PRESTON, James C.

PRESTON

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 6/1/2021 at 22:00:56

James C. Preston
born Aug 27, 1852, Scotland

James C. Preston, proprietor of the “Willow Dale” stock-farm near Battle Creek, in Maple Township, Ida County, Iowa, was born in Forfarshire, Scotland, August 27, 1852, son of John and Matilda (Hill) Preston. He was the fifth-born son in a family of eight children, was reared to farm life and was educated in the schools of his native land. At the age of nineteen, he came to America and located in Kane County, Illinois, and from there, in 1872, came to Ida County, Iowa. Here for five years he was, in company with his brother Andrew, successfully engaged in farming. In 1877 he bought eighty acres of wild land, has since made other purchases, and is now the owner of 200 acres, one of the best farms in the township. It is nicely improved and utilized as a stock and grain farm. His house, 24 x 32 feet, is a story and a half, and is surrounded with lawn and forest trees. He has a grove and orchard of ten acres. His barn, sheds, cribs, feed lots, fences, etc., are all kept in first-class order. Aldrich creek flows through his broad acres and furnishes an abundant supply of water for stock purposes. He keeps the best grade of stock, is the pioneer in raising red-polled cattle in this vicinity, and has some of the finest cattle to be found in western Iowa. He also raises Poland-China hogs. Mr. Preston was married in Ida County, Iowa, in 1875, to Miss Lizzie L. Todd, who was born in Fifeshire, Scotland, daughter of James and Christena (Cragie) Todd, now of Ida Grove. They have two children: David C. and Amy H.
Mr. Preston’s political views are in harmony with Republican principles, and in the ranks of that party he is an active worker. He also takes an active interest in the temperance cause and in church and Sabbath-school work. He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church, and he has been Secretary and a Trustee of the church for a number of years and is now Deacon. He has been Sabbath-school Superintendent for three years, and is now President of the Sabbath-school Association of Ida County. He is also President of the School Board of this township, which office he has filled for three years. Mr. Preston is a man in the prime of life, is frank and jovial with all, and few men in this vicinity have more friends than he.
Source: Biographical History of Crawford, Ida, and Sac Counties, Iowa, 1893, p.230