From: Roots of Roane County, TN by Snyder E. Roberts
JAMES PRESTON was born between 1770-80 and died in Rhea County, TN in 1839. He was approximately the age of Senator George Preston, with whom he was closely associated, and they were possibly brothers. James Preston was commissioned as a Captain in the Knox County Regiment in 1801. He was named by the Governor as one of the 12 original Justices of the Peace for Roane County in 1801. He is listed in Captain RICHARD OLIVER’S Company of Militia in Roane in 1802 (tax purposes). His name is on the Roane 1805 and 1808 Tax Lists. Capt. James Preston fought in the War of 1812 under GEN. JOHN BROWN of Roane County.
James Preston married (1791) in Fauquir County, VA, CHARLOTTE RECTOR (1773- ). The Rectors are of Germanic descent an have been the object of extensive genealogical research especially in VA and TN. Roane County has had many Rector families. Mr. C. R. Salmon, a Pasadena, CA, businessman, has had wide research done on the Rectors, Prestons, and Jackson families, and has issued a book on the findings. A copy of this book is on file in the Old Records Room at the Roane County Courthouse. His researchers claim WILLIAM PRESTON for the father of Capt. James Preston, but this cannot be the Col. William Preston of "Smithfield" on the VA-KY line because his son, WILLIAM C., born 1770, married CAROLINE HANCOCK, and he was a US Senator from SC. [quoted from book published 1981]
The children of Capt. James and Charlotte Rector Preston were:
1..JANE "JENNY" PRESTON (1795-9/9/1840) mar (181) JOHN JACKSON III (1792-9/9/1840 (or more properly, the well-to-do, and large slaveholder, JOHN JACKSON III eloped with Jane Preston. John fought in the War of 1812. John II and Jennie died on the same day of yellow fever and are buried in Roane County. His will is on file at Kingston. They had eleven children as follows: JOSIAH (1812), SUSANNAH (1814-1898), JAMES P. (1816-1900), JEFFERSON (1818-1902), CHARLOTTE (1822-1827) ELIZABETH (1824-1894), NANCY (1828-1873), MARY (1829), CAROLINE (1833-1916), JOHN (1837-1837), SAMUEL (1837-1863)
2. RECTOR PRESTON (1805-abt. 1830 in Rhea Co.) unmarried
3. MARGARET PRESTON (1805-1879) married (1819) JAMES RODDY (1801-1840) of Rhea County. They had eight children: JESSE P. (1823-1898), WILLIAM G. (1825-) mar AMANDA STOCKTON, CHARLOTTE (1827) SARAH (1829), MARY (1834), SUSAN (1836), ELIZABETH G. (1838), GEORGE (1840)
4. GEORGE (1810-15) went to MO
5. WILLIAM (1810-15) in Rhea Co. in 1842
6. SARAH M. (1830) married MICHAEL WOOD
7. NANCY (d. before 1839) married (1833) JAMES STOCKTON
8. JOHN (1820-25—1840) unmarried
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