DESCENDANTS OF DAVID & JANE (PATTERSON) PRESSLY OF
ABBEVILLE CO., S_.C.

(Ed. Note: The following article by Marsha Hoffman Rising/ 6058 Primrose Lane, Springfield, Missouri 65804, adds considerable detail to what we have previously known about this family. Marsha has additional information on the descendants of this family and invites correspondence and exchanges of information with other interested researchers.)

H.T. Cook in his book, Hard Labor Section, dated David Pressly's arrival in the Long Cane area of South Carolina as the year 1767, and others who came approximately the same time were John Pressly, Mary Pressly, Robert Neal, Joseph & John Creswell, Samuel & Susannah Patterson, and Nathaniel Reed. Most of the Pressly genealogies try to connect the Long Cane Presslys with the ones early in Williamsburg Co., S.C. This group is said to have been founded by David, John, and William Pressly, as well as the Witherspoon family, who sailed 14 Sept. 1734 on "The Good Intent". They arrived in Charleston in Dec. 1734. There may be more than one family.

(Ed. Note: The various Pressly families who settled in S.C. from Ireland may or may not have been related, but the evidence seems fairly conclusive that they did not arrive together or at the same time, and that those who settled in the Abbe-ville Co. area did not arrive in S.C. until the 1760's and 1770's. See pp. 11-12, this issue, and also note pp. 21-22 in vol. 1.)

John Pressly arrived from Ireland and was allowed 300a for himself, his wife and children under 16 in 1772. He died ca. 1778 and is probably buried in the Cedar Springs churchyard, although there is no grave marker. He married Jane ____ who died before 3 Dec. 1805. W.L. Pressly in The Pressly Family lists the children of John & Jane Pressly as: David, John, William, Joseph, Jane, Mary Patterson, and Martha.

David Pressly, son of John, was born 1756, died 24 Sept. 1816 Abbeville Co., was buried Cedar Springs Church, and married ca. 1787 Jane Patterson, dau. of Samuel & Mary Patterson. She was born 9 Oct. 1769 near Newry, Ireland, and died 25 Feb. 1856 Allegheny Co., Perm., where she had been living with her son,

(continued on page three)

THE PRESLEY/PRESLAR/PRESSLY NEWSLETTER is a publication of the Presley/Preslar/ Pressly Family Research Association and is distributed to members and to various genealogical libraries. President & Editor is Edwin C. Dunn, (address withheld). Vice-president is Betty Bostick, (address withheld). Treasurer is E.L. Singleton, (address withheld).

The newsletter is published quarterly, and queries and items for publication should be sent to the Editor and will be included in the newsletter at no charge as space permits. Back issues of the newsletter should be ordered from the Editor at one dollar each.

Applications, checks, and renewals for membership should be sent to the Secretary, Anne P. Greer, (address withheld).

Inquiries concerning material in the Association archives should be addressed to the Research Director, James E. Anderson, (address withheld). Please enclose a large self-addressed, stamped envelope for a reply.

FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK
THIS WILL BE THE LAST ISSUE OF TEE NEWSLETTER that you will receive, if you haven't renewed your 1986-87 membership. Now, there, did that get your attention? Don't forget. Mail your checks payable to the Presley Family Research Association to Anne Greer, and do it right away, please.

We have lots of interesting things planned for future issues of the newsletter, but printing and postage are very expensive, and as much as we would like to send copies of the newsletter to everyone free of charge, it's not possible. It's true that our newsletter is relatively small, and you may ask why your dues can pay for only such a modest publication. The answer is that not all of our budget is for the newsletter, much of our income planned for research. You can see from the Financial Report for 1985-1986 in this issue, that as a result of the dedication of our Research Director and a small increase in membership, we had a significant surplus of funds. With this money we have already commissioned a researcher in Washington, D.C., to begin to obtain for us from the National Archives all the military service and pension records. Along with the census records, this will give us a considerable body of data when completed.

We are also planning now to put more effort into research of county records. We will begin to collect the records of particular counties in which members have expressed an interest. If you can research any record sources for us (eg. cemeteries, churches, etc.), let us know, and don't forget that this Editor invites your contributions of articles, documents, abstracts, etc. to the newsletter .

This, of course, brings me to your role in our Association. The Association doesn't exist without members, and each and every one of you is a vital part of our organization, no matter how active you choose to be or how you choose to participate in our activities. Your dues support our research and our publication, which could not exist otherwise. Moreover, when we lose you as a member, we lose the expertise and knowledge of family history which only you can possibly have, no matter how experienced in research you may or may not be.

We need you. The greater the resources (in money and in people) that we have, the more likely we are to be able to help solve some of those genealogical problems which you are having. Please help us and renew your membership. We look forward to continuing to work with you in this mutual effort.

DESCENDANTS OF DAVID & JANE PRESSLY OF ABBEVILLE CO., S_.C. (Continued): John Taylor Pressly. David was on the grand jury in Abbeville from 1778-79. He built a home about five miles east of Long Cane A.R.P. Church and became a pros-perous merchant. In Feb. 1803 he was appointed treasurer of the Cedar Springs A.R.P. Church (S_.C. Mag, of Ancestral Research, vol. XI, no. 2, p. 95), where he was also a deacon. He also owned a great deal of land in Preble Co., Ohio, which was sold after his death by his son-in-law, George R. Brown. [David and Jane (Patterson) Pressly had nine children, according to W.L. Pressly: John Taylor, Mary, George William, James Patterson, William P., Elizabeth, Joseph, Jane Patterson, & Samuel Patterson.]

Elizabeth Jane Pressly, dau. of David & Jane, born 10 July 1797, in 96th Dist., S.C., died 20 Apr. 1857 Preble Co., Ohio, buried Hopewell Cem., Preble Co., married ca. 1810 George R. Brown, son of Nathan & Grizzel (Ritchey?) Brown, born 1774 Newberry Co., S.C., died 21 June 1845 Preble Co., Ohio. Elizabeth was called "deranged" in her husband's will, dated 20 Jan. 1842, proved 29 July 1845, and he arranged a trust fund for her. (Ed. Note: Additional information on George R. & Elizabeth (Pressly) Brown and their children has been provided by Marsha Rising in an article for a future issue.)

Samuel Patterson Pressly, son of David & Jane, born 12 Sept. 1792 Abbeville Co., S.C., died 25 Oct. 1837, buried Wilcox Co., Ala., married his first cousin, Elizabeth Knox Hearst, dau. of Joseph (1760-1814) & Jane (Pressly)(1762-1828) Hearst. Elizabeth was born in 1795 and died 1875 and is buried in Wilcox Co., Ala. Samuel was a physician and attended Transylvania Univ. in Lexington, Ky. Along with his brother, John T. Pressly, he was an outspoken opponent of the Nullification theories of John C. Calhoun. They became unpopular with the extremist Nullifiers of Abbeville, and for this reason he moved to Wilcox Co., Ala. For some reason, Samuel's estate was administered on 21 Dec. 1837 in Abbeville Co., S.C., by Charles Dendy, George W. Pressly, Henry Lipford. It paid Jane Brown legatee in Creswell estate, Joseph Pressly tuition at Erskine College, John C. Pressly tuition at Erskine College, widow Elizabeth Pressly, Samuel Cornelius Pressly, Eliza, daughter who married A.M. Cook and was living in Wilcox Co., Ala., Sarah Pressly, a legatee married John Miller, James Brown, legatee in Creswell's estate, David Pressly on going to Ala.

Mary Pressly, dau. of David & Jane, born 10 July 1797, bapt. 22 July 1798 at the Cedar Springs A.R.P. Church in Abbeville Co. (S^.C. Mag, of Ancestral Research, vol. 21, no. 2, p.86), married 1816 to the Rev. Joseph Lowry, born 1 Jan. 1777 in Fairfield Dist., S.C., son of William & Agnes Lowry (William is said to have served in the Rev. War.). There were at least two Lowry families from Ireland that settled in the Fairfield District on the banks of the Wateree in 1772 — Patrick and Joseph Lowry. Joseph received his academic education in Monticello t Academy in Fairfield District. Five of Mr. Lowry's brothers (one named W.S. Lowry) graduated, from the same school. He was licensed by the 1st Carolina Presbytery on 11 Mar. 1814, and he was a member of the 2nd Carolina Presbytery. He served as pastor at Bethel, Jefferson Co., Ga., until his death. He was said in his obituary to have had three sons and seven daughters.

George W. Pressly, son of David & Jane, born 9 Feb. 1803 Abbeville Co., S.C., died 29 Dec. 1890, buried Cedar Springs, S.C., married Isabella Hearst, sister of Elizabeth Hearst. He was a physician and a Surgeon Major in Hargood's brigade in the Confederate Army. He administered the will of Martha Hamilton 21 Feb. 1843 in Abbeville Co.

James Patterson Pressly, son of David & Jane, was born 25 Nov. 1808 in Abbeville Co., S.C., and died 31 March 1870 (or 1877 according to Miami Univ. Bulletin). He graduated from Miami Univ., Oxford, Ohio, in 1826 and was licensed by the 2nd Carolina Presbytery on 20 Feb. 1829. He was pastor at Due West in 1830— Prosperity, Ma., 1831-1840, Due West 1840-1877, and was Professor at Erskine College in 1840. He married firstly, Jane Hearst (Oct. 1811 - 30 June 1832), dau. of John Hearst; he married secondly, Eliza Young (14 Dec. 1813 - 7 July 18_), dau. of Samuel Young; he married thirdly, Mary Eleanor Young (19 July 1823 - 26 July 1892), sister of J.N. and J.L. Young.

William P. Pressly, son of David & Jane, born 17 Mar. 1811 Abbeville Co., S.C., died 29 Apr. 1905 Monmouth, Warren Co., 111., married firstly, Mary Ann Gilmore who died 12 Oct. 1836 and is buried at Hopewell Cemetery. William moved to Monmouth, 111., and subsequently married Mary L. Miller, who died 19 July 1885, age 78 years, 10 mon., 6 days, and is buried at Monraouth Cemetery. William became a merchant and one of the wealthiest men in Monmouth. Because none of his children lived to adulthood, he made large contributions to Monmouth College and to the Warren Co. Library. A painting of him is currently in the library. He also helped endow the Mission Schools for Native Christians in Egypt. On the 1860 census of Warren Co., p. 325, he is enumerated as William P. Pressly, age 79(7), born S.C., merchant with Martha L., age 50, born Va., Henry K., age 21, born Ohio, Mary J., age 19, born Ohio, Sarah E., age 16, born Ohio. In his will, dated 3 Mar. 1891, he left money to the Warren Co. Library and Reading Room, the Board of Foreign Missions of the United Presbyterian Church, and for purposes of female education. His estate amounted to $4,997.08. He also owned land in Colby, Kansas. No widow or children survived him.

Joseph Pressly, son of David & Jane, apparently moved to Indiana, or at least had descendants in that location. Very little is known about him. ~

CURRENT FAMILY NEWS

TRAVEL PLANS - [Association members,] ... Emily and Tom Pressly,...are uprooting their San Antonio family tree, moving to Maine this summer and will frequent [Ireland] from October to March. One of San Antonio's noted architects and award-winning artist and his equally artistic wife have long sought to sow some Irish roots. ... they plan to spend winter in chilly West [County] Cork. [Express-News, San Antonio, Texas, July 25, 1986]

PRESERVATION - A campaign is under way to dissuade the Incarnate Word sisters from going through with plans to demolish the nearly century-old Mother House and replicate it in a new structure. Emily Pressly ... said demolition of the Mother House would be a great loss not only to the college but to the community. Pressly said alumnae of the college are mounting a campaign to try to change the sisters' minds. "I am a member of the Alamo Heights connvunity, I belong to the Conservation Society board, and I received my master's degree from Incarnate Word College," she said. "I am also the daughter of an architect. I think we have the responsibility to save fine architecture." [The North San Antonio Times, June 26, 1986]

(continued on page 13 )

J. C. PRESLY

Lieut. J. C. Presly, a member of Camp Owen, U.C.V., died at Ms home, near Abbeville, S.C., September 12, 1909, and was buried at Lebanon Church, of which he was a deacon. At the first call for volunteers in 1861 he enlisted under Capt. R.B. Hicks in the 7th South Carolina Regiment, Army of Northern Virginia, and was with them till the surrender. His regiment was in the First and Second Manassas, Yorktown Dam No. 1, Garnett's Farm at Malvern Hill, Rappahannock, South Mountain, Thoroughfare Gap, Sharpsburg, Spottsylvania , Knoxville, Term., Cold Harbor, Wilderness, Petersburg, Fort Harrison, and Appomattox. He was wounded several times. He was a warm-hearted, earnest man, and fearless in the performance of his duties.                      Confederate Veteran XVIII:128 (1910)

THE PRESLEY/PRESLAR/PRESSLY PRESS

A Compilation of the Original Lists of Protestant Immigrants to South Carolina 1763-1773. Comp. by Janie Revill. Baltimore, 1974 (orig. publ. 1939).
p. 3. The Immigrants listed in this volume were protestant refugees from Europe who came to South Carolina on the encouragement of an Act passed by the General Assembly of the Colony on July 25, 1761, called the Bounty Act. A copy of the Act is not available ... it was a broadening of earlier immigration laws, for the special benefit of these religious refugees. Applicants had to have certificates showing that they were protestants and entitled to receive the benefits allowed by the new Bounty Act, which was evidently modified and renewed from time to time.

pp. 67-70. Council Journal 33, page 41-50. Meeting of 27th. February 1767.
His Excellency informed the Board that a vessel with poor Irish protestants had lately arrived here on the encouragement of the Bounty given by the Act of the General Assembly passed the 25th July 1761 and that he had now directed them to attend and they being called into the Council Chamber they presented the following Petitions for Warrants of Survey for Land on the Bounty VIZT [a list of 114 names follows, including?]
David Pressley 350 acres In Boonesborough or Belfast Township.

ORDERED that the Secretary do prepare Warrants of Survey on the Bounty agreeable to the prayers of their petitions and that the public Treasurer do pay the Bounties given by the said Act to Messrs. Torrans and Pouag and Mr. Robert Bath for the owners of the ship Hillsborough in consideration of their passages to the aaid province agreeable to the directions of the said Act.
The following persons also presented petitions setting forth that they were protestants and had come into this Province in the said ship Earl of Hillsborough on the encouragement of the said Act and therefore prayed to be allowed the Bounty given by the same. [a list of 115 persons follows, including:]
Ester Plessley age 36
Samuel Plessley age 11
David Pressley age 6
Agnes Pressley age 4
The Petitioners set forth that they were protestants and that they had lately arrived in this Province on the encouragement of the Bounty given by the Act of the General Assembly of this Province passed the 25th. July 1761 and therefore praying the same and they having severally produced Certificates required by the Act
IT WAS ORDERED that the public Treasurer do pay the several Bounties to Messrs. Torrans and Pouag and Bath in Consideration for their passages in the said Ship.

pp. 120-121. Council Journal 36, page 242-245. Meeting of 1st. December 1772. Petitions from the undermentioned persons verified by their affidavits, setting forth that they were severally Protestants, and had arrived in this Province from Germany on the encouragement but that they never had received any Warrants for Lands & therefore Humbly Prayed for Warrants of Survey free of charge were presented and read VIZT
[a list of 30 names, not all of them German names, follows, including:]
David Preesly 100 acres
ORDERED that the Secretary do prepared Warrants of Survey as prayed for by the Petitioners.

pp. 126-127. Council Journal 37, page 15-25. Meeting of 6th. January 1773.
A list of the passengers who arrived in this Province from Ireland in the Brigantine Free Mason, & this day petitioned for land, viz. [a list of 7 persons follows, including:]
Samuel Paterson 350 acres
John Pressley 300 acres
In South Carolina. Able to pay.

The undermentioned persons are not able to pay for their Warrants. [a list of 48 persons follows, including:]
Mary Patterson 100 acres
Mary Presley 100 acres
ORDERED that the Secretary do prepare Warrants as prayed for by the several petitions.

QUERIES

Margaret G. Wright
address withheld

Seeking information on Joseph Presler and his sons: Matthew William, b 1775, who married Abiar Tift; and Enos, b. ?, m. ? The two brothers moved from Vermont to Jefferson Co., N.Y., between 1817 & 1824. Also, does anyone have any information on any Bradler (Bradlough) family anywhere?

1850 census records for all states
1860 census records for Term., Miss., Fla., S.C., Kan., Minn., N.C. (Union, Anson, Wilkes, Buncombe, Renderson, Haywood Cos.)
1870 census records for Term., Fla., N.C. (Union, Anson, Buncombe, Watauga)
1880 census records for Term., N.C., S.C.
Cemetery records for: N.C. (Haywood Co.), Term. (Henderson Co.)
Pension records from National Archives for: Revolutionary War War of 1812

CURRENT FAMILY NEWS (Continued);
OUR BUSY VICE-PRESIDENT - The Lamplighters [a 200-member dance club] celebrated "150 years Texas Springtimes" with a formal dance May 24 at the San Antonio Country Club. Among those attending were Ray &• Betty Bostick, club president. Ray & Betty have spent the past five weekends attending parties in Amarillo, Houston, Dallas, Austin and their ranch at Lake Limestone. Their daughter, Becky Bostick, of Houston, was a bridesmaid in friends' weddings in Amarillo and Houston. Ray & Betty attended both weddings and spent two separate weekends in Dallas attending Betty's 40th class reunion at Southern Methodist, and a family reunion. The Bosticks gathered in Austin and at their ranch with their other two daughters, Betsy Hime and Barbara Bostick, their son-in-law, Karl Hime, and their grandchildren, Austin and Hailey Hime.
[The North San Antonio Times, June 5, 1986]

(Ed. Note: Edith Gasperson of Skyland, North Carolina, sent vis copies of two letters written by David Presley of Haywood Co., N.C., to his "uncle", William H. Presley, of Buncombe Co., N.C. The two letters, written in different handwritings, are interesting because they mention several family relationships, but the identity of William H. Presley's father and of David Presley is presently unknown.
William H. Presley, ancestor of Edith's husband, John Gasperson, was born ca. 1811 (1850 census) and married Fannie Creasman, daughter of Adam Creasman, who sold his property to William and Fannie and moved to Athens and Cleveland, Term. William H. built a log house in 1849 where Adam lived, which is still standing, and where John Gasperson was born. William H. and Fannie Presley had children, including Frederick M., Nancy E., Margaret E., Martha M., and Sarah Jane.
It is believed that David Presley was married in Haywood Co. to Emmaline Henson in 1854, she dying in 1889, and he remarrying in 1891. The 1870 Haywood Co. census indicated that he was born in South Carolina ca. 1821. If anyone can offer any additional information on this family, please write to the Editor.)

                    State of N.C.                      haywood county                      march 10 1889 william presley my dear sir it is with pleasure to drop you a few lines in ancer to yourn i was glad to hear that you were all well and doing well, well uncle billey this leaves us all as well as comen you dont no how glad i would be to see you all i dont no at time when i can see you all un less i git on the train i want you to write weather the train runs on the other side of your house or not also i want to no whether alexander bridge is standing yet or not i mite take one roade or the other and eat breakfest with ant fanney as she wanted me too and she dont want me to eat any worse than i want to eat with her well uncle billey you wantted to no whether it was deliley mark or not yes it is him also your sister caty was a live week before last and is as well as she is for comen your brother tommey is as well as comen he is a past working mutch he is live-ing with nuteen a bout two miles of where i live So i must come to a close by saying write soon fail not.
david presley to william presley and wife


October The 1 1893
Der friends
a few lines tosy you all this leaves us i ns comon helth hoping this few lines may find you all well and ding well uncle biley i have bad news to tell you I went yesterday to see your brother tomey buried at the locus fields he looked very [illegible] he was willien to go that is a grate sadsfction to us all he was taking sick a Wednesday and died a thursday so he has paid the det We all haft to pay I would lov to see you all rite as soon as you get this i will rite more the next time so i must close for this time rite soon and fail not this from

David presley to W H Presley and family