An Update on the Family of
Matthew & Abiar (Tift) Presler
of Ellisburgh, New York

The family group data of Matthew & Abiar (Tift) Presler was first included in the Newsletter of Dec. 1986, and was submitted by Margaret Wright, address withheld. She included her line of descent through Matthew and Abiar's son, the Rev. Matthew Presler.

The following information is also based on the correspondence and records supplied by several other descendants of Matthew & Abiar:
Carol Hagerty
Ellen Presley
Rebecca P. Tollefson
Betsy S. Canedy

Matthew Presler, born 1775 (birthplace unknown) was the son of Joseph Presler of Hoosic, Rensselaer Co., NY. He was a pathmaster in Charlton, Saratoga Co., NY, in 1817, and in 1819 he moved to Ellisburg, Jefferson Co., NY. He bought on 7 Aug. 1820, 30 acres (Lots 152 & 153) in Ellisburg for $150. He was married about 1796 to Abiar Tift, daughter of John Tift of Vermont, b. 15 Sept. 1779 Vermont(?). The 1790 census shows a Tinmouth, Rutland Co., VT. Matthew and Abiar following children:
1) Lydia Presler, b. 24 Oct. 1797, Hoosic, Rensselaer Co., NY, d. 12 May 1880 (or 12 Aug.) Wonewoc,Juneau Co., WI, m. 1 Jan. 1821 Jefferson Co., NY, to Ludlow P.Hill, b. 6 Aug. 1794 Old Simsbury, CT, d. 12 July 1873 Wonewoc, Juneau Co., WI, both bur. Wonewoc, Juneau Co., WI. The last deed of Ludlow Hill and Lydia, his wife, of Ellisburg, Jefferson Co., NY, was to D. & H. Forbes of same. It was for $3500 and was dated 13 Mar. 1839, recorded 11 May 1839. Children: a) William Riley Hill, b. 24 Jan. 1835 Jefferson Co., NY, d. 8 July 1919 Wonewoc, WI, m. Sept. 1861 to Angelina Rankin, b. ca. 1844 WI, d. 2 Oct. 1914 Wonewoc, WI. b) Oren R. Hill, b. 11 Oct. 1823 NY, d. 31 Jan. 1908 Kenosha, WI, m. Susanna __, b. ca. 1828 NY, d. Wonewoc, WI. of Vermont, b John Tift at Presler had the

(continued on page three)

. . . Matthew & Abiar (Tift) Presler . . . (continued):
c) Ludlow Presley Hill, b. 19 Oct. 1829 Ellisburg,Jefferson Co., NY, d. 10 Oct. 1915 Kenosha, WI, m.1853 to Cecelia Seaman, b. 28 Apr. 1836 Stockholm, NY, d. 14 Jan. 1901 Kenosha, WI
d) Jedediah Hill, b. ca. 1840 Elgin, IL, ; m. Eliza Malissa Seaman, b. 5 July 1850 NY
e) Abi Hill (female)
f) Abigail Amanda Hill, m. 24 Oct. 1850 Robert Alcott, b. 3 May 1828 Lands End, Staffordshire England, d. 20 Aug. 1901 Gallien, MI.

2) Jane Presler, b. 26 Apr. 1798, m. John A. Dunlap, b. 1796. In 1839 (as will be noted later) and in 1850 they were living in Sandy Creek, Oswego Co., NY. The 1850 census shows the children as follows
a) John A. Dunlap Jr., b. 1827 NY
b) William Dunlap, b. 1830 NY
c) Harriet Dunlap, b. 1833 NY
d) Samuel Dunlap, b. 1836 NY
e) Philander Dunlap (m), b. 1840 NY
f) James B. Dunlap, b. 1845 NY

3) Wessey Presler (twin), b. 7 Dec. 1800.

4) Easther Presler (twin), b. 7 Dec. 1800.

5) Thomas Presler, b. 21 Nov. 1801. Not mentioned in father's will of 1839.

6) Joseph Presler, b. 8 June 1804, m. Charlotte Hollinbeck, named as Matthew's oldest son in 1839 will.

7 )John Presler, b. 14 June 1806, d. 9 Oct. 1859 Rowdin Twp., bur. John Spry Settlement Cem., near Belleville, Ont., Canada, m. 27 Jan. 1829 Jefferson Co., NY, to Sarah Anne Johnson, d. 25 Oct. 1886 Boylston, Oswego Co.,NY.
Children:
a) Monroe Presley
b) Emily Presley
c) John Presley
d) Jane Presley
e) Marshall Presley (was in Civil War)

8) Matthew Presler, b. 26 Aug. 1808 Charlton, Saratoga Co., NY, d. 27 Oct. 1890 Boylston, Oswego Co., NY, bur. Wesleyan Cem., Sandy Creek, Saratoga Co., NY, m. 30 Dec. 1830 Orwell, Oswego Co., NY, to Asenath Hollis, b. 20 July 1806 Richland, Oswego Co., NY, d. 14 Apr. 1887 Boylston, NY, bur. Wesleyan Cem., Sandy Creek, NY (dau. Joshua Hollis & Betsey Adams). He was a circuit preacher. A history of the Hollis family, including information on Asenath & Matthew Presler, is given in History of the Town of Orwell, 1806-1887, comp. by Hugh F. Merry (Pulaski, NY, 1887).
Children:
a) Betsey Presler, b. 12 Oct. 1831, d. 15 Nov. 1831 Ellisburg, NY.
b) Josiah W. Presler, b. 10 Apr. 1833, d. 3 ;. July 1833 Ellisburg, NY.
c) William Hollis Presler, b. 25 May 1837 Orwell, Oswego Co., NY, d. 14 June 1911 Boylston, Oswego Co., NY, bur. Orwell Cem,, ml. 15 Sept. 1859 Orwell, Oswego Co., NY, to Theodocia Cogswell, b. 14 Apr. 1840 Orwell, NY (dau. George & Lucy Montague Cogswell), d. 7 May 1866; m2. 22 Jan. 1868 to Ellen E. Halsey, b. 30 July 1845 Mexico, Oswego Co., NY, d. 10 Feb. 1920, bur. Evergreen Cem., Orwell, Oswego Co., NY (dau. Edward Halsey & Eliza Ann Tubbs). See the Dec. 1986 issue, p. 29-30, for his children.
d) Leander Cole Presler, b. 10 Nov. 1839 Orwell, Oswego Co., NY, d. 25 June 1901 Cincinnati, OH, m. 12 June 1862 to Ermina Presler

(dau. Burril Presler), b. ca. 1838 El1isburg(?), NY. "When a young man he spent some time studying in Oberlin, Ohio. Finding Oberlin in every way congenial, he returned home to make preparations for a permanent residence. In 1862 he married Ermina Presler, and soon after removed to Oberlin and Continued his studies at the college, also managing the farm of President Finney. He has been deacon in the First Congregational church there, and ... is also an earnest worker in the temperance cause .... Children: Charles Finney, Clara, Augie, Nellie and Lucy."
e) Margaret Ann Presler, b. 3 Mar. 1842, d. 2 Nov. 1863 Orwell, NY, bur. Wesleyan Cem., Sandy Creek, NY.
f) Lydia J. Presler, b.28 July 1846, d. 3 Nov. 1885 Orwell, NY, bur. Wesleyan Cem., Sandy Creek, NY.
g) Mary Lucy Presler, b. 18 Nov. 1849 Orwell, Oswego Co., NY, d. 1938 Orwell, NY, bur. Orwell, NY, m. 28 Mar. 1867 Charles Wesley Paddock (son Solomon Paddock & Samantha Arnold), d. 29 July-1926, both bur. Evergreen Cem., Orwell, NY. Children: Mary Asenath (Minnie), Inf. dau., Charles William, Lilly Jane, Lydia, Samantha, Charles Matthew, Wesley Owen, Orresta Solomon, Peter Bruce, Clinton Ward.

9) William Hawkins Presler, b. 23 Feb. 1811 NY, d. 16 July 1852 of cholera while crossing the plains to the Mormon settlement in the Great Salt Lake valley (see the June 1992 issue, p. 79-80), ml. 1834 Eleanor H. Johnson, d. ca. 1846 Nauvoo, IL.; m2. Margaret (Holden) Hardman (widow of Richard Hardman), b. 4 Aug. 1809 Wheelton, Lancashire, England, d. 7 Apr. 1873 Huntsville, Weber Co., UT. Children (by first wife):
a) Lydia Aby Presley, b. 20 Feb. 1835 Sheridan, Lawrence Co., OH, d. 19 Jan. 1919 Price, Carbon Co., UT, m. 27 Jan. 1853 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., UT, to Orlando Fish Mead, b. 10 Jan. 1823 Wilton, Fairfield Co., CT, d. 26 Feb. 1897 Price, Carbon Co., UT, both bur. Peterson Cem., Price, UT. They had eleven children. He was one of 500 volunteers who served in the Mormon Battalion in the Mexican War, and was a shoemaker for Sutter during the California Gold Rush days. Daniel Tyler's history of the Mormon Battalion, written in 1881, reported him as then being a shoemaker at Spanish Fork, Utah.
b) Daniel Presley, b. ca. 1837-8 Portage Co., OH, d. 1847.
c) Joseph Smith Presley, b. Mar. 1839 Portage Co., pH, d. 16 July 1852 of cholera, while crossing the plains.
d) Alma Presley, b. Mar. 1843 OH, d. 1845
e) Emma Presley, b. 5 Aug. 1844, Lima, Hancock Co., IL d. 8 Sept. 1845 Nauvoo Hancock Co., IL
f) William H. Presley, b. Apr. 1845 Nauvoo Hancock Co., IL, d. 15 Sept. 1845 Nauvoo, Hancock Co., IL
Children (by second wife):
g) Jane Amanda Presley, b. 17 Feb. 1851 Pottawatamie Co., IA.

10) Amanda Presler, b. 11 Mar. 1813, m. Jeremiah Taylor, b. 1811 Windsor, CT (son of Grove C. Taylor S. Betsey Winslow), d. ca. 1886 OH. In the 1850 census of Oswego Co., NY,

the children are listed as follows:
a) Sylvester Taylor, b. 1834
b) Patty Taylor, b. 1837
c) Hiram Taylor, b. 1842
d) Abia Taylor, b. 1844
e) Triphenia Taylor, b. 1846
f) Zacharia Taylor, b. 1849.

11) Sarah (Sally) Presler, b. 10 May 1815 Jefferson Co., NY, d. 19 Jan 1893, bur. Pekin Cem., Orwell, Oswego Co., NY m. Feb. 1834 to William Sherman Colvin.
Children:
a) Levi Colvin
b) John C. Colvin
c) Francis (Frank) Colvin
d) Mary Colvin
e) Harriet Colvin
f) Orin Colvin
g) Lucy Colvin
h) Henry Colvin

12) Hiram Sherman Presler, b. 6 Nov. 1818 "near Lake Champlain", NY, d. 27 Oct. 1912 Woodville, NY, m. 1842 to Mary (Polly) M. Shears (dau. Smith Shears & Polly Handy), b 16 Mar. 1824 New Hoosic, NY, d. 3 Oct. 1912, both bur. Evergreen Cem., Adams, NY. Anyone desiring some wonderful photographs of this family should contact Betsy Canedy
Children:
a) Joseph Presley, b. 7 Oct. 1843, d. 11 Oct. 1843
b) Mary Jane Presley, b. 28 Apr. 1845, d. 5 Oct 1921, m1 ____ Rogers, m2. ___ Smith
c) Elizabeth Presley, b. 9 Dec. 1846.
d) William H. Presley, b. 4 Jan. 1848, m. Olive Maitland.
e) Lydia A. Presley, b. 11 May 1849, d. 31 Jan. 1888, m. Albert Cole.
f) Hiram Presley, b. 1 Aug. 1851, d. 20 Apr. 1918, m. Josephine Maitland.
g) Nathan Presley, b. 19 Oct. 1853
h) Harriet Lodrena Presley, b. 22 May 18555, d. Feb. 1891, m. 19 May 1888 Adelbert Parker.
i) Lucy Lucinda Prelsey, b. 13 Oct. 1856, d. 25 Aug. 1879, bur. Woodville, NY, m. Phesington Curtis
j) George Washington Presley, b. 7 June 1859, d. 8 July 1932, bur. Rural Hill Cem., Adams, NY, m. Eva Geraldine Shears, b. 5 July 1861 Woodville, NY, d. 29 Apr. 1940 Adams Center, NY, both bur. Rulal Cem., Adams, NY.

13) Betsy L. Presler, b. 17 June 1824 Jefferson Co., NY, m1 _____Morgan, m2. Henry Montondo, m3. ____ Dingman. May have lived in Canada for a time.

14) (Mary) L. Presler, b. 23 May 1828

(to be continued)

Current Family News

Our former vice-president, Betty Bostick, reports that her family will always remember 1991 as 'the year of the weddings." Betty and husband, Raymond, had two daughters to marry:

Barbara Brandon Bostick married Rolf Christopher Walther on 26 Oct. 1991.

Becky Boiling Bostick married Eric Valdimar Liljenwall on 31 Dec. 1991. Both had large, formal weddings with 300+ guests at the reception.

-Betty J. Bostick, 6914 Scotsdale Dr., San Antonio, TX 78209

MILITARY RECORDS

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

This ends the Civil War Union Service indexes

Presley Who?

Our Association has been mainly concerned with researchir families with the surname of Presley (or one of its variants), but in looking bacK. through queries submitted to the Newsletter over the past several years, I have found that readers have asked about the ancestry of Presley Thornton (May 1986 issue), Presley Tidwell (Sept. 1988 issue), Pressly Jenkins & Presley Buckner (Sept. 1989 issue), Presley Gordon (June 1992 issue).

Two books have arrived in the mail recently in which the name Presley occurs as a given name for certain individuals. Fred Presley of Ottawa has noted that in the book, Tarawa: A Legend is Born, by Henry I. Shaw (New York, 1968), there is noted a Lt. Col. Presley Rixey, who commanded the 1st Battalion, 10th Marines, during World War II, which was involved in the battle for Tarawa. The battle for this Pacific island was the first amphibious assault by the Marines directly against a heavily defended beach, the forerunner of many such landings.

A second book that I have acquired, Covingtons Remembered. by DaCosta Euclid Covington (Baltimore, 1991), makes mention of the following individuals:
Presley Covington m. Henirette Davidson, 15 Aug. 1833, Halifax Co., Va.
Prisley Covington, age 49, b. Va., was head of a family in Person Co., NC, in the 1850 census.
Presley Covington, b. 1831, son of William L. Covington & Celia Thomas, died while at Trinity College (NC).
Pressley Covington, son of Nathaniel & Eliza Covington m. Bessie Sinclair (NC).
Presley Covington, b. 1871, son of Alfred B. Covington & Mary Helen Capel.
Sarah Covington m. Pressley Mason, who died in Laurel, Miss, in 1928, 87 years old. Son was Pressley Mason Jr.

How is it that these individuals received their given names? Were they descended from the Presley family, and how?

Rebecca Tollefson has forwarded several pages from a typescript monograph at the Library of Congress entitled Preslev Tidwell: A Memorial to the Presley Family Role in the Establishment of Kinsale. Virginia, by W.A. Tidwell Jr. (n.p.), 1972 (34 pp.), which answers how the name Presley might have been given as a first name to some individuals. I quote from this work:

"The people who write the history of a period tend to have an advantage over other participants, and the winners of political power tend to have an advantage

over the losers. Most history of colonial Virginia reflects the ultimate ascendancy of the Carter family and their dominance of the Northern Neck in the eighteenth century. It is little recognized that there was at least one local group in the Northern Neck which did not belong to the Carter faction and which may have favored policies supporting the smaller planters in their local areas instead of the policies pursued by the Carters, which favored the large planters on a colony-wide basis. In the end, the large planters won, but the existence of the divergent views helps to explain social and economic developments in the early eighteenth century.

"I was led to recognize the existence of a local faction headed by the Presley family of Northumberland County entirely by accident. In 1945 I began a campaign of research into the history of the Tidwell family. With considerable good luck, I was able to work out the history in some detail from its origin in Tideswell, Derbyshire, migration to Staffordshire, emigration to Virginia in the 1650's, settlement and migrations in the Northern Neck, and migration to South Carolina during the French and Indian War. My chief unsolved problem was the existence of a number of Tidwell men of the fourth American generation, who lived in South Carolina in the latter part of the eighteenth century, whose relationship with the men of the third generation who migrated to the same area could not be determined. One of the fourth generation was Presley Tidwell.

"After puzzling over the origin of his name and his relationship for many years, it finally occurred to me that Presley might represent a family name used as a first name because of some family relationship. If true, this hypothesis suggested that the answer to tho origin of Presley TidwelPs name and Lis relationship to the third generation might be found in Virginia rather than in South Carolina. Accordingly I reopened my research in Virginia and stumbled into what may well be a forgotten aspect of Virginia history.

"Almost immediately I discovered that a Presley family lived in Northumberland County during the 1600's and 1700's a short distance from the property of Richard Tidwell, the immigrant. The genealogical history of the Presley family had already been reported in some detail in various genealogical and historical journals, and I was able to confirm much of it and add a few details by personal research in the Library of Congress and in the records of Northumberland and Westmoreland Counties.

"William Presley (d. 1657) came to Virginia with his family and a retinue of servants and/or associates, totaling twenty-three persons in all. In 1649 he was granted 1,150 acres in Northumberland County for the importation of these persons. In 1657 he was granted an additional 1,000 acres for the importation of twenty persons. He served as Burgess from Northumberland from 1647 to 1651, beginning a long history of public service by the Presley family. His son, William Presley, Jr. (b. ca. 1625, d. 1683-85) served as Burgess from 1661 to 1682 and as Justice or Sheriff on several occasions during the same period. Another son, Peter Presley I (b. 1630-47, d. 1693) served as a Burgess in 1660 and 1661.

"The longest and strongest Presley impact on the Virginia political scene was made by Peter Presley II (b. prior to 1658, d. 1750). He was the son of William Presley, Jr., but at times it is difficult to distinguish records relating to him from those relating to his uncle, Peter Presley I, or to his nephew, Peter Presley III (b.

1683, d. 1718). One or more of the various Peter Presleys held office as Burgess, Justice, or Sheriff of Northumberland County almost continuously from 1675 until 1747. Peter Presley II must have been past ninety when he retired from public life. He was the last Presley to hold office, as he outlived all males of that name. The family influence may be judged in some small part by the extent to which Presley was used as a first name for male children born in the Northern Neck during the eighteenth century. I have encountered records of about thirty men so named. Some of these, like Presley Thornton, Presley Cockrell, Presley Neale, and Presley Nelmes, were the sons of Presley girls, but most of the remainder, like Presley Tidwell, seem to have had no direct family relationship.

"It is obvious from these few facts that the Presley family must have had influence and popular support in Northumberland County. In the course of trying to work out what relationship the Tidwells might have had with the Presleys, I began to understand the role that the Presley faction may have played in opposing the dominance of the Carters. This role and even the existence of a local faction seems to have been ignored, glossed over, or forgotten by subsequent historians who have tended to study the period through the records and the point of view of the victorious Carters and their associates."

It is obvious that once Presley became a given name in an unrelated family as suggested above, it easily might have been passed down to subsequent generations in that family. The early Covingtons were resident in Maryland and also in the Northern Neck of Virginia. There being no evidence unearthed to date of any relationship to the Presley family, the existence of Presley as a given name in the Covington family may have come about in a similar fashion to its occurence in the Tidwell family.

If you discover any individuals with the Presley given name, let us know, and we will begin a list of such persons for future reference. Of course, if you discover that there is a family relationship to any branch of the Presley family, let us know that, too.

QUERIES

THE PRESLEY/PRESLAR/PRESSLY PRESS

The Families of Hall County, 1817-1849, Robert S. Davis, Jr., Magnolia Press, Gainesville, GA, 1991
p. 47. 1820 Census - Hall Co. (p. 141) Capt. Carns' District.
Peter Presley - 1 m 10-16, 1 m ov 45; 1 f un 10, 1 f 10-16, 1 f ov 45, 1 mechanic
p. 59. 1820 Manufacturers Census.
Peter Presley; country shoemaker; [raw material]
leather; [cost annually]---;[expenses]$100;
[hands employed] 1 hand; [quantity] 150 pr. shoes;
[nature & names of items manufactued] at 50 cts.
each; [value of articles] $75; [gain] $25 loss,
p. 67. Tax Insolvents Lists, 1822 & 1824.
Peter Presley - 1822
p. 69. Peter Prisley - 1824
W. (M.?) Pressley - 1824

p. 85. Poor School Children, 1825-1836. [record of money due the teachers of Hall Co. for children unable to afford the tuition]
Report for the 410th Militia District, Oct. 1829.
William Presly [parent] Ephraim Presly [age] 15
Joseph Presly [age] 13
William Presly [age] 10
Absolam Presly [age] 8

p. 88. Report for 1830 (children taught in 1829)
Poor School Students 413th Militia District
Mary A. Presly [age] 9
John Presly [age] 10

p. 91. Report for 1831 (children taught in 1830)
Poor School Children, 410th Militia District, taught by Saml. K. Cutchen.
Ephraim Pressly
Joseph Pressly
William Pressly
Absalom Presly
Deliah Pressly

p. 95. Report for 1834 (children taught in 1833)
410th Militia District
Absolom Pressley
William Pressley
Joseph Pressley
Ephraim Pressley
Deliliah Pressly [age] 11

p. 103. Report for 1836 (children taught in 1835)
Adam Presley
Jordon Presley
p. 104. Delila Presley

Report for 1837 (children taught in 1836)
Jourdan Presley
Absalom Presley
p. 105. Delila Presley

p. 152. Frances C. Andoe Store Account Books, 1826-1828 & 1831-1833.
(p. 120) 8 Aug. 1831, Wm. Presley

p. 179. Winners in the 1827 Land Lottery.
Peter Preslar Sr. [name of winner]/Alreds [district in Hall Co. where winner resided]/225-7-3 [lot-dist.-section][sect. no. 3 = original Muscogee Co.]
Peter Preslen Sr./Alreds/52-22-2 [sect. no. 2 = original Muscogee Co.]. This grant was cancelled because Peter Presley won it as a Revolutionary War veteran of the American cause. He was proven ,.,,. by Caleb Griffin to have been a Tory (a British supporter), if he served at all. See Robert S. , Davis Jr., The Georgia Black Book (Easley, SC: Southern Historical Press, 1982), p. 42.

p. 193. 1830 Census of Hall Co.
Samuel Presley - 1 m 5-10, 1 m 10-15, 1 m 40-50; 1 f un 5, 1 f 5-10, 1 f 10-15, 1 f 15-20, 1 f 30-40.
David Presley - 1 m un 5, 1m 5-10; 2 f un 5, 2 f 5-10, 1 f 10-15, 1 f 20-30.

p. 204. Jane Presley - 1 m un 5, 2m 5-10, 2 m 10-15, 1 m 15-20; 1 f un 5, 2 f 5-10, 1 f 30-40.

p. 237. Winners in the 1832 Cherokee Land Lottery, [lot won was in original Cherokee Co.]
David Presley/Hamiltons/154-14-4
William Presley's orphs./Griffins/302-8-4

p. 249. Winners in the 1832 Gold Land Lottery, [lot won was in original Cherokee Co.]
David Pressley/Hamiltons/46-5-1

p. 289. 1840 Census - Hall Co.
Wm. Presly -1m 10-15, 1 m 40-50; 1 f un 5, 1 f 15-20, f un 5, 1 f 5-1 f 40-50.

p. 290. Peter Presley -1m 5-10, 1 m 30-40; 1 10, 1 f 10-15, 1 f 20-30.
Ephrem Prestly - 1m 20-30; 1 f 15-20.

p. 325. 1849 Tax Digest.
Defaulters in Smiths District.
Pressley, Harvy.

The History of Hall Co., Ga., 1810-1900, James E. Dorsey, Magnolia Press, Gainesville, Ga., 1991
p. 415. Appendix A: Names Appearing in Book A, Deeds & Mortgages of Hall Co.
(p. 496-7) Moses Presley

p. 425. Appendix G: Selected Civil War Units from Hall Co.
Muster Roll of Co. D, 27th Regt. Ga. Vol. Inf., Army of Tenn., CSA. [incl.] Presley, Harvey S.

Records of Old Macon Co., N.C., 1829-1850, Comp. by Barbara Sears McRae, Baltimore, 1991.
p. 96. Deed Book C.
1334. Archabald Morrison of Haywood Co., NC, to Andrew Preasley of Macon, for $100, two tracts, sec. 58, Dis. 7, containing 63ac. and sec. 59, Dis. 7, containing 57ac. Oct. 6, 1840. Proven by John B. Allison before John L. Bayley, one of the judges of the Superior Court of Law & Equity, Oct. 7, 1840. Registered June 29, 1841.

p. 137. Deed Book D.
1813. Osburn Tilly of Lumpkin Co., Ga., to Lewis Tilley of 'Macon, for $25, 50ac. on Cullowhee Cr., Sec. 5, Dis. 7. Feb. 14, 1845. Osburn Tilly. Wit: And rew Presley, Henderson (his x mark) Bryson. Prov en by Presley in Mar. 1845 court. Registered Apr. 2, 1845.

p. 160. Deed Book E.
198. Robert Bryson to Lewis Tilley, both of Macon, for $100, 50ac on Cullowhee Cr. Nov. 20, 1846. Robert Bryson. Wit.: Andrew Presley, George W. Bryson. Proven by Presley in Mar. 1847 court. Registered ; May 11, 1847.

A Presler Family in Ohio

In the June 1989 issue of the Newsletter, there was a query by Vicky Bishop, 8355 S.W. Mapleridge Dr., Portland, OR 97225 concerning one William Presler of Seneca Co., Ohio, in 1850. Vicky is the 2nd great granddaughter of William by his second marriage to Mary Lydia Gates in 1884.

Janet Milburn, 213 Cherrywood Dr., Moore, OK 73160 forwarded a biographical sketch on William Presler written by Logan Preslar, based on a much longer family history compiled by him. William is said to have had brothers named Jacob, John, and George, and Janet states that her 3rd great grandfather, John Presler (I), was a brother of William, based on a letter in her possession written by Jacob Presler of Hicksville, Defiance Co., OH in March 1909 to his cousin. John Presler (II). In this letter, he mentions "old Uncle Bill Presler" who some years previously was 84 years old and living in Glen Elder, Kansas. Jacob, who wrote the letter, was the son of George Presler.

Briefly, the story of William Presler is as follows. William M. Presler was born in Centre Co., PA, Sept. 9, 1817, and died May 14, 1910 on his farm near Glen Elder, Kansas, bur. in Glenwood Cem. near Glen Elder. The History of Hancock Co., Ohio, indicated, not too clearly, that he was a Pennsylvanian [Ed. Note: The 1850 census of Seneca Co., OH indicates he was a born in Ohio.]. There is a tradition of the family being of German ancestry.

On Feb. 18, 1843, in Pennsylvania, William married a widow, Mrs. Elmina (Boden) Grabill, the mother of five children. They migrated via the Cumberland Gap by ox-drawn wagon to Ohio, where they purchased and settled on 120 acres of land in Big Spring Twp., Seneca Co., adjacent to the village of Springfield. William became the most prominent stockman in that section of Ohio, and his fine thoroughbred breeding stock and horses were patronized by farmers and livestock growers for a radius of many miles.

The marriage of William and Elmina ended in divorce with an equitable property adjustment. In 1876 William went west to Kansas where he bought and settled on 170 acres of land in the fertile Solomon River valley near the village of Glen Elder. He lived at first in a log house until 1880 when he built a two-story house. On 8 May 1884 he married Mary Lydia Gates (dau. of Harvey £ Louisa Gates), born 20 Oct. 1862 at Sagatuck, MI, died 17 Apr. 1927, bur. Glenwood Gem., Glen Elder, KS.

Elmina did not remarry. She was an avid reader and student of American history. She and William had the following children: Jemima Presler, William McCall Presler, Hiram Presler, Napoleon Presler, and Newton D. Presler. Elmina spent her time among her four sons, all living in northern Ohio. Born on Mar. 19, 1815, she died in the home of her son, Napoleon, on Apr. 2, 1896, and was buried in the Springville Cem. beside her son by her first marriage, Isaac Graybill.

William and his second wife, Mary, had three children: Ohio (Ilo) Cleveland Presler, b. 1885; Emma Retta Presler, b. 1887; and Jacob North Presler, b. 1890.

Information on John Presler, the brother of William Presler, is provided as follows by Janet Milburn. John Presler, born Nov. 12, 1813 (place ??), died Aug. 11, 1878(7), married Feb. 4, 1836(?) in Wayne Co.(?), Ohio, to Elizabeth Bungard(?).

Their children were:
1) Robert Presler, b. Apr. 30, 1837 Ohio
2) Catherine Presler, b. Aug. 20, 1839, m. John M. Emerine
3) John Presler II (see below)
4) Thomas Presler, b. 23 Oct. 1849 Ohio
5) Sarah (Sake) Presler, b. 6 Jan. 1852 Ohio(?), m. 15 Nov. 1868 Defiance Co., Ohio, to Neri Sozure (Lozure)
6) Mary Jane Presler, b. 17 June 1854 Otiio(?), m. Wilson (?)

John (Henry?) Presler, born Aug. 9, 1846, Wyandotte Co., Ohio, died Apr. 28, 1917 Perry, Noble Co., Okla., married Mar. 15,1869 in Hamilton Co., IL, to Rebecca Maude Mangus (dau. Henry Mangus & Susannah Waggoner), born Mar. 3, 1851 Illinois, died Oct. 29, 1935 Verden, Okla., bur. Perry, Noble Co., Okla. During the Civil War John served in Company K, 42nd Regt., Indiana Volunteers. John and Rebecca had the following children:
1) Susan Elizabeth Presler, b. Feb. 23,1870 McLeansboro, 111., d. Feb. 27, 1901 Perry, Noble Co., Okla., m. Benjamin Franklin Empie
2) Martha Ellen Presler, b. 2 May 1872 Iowa, m. Richard (Dick) Hansen
3) Lillie Mae Presler, b. 21 Aug. 1874, m. James Wilbarger
4) Henry Ray Presler, b. ca. 1876 near Mankato, Kans., d. Oct. 17, 1949 Perry, Noble Co., Okla., m. Jennie
5) Sarah Maude Presler, b. Nov. 30, 1878 Mankato, Kans., d. June 24, 1910 Red Rock, Noble Co., Okla., m. ca. 1894 Guthrie, Okla., to Frank Gorton
6) Mary Jane (Mollie) Presler, b. 6 Apr. 1881, m. Merton B. Houston
7) Lura (Lu, Lois) Nettie Presler, b. Mar. 10, 1883 Oberlin, Kans., d. Apr. 29, 1978 Perry, Noble Co., Okla., m. Oct. 22, 1899 Perry, Noble Co., Okla., to Ora Ragsdale, m2. Dec. 1928 to James Lusk, m3. Sept. 1932 to James W. Luther
8) Johnnie Presler (III), b. Mar. 10, 1885, d. aged 6 mon.

(Ed. Note: Janet relates the following story of a coincidence that occurred during the process of her family research, a type of coincidence that seems to occur with amazing frequency, but always fascinating.

"One day I was standing by the xerox machine at the Oklahoma History Library waiting to make a copy. This guy was making copies and it looked as though he were copying most of the book. I made a comment on the fact that the book must be a treasure! He said, 'It is! It is on Civil War veterans from Arkansas and it even has some veterans from Oklahoma in it.' I said, 'Oh, maybe it has something about my 2nd great grandfather in it.' He said, 'What is his name?' I told h«" John Presler. He said, 'from Perry?' 1 said, 'Yes, how did you know?'"

To make the story short, he said that he has known my family all his life, could have been my cousin. He told me that I had a cousin named Janet (granddaughter of Martha Ellen) and that she lived hi OKC. He also said that he had the Civil War records ordered from the Archives on John Presler (II) and that he would be glad to give them to me."

"I live very close (to him) and he has had my 2nd great grandfather's records, with a lot of family history, for the last five years, just sitting in a file! I have learned that it really helps to ask questions and talk to strangers in the genealogical library.")

Current Family News

Our member, Marguerite Bowen Mason, is editor of The Bowen News Exchange. This quarterly newsletter for Bowen researchers is $10 per year (sample copy $3) and contains genealogical information and queries on this surname. Marguerite would like to hear from any "Presley" researchers with Bowen connections.

Current Family News

Financial Report

withheld

1860 Census

(Ed. Note: The following family has been located in the 1860 Census of Madision Co., NC, and was not included in the previous census data which we published)

p. 706[353].  798/798  Sinver B. Prsley        30 m Farmer         200/250    NC
                       Rebeca                  35 f                           TN
                       Rusel B.                10 m                           NC
                       Abigal                   8 f                           NC
                       Milland(?) G.            3 m                           NC
                       Matilda J.            4/12 f                           NC
                       Hesica B. Riddle        14 m                           NC 

We Get Mail

Our Presley Reunion is held the third weekend of July in Hagge Park, Sac County, near the town of Sac City, Iowa. This is the town in which my grandparents lived most of their lives. Unfortunately, there are but a few Presleys, including my mother, still living there at this time. Nevertheless, the reunion has been well attended for the past twenty-two years. There are usuall around 125 people who attend from all over the country -- Iowa, Ill., Wisc., Mass., Texas, Oklalk Fla., Colo., Idaho, Minn., Calif., N.M., and probably some other places I have overlooded.

Those who attend are the direct descendants of Henry Gilford Presley and Either Byers Presley. Henry was known all of his life as Hank and also went by H.H. Presley. Both of them were born in Texas County, Missouri.

What started out as an afternoon event has become a full three days plus, beginning with a canoe race on the Raccoon River on Friday morning (it's more like a regatta than a race). The canoe trip lasts about thee or four hours and features plenty of cold beer in the hot Iowa sun. Usually on Thursday evening some of the relative kill a hog and put it in the roaster so that by the time the canoe race finishes on Friday afternoon, it's time to eat the roast pig.

Friday evening is visiting for the older folks, while the younger generation starts the evening with a scavenger hunt and later on, has a party.

The actual reunion begins on Saturday with a potluck at noon. There are lots of games and events, including rolling pin toss contests for the men, women, kids and little kids, apple bob; treasure hung, horseshoe contest; pinata; volley ball; cribbage, etc., etc. One of the favorite events is th eevening sing-a-long. Sunday morning is a golf outing for some, church for others, and get started for home for many.

It's a great time for everyone and we have gone to great lengths to try and keep it interesting, especially for the young people who are, as you know, essential if such an even is to continue to be successful. We haven't done a lot of genealogy, but ... I'm so pleased to find out there is a Presley Association and people who are interested and willing to spend time on this project.

- Ron Flink, address withheld

Family Group Data

(Ed. Note: The following was submitted by Don D. Terry)

William L. Presley, b. 8 Apr. 1820 NC, d. 31 Aug. 1887 Towns Co. Ga., m. 17 Feb. 1848 Habersham Co., Ga. to Calvaney Presley (dau. Adam Presley), b. 1 June 1829 Habersham Co., Ga., d. 14 Mar. 1918 Towns Co., Ga., both bur. Mt. Zion Cem., Towns Co., Ga. Their children were:
a) Mary, b. 1848
b) Amos Monroe (see below)
c) Clementine, b. 1852 Union Co., Ga., d. 1938, bur. Mt. Zion Cem., Towns Co., Ga., m. 25 Setp.. 1873 to Ervin Turpin, b. 1853. Ten children
d) Zulius Worth (see below)
e) Lucius Peter Wilburn (see below)
f) William Lafayette (see below)
g) James, b. 1860 Towns., Ga.
h) Jacob Sherman, b. 1865 Towns Co., Ga., m. 22 Nov. 1885 to Mary Watkins
i) Ida A., b. 1867 Towns Co., Ga., m1 ____ Westmoreland. m2. Leander Rogers, m3. Lawson A. Miller
j) Rachel, b. 1869 Towns Co., Ga., m. 15 Nov. 1888 to John T. Collins.
k) Marion, b. 1871 Towns Co., Ga.

Amos Monroe Presley, b. 11 Feb. 1850 Towns Co., Ga., d. 16 Feb. 1894, bur. Mt. Zion Cem., Towns Co., Ga., ml. 3 Aug. 1871 to Margaret Eveline Jones, b. 31 Aug. 1853, d. 26 Sept. 1891 Riverview, Chambers Co., Ala., bur. 1st Christ. Ch., Chambers Co., Ala.; m2. Mary L. Sorrells, b. 25 May 1866 Macon Co., NC, d. 20 Oct. 1939 Franklin, Macon Co., NC, bur. Bethel Cem., Macon Co,, NC. Children by first wife were:
a) John William, b. 24 May 1872, d. 12 Aug. 1872
b) Delphia Sylvania, b. 21 Jan. 1874, d. 2 Mar. 1953, m. 1 Sept. 1895 to Jesse Ogletree
c) Amanda Delaney, b. 3 Dec. 1877, m. Homer Brown
d) Richard Harrison, b.30 Aug. 1879 Towns Co., Ga., d. 8 Feb. 1956, m. 30 Sept, 1900 to Sarah Hampton
e) Lucious Montivale, b. 15 Feb. 1881 Towns Co., Ga., d. 1 Sept. 1950, m. 1 Feb. 1903 to Mary Spence
f) Carrie Hasetine, b. 15 July 1884 Paulding Co., Ga., d. 24 Dec. 1961, m. J. Sanders
g) Thomas Monroe, b. 28 June 1888, d. 17 Dec. 1888.

Julius Worth Presley, b. 20 Jan, 1854 Union Co., Ga., d. 28 Nov. 1937, m. 22 July 1872 to Frankie Wilson, b. 28 Oct. 1856, d. 28 July 1931, both bur. Macedonia Cem. Towns Co., Ga. Their children were:
a) Isaac Martin, m. Emma Pharr
b) Unknown child
c) William Jesse, m. Ella Davis
d) Zonia, m. Lawson Miller

e) Laura, m. Lee Head
f) Amos Valentine, b. 1882, d. 1956, m. 23 Jan. 1904 to Fannie Adams
g) James Ludy, b. 9 June 1885, d. 29 Oct. 1959, m. Ella Kendall
h) Olia, d. 23 Dec. 1969, m. 15 Mar. 1908 to Elbert Rogers
i) Icy Mae, b. 5 Feb. 1890, d. 6 Jan. 1975, m. 5 Feb. 1911 to James Kendall
j) Minnie, m. Esco Shook
k) Maude, m. Lloyd McKinney
l) Thomas Alvin, b. 27 Jan. 1897,. d. 8 Apr. 1973, m. 24 Mar. 1920 to Lula Taylor

Lucius Peter Wilburn Presley, b. 4 Feb. 1856 Towns Co., Ga., d. 17 Aug. 1925 Eton, Murray Co., Ga., m. 1877 to Cordelia Brown (dau. Henry Newton Brown & Catherine Garrett), b. 12 Oct. 1860, d 10 Oct. 1933 Murray Co., Ga., both bur. Center Valley Gem., Murray Co., Ga. Their children were:
a) Amos Benton, b.25 June 1878 Towns Co., Ga., d. 13 Dec. 1949, m. 11 Nov. 1902 to Fanny Jones
b) Edward S., b. 24 Jan. 1881 Deep Springs, Whitfield Co., Ga., d. 29 Apr. 1944 Milford, Ellis Co., TX, m. 6 Mar. 1903 to Nancy Landrum (grandparents of Don D. Terry)
c) William Newton, b. 14 Sept, 1883 Deep Spgs., Whitfield Co., Ga., d. 30 Apr. 1945, m.2 24 Aug. 1904 to Artie Frisbee
d) Wilburn Lee, b. 4 Feb. 1889 Deep Spgs., Whitfield Co., Ga.
e) Pearl Calvania, b. 4 July 1890 Deep Spgs., Whitfield Co., Ga., m. Frank Cole
f) Bee L., b. 28 Dec. 1892 Deep Spgs., Whitfield Co., Ga., m. 27 Dec. 1914 to Onnie Cole
g) Carl Brown, b. 20 May 1894 Deep Spgs., Whitfield Co., Ga., m. 2 July 1916 to Stella Ellis
h) Russell Sage, b. 4 Nov. 1896 Deep Spgs., Whitfield Co., Ga., d. 27 Oct. 1951, m. 2 Dec. 1917 to Teen Keith
i) Raymond, b. Jan. 1900 Deep Spgs., Whitfield Co., Ga.
j) Spurgeon Hyte, b. 27 Jan. 1901 Deep Spgs., Whitfield Co., Ga., m. Lucille Wright
k) Joe William, b. 11 May 1903 Deep Spgs., Whitfield Co., Ga., d. 26 Sept. 1968, m. 22 Oct. 1922 to Ora Ellis
l) Roscoe Elvin, b. 13 Sept. 1905 Deep Spgs., Whitfield Co., Ga., d. 20 Dec. 1979, m. 31 Dec. 1928 to Bonnie Hicks

William Lafayette Presley, b. 1858 Towns Co., Ga., ml. 16 Sept. 1876 Towns Co., Ga., to Theodocia Magdaline Noblet; m2. Josie Mathis. Children by first wife were:
a) Carrie Loretta, b. 12 July 1877 Ga., d. 14 Mar. 1968, m. Andrew Sorrells

b) Royster
c) William Homer, b. 2 June 1881, d. 13 Mar. 1932, m. Emma Morris
d) Arvil Wesley
Children by second wife were:
e) Virgil

Current Family News

Key Largo, FL. - A NASA aquanaut broke ar, undersea habitation record over the Fourth of July weekend after spending 60 days in a scuba divers' lodge submerged in a Florida Keys Lagoon.

Richard Presley, 33, a hydroponics engineer from Key Largo, had been at the bottom of the Emerald Lagoon sine e May 6. He was part of a NASA experiment on conditions astronauts would face during long space missions.

"It was an exciting moment and at the same time it was a great relief that I finally did it," Presley said Sunday. "There have been a few nights where I've had dreams imagining that somehow I surfaced.

The Jules Undersea Lodge, once an undersea laboratory, is a steel and acrylic bubble anchored 65 feet offshore m 30 feet of water. It has three portholes and three en ambers, with bunk bads for sleeping, and is usually rented to scuba divers as an underwater hotel,

Presley's comforts included VCR, sound system, a bathroom with shower and a kitchen with microwave over and ????? never surfaced but swam daily in the lagoon, (can't read the rest)

The Allocate, Baton Rouge, LA, 7June 1992 (submitted by Margaret Hoben)

Elvis Mania

The Elvis Inn, a restaurant dedicated to the memory of Elvis Presley in Abu Ghosh, Israel, attracts fans to eat and look at the rock 'n' roll king's pictures that fill every inch of the eatery's wails.
- Albuquerque Journal, 16 Aug. 1992

St. Vincent and the Grenadines, a tiny Caribbean country known for calypso, is making a small fortune on the issuance of a set of nine Eivis Presley postage stamps. The set, which beat the US commemorative stamp, due out in January, was issued four weeks ago and sells for $12. The US distributor reports that 8000 of the 20,000 sets havs been sold already.
- Albuquerque Tribune, 15 Aug. 1992