1862, Mr. Preston married Lizzie M. Alden, who was born in Hampshire County in 1840. Her father, James Alden, is a resident of South Hadley Falls; and her mother, whose maiden name was Root, is now dead. By this union Mr. Preston has had three children, namely: Carrie, who married Bertram Bowker, and resides in Suffield, Conn.; Nathaniel, a dentist of South Hadley; and Warren, who died at the age of seventeen. Mr. Preston’s first wife died May 3, 1870; and in 1872 he wedded Annie M. Hunter, of Enfield, Mass. They have two children, namely: Archie D., who is in business in Scranton, Pa.; and Cyrus Collier, who resides at home.