THOMAS M. PRESTON.
Thomas M., son of Colonel Thomas M. Preston, was born in Washington
county, on the family estate where his father was born, near
Rock Spring Church, October 27, 1847 the date of his birth. He is a
grandson of Samuel Preston, who was born in this county, four miles
east of Bristol. His mother, formerly Miss Evaline Gray, of an old
Scotch-Irish family, was raised in Washington county. Near Cedarville,
this county, at the home of her father, Mr. Preston married, October
21, 1874, Mattie A., daughter of Dr. Christ. C. Alderson. She was born
at Lebanon, Russell county, Virginia, her father coming from Russell
county in the first year of the war, and settling on Eleven-Mile creek.
In 1863 he moved to his present place of residence, Walnut Grove. He
is the son of Davis Alderson, who came to Washington county in 1823.
Mrs. Preston's mother was Mary Gibson before marriage, of the Russell
county family of Gibsons.
Mr. Preston entered the Confederate service one month before reaching
the age of seventeen, in September, 1864, Company D, 1st Virginia
Cavalry, with which he served till the close of the war. An elder brother,
R. B. Preston, served three years in the same company. A half-brother,
John M. Preston, was four years in the field, quartermaster of the 37th
Virginia regiment, and many other relatives and friends were in service
through the war.
Mr. Preston is a farmer, his beautiful home standing on the west bank
of Eleven-Mile creek, near its confluence with the middle fork of the
Holston river, one of the finest sites in Washington county.
