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File contributed to the Fulton County ILGenWeb Project
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Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County
Biographical Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890

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The Biography of Hiram PRESTON 

Pages 305-306, transcribed in full by Danni Hopkins 

[Surnames: HATHAWAY, PRESTON, WINSLOW] 

    
HIRAM PRESTON. There is in the business world only one kind of man who can successfully combat the many disadvantages and trials and come boldly to the front, and that is the man of superior intelligence and force of character, and one who also is the happy possessor of that energy that seems somehow to be the magic wand that transforms a poor beginning into a flattering ending. And to this class belongs Hiram Preston, a man who by strict integrity, shrewdness of judgment and good management has risen to the top round of the ladder of fortune. 
    
Mr. Preston was born in Franklin County, Me., January 23, 1817, being the son of Peter and Mary (Winslow) Preston, natives of Massachusetts. His parents were married in the State of Maine. The father was reared on a farm near Martha's Vineyard, but when a young man went to Maine and purchased one hundred acres of land in Franklin County, where he devoted his whole time and attention to farming up to the time of his death, which occurred after he had reached his eighty-seventh year. He was a member of the Methodist Church, and in politics was first a Whig and afterward a Democrat. The mother died in the same place when eighty-six years old and was also a faithful member of the Methodist Church. To their union were born eight children, all of whom reached maturity, viz., Sally, Ezekial, Mary Ann, Lucinda, Hiram, Jane, Percilla, and Hannah. Only three of this number are living at the present time. 
    
Mr. Preston attended school in his native county during the winter months and worked on the farm in the summer. The schoolhouses of those times were exceedingly rustic in appearance, but turned out many pupils who in after life profited by the rudiments of knowledge planted there and became famous. When twenty years of age he commenced a business career for himself and at first worked out for others, receiving $10 each month for his services, and continued this means of livelihood until he came to this county. He owned one hundred acres of land, which was covered with heavy timber, and in the fall of 1839 he sold this property in Maine, having cleared it, and came to the State of Illinois. He came to Chicago by water, rail and stage, and walked from that point to Brimfield, Peoria County. He settled near Brimfield, where he bought one hundred and sixty acres of land. He at once built a frame house and commenced to clear up his property, which was in a very wild state. The following year he sold out and came to Fulton County, and bought forty acres of land in Buckheart Township that had a saw and grist mill on it. He lived there twelve years and made a great success both of the farm and of the mill, but after selling that place he came to Liverpool Township and bought eighty acres of land on section 11, where he now lives. He built his present handsome frame house in 1864, and has both farmed and raised stock on an extensive scale. Lately he retired from labor and rents most of his land. 
    
The subject of our sketch married Miss Tryphena Hathaway in 1841. She was a native of Maine and lived to be sixty-five years old. A faithful member of the Methodist Church and a devout Christian, her death was a very peaceful one, she passing away in her home here and being laid to rest in a private burial ground in this township. To our subject and his wife were born seven children, viz: Lydia, Edwin, Charles, Winslow, Frank and Ostin. 
    
Mr. Preston was again married in 1881 to Hammah Hathaway, sister of his first wife, who was born on the 9th of May, 1828. Mrs. Preston is a member of the Baptist Church. Our subject is a prominent man in this community and has held many public offices of trust. For the past twenty six years he has been School Treasurer, and for a period of twenty-two years had charge of the post office at Maple's Mill, an office which he resigned in 1880, and besides this he was Town Clerk for sixteen years, facts that convey some idea of the high esteem in which he is held and tell something of the popularity he has always enjoyed. In political belief he is a Democrat.