From: "Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert" <iggy29@scican.net>

To: <IADECATU-L@rootsweb.com>

Cc: <wrlcrpl@grm.net>

Subject: OBITUARY - JAMES PRESTON.

Date: Tuesday, October 16, 2001 7:48 PM

Decatur County Journal

March l2, l908

JAMES PRESTON was born in County Antrim, Ireland, March l7, l836, and

died at his home in Leon, Iowa, March 5, l908, aged 7l years, ll months

and l8 days.

When l9 years of age he came to Canada where he remained one year. From

there he went to New York where he remained a short time. He then went

to Marion County, Ohio, where he resided for many years. It was here he

met and won as his life companion, MISS MARY C. BARNTHOUSE, and they

were happily married, June l3, l86l. To this union four children were

born, all of whom survive him. They are MISS ELLA PRESTON and MRS.

PEARL HALVERSON, of Leon, Iowa; CHESTER PRESTON and MRS. EMMA DANFORTH,

of Miles City, Montana.

In June, l900, his wife, the companion of so many years, preceded him to

the spirit world. To him this was a sore bereavement and for her he

never ceased to mourn.

In January, l892, he came with his family to Decatur County and located

on a farm three and one-half miles north of Leon, where he lived until

about three years ago when he came to Leon, so that for more than

sixteen hears he has gone in and out among the people of this

community. Those who knew him unite in bearing testimony to his

excellent Christian character and his true worth as a citizen and as a

man. The foundation of his Christian character was laid while he was

quite young. His parents were members of the Presbyterian Church, and

in that faith he grew to manhood and in all the years of his life he

remained true to those early teachings.

After his marriage, he, with his wife, united with the New Light Church,

from which they never withdrew their membership, and though MR. PRESTON

had no active membership with any church in their community, yet he

remained faithful, and a devoted Christian, never failing to ask a

blessing at the table, indeed living in the hope of a blessed

immortality. He was very quiet and reserved in manner, so perhaps few

outside of his own family knew of the real depth of his feelings.

His last illness was of short duration, though he had been in declining

health during the winter. On February 25, he received a paralytic

stroke from which he never rallied. He lingered with intervals of

consciousness until last Thursday morning, the spirit took its flight.

A kind and gentle spirit has gone from us. May the sorrowing ones who

remain be comforted with the hope of a blessed Heavenly reunion.

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Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert

October l6, 200l