EARLY PRESLEYS OF CANADA

(Ed. Note: Fred C. Presley is the author of the following article, for which we are very grateful.)

The two Presle references to Montreal,Canada,1653, in the Passenger and Immigration Lists Index (1991 Supplement) refer to a family from France that settled in New France. In English their name is pronounced Prel so there is little chance of their name ending up as Presley, but anything is possible. Benoit Presle,age 20,was in the Montreal, Quebec census of 1666. Anne Preselle,age 12,died at Hotel-Dieu de Quebec hospital, Montreal in 1694. Then Lieut.M.de Presle died in 1755 at Louisbourg fortress on the Atlantic coast of Canada. All of the above could have been related to one other. Today there are no Presle listings in the telephone directories of Montreal and Quebec cities. In France or Belgium there are towns named; Presle, Presly, Presles.

Heinrich Presser, 1783, Canada, is in Passenger and Immigration Lists Index. On June 1, 1823 Henry Presley was baptized near Montrealf Que^, the son of Guillaum (William) and Bridget Presley of Hinchinbrook Township, Que. If Heinrich changed his name to Henry this could have been his grandson. I do not have any other trails to follow for Heinrich.

John Pressly,America,1746,is a possible connection to Canada found in the Passenger and Immigration Lists unless one of you have already traced his descendants and found no Canadian connection. I suggest his name because the first references to my part of the family are to a John Pressly who was located in Canada by the St. Lawrence River before Nov.1,1786.

Christian Presler,Quebec,1850,is also in the Passenger Lists. Possibly he located in Ontario, Canada near Trenton but currently I believe Preslers and Presleys from New York, U.S.A. account for all the Preslers and Presleys in the Trenton area.

(continued on page three)

Now that Summer is over, I imagine that we can all turn more of our attention to genealogy. Most of us probably have several genealogical projects going at the same time. I know I do. For that reason we are all very busy, and we must all pull together to make our Association a continuing success. Let me hear from you. We need your input, your contributions, your questions, your criticisms. It's your organization, and it will be what you, the members, make it.

Presleys of Canada (continued):
Valentine Presler from Germany arrived in New York in 1709 with his wife and five children. Edwin Dunn of our Presley/Preslar/ Pressly Family Research Association noted that Valentine Presler had a son Anthony who moved to Ulster County, N.Y. and the other sons moved to Anson County, N.C. Anthony is likely the ancestor of the New York state Presleys and of the Presleys in Canada if they also were from New York state.

John Presley,Samuel Presley and James Presley all joined the British Army in New York during the American Revolution. John Presley joined Captain John Aldingtons'Company of Guides Pioneers in the autumn of 1776. The unit served in the 1777 Philadelphia campaign, the seige of Charleston in 1780 and the raid into Virginia in 1781. Samuel Presley served in another brigade according to the Jan.'86 newsletter. James Presley joined the Kings' American Dragoons in December, 1781 and was in that unit until 1783.

Those already mentioned could be connected to Presleys in Canada. I also am curious about the South Carolina Pressleys, John Pressley, 1772, Scottish-Irish immigrant, especially. The spelling Pressley, matches some of the early references to my ancestors in Canada in the 1780s and we say we are Irish.

Private John Pressly/Presley of the 6th or 41st Regiment of the British Army died in Quebec city, Quebec in 1800. John Pressly was named on the Patrick McNiff Map of November 1, 1786 in Osnabruck Township, Ont. near the St. Lawrence River. Soon after he was again mentioned in neighbouring Dundas County as a land owner. John left a wife, Elizabeth (Fitzpatrick), and four children; Catherine (b.1791), John (b.1793), James (b.1796), George (b.1799). Johns' widow married John Baxter and had a son Daniel in 1801 and moved to Curran, Ontario. Elizabeths' parents were from Mohawk Valley, New York and had to move to Canada because they were loyal to the King.

Catherine Presley (b.1791) married Patrick Benson in 1812 in Ontario and they moved to Curran, Ont. where Patrick taught school and then farmed. John Presley married Almira Raymond in 1815 and had at least three children in Canada before moving to Clayton, N.Y. In the U.S.census of 1850 John and Almira are listed in Jefferson County, N.Y.(see Dec.'86 newsletter) with some of their fourteen children. John is listed as born in E. Canada (Quebec)

while Almira as born in Vermont. At their marriage John said Samuel was his fathers' name so I don't know if John was raised by his uncle or if there were two Johns.,, James Presley (b.1796) married Ann Lince in 1827 and moved to south-western Ontario near London. James and Ann had a family and then were buried there. Some of their children and grandchildren moved to the U.S. midwest and on to the west coast. George Presley (b.1799) married Olive Cryderman (b.1796) who had previously married John C.Horton and had a daughter. George and Olive moved to Curran, Ont. and raised their eight or nine children there. The parents and grandparents of Olive were Loyalists in Mohawk Valley, N.Y. George and Olive Presley were buried near Curran, Ont. in Westminster Cemetery. Their sons William and George had been involved in building and maintaining the Presbyterian church that formerly stood at Westminster. I am descended from the eldest son, William (b.1822).

Already mention has been made of Guillaum (William) Presley and his wife Bridget and son Henry (b.1823) in Hinchinbrook Tp., Que. which is across the St. Lawrence River from where the other Canadian Presleys were then living. Guillaum is the French form of the name William and the priest who filled in the baptizm record was French. William may have been the "Mr. Pressly"in Lower Canada (Quebec) who wrote a letter on Dec. 29, 1836 to the Colonial Office in London, England concerning taxes.

Next is Aaron Presler from New York state who also married the daughter of a Loyalist. She was Ellen Peterson (b.1812) from Fredericksburgh Township. They settle in Camden East Township, Ont. and had a family of about ten children. Near the same time John Presley (b.1806) of New York state moved to Rawdon Township, Ont. with his wife Sarah Anne Johnson (b.1811). In Canada they had a family which included; Munroe (b.1833), John (b.1838), Emily, Marshall, and likely James (b.1834). Marshall died in the U.S. Civil War but in a later census James Presley (b.1834) had a son named Marshall (b.1865). James William Presley (b.1830) married Hanna Maria Potts (b.1851?) in 1866 near Trenton, Ont. and he stated that his fathers' name was Ira. There was an Ira Presley in New York state. William and Maria both went by their middle names. They had the following children; William (b.1869), Harry (b.1872), Melissa (b.1874?), John (b.1876). All but Melissa settled in Ottawa, Ont. Melissa settled in Trenton, Ont. We lose track of William who worked in canal construction but Maria remarried in Ottawa and had a son Charles by her new husband.

The marriage of Lodvich Presler (b.1827) to Catherine Ferguson in the autumn of 1851 and the marriage of Thankful Presley (b.1829) to Abel Thompson in the spring of 1852 are recorded in Brighton, Ont. near Trenton. In one house in the 1851 census for Cramahe Tp., Ont. there were Presleys as follows; Lodvich (b.1827) and his wife Elizabeth (b.1833), Johnson (b.1830), Harvey? (b.1834). Thomas Presly (b.1843) and his wife Annie (b.1849) and one daughter were in nearby Hungerford Township in the 1851 census where Thomas was a hotel keeper.

Thomas Prestley (b. 1819) from County Wexford, Ireland moved to Canada and married an Irish girl, Catherine Burns (b. 1819), in 1842 in Ottawa, Ont. They farmed in Gloucester Tp. about five miles east of Ottawa and had four children: Rose Ann (b. 1844), Joseph (b- 1848), Stephen (b. 1850), Julia (b. 1852). Thomas and Catherine and several generations of their descendants were buried in Notre-Dame Cemetery, Ottawa.

John Presley immigrated to Canada to Brantford, Ontario in the spring of 1843. I doubt that he was from U.S.A. but more likely he was from Britain. There is no trace of him afterward that I have found.

Robert Prestley (b. 1819) left Ireland about 1847 and his wife died at sea. Robert insisted that she be buried on land despite the ship's crew wanting to bury her at sea. With his children, Robert completed the trip to Ontario and settled west of Ottawa, Ont. in Goulbourn Township. His sons Joseph (b. 1839), Henry (b. 1840) and William (b. 1844) were raised by Priscilla Stacial (b. 1826), Robert Prestley's new wife. Robert's daughter Rachel {b. 1845) was raised by someone else, I think. Priscilla and Robert had a large family including: Susan, Sarah, Robert, Elizabeth, John, James, Thomas, and others. Robert and Priscilla were buried in the Anglican (Episcopalian) Church cemetery at Ash ton, Ont. Two of the sons born in Ireland moved to the Gatineau Valley in Quebec province and settled there. Most of the other children settled in Ontario.

These are the early Presleys of Canada to my knowledge. Today Presley families are found in seven of Canadas1 ten provinces. They have contributed to the religious, educational and social life of their communities and have served in the two world wars and in Korea. Most Presleys in Canada have English as their first language but some in Ottawa and in Quebec province have French as their mother tongue. I do not know of any Presley in Canada becoming a notable figure. In both Ontario and Quebec province there is one small lake named Presley. Quebec province in this article has been refered to using several names but Ontario has not. Ontario has had the identification of Upper Canada, Canada West and before 1791 was even part of Quebec. In the Canadian Rockies there is a Mount Prestley. For most of the early Presleys a grave stone is the most permanent mark in this world and the rest do not even have that.

It is known that there are an infinite number of worlds, simply because there is an infinite amount of space for them to be in. However, not every one of them is inhabited. Therefore, there must be a finite number of inhabited worlds. Any finite number divided by infinity is as near to nothing as makes no odds, so the average population of all planets in the Universe can be said to be zero. From this it follows that the population of the whole Universe is also zero, and that any people you may meet from time to time are merely the products of a deranged imagination. (Douglas Adams, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe) - Fred Alan Wolf, Parallel Universes. New York,1988.

FROM THE FAMILY HISTORY LIBRARY--
(Ed. Note: Alice Brower, address withheld has been commissioned by the Association to research various sources in the Family History Library in Salt Lake City for references to Presley, etc. We have asked her to search indexes and indexed records and books that might yield relevant information and/or provide clues to members for where additional research might be undertaken by them.

Initially, we have asked her to search Tennessee sources, since so many family historians have had so much difficulty with families that have passed through that state. Many of the sources she has checked for us do not yield any Presley data, but in a future issue we will print a list of the sources checked by her, so that future researchers in those counties will not have to repeat the effort.

Information collected will be deposited in our Association archive by our Research Director. As space permits in the Newsletter, this material will be published. Some of the material she has so far passed along to us follows here.

Numbers refer to the LDS microfilm numbers or to the Dewey Decimal numbers of printed sources in the Family History Library.)

999,874 Blount Co., Tenn., "Index to Deeds 1794-1891".

1847 Paresley, Samuel etal to John C. Caldwell etal., Vol. U, p. 174-5
1840 Presley, William to Alex Armstrong, Trustee Mortgage, Vol. Q, p. 92-93
1855 Presley, William & wife to James Henry, Vol. 4, p. 698-9
1876 Presley, William from R.J. Allen & wife, Vol. GG, p. 108
1878 Presley, William to R.M. Hood, Vol. GG, p. 432
1888 Pressley, Asa & wife to K.S. R.R. Co., Vol 41, p. 209
1876 Presley, John etal to M.C. Ballard, Vol. GG, p. 183
1873 Presley, J.C. from C.C. Cowan, Vol. GG, p. 234
1876 Presley, John etal to W.R. Ballard, Vol. GG, p. 250
1876 Presley, John R. & wife from J.C. Bell etal, Vol. GG, p. 307
1876 Presley, John R. to J.C. Bell, Vol. GG, p. 315
1887 Presley, James from C.S. Hughes & wife, Vol. 41, p. 317
1876 Presley, Jno. R. & wife to Jas. A. Duncan, Vo. 43, p. 371
1891 Presley, James & wife to R.S. Kithcart, Vol. 43, p. 539

1,010,968 Blount Co., Tenn., "Index to Deeds 1891-1916"
1893 Prestly, J.R. from W.A. Medlin & wife, Vol. 46, p. 7
1894 Presley, James G. & wife to Lewis George etal, Vol. 46, p. 162
1894 Pressley, James & wife to A.B. Metier, Vol. 46, p. 328
1894 Pressley, James & wife to A.J. Simmons, Vol. 46, p. 328
1898 Presley, Elizabeth to Samuel Taylor, Vol. 51, p. 92
1900 Presley, Elizabeth to George Russell & wife, Vol. 52, p.220.

1893 Pressley, Mary E from John M. Boyd & wife, Vol. 47, p.560
1899 Pressley, James & wife from C.T. Cates, Vol. 51, p. 278
1903 Pressley, Mrs. Mary E. to Mrs. Amanda Irwin, Vol. 53, p. 97
1903 Pressley, Mary E from John T. Anderson & wife, Vol. 58, p. 104
1904 Pressley, Mary E from John E. Winters & wife, Vol. 58, p. 289
1904 Pressley, Mary E from Charles Scrivener & wife, Vol. 58, p. 290
1904 Pressley, Mary E. to Edgar Griffitts, Vol. 59, p. 31
1906 Pressley, M.E. to Mrs. M.E. Pressley, Vol. 64, p. 139
1906 Pressley, Mrs. M.E. from John M. Pressley etal, Vol. 64, p. 139
1906 Pressley, Mrs. M.E. from R.L. Pressley etal, Vol. 64, p. 139
1909 Pressley, Mary E to J.A. Long, Vol. 67, p. 265
1909 Pressley, Mary E from J.A. McNutt & Sam J. Broyles, Vol. 69, p. 7
1909 Pressley, Mary E from A.M. Cate & wife, Vol. 69, p. 26
1910 Pressley, Mrs. M.E. from J.A. Presley, Vol. 70, p. 121
1901 Pressley, Gus from Orlando Winters & wife, Vol. 9(sic), p. 551
1906 Presley, J.A. from James Huadison & wife, Vol. 65, p. 12
1907 Presley, J.A. from A.M. Cate & wife, Vol. 65, p. 572
1910 Pressly, J.A. & wife to Sam Gamblet & Jac Alien, Vol.70, p. 249
1907 Pressly, J.A. from A.M. Cate & wife, Vol. 73, p. 511
1911 Pressly, J.A. from W.W. Morton & wife, Vol. 73, p. 512
1912 Presley, J.A. & wife to Sam Gamble etal, Vol. 73, p. 545
1912 Presley, J.A. & wife to D.C. Marin etal, Vol. 73, p. 545
1912 Presley, J.A. from Sam Gamble & wife, Vol. 75, p. 551
1913 Presley, J.A. & wife to D.L. Bryan, Vol. 17, p. 598
1909 Presley, Mary E to A.M. Cate, Vol. 72, p. 428.
1912 Presley, Mary E to John Holland, Vol. 72, p. 507
1912 Presley, Mary E from J.A. McNutt & wife, Vol. 73, p. 160 or 168
1915 Presley, Mary E from J.C. Barnes & M.H. Gamble, Vol. 77, p. 246

888,875 Blount Co., Tenn., Probate Records of. Settlements and Guardians, Volume B.
p. 433. November 1887. Asa Pressly, a person of unsound mind. James S. Warren appointed guardian,
p. 475. January 1889. T.S. Jones appointed guardian to Asa Pressley.
p. 550. November 1887. Account of J.S. Warren guardian to Asa Pressley.
p. 562. December 1891. Account of T.S. Jones guardian to Asa Pressley.

THE PRESLEY/PRESLAR/PRESSLY PRESS

Court Order Book 1, Amelia Co., Va., 1735-1746. Abst. & Comp. by Gibson Jefferson McConnaughey. 1985. p. 194. [p. 317B] Court held May 18, 1745. Case William Yarbrough vs. Andrew Presley; Imparlance granted Deft.
p. 200. [p. 323B] Ct. cont. and held June 22, 1745. Case William Yarbrough vs. Andrew Presley dismissed.
p. 203. [p. 327A] Ct. held July 19, 1745. Case William Yarbrough Jr. by William Yarbrough, his next friend, vs. Andrew Prestley; Deft. failed to appear, so cond. judgment entered against him & Edmund Booker, his common bail.
p. 205. [p. 329A] Ct. held July 19, 1745. Debt action James Murray vs. James Farguson for 17/19/0 due by bond; Deft, failed to appear and cond. judgment granted against Deft, and Charles Burks, Robert Ferguson, Andrew Presler, John Benson, Michael NcDearman S William Westbrook. Judgment to be dischg. upon payment of 8/19/6 with int., cost and lawyer's fee.
p. 210. [p. 335B] Ct. cont. & held Aug. 17, 1745. Case William Yarbrough vs. Andrew Presley; George Currie & John Crenshaw, special bail. Imparlance granted Deft.
p. 215. [p. 341B] Ct. held Sept. 20, 1745. Case William Yarbrough Jr. by William Yarbrough his next friend vs. Andrew Presley; further imparlance granted Deft.
p. 220. [p. 347B] Ct. continued & held Nov. 16, 1745. The following cases are continued. [incl.] William Yarbrough vs. Andrew Presley
p. 223. [p. 350A] Ct. held Dec. 20, 1745. Debt action Robert Ferguson, Charles Burkes, Andrew Presler, John Benson, Michael McDearman & William Westbrook vs. James Ferguson. Deft. confessed judgment for 10/6/6 and 153 Ibs. tobacco with int. on 8/19/6. To Ptf. for sum, plus costs and lawyer's fee.
p. 225. [p. 351B] Ct. held Dec. 20, 1745. Case William Yarbrough vs. Andrew Presley; further imparlance granted Deft.
p. 252. Returns made by the various Sheriffs are entered at back of Order Book. (Yarbrough vs. Presley) Sept. 18, 1747. No inhabitant. George Walker, Sheriff.

Ancestors of American Presidents, Gary Boyd Roberts. Santa CA, 1989. Clarita, CA, 1989.
pp. 88-93.
1. James Earl Carter Jr., b. Plains, Ga. 1 Oct. 1924, m. Plains 7 July 1946 (Eleanor) Rosalynn Smith, b. Plains 18 Aug. 1927.
2. James Earl Carter, Calhoun Co., Ga. 12 Sept. 1894-Plains 22 July 1953, Sumter Co., Ga. 27 Sept. 1923.
3. Bessie Lillian Gordy, Richland, Ga. 15 Aug. 1898-Americus, Ga. 30 Oct. 1983.
6. James Jackson Gordy, Chattahoochee, Ga. 25 Oct. 1853-Americus 16 Jan. 1948, Chattahoochee Co. 6 Sept. 1888.
7. Mary Ida Nicholson, Chattahoochee Co. 10 Feb. 1871-Chattanooga, Tenn. 16 May 1951.
12. James Thomas Gordy, Baldwin Co., Ga. 13 Nov. 1828-Chattahoochee Co. 10 Oct. 1889, Chattahoochee Co. 26 Oct. 1854.
13. Harriet Emily Helms, 28 July 1836-Chattahoochee Co. 14 Feb. 1884.
26. Pamly Uriah Helms, prob. Mecklenbury Co., N.C. c. 1791-Sumter Co., Ga. c. 1848.
27. Elizabeth Fisher, Mecklenburg Co. c. 1792-living 1860 in Chattahoochee Co.
52. George Helms Jr., prob. Anson or Mecklenburg Co., N.C. c. 1758-Mecklenburg Co. betw. 1837 & Mar. 1838.
53. Sarah Pressley, d. prob. ante 1837.
104. George Helms, c. 1720-25 (prob. Bethlehem, Bucks Co., Pa., to Anson Co., N.C. c. 1748-49)-Anson or Mecklenburg Co., N.C. post 1800, Anson Co. c. 1755.
105. Mary Margaret Falkenborough, b. c. 1735.
106. Thomas Pressley, d. 1808.
107. Sarah.

(Ed. Note: Thomas Presley/Preslar was christened 27 Aug. 1730, the son of Andrew & Anne Presley, in St. Stephen's Parish, Cecil Co., Maryland, and his will was proved in Anson Co., N.C., in July 1808. Thus, it appears that the 39th President of the United States is a direct descendant, the 6th great grandson, of Valentine Pressler, the 1710 Palatine immigrant to New York.)

History of Smith County, Tennessee.
SILCOX FAMILY. F693. BillSilcox, my great grandfather, moved to Carthage from Moss, Clay County, Tennessee. He moved here in 1880. He married Roda Worley, a full blooded Cherokee Indian. He was a carpenter along with the other men in the family. He had nine children. One of his daughters married Martin Presley, who was Elvis Presley's great great grandfather. Her name was Gertrude Silcox.

(Ed. Note: This is the first encounter we have had with this name as being in Elvis' ancestry. Can anyone provide more information? This article was found and submitted by Joy

For King or Country. A Bicentennial Project. Revolutionary War Era Ancestors with 200 Years of Descendants. Vol. II. Orange Co., Calf., Genealogical Society, 1976.
pp. 180-182. "William Miller was born 1 Mar. 1757 in Penn. according to his Revolutionary War deposition.... The family migrated to Rockbridge Co., Va., between William's 13th and 14th year.... In 1785 William married Elizabeth Lackey .... They were the parents of the following children, all born in Rockbridge Co., Va.: [including] Martha Miller b. 24 Oct. 1800, m. William Pressley of Preble, Ohio, brother of Rev. John Pressley of the Presby. Church. William had m. 1 ) Mary Gilmore, cousin of Martha, and it was the result of correspondence with her after his wife's death that he returned to Va. and married Martha. They lived in Preble where he had a store; then removed to Monmouth, 111., where he had a very successful mercantile business."
OCCGS Member, Maurine Burks Jagger

Irish Pedigrees: or, The Origin and Stem of the Irish Nation. John O'Hart.Baltimore, 1976 (orig. publ. 1892). Vol. II.
p. 699. "The following were the sirnames of the Adventurers for Lands in Ireland, under the" various Acts and Ordinances of Subscription; commencing with the Act of 17 Charles I, chap. 33, A.D. 1642, and ending in 1646, when all further subscriptions ceased: [includes] Prestley"

The Yorkshire Archaelogical Society. Record Series. Vol. XXXVI. 1TCourt Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield, Vol. II. 1292 to 1309." William Paley Baildon (ed.). Leeds, 1906.
p. 1. Roll for 25 and 26 Edward I, 1297-8. * [Court held on] Friday next after the Feast of S. Dionysius [the Areopagite][Oct. 3rd], in the year abovesaid [1297], Hiperholme — John Maufe v. Hugh de Prestley, for 7s 6d., —3s. for an over-tunic of cameline [de camelino], 2s. for a quarter of oats ... 12d. for a heifer [juvenca] sold to him in 21 Edw. I. Deft. fails to find surety for waging his law; he is fined 3d. as if undefended[? ] .
p. 126. Tourn there the same day. [ie. Court at Brighouses on Tuesday, the morrow of S. Edmund the King (Nov. 20), 1 Edward II, (1307)]. ......[?s.] of Ivo de Prestlay, for drawing blood of William Coker, .....

MILITARY RECORDS

INDEX TO COMPILED SERVICE RECORDS OF VOLUNTEER UNION SOLDIERS WHO SERVED IN STATE ORGANIZATIONS

Bressler, John - Co. E, 19 IA Inf.; See also 29 & 34 IA; Inf.; Pvt-Pvt.
Bressler, John - Co. D, 29 IA Inf.; See also Co. D, 19 IA Inf.; Corp. - Corp.
Bressler, John - Co. C., 31 IA Inf.; Pvt-Pvt.
Bressler, Samuel - Co. E, 19 IA Inf.; See also 29 S, 34 IA Inf.; Pvt-Pvt.
Bressler, Samuel - Co D., 29 IA Inf.; See also 19 IA Inf.; Pvt-Pvt.
Bressler, William H. - Co. I, 4 IA Inf.; Pvt - Pvt.
Presler, Stephen E - Co H, 16 IA Inf.; Pvt-Pvt.
Presley, James N.- Co. H, 45 IA Inf.Pvt-Pvt.
Pressley, James B - Co G, 17 IA Inf.; Pvt-Pvt.
Pressley, Joseph - Co G, 17 IA Inf.; Pvt-Pvt.
Pressley, Thomas - Co A, 9 IA Cav.; Pvt-Pvt.
KANSAS - NONE
KENTUCKY
Bresler, Franklin - Co E, 12 KY Cav.; Pvt-Pvt.
Presely, Henry - Co K, 23 KY Inf.; Pvt-Pvt; O.F.U. Presley, Henry
Presley, George W - Co C, 35 KY Inf.; Pvt-Pvt.
Pressley, Henry - Co K, 23 KY Inf.; Pvt-Pvt.
Presley, Riley - Co. C, 35 KY Inf.; Pvt-Pvt.
Presly, Henry - Co K, 23 KY Inf.; Pvt-Pvt; O.F.U. Presley, Henry
Pressley, Henry - Co K, 23 KY Inf.; Pvt-Pvt; O.F.U. Presley, Henry
Pressley, John - Co. F. 16 KY Inf.; Pvt-Pvt.
Pressly, John - Co. F. 16 KY Inf.; Pvt-Pvt; O.F.U. Pressley, John
LOUSIANA
Presby, John A - Co. D, Batten, LA., Cav. Scouts; Pvt-Pvt; O.F.U. Pressley, John A.B. Presley, Bryant - Co. -, 1 Batt'n LA Cav. Scouts; (no rank shown). Presley, Cresaw M - C Batt'n LA Cav Scouts; Pvt-Pvt; O.F.U. Presly, Cawsawn. Presley, John A. P. - Co. D, 1 Batt'n, LA., Cav. Scouts; Pvt-Pvt; Presley, Cawsawn Eresaw M - Co. C 1 Batt'n LA Cav Scouts; Pvt-Pvt; Presly, John A. P. - Co. D, 1 Batt'n, LA., Cav. Scouts; Pvt-Pvt; O.F.U. Pressley, John A.P. MAINE Presley, John W. - Co. K 1 ME Heavy Art'y; Serg't-Pvt; O.F.U. Pressley, John W. Presly, John W. - Co. K 1 ME Heavy Art'y; Serg't-Pvt; O.F.U. Pressley, John W.

MAINE (continued)
Pressey, A.B. or Andrev B. - Co C, 4 ME Inf.; See also West Grendner service; Pvt-Pvt.
Pressey, Charles M - Co G, 10 ME Inf.; Pvt-Pvt.
Pressey, Eli - Co. K, 24 ME Inf. (9 months 1862-3); Pvt-Pvt.
Pressey, James S - Co. K, 24 ME Inf. (9 mo.1862-3); Pvt-Pvt.
Pressey, Joseph W - Co. -, 11 ME Inf.; Pvt-Pvt.
Pressley, John W - Co C, Maine Garrison Art'y; See also 18" ME Vols.; Corp-Corp.
Pressley, John W - Co K, 1 ME Heavy Art'y; Serg't-Pvt.
Pressly, John W - Co C, ME Garrison Art'y; Corp-Corp; O.F.U. Pressley, John W.
Pressy, Joseph W - Co -, 11 ME Inf.; O.F.U. Pressey, Joseph W.
MARYLAND - NONE
MASSACHUSETTS
Presbey, Charles H - Co F, 10 MA Inf.; Pvt-Pvt; O.F.U. Presby, Charles H.
Presbrey, Alfred A - Co K, 43 MA Mil. Inf.; Pvt-Pvt.
Presbrey, Charles H - Co F, 10 MA Inf.; Pvt-Pvt; O.F.U. Presby, Charles H.
Presbrey, Edwin F - Co Y, 4 MA Inf.; Pvt-Pvt.
Presbrey, Henry A - Co A, 4 MA Inf.; Pvt-Pvt.
Presbrey, James L - Co G, 4 MA Inf.; Pvt-Corp.
Presbrey, Josiah E - Go G, 4 MA Inf.; Pvt-Pvt.
Presbrey, Orson Jn - Co G, 1 MA H. Art'y; Pvt-Pvt.
Presby, Charles E - Cook's Co., MA Lt.. Art'y; Pvt-Pvt.
Presby, Charles E - 3 Battery, MA Lt Art'y; Chief of Piece-Pvt; O.F.U. Presby Charles E.
Presby, Charles H - Co F, 10 MA Inf.; Pvt-Pvt.
Presby, Frederick - Co G, 51 MA Mil. Inf.; Pvt-Pvt.
Presby, George T - 3 Battery, MA Lt. Art'y; Pvt-Pvt; O.F.U. Tresby, George T.
Presby, Mason W or Mason - 2 Indpt. Batt'y MA Lt. Art'y; Pvt-Pvt.
Presby, Orson Jn - Co G, F MA H. Art'y; Pvt-Pvt; O.F.U. Presbrey, Orson Jn.
Pressey, William L - Co H, 22 MA Inf.; Pvt-Pvt.
Presly, Charles E - 3 Indpt. Batt'y, MA Lt. Art'y; Chief of Piece-Pvt.
Presly, George F - 3 Indpt. Batt'y MA Lt. Art'y; Pvt-Pvt.
Pressey, Charles A - Co B, 5 MA Inf.; Pvt-Pvt.
Pressey, William C - Co M, 4 MA H. Art'y; Pvt-Pvt.
Pressy, William L - Co H, 22 MA Inf.; Pvt-Pvt; O.F.U. Pressey, William L.
Priestley, John - Co A, 49 MA Mil. Inf.; Pvt-2" Corp.
Priestly, John - Co A, 49 MA Mil. Inf.; Pvt-Pvt; O.F.U. Priestley, John.
Priestly, Robert - Co K, 3 MA H Art'y; Pvt-Pvt.
MICHIGAN
Presler, Thomas P - Co G, 9 MI Cav.; Pvt-Pvt.
Presley, Charles - Co D, 11 MI Inf (2d Organization); Pvt-Pvt.
Presley, George C- Co D, 20 MI Inf.; See also V.R.C.; Pvt-Pvt.
Presley, John - Co B, 7 MI Inf.; Pvt-Pvt.
Presley, Levi - Co K, 1 MI Cav.; Pvt-Pvt; O.F.U. Pressley, Levi .

MICHIGAN (Continued)
Presley, Levi - Co K, 6 MI Cav.; See also 1 MI Cav; Pvt-Pvt.
Presley, Lewis - Co F, 27 MI Inf.; Pvt-Pvt.
Presley, Richard W - Co H, 9 MI Inf.; Pvt-Pvt.
Presley, Samuel - Co K, 6 MI Cav.; Pvt-Pvt.
Presley, Thomas P - Co G, 3 MI Cav.; Pvt-Pvt; O.F.U. Presler Thomas P.
Presly, John - Co B, 7 MI Inf.; Pvt-Pvt.; O.F.U. Presley, John.
Presly, Richard W - Co, H, 9 MI Inf.; Pvt-Pvt.; O.F.U. Presley, Richard W.
Pressey, Edwin M - Co B, 9 MI Inf.; Pvt-Pvt.
Pressler, Thomas P - Co G, 3 MI Cav.; Pvt-Pvt; Presler, Thomas P.
Pressley, Levi - Co K, 1 MI Cav; See also 6 MI Cav.; Pvt-Pvt.
Pressley, Levi - Co K, 6 MI Cav.; Pvt-Pvt; O.F.U. Presley, Levi. Pressly, Levi - co K, 6 MI Cav.; Pvt-Pvt; O.F.U. Presley, Levi.
Pressy, Edwin M - Co B, 9 MI Inf.; Pvt-Pvt; O.F.U. Pressey, Edwin M.
Prestley, Levi - Co K, 6 MI Cav.; Pvt-Pvt; O.F.U. Presley, Levi .
Prestley, Richard W - Co H, 9 MI Inf.; Pvt-Pvt; O.F.U. Presley, Richard W.
Priestley, William - Co D, 2 MI Inf.; Pvt-Pvt; O.F.U. Priestly, William.
Priestly, William - Co D, 2 MI Inf.; Pvt-Pvt.

PRESSLEY PRESBYTERIAN PREACHERS

(continued from March 1991 issue, page 64)

PRESSLY, David Brainard.—He was a son of Dr. James P. and Mary E. Young Pressly, and was born in Due West, S.C., Oct. 28, 1848. His early education was obtained in the Academy at Due West, and in the primary department of the Due West Female College. He spent one year in military service, in 1864-5 of the civil war, in the Confederate Army. In the fall of 1865 he entered Erskine College, and graduated in 1869. He entered Erskine Theological Seminary in 1869, and graduated in 1871, and was licensed by the Second A.R. Presbytery, at King's Creek, Newberry Co., S.C., Aug. 11th 1871. In October of the same year, he was sent to the Kentucky Presbytery, to Hinkston and Mt. Olivet. Calls were presented to him from both these churches which he accepted, and was installed as pastor in the fall of 1872. This proved to be a pleasant and useful pastorate, and continued fourteen years. His health gave way and after several years of increasing bodily afflictions, he reluctantly asked for a dissolution of the pastoral relation, which was granted Nov. 18th, 1886.

He removed to Mt. Zion, Mo., and undertook the work there, but there was no improvement in his health and he died Sept. 24th, 1888, in his fortieth year. His body was conveyed to Due West, S.C., and buried in the cemetery there where he sleeps with his fathers.

Mr. Pressly was married in Due West, S.C., Oct. 24th, 1872, to Miss Martha Lois, daughter of Dr. Robt. C. and Barbara Moffatt Grier. To them were born four children, two of whom, with their mother, still survive. Mrs. Pressly returned to Due West and now occupies the Grier homestead, among the friends of her youth.

Mr. Pressly was prompt and faithful in all his official duties, and rarely absent from any meeting of his Presbytery or Synod. His was the longest continuous service of any minister in the Presbytery since 1870. As Financial Agent for this Presbytery he had much to do with securing for it that reputation which it has so long borne. As a preacher he was sound, evangelical and practical and earnest in his appeals. He was beloved by his brethren in the Presbytery and his death was a personal loss to each of them. His memory is tenderly cherished by those whom he served so long and well in his pastoral charge, and general work in the Presbytery. In his death the Presbytery lost one of its most active, earnest and influential members.

(to be continued)

UNION COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, KIN

Part 5 - Another Union co. Family

(Ed. Note: The following was submitted by Carolyn Pressley Herr, 12775 90th Ave. N. , Seminole, FL 34646.)

Peter Presley, b. 1807 Anson Co., N.C. (father: John Presley), m. Elizabeth, b. 1818 N.C.
Children:
1) _____(m) Presley, b. bef. 1830 Anson Co., N.C.
2) John Erwin Presley (see below)
3) Uriah Presley, b. 1837 Anson Co., N.C.
4) Anna Presley, b. 1839 Anson Co., N.C.
5) Caroline Lucinda Presley, b. 1849 Union Co., N.C.

John Erwin Presley, b. 1834 Anson Co., N.C., d. bef. 1870 Monroe, Union Co., N.C., m. 23 July 1855 Monroe, Union Co., N.C., to Alsey Viney Stegall, b. 1835 (dau. Nicholas & Frances Stegall). Children:
1) Sarah A. Presley, b. 1859 Monroe, Union Co., N.C.
2) Joseph B. Presley, b. 1860 Union Co., N.C.
3) Martha Jane Presley, b. 1861 Monroe, Union Co., N.C., m. 19 July 1881 to James Ambrose Rice

4) Adaline Presley, b. 1864 Monroe, Union Co., N.C.
5) John Bob Presley (see below)
6) Mary Presley, b. 1869 Monroe, Union Co., N.C.

John Bob Presley, b. May 1865 Monroe, Union Co., N.C., m. 20 Aug. 1887 Vance Twp., Union Co., to Martha Elizabeth Rice, b. Dec. 1872 Vance Twp., Union Co., d. 1948 Monroe, Union Co. (dau. Stewart Rice & Elizabeth Helms).
Children:
1) Baxter Presley, b. July 1889 Monroe, Union Co., N.C.
2) Lee Presley, b. Feb. 1893 Monroe, Union Co., N.C.
3)William Lex Presley (see below)

William Lex Pressley, b. 8 June 1895 Monroe, Union Co., N.C., d. 11 Nov. 1945 Mecklenburg Co., N.C., bur. Hill Gem., Monroe, m. bef. 1919 Union Co., N.C., to ? ; m2. 8 Feb. 1919 Monroe, Union Co., N.C., to Loubrettie Helms b. May 1889 Union Co., d. Dec. 1975 Union Co.), divorced; m3, to Rosa Hargett.
Children (by first wife):
1) Olema Pressley (f), d. 1918
2) Reese Pressley
Children (by second wife):
3) William Marshall Pressley, d. 1921
4) Carl Pressley, d. 1921
5) Lex Pressley Jr., d. 1924
6) Clyde Pressley, b. 28 Nov. 1919 Monroe, Union Co., N.C.
7) Helen Pressley, b. 4 June 1925 Monroe, Union Co., N.C., m. Albert Arndt
8) Rachael Pressley, b. 9 June 1927 Monroe, Union Co., N.C., m. Roy Bridges
9) John Van Pressley, b. 8 Mar. 1929 Monroe, Union Co., N.C., d. 30 Mar. 1978, m. 25 Nov. 1954 to Catherine Louise Keeney 10) Blanche Pressley, m. Ronald Victory.

(Ed. Note: In the 1850 census of Union Co. (p. 77) John Presley Sr., age 85, was living in the household of Nelson & Dovy Price. This is most likely the John Presley who was named in the will of Peter Presley (1829) and who lived on Chinquepin Fork of Richardson's Creek in Anson/Union Co., N.C. In 1850 just four houses away was Melus (Milas) Presley, age 30, and next door to him was Peter Presley, age 40, the individual named above. Nearby (p. 79) is Eli Presley, age 32. Were Milas, Peter, and Eli brothers and sons of John?

An Anson Co. deed (DB 2, p. 179) dtd. 1835 identifies Eli as a son of John. The estate records of John Presley (1856) reveal that M.R. Presley was administrator and Eli and Peter Presley were among the purchasers at the auction. A partition of his estate lands in Union Co. (DB 11, p. 120)(1878) includes the heirs at law of Milas R. Presley.

Carolyn points out that in 1830 census John Presley (Jr.) had three sons and two daughters; in 1840 he had two sons (20-30) and one daughter, with Peter Presley (30-40) just above him and Isaac Price with two sons just below him. In 1850 was John living with a daughter who had married Nelson Price?

Further research in the land records of this area is indicated and may further clarify the situation.)

WE GET MAIL!

I received a letter fromGrace Lee Smith Green, a fellow Cleveland genealogist (from Cisco, GA), offering some observations ..:

"There are gaps of five and ten years between the know children of Peter and Elizabeth Thompson Presley, and a supposedly forty-four-year bachelorhood for the Pete rPresley, b. circa 1656, who eventually married in 1700 Winifred Griffin. He names two of his Thornton grandchildren in his will, and adds 'to each of my grandchildren.' Of course, there were several other Thornton grandchildren living at the time of his death, but he could have been talking about 'others.' He was not mentioned as being active in the official records of Northumberland County, Va., until 1684. He is, according to the Presley papers, the one who built Northumberland House, no doubt for his you ng wife Winny ... and then there is the third Peter Presley, supposed to have been a son of Peter and Elizabeth, who was 'b. 1683, d. 1718' about whom very little is known. Any one of these Peter Presleys could have been the father of Milly Presley Clevelnad."

I realize Grace offers only speculations, but our search for documentary proof continues!

- Vikki Lyn Cleveland

(Ed. Note: Vikki is our Association's coordinator of information on this prominent Presley family in 17th centry Virginia. We receive many queries on thi family.)

I read with interest the advertisement in the July/August 1991 issue of The Genealogical Helper regarding the Presley Family Research Association.

Enclosed is a sumamry of the information we have on our Presley line -- it goes back to Thomas Presley who died in 1808 in Anson Co., N.C., and his son, Thomas D. Presley, born 25 Feb. 1766, died 10 Apr. 1849, and his wife Jennea (maiden name unknown). Our line continues with the daughter of Thomas D. and Jennea Presley, Susannah.

Susannah Presley (dau. of Thomas D.), born ca. 1808, died bef. 1850. She married Andrew Brown ca. 1821 in Chester Co., S.C.
Children:
i. Louisa, born ca. 1822.
ii. Andrew Jackson, born 21 Mar. 1823 in Yorkville (unknown county), S.C. Died 12 oct. 1890 in Senatolia, Tate Co., Miss., burial in Bethesda Cem., Senatobia, Take Co., Miss. He married Nancy Key Timms, dau. of Joseph Timms, ca. 1828 in Chester Co., S.C.
iii. John F., born ca. 1828 in chester Co., S.C.

iv. Thomas D., born ca. 1831 in Chester Co, SC
v. Mary, born ca. 1832 in Chester Co., SC
vi. Robert H., born ca. 1839 in Chester Co., SC
vii. James C., born ca. 1846 in Chester Co., SC

If you haver toher interested in this line, we would happily exchange information. Our data is quite limited but would be freely shared. We reside in Melbourne, Australia, and must use mail as a primary method of exchange of information, so any response would be most appreciated.

In earlier research, it was stated that Elivis Presley descended from Thomas Presley, the elder. Do you know if they Elvis Presley line has been documented, and if so, how we can obtain details?
- H.N (Nick) Weedman

(Ed. Note: A number of our members are descended from the Chester Co., SC, Presley family. Okay folks! Let's let our kin in Australia hear from us!

Many back issues of our Newsletter contain information on this family, and a particularly good article appeard in two parts in the Sept. & Dec. 1989 issues. Information on the ancestry of Thomas Presley/Preslar, the elder has been in the Dec. 1986 and Sept. 1988 issues. Back issues are available from the editor for $1.50 each.

A 55-page monograph written by the editor in 1985 which give considerable more information on the faily in Anson Co. and earlier is available from him for $9.00 postpaid.

The Elvis Presley line has been very poorly documented to date, but all indications are taht he was probably descended from a brother of Thomas Presley Sr., Andrew Presley Jr. Lots of people are looking for additional evidence.)

QUERIES

Nikki B. Dickerhoof address withheld

I am seeking information on the progenitors of William Presley (b. unknown, d. 1655 Va., m. Jane Newman, d. 1650. Son was Peter Presley/Presly, d. 1693 va., m. Elizabeth Thompson), his children and descendants through the union with Jane Newman. Any help appreciated.

Late Word from our RESEARCH DIRECTOR: Jim Anderson reports that he has moved. His new address is 739 E. 950 South, Centerville, Utah 84014. He apologizes for his tardiness in replying to queries. Look for several replies in next issue.

Financial Reprort

withheld

CURRENT FAMILY NEWS

Bruce Campbell [Houghton College] '81 will assume campus leadership for Houghton's alumni association on June 17. He has been associate director of admissions at Rider College, Lawrenceville, NJ. Born in NJ, Campbell is a fourth generation Houghtonian [NY] (going back to 1885) through his mother the former Kathryn Presley '52. After graduating from college he married another fourth generation Houghtonian, Denise Wright, and they moved to NJ where he worked in business before becoming a financial aid advisor at DeVry Technical Institute of Woodbridge in 1984. Three years later he began his tenure at Rider, and while he was there the college had its largest freshman classes in recent

times. Also, while there, Campbell completed a master of arts in behavioral science at Kean College. He and Denise have two young children, Robin and Ryan, and are active church members and avid baseball fans.
- Milieu, June 1991.

FGS FORUM - The Presley/Preslar/Pressly Family Research Association is a member of the Federation of Genealogical Societies. As such, each member of the Association is entitled to receive the Forum. However, you must complete the card enclosed with this issue of the Newsletter and return it. You will not be on the mailing list if you don't.

There was an old man and his wife who lived on a mountain. They had never seen a mirror. One day the old man went to town and he bought a small mirror for a dime.

He took it home and hid it in the attic because he was afraid his wife would think he had wasted his money. Every day the old man would go up to the attic and look at the mirror.

One day he had to go to town again and when he left, his wife went up to the attic to see what was so interesting. She found the mirror and looked at it and said, "Well! So that's the old hag he's been so interested in lately!"

- submitted by Lillian L. Stumpp.