BRESLAU (also Breslauer, Breslaur, Bresler, Bressler, Bresslau, Bresselau) -- Ashkenazic name taken from the city of Breslau, Prussia. The Jewish Encyclopedia (12 vols., New York, 1901-06) has biograohies from Germany. 17th-19th cent.; also Holland and England. The "genealogy" file at the Central Archives for the History of the Jewish People in Jerusalem has a Breslau family tree from Germany. Also, sae family history in Eine Hebraische Handschrift aus ftarendorf by Bernhard Brilling (1962). The Archives of the Leo Baeck Institute in New York has a Breslau family tree beginning 1711.

- From Finding Our Fathers. A Guidebook to Jewish Genealogy by Dan Rottenburg. New York, 1977.

(Ed. Note: The following is a translation of a letter written in German to George Bressler (or one of his family members) in Lock Haven, Perm. It is shared with us by Elizabeth B. Bunting of Malvern, Penn., and is most timely presented as the world remembers the events of fifty years ago.)

Dear (Most Honored) Mr. Bressler
In the unhappiest hour of my life, I have found your address and I am asking you very obligingly as your cousin and relative of the name Bressler, with this letter, appealing to your generosity and asking for help. Because of the happenings in Austria I have, as a Jew, lost my job at the Mercunbank in Vienna where I have worked without interruption for 22 years. Only because of my honesty, diligence and versatility I have become head of the exchange bureau. This has been the only position of my life. As a Jew that has lost his livelihood, I will have to leave this country, and only with your help and mercy I could start a new life in U.S.A. by getting an affidavity.

Most Honored Mr. Bressler, I promise you, you would not give your great kindness to an unworthy one and I shall promise you I will remember your benevolence. It will be the job of my life to show my savior my gratefullness and i also promise you to never become a burden to you. I am only 38 years of age and am not afraid of any kind of work. My wife is 33 years of age and is a perfect kindergarten teacher and also a first class cook and will be most happy to perform any kind of work. This letter is the only hope of my life and is also the destiny of my innocent 4 year old child.

I believe, in the name of humanity, that my most sincere pleading to my namesake will reach the best person, and with your merciful action will bring us back

(continued on page twenty-two)

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

Queries and items for publication should be sent to the Editor and will be inluded in the newsletter at no cost as space permits. Back issues of the news letter may be ordered from the Editor at one dollar each (only 3 issues were in volume one).

Applications, checks, and renewals for membership should be sent to the Secretary, Anne P. Greer, (address withheld).. Applications should be accompanied by family group sheets for the Presley (etc.) family line. Dues are $10 per year; associate membership (spouses) dues $5 per year, payable on July 1st. New members receive all back issues for the current membership year. Dues received after March 1st will be applied to the following year beginning July 1st.

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

FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK


I have good news. Sylvia Castles of Columbia, S.C., is systematically searching the records of South Carolina for Pressly, etc., beginning with the colonial land grants. As editor of the Columbia Journal, the newsletter of the Columbia Chapter of the South Carolina Genealogical Society, she is familiar with the problems often encountered by out-of-state researchers and with the idiosyncrasies of South Carolina record-keeping. As she completes groups of records, she will forward data to us, and we will publish what we can and keep you fully informed about what is in our archive, and is thus available to you, the members,

In Malvern, Pennsylvania, Elizabeth B. Bunting informs me that she is at work organizing, compiling, and typing the records she has been collecting for many years on her Bressler family and its many oranches. She has done considerable research

Throughout the Third Reich on the night of 9-10 November 1938 the Nazis rampaged against Jewish homes, businesses, synagogues, hospitals, orphanages, and homes for the elderly. Known as Rn stal Inacht, or Crystal Night, because of the broken glass, the destruction, torching, and killing and beating of Jews heralded the Nazis' intentions and led to the dawn of the holocaust. On that night in Vienna, twenty-one synagogues and 68 other Jewish sites were entirely or heavily damaged, and nomes were ransacked. Eventually, by 1945, six million Dews were murdered by the Nazis in Europe.

- Information from A1buquerque Journal, 6 Nov. 1988

                 ALABAMA

AUTAUGA COUNTY
26 367/381    Evan Presley          41 M W Farmer    2000   SC
              Isabella M. "         18 F W                  NC
              Int(?)tte M. "        22 F W                  GA
              Columbus W. "         26 M W Stud.of Medicine SC
              Wm.C.H. Nelson        24 M W Potter           AL

30 423/437    Mary Presley           9 F W                  AL
               Living with A.C. & Sarah Thomason

78 1045/1062  William Prestly       59 M W Farmer    300    SC
              Elizabeth Bias        58 F W                  GA
              Eliza Presley         40 F W                  GA
              Claborne "            22 M W                  GA
              Elizabeth M. "        15 F W                  GA
              Frances E. Bias       14 F W                  GA
              Emaline Presley       13 F W                  GA
              William T. Bias       13 M W                  GA
              Mary S. "             11 F W                  GA

BENTON COUNTY
267   61/61   A.J. Presley          35 M W Farmer           NC
              S.A. "                30 F W                  SC
              Henry "               16 M W                  SC
              John "                13 M W                  SC
              Perry "                5 M W                  AL
              R.B. "              1/12 M W                  AL
 
BUTLER COUNTY
189 164/164   Elias Presly          55 M W Farmer   500     SC
              Mary "                51 F W                  GA
              Martha "              20 F W                  AL
              Sarah "               18 F W                  AL
              Louisa "               8 F W                  AL

189 169/169   James Presley         20 M W Farmer           AL
                living with  A. J. & Nancy Dunnam

193 230/230   John Presley          35 M W Farmer           SC
              Nancy "               25 F W                  AL
              William "             10 M W                  AL
              Sarah "                8 F W                  AL
              Sa(?)n "               2 F W                  AL

193 241/241   Allen Presley         58 M W Farmer   800     SC
              Sarah "               52 F W                  SC
              Hosey "               18 M W                  AL
              Elizabeth "           20 F W                  AL
              James "               10 M W                  AL
              Thomas "               8 M W                  AL

194 244/244   Robert Allen Presley  38 M W Farmer          SC   
              Nancy "               26 F W                 SC
              Robert "              12 M W                 AL
              Caroline "            11 F W                 AL
              Sarah "                9 F W                 AL
              Sarine "               8 F W                 AL
              John "                 5 M W                 AL
              Stephen "              3 M W                 AL
              Josephine "            2 F W                 AL

194 245/246    Wm Presley        27 M W Farmer      AL
               Sienlie (?) "     23 F W             AL

194 251/251    Anthny Presley    61 M W Farmer      SC
               Sarah "           52 M W             SC
               Harriet "         18 F W             AL
               Isabel "          16 F W             AL
               Delilah "         14 F W             AL
               Elizabeth "       12 F W             AL
               Mary "            10 F W             AL

230 768/768    H.S. Presley      29 M W Farmer 100  AL
               Lavisa (?) "      25 F W             AL
               Ann "              6 F W             AL
               Mary "             4 F W             AL
               Martha "           2 F W             AL
               Elias "           17 M W             AL

230 818/818    Evan Presley      27 M W             AL
               Mary "            28 F W             AL
               Sarah "            8 F W             AL
               James "            6 M W             AL
               Anthony "          4 M W             AL
               Nancy "            2 F W             AL

239 899/899    Elias Presley     57 M W Farmer 500  SC
               Mary "            51 F W             SC
               Mary "            24 F W             AL
               Sarah "           16 F W             AL
               Louisa "          14 F W             AL
    
CHAMBERS COUNTY
273 160/460    Calvin Presley    44 M W             SC
               Jane "            44 F W             SC
               Susan J. "        21 F W             GA
               Sarah L. "        19 F W             GA
               Soel(?) "         16 M W             GA
               Evan A. "         14 M W             AL
               John L. "         12 M W             AL
               Emily "            9 F W             AL
               William H. "       6 M W             AL
               Robert F.          3 M W             AL
               Jane Turner       77 F W             SC

276 162/162    Landrum Presly    23 M W Farmer      GA
               Martha "          16 F W             GA

376 1564/1564  Augustus  Presley 30 M W Att. at law GA
                 living with Alfred &  Martha Ferguson

379 1612/1612  Charles E. Presley  1 M W             AL
                  living with William A. & Mary P. Adams  

CHEROKEE COUNTY
41 563/563     Highley Pressley  43 M W              NC
               Eliza J. "        21 F W              TN
               Sarah A. "        15 F W              TN
               James A. "        13 M W              TN
               May B. "          11 F W              AL

49 674/674     William Presley   24 M W Farmer       TN
               Eliza J. "        18 F W              TN

CONECUH COUNTY 
343 194/194  Martha Presley      37 F W              SC
             Elizabeth "         17 F W              AL
             Martha "            15 F W              AL
             Wm. "               13 M W              AL
             De Kalb "           11 M W              AL
             Bryan "              9 M W              AL
             Margaret "           7 F W              AL
             Julius "             4 M W              AL

380 715/715  Wiley W. Jones      27 M W Farmer  500  AL
             Mary "              18 F W              AL
             Mahala Presly       30 F W              AL
             Wm. H. Jones         2 M W              AL

380 716/716  Holden Presley      28 M W Farmer  125  AL
             Martha E. "         19 F W              AL
             Catherine "          2 F W              AL
             Elbert "             4 M W              AL

380 717/717  Floyd Presley       50 M W Farmer  150  SC
             Ellender "          45 F W              SC
             James "             21 F W              AL
             Martha "            13 F W              AL
             Bryant L. "         16 M W              AL
             Wm. "               24 M W              AL
             Elizabeth "         17 F W              AL

380 718/718  John Presley        32 M W Farmer  120  AL
             Anne J. "           23 F W              AL
             Nancey "             8 F W              AL
             Susan M "            6 F W              AL         
             Wm.P. "              4 M W              AL
             Malissa "            2 F W              AL

380 721/721  Pinkney W. Presley  25 M W Farmer       AL
             Amanda "            19 F W              AL
             Sarah E. "           1 F W              AL

JACKSON COUNTY 
54   46/46   Elijah Presley      39 M W Farmer       NC
             Cassey "            35 F W              NC
             Mary E. "           12 F W              AL
             Nancy "              6 F W              AL
             Jessey G. "          2 M W              AL
 
JEFFERSON COUNTY 
188 11/11    William Presley     32 M W Farmer  300  LA
             Mary "              33 F W              SC
             John "               5 M W              AL
             James M. "           4 M W              AL
             Margaret E. "        2 F W              AL
             James Byers         16 M W              AL

188 12/12    Lydia Presley       60 F W              NC
             Elizabeth "         12 F W              NC

RUSSELL COUNTY 
28 387/387  John Presley         23 M W Farmer       GA
            Matilda "            32 F W              GA
            Marion "             22 M W              GA
            William "            20 M W              GA
            Levely "              1 M W              AL
            James "               1 M W              AL    
 

TALLADEGA COUNTY 
414 899/924    Robert L. Presley  45 M W Farmer       SC
               Perry (?) "        44 F W              GA
               Robert "           17 M W              GA
               Nancy "            15 F W              GA
               Elizabeth "        13 F W              GA
               Percy E. "         11 F W              GA
               John R. "          10 M W              GA
               Clemmentine "       8 F W              GA
               Jane "              6 F W              AL
               Sarah "             2 F W              AL

415 918/939    Eamaline Pressly   15 F W              GA
                 Living with Joseph & Matilda Baker 

TALLAPOSA COUNTY 
18   251/251   John Presley       75 M W         480  SC
               Margaret J. "      54 F W              NC
               William S. "       16 M W              SC
               George W. "        14 M W              SC
               Charlotte "        12 F W              SC
               Mi(?)ton N. "      10 M W              SC

                    MARYLAND
CECIL COUNTY 
205   -       Caleb Bresler       60 M W Laborer Germany
                 living with Anthony & Eliza Forney  

HARFORD COUNTY 
199  821/817  William Presley     50 M W Laborer      MD
              Ellen "             27 F W              MD 

                    CALIFORNIA
SACRAMENTO COUNTY 
226 2022/2091 Jas. S. Pressley    32 M W None         MO

231 2135/2205 Jno. G. Presley     35 M W Laborer      PA

YUBA COUNTY 
226 230/230   Robert Presley      24 M W Miner        NY

                    OREGON
MARION COUNTY 
95  335/335   David Presley       49 M W Farmer 1500  NC
              Mahala "            40 F W              KY
              Anthony "           17 M W              MO
              Franklin "          15 M W              MO
              Elias "             13 M W              MO
              Almenis "           12 F W              MO
              Raosom "            10 M W              MO
              Ellen "              8 F W              MO
              Elizabeth "          6 F W              MO
              Melvina "            1 F W              OR
              Barbara Smith       21 F W              OR
              Rhoda "              1 F W              OR
 

                 MAINE
CUMBERLAND COUNTY 
13  ---/201  Michael Presley      22 M W Laborer   Ireland  

HANCOCK COUNTY 
248   35/37  Wm. Presley          22 M W Milman N. Brunswick     

WASHINGTON COUNTY 
203 96/99    Kenneth Presley      51 M W Blacksmith N.Scotia
             Jane "               48 F W                NH
             William "            27 M W Seaman         NH
             Elizabeth "          25 F W                NH     
             Mary "               22 F W                NH
             Alexander "          20 M W Laborer        NH
             Sarah J. "           15 F W                ME
             James "              13 M W                ME
             Joseph K. "          11 M W                ME
             Greenleif "           8 M W                ME
             Rebecca "             6 F W                ME
             S.B."              3/12 F W                ME

228 99/129   Sarah Presley        59 F W                NS
             John W. "            17 M W                NS

228 --/133   James A. Presley     29 M W Spar Maker     NB
             Helen M. "           23 F W                NB
             George W. "           4 M W                ME
             Augustus M. "         2 M W                ME
             Eliza A. Johnson      1 F W                ME


                 NEW HAMPSHIRE
COOS COUNTY 
-   256/281  Hiram Presley        36 M W Laborer        NH
             Emaline "            26 F W                NH
             Charles "             8 M W                NH

GRAFTON COUNTY 
111 96/98    Willard Presley      16 M W                NH

138 324/326  George W. Presley    28 M W Farmer         NH
             Catharine "          28 F W                NH
             Solomon "             4 M W                NH
             Camilla C. "          2 F W                NH
             ---- "             2/12 M W                NH
             Webster Dow          21 M W                NH

SULLIVAN COUNTY 
-   315/358  Nathl. Presley       64 M W Farmer 3000    NH
             Martha "             62 F W                NH
             Eliza "              31 F W                NH
             Carlos "             20 M W Farmer         NH
 

                 CONNECTICUT
HARTFORD COUNTY 
60   -/84     Mr. Prisley         35 M W Weaver    Germany
              Mrs. "              31 F W           Germany
              Adaladia "           1 F W                CT    

NEW HAVEN COUNTY 
338 2673/2806 Mary Pristley        5 F W                CT
                 in a orphanage  

                 MASSACHUSETTS

MIDDLESEX COUNTY 
399 2095/2059 Sarah Presley      21 F W    -            NH  

NORFOLK COUNTY 
2   17/24     Wm. Presley        50 M W Laborer         NS
              Margaret "         10 F W                 NS
              Sarah "            60 F W                 NS
              Nathl. Humphrey    30 M W Laborer         MA
              Mary "             27 F W                 NJ
              Wm. "               2 M W                 MA
 
SUFFOLK COUNTY 
192 131/282   Sarah Presley      29 F W                 ME

211 642/1378  Mich. Presley      20 M W Painter         MA

282 800/1363  David T. Bressller 50 M W Mechanic        MA
              Mary K. "          46 F W                 ??
              John E. "          19 M W                 ??
              Sarah F. "         12 F W                 MA
              Ellen M. "          8 F W                 MA
              Charles H. "        6 M W                 MA

314 71/112    Moses E. Presley   28 M W Driver          NH
              Sarah "            24 F W                 MA
              Joseph E. "         1 M W                 MA


                 MINNESOTA

RAMSEY COUNTY 
41 125/125   Barton Presley      28 M W Merchant    Germany
             Mary E. "           26 F W                 MO
             Charles North       21 M W Segar Maker     MO
             Henry Schindler     17 M W Segar Maker Germany
 

CORRECTION

From Marlene Webb - Sept. 1988 Newsletter, p.7: My great grandfather was overlooked in the Union County, South Carolina, listing from the 1850 Census:

    p. 12.  Aadam Presley  37 M W
            Nancy "        32 F W
            Leander "      11 M W
            Mary "         10 F W
            David "         9 M W
            Tally "         7 M W
            Alexander "     6 M W
            Benjamin "      4 M W
            Levi "          2 M W
            Eliza "      7/12 F W

Adam was the son of Charles & Elishia (Jenkins) Pressley. Also in the census was John Presley, age 10, living with Thomas & Nancy Danner (not Tanner). John, who died ca. 1855, was the son of Lewis Presley, brother of Adam, who moved to Miss. in 1847, and John was living with his Danner Grandparents.

PRESLEY

PRESSLEY

A BRIEF AND VERY INCOMPLETE SURVEY OF COLONIAL FAMILIES

Several readers have indicated unfamiliarity with the various Presley/ Preslar/Pressly/Bressler families in colonial America and with some of the previously published or available references on these families. While the Newsletter is filled with unsolved genealogical puzzles, there were some major families and their branches, familiarity with which can enable a reader to understand better some of the material presented herein.

If you've pondered as to why our Association is concerned with all these families which came from different countries and were obviously unrelated, the answer is simple. You can't necessarily tell that an individual in the county records is of English, Irish, or German origin. As we have repeatedly seen, people changed their names, county clerks changed the spelling, and more often than not it's impossible to tell to what family a person belongs until the lineage is proven through research.

The earliest Presleys in America arrived in the 1600's. The most well-known of these were the Presleys of Northumberland Co., Virginia, every male member of which was prominent in public life from 1647 to 1749. Unfortunately, the male line became extinct, although many descendants through the female lines are now living.

References: Keach, Mrs. O.A., "The Preslys of Northumberland," Va. Mag, of Hist. & Bioq., XXXIV (1926): 92-93, 187-192, 287-292? XXXV (1927): 87-88. Reprinted in Genealogies of Va. Families (Va. Mag, of Hist. & Bioq.), Vol. X, p. 871-876.
Keach, Mrs. O.A., "The Presly Family of Northumberland County." reprinted in Genealogies of Va. Families (Tyler's Quarterly), Vol. III, p. 71-76.
Fulcher, Richard C., The Presley Saga, Vol. IV, 1976.

In 1710 John Valentine & Anna Christina Pressler and family arrived in New York with the large group of Palatine immigrants who had fled Germany to England with the hope of settling in the New World. Valentine's son, Anthony, settled in Ulster Co., New York, and his descendants were in the Northeast and later in the Midwest. His other three sons, Andrew, John, and Peter, migrated south through Maryland and Virginia to Anson Co., North Carolina, around 1750. From there their descendants spread throughout the South. There was much anglicization of the surname spelling to Presley.

References°. Dunn, Edwin C., Some Genealogical Notes on the Preslar/Presley Family of Anson Co., N.C_., 1985.
Fulcher, Richard C., The Presley Saga, Vol. I, 1977.
Andrea, Leonardo, "Preslar-Presly," 1961 (microfilmed manuscript at South Caroliniana Library, Columbia, S.C.)

In South Carolina in 1734 William Pressley, David Pressley, and John Pressley are believed to have arrived in Williamsburg Co. from Ireland William's descendants are known to have lived in that county until after the Civil War when they moved to California. While previously written histories have linked this Williamsburg Co. family to the families which settled in Abbeville Co. (96 District), S.C., we have presented evidence that David Pressley and family arrived from Ireland and was given land in S.C. in 1767, and John Pressley arrived from Ireland in 1773.

References: Pressly, William L., The Pressly Family, n.d. (1978-84), LDS microfilm #1035515 item 10.
Andrea, Leonardo, "Preslar-Presley," 1961 (microfilmed manuscript at South Caroliniana Library, Columbia, S.C.).
Fulcher, Richard C., The Presley Saga, Vol. Ill, 1978.

In 1749 Johannes Bressler arrived in Pennsylvania. In the same year three brothers, Hans Georg Simon, Georg, and Nicklas Bressler also arrived in Pennsylvania from Germany. A collection of family group sheets on the family of Johannes Bressler has been placed in our archive by Betty Bunting, and she is currently preparing family group sheets on the other family (her own antecedents and relatives). Many branches of these families spread into the Midwest.

References: "Genealogical Data Collected & Compiled by Ivy Nickle, Swanton, Ohio — Bressler Family", IDS microfilm #6018429.
Kintner, Herman F., "Georg Bressler", 1985, LDS microfilm #1035766 item
Bressler, Harry F., "Translation of Notes in 1716 Bressler Family Bible' 1969, LDS microfilm #963338 item 3.

Another Presley family which was in South Carolina around the time of the Revolutionary War was located in Edgefield District. This family is known to have originated in Virginia and to have had several branches which moved into Georgia, including John and Moses Presley, Revolutionary War soldiers of Henry Co., Ga. It is not known when or from where this family arrived in Virginia, and a great deal more research is needed on this family in Virginia, South Carolina, and Georgia.

References: Fulcher, Richard C., The Presley Saga, Vol. II, 1978.

Another Virginia family was in Rockbridge Co., Va., in the 1780's. James Presley (b. 1783) settled in Russell Co., Va., and his descendants have been traced in that area. More research on the earlier generations of this family also needs to be done.

References: Crabtree, Norma Jean, Leaving a Trail; Crabtree, Bales, Jackson, Presley 1987.

Having noted these families, it must hastily be stated that there undoubtedly were other families not yet identified by our research. We do know that other Presleys, etc., came to America in the 1600's and 1700's, but we presently know nothing about their descendants, if there were any.

We are also just beginning to learn something about the families of those Presleys/Presslers, etc., who came to the United States in the 1800's. These are probably more numerous than the colonial families. Our continued research will undoubtedly add to our knowledge of all these families.

THE PRESLEY/PRESLAR/PRESSLY PRESS

Passenger and Immigration Lists Index. Ed. by P. William Filby. Gale Research Co., Detroit, 1981 (3 vols.); 1982-1987 annual supplements (6 vols.).
(Ed. Note; The following combined list includes the name of the immigrant, age, place, date, reference code number & page number. The names of the immigrants in these volumes are taken from various references, each designated here by a code number, and the list of abbreviated references follows the list of immigrants Some immigrants are listed several times, a result of their initially being found in several different references, each of which will have a different code number.)

References

UNION COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, KIN

Union Co., N.C., was created in 1842 from Anson and Mecklenburg Cos., and the Preslar/Presley families residing there after that date are thus descended from the family which had its roots in old Anson Co. However, researchers have had some diffi- ^^ culty in sorting out these families and tieing them to the earlier Anson Co. branches.

In the study of the Anson Co. family published by this editor in 1985, several family lines were not followed, because their lands apparently fell into Mecklenburg Co., or after 1842, into Union Co. These lines were those of: (#34) Richard Preslar, the son of Thomas, who resided in Mecklenburg Co. in 1800 & 1810; (#45) Peter Preslar, : who wrote his will in 1824 and is known to have had sons, (#68) John, (#69) Elijah, (#70) Valentine, possibly others; (#53) Elias Preslar, who was named in several Mecklenburg Co. deeds from 1833; and (#54) Levi Preslar, whose family has already been discussed in the March 1988 issue of the Newsletter.

We now begin a series of articles which will bring together some of the problems on which our correspondents are working, offer some of the genealogical data which our Research Director, Jim Anderson, has compiled, and perhaps provide some clues to further research in this area.

Part 1 - Problems

Stephen J. Presley, 14 Argonne Dr., Greenville, S.C. 29605 has provided the following information about his ancestor, Eli Presley:

My great, great grandfather was Eli Presley. My Uncle Jack, ie. Jackson Eli Presley,1 has his name, but my family's knowledge of him stops with his name. Yes, there is the story that he had a lot of land and lost much of it. I have heard four theories as to how he lost his land: 1) His son Russell was retarded and had to live in the county home for years, the county acquiring the land to pay for keeping his son; 2) He lost the land gambling on a rifle, borrowing money on his home to buy a gun; 3) Hard times caused him to lose his mortgage; 4) He lost money on Civil War bonds that he bought to help the Confederacy»

My Uncle Shuford showed me Eli's short gray-slate tombstone near the back of the Mill Creek Baptist Church Cemetery. The lettering is hand-cut with a knife-like tool, covered with moss, and faintly reads: "Eli Presley, born Feb. 1817, died Jan. 18, 1896".

Eli's family was listed in the 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 censuses. He married firstly to Polly (Mary) Braswell (daughter of Shadrad Braswell & Sarah Trull), born ca 1820, died 1873-5. By her he had sixteen children:

1) William Erwin (Irvin) Presley, b. ca. 1842 Union Co., m. 20 July 1865 Lydia Adeline Price. Children: Tom, Lum, Bud, Charlie, Ruthie.
2) Rhoda Malinda (Linda) Presley, b. 23 Mar. 1843 Union Co., d. 26 Oct. 1915, m. 16 Oct. 1875 George W. Sherrin. Children: Cull, Maggie, Conder, Delph, Hamp.
3) John Evan Presley, b. ca. 1845 Union Co., d. in Civil War, never married.
4) Esther Ellen Presley, b. 10 Nov. 1846 Union Co., d. 14 Feb. 1934, bur. Mill Cr. Bapt. Ch. Cam., m. 30 Nov, 1875 John Farah Ellington Braswell, b. 25 Mar. 1837, d. 13 Jan. 1903,, Children: Estelle, Asberry, Ben, Lonnie. Esther married secondly, Joe Tomberlin.
5) James W, Presley, b. ca. 1849 Union Co., m. Sept, 1873 Sarah E. Griffin. Children ; John, Sam, Hattie, Flora, others.
6) Thomas C. Presley, b. 17 Feb. 1850 Union Co., do 29 Jan. 1916, m. 27 Aug. 1872 Frances Ann Griffin, b. 12 Mar. 1853, d. 21 Jan. 1926. Children: Eulen, Walker, Mallie, Metta, Odis.
7) Mary Minerva Presley, b. ca. 1851 Union Co., d. 17 Dec. 1917, m. 1870 William Sherrin. Children: James Raymond, John, Ellison, Henry, Mary Jane, Bretty, Jarvis, Bundy, Rosa, Ed.
8) Sarah M. Presley, b. ca. 1853, m. 9 Mar. 1873 William E. Wooten. Children: Henry, Minnie, Roxie, Walter, Leona, Homa.
9) Eliza (or Mary) Jane Presley, b. 1857, d. 1924, m. 21 Nov. 1869 Wade Hampton (Hamp) Braswell (son of James Milton Braswell & Obedience Price). Children: Charlie, Maylon, Ruf, John, Ben, Dewitt, Floyd, Lizzie, Minnie, Jim, Laura.

10) David A. Presley, b. ca. 1857, m. 22 Mar. 1888 Annie Summerlin.
11) Milton D. Presley, b. ca. 1859, ra. Elizabeth Mullis. Children: Lillie, Dora, Reese, Bert, others.
12) A. Wilson Presley, b. 1861 Union Co., d. 1936, m. Rena Medlin, b. 1871, d. 1919. Children: Dora, Martha, Mary Jane, Asbury, Beadie.
13) Russell (Russ) Presley, b. ca. 1862 Union Co., "idiotic", never married.
14) George Culpepper Presley (my great grandfather), b. 29 Mar. 1864 Union Co., d. 30 June 1935, bur. Midway Bapt. Ch., Wingate, N.C., of which he was a past deacon, ra. 27 Nov. 1884 Laura Ellen Sells, b. 31 Apr. 1862, d. 25 Mar. 1938 (dau. of John & M.J. Sells). Children: Thomas Frank, John Worley, Richmond Eli, Henry, Harvey Culpepper, Sanford Oscar, Samuel Houston, Joel Wriston (my grandfather).
15) John Evans Presley, b. ca. 1866 Union Co., m. Sophronia (Fronnie) Meggs (Meiggs). Children: Lester, Lonnie, Carrie, Bill, Blair, Beulah, May Belle, Lola.
16) Garrison H. Presley, b. 1870 Union Co., d. 1936, m. firstly, Frances Querry Helms, b. 6 Apr. 1870, d. 11 Dec. 1911. Children: Braxton. Garrison m. secondly, Mary Jane Estridge, b. 20 Jan. 1879, d. 2 Mar. 1953. Children: Odessa, Clyde, Tommy Lee, Maude, Reed, Hoyle, others(?). Garrison was the bellringer at Mill Cr. Church.

Eli Presley married secondly, 21 Aug. 1875 to Catherine Norcott Helms, b. ca. 1835 (dau. of Jonathan & Lucy Norcott). A child by this marriage:
17) Millie J. Presley, b. ca. 1876, m. a Hargett.

In trying to identify Eli Presley's father, eleven years passed before my Uncle Shuford in 1987 found the answer in Anson Co. Deed Book: 2, p. 179: This identure made this 25th day of September in the year of our Lord 1835 between John Presley of the State of No. Carolina and county of Anson and Eli Presley of the said county of the other part witnesseth that for and in consideration of the sum of ten dollars to him in hand paid the receipt and payment whereof the said John Presley doth acknowledge, hath given bargained and sold unto the said Eli Presley his son his heirs and assigns a certain tract of land lying and being in the county of Anson on Mill Creek. Beginning at a stake by a pine and two red oaks runs No 3 West 22 chains & 50 links to a stake by 3 red oaks then So 87 Wt 45 chains to a stake then So 3 E 22 chains & 50 links to a stake in said Helms line then with his line to the beginnin Containing one hundred acres of land be the same more or less. To have and to hold to him the said Eli Presley his heirs and assigns forever free and clear from him the said John Presley his heirs and assigns the said premises free and clear together with all houses lands and tenements with all ways woods waters mines minerals and hereditaments and appurtenances and the said John Presley doth hereby covenant & defend the said premises free and clear to the sole use of the said Eli Presley from all just claims or lawful demands whatsoever in as good &• lawful a manner as the most learned in the law can demise. In witness whereof I have here unto set my hand and affixed my seal the day and date above written. his

Seal
John x Presley
mark
witnesses: L.R. Norkitt T.C. Presley
In the presence of us) E. Price Sherod Sikes
Anson Co. October term 1835. Then this deed was duly proven in open court by E. Price & Ordered to be registered. W. Dismurks, clerk, by N.D. Boggan.

Jimmy Johnson Furr, 3020 Westerwood Dr., Charlotte, N.C. 28214 submitted a query in the Sept. 1987 Newsletter, p. 11, regarding the family of Milas R. Presley, b. 2 Fe 1820, d. 18 July 1864, bur. Presson Cem. in Union Co. His Civil War pension application is in the Association archive. He married 12 Apr. 1845 to Agnes Helms. Their children were listed as: 1) Elias P. Presley, b. 1846, m. Lydia ___.
2) Nancy C. Presley, b. 1848, m. firstly, John Williams; m. secondly Henry M. Price.
3) John Wesley Presley, b. 1850.
4) Mary E. Presley, b. 1852.
5) Rachel M. Presley, b. 1854, m. Cyrus L. Price.
6) Jacob Culpepper Presley, b. 1857 Isabel Clontz
7) Marion Presley, b. 1858, m. Ivey J. Griffin.

8) Mahala Caroline Presley, b. 1860.

James E. Anderson, our Research Director, has suggested that Milas R. Presley was also a son of John Presley, and therefore, a brother of Eli Presley. There are some interesting Union Co. deeds which support this possibility. A partition of the lands of John Presley, dec'd. , on 19 Sept. 1878 (Deed Bk. 11, p. 120) shows that 241 acres was divided into four lots of equal value, lot #1 going to J.W. Presley, lot #2 going » to C.N. Simpson, lot #3 going to E.A. Price, and lot #4 going to the heirs at law of Milas R. Presley, namely H.M. Price & wife Nancy C., C.L. Price & wife Rachel M., Mary E. Presley, J.W. Presley, J.C. Presley, and Caroline Presley.

The heirs of lot #4 sold it on 1 Feb. 1879 to Henry M. Price, apparently the husband of Nancy C. Presley. The land of John Presley which was divided in 1878 was west of, and adjoining, the old Anson-Mecklenburg Co, line. His alleged son, Eliasf or his heirs, did not receive a share. John probably had been dead for a number of years prioj to the division of the land and Elias may have earlier sold his interest, or he may have been previously deeded his share by his father (the above 1835 deed, for example). In related deeds, dtd. 5 & 6 Apr. 1858, William Price & Delilah Price (Deed Bk. 5 p. 335) and J.N. Price & wife Dovey (Deed Bk. 5, p. 327) deeded their "undivided interest" in a 100 acre tract west of and adjoining the "old county line" to Milas R. Presle] Were these grandchildren of John Presley? In connection with these names it is interesting that the 1850 Union Co. census shows:

p. 77. 1127/1127 John Presley Sr.     age 85
                 Nelson Price	          22
                 Dovy "                   24
                 Mary "                    3
                 Edw. A. "               4/12

This John Presley has not at present been satisfactorily identified. The Editor's opinion is that he was probably a son (#68) of (#45) Peter Preslar (see Dunn, pp. 15-17] but additional evidence needs to be compiled.

Another unidentified Union Co. Presley family is that of Louise Presley Walden, 1706 Tom Boyd Rd., Monroe, N.C. 28110. Thomas R. Presley, b. 1825, d. 1916, nu 31 Jan. 1851 Mecklenburg Co., N.C., Agnes Helms, b. 1826 (dau. of William M. Helms & Rebecca Broom). Their children were:

1) William Pressley, b. 1852, d. 21 Mar. 1919, m. Isabella , b. 15 July 1853, d. 8 Aug. 1916.
2) Marion Thomas Pressley, b. 25 July 1857, d. 8 Nov. 1923, m. 11 Jan. 1874 Lucy Jane Griffin, b. 28 July 1856, d. 14 Mar. 1915.
3) Miles Pressley, b. 1859, d. 1 Apr. 1934, m. 11 May 1879 Nancy Jane French, b. 1861 d. 26 Sept. 1930.
4) Alsie Pressley, b. 1861, m. William McLean.
5) Lucinda (Cindy) Pressley, b. 19 Jan. 1868, d. 8 June 1941, m, 28 Jan. 1883 John A. Helms, b. 1860.
6) Rachel Pressley, b. 1869, d. 26 Mar. 1923, unmarried.
7) Mary Jane Pressley, b. 11 Nov. 1875, d. 12 Oct. 1954, m. 29 Dec. 1894 Robert W. Byrum, b. 7 Mar. 1874, d. 13 Sept. 1949.

As previously stated in these pages (June 1988 Newsletter), Thomas R. Presley was a son of Hannah Presley, b. 1800 in N.C., and had two sisters, Elizabeth, b. 1835, and Mary A., b. 1839 (1850 Union Co. census),, Hannah was listed as head of household in the 1840 Mecklenburg Co. census, indicating that her husband probably died between 1835 and 1840. Hannah died after 1870 (she was listed as Hannah Preslar in the 1860 & 1870 censuses)„

Jim Anderson has asked if Thomas1 father could have been a son of John also. John died after 1850, so that this son may not have been mentioned in the distribution of the estate of John. However, Thomas1 widow, Hannah, and family would have received some mention, which was not the case.

CURRENT FAMILY NEWS

Rebecca Marcia Presley, daughter of Chester Hubert & Mary Lee (Simpson) Presley of Greenville, S.C., was married on 24 Sept. 1988 in Mobile, Ma., to Kevin Andrew Lowery, son of Mr. & Mrs. Wilton Lowery of Semmes, Ala.

- Stephen J. Presley, 14 Argonne Dr., Greenville, S.C.29605

Lisa Marie Presley, 20, daughter of the late Elvis Presley, and musician Danny Keogh, 23, recited wedding vows on Oct. 3rd during a private ceremony in Hollywood at the Church of Scientology with mother Priscilla Beaulieu Presley, family and a few friends in attendance.

- The Albuquerque Tribune, 6 Oct. 1988

FAMILY GROUP DATA

(Ed. Note: The following was submitted by Lorlei Keep Metke, address withheld.)

John Pressly, b. S.C., d. ca. 1837 prob. Rush Co., Ind., m. 4 Apr. 1816 Preble Co., Ohio, Elizabeth Weed (dau. Nathaniel & Elizabeth Weed), b. ca. 1796 Abbeville Co., S.C.

Children:
1) Margaret P. Presslyf b. prob. Preble Co., Ohio, m. 19 May 1843 John M. Summerville.
2) Nathaniel Weed Pressly (see below).
3) David Knox Pressly (see below).
4) Elizabeth A. Pressly, b. Abbeville Co., S.C.
5) Joseph L. Pressly, b. ca. 1826 Abbeville Co., S.C., m. 1 Dec. 1853 Hannah M. Cochran.
6) George William Pressly, b. ca. 1830 Abbeville Co., S.C., Nancy
7) John B. Pressly, b. ca. 1834 Abbeville Co., S.C., d. 16 July 1879, m. Rebecca ___.

Nathaniel Weed Pressly, b. ca. 1819 prob. Abbeville Co., S.C., m. 20 Feb. 1845 Nancy A. Foster, b. Ill.
Children:
1) Mary E. Pressly, b. Ind., m. ___ Stephenson.
2) Robert Theodore Pressly, b. 21 June 1848 Battleground, Tippecanoe Co., Ind., d. 12 Apr. 1897, m. 15 Feb. 1871 Melissa Milton McGaw.

David Knox Pressly, b. 17 Nov. 1821 Abbeville Co., S.C.; d. 15 June 1881 Boone Co., Ind., bur. Salem Gem., Boone Co., Ind.; m. firstly, 16 Sept. 1845 Rush Co., Ind., Mary Ann Maze (dau. Samuel & Isabella (Stephenson) Maze), b. 28 May 1828 Union Co., Ind., d. 21 Apr. 1862 Boone Co., Ind., bur. Salem Cem., Boone Co., Ind.; m. secondly, 30 Sept. 1862 Boone Co., Ind., Jane Weed (widow of Nathaniel Weed, cousin of David Pressly).
Children:
1) John Thomas Pressly, b. 29 May 1847 Centre, Rush Co., Ind., d. 18 Apr. 1919, m. 12 Mar. 1867 Julia Ann Wiley.
2) Elizabeth Jane Pressly, b. 17 May 1850 Centre, Rush Co., Ind., d. 15 May 1852.
3) Frances Isabelle Pressly, b. 13 May 1853 Boone Co., Ind., d. 19 Sept. 1927, m. 31 Mar. 1870 Willard Clark Haynes.
4) Samuel Maze Pressly, b. 25 Apr. 1856 Boone Co., Ind., d. 2 June 1896, m. 12 Nov. 1879 Mary Colter, b. Ireland.
5) Rebecca Florence Pressly, b. 15 Dec. 1859 Northfield, Boone Co., Ind., d. 1 Jan. 1940, m. 12 Nov. 1879 Robert Simpson Crawford.