Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA

Where is Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA? 

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In 1687 a tract of land lying east of Norwich between Norwich and Stonington (now North Stonington) was deeded to Capt. James Fitch, Capt Joshua Standish, Thomas Parks, Sr, Jonathan Tracy, Thomas Tracy, Joseph Morgan, and all the rest living in the towns bounds by Oanaco, chief Sachem of the Mohegans (son of Uncas). The town was called “New Preston” in the deed, named after an English town from which some families came. But the name shortly became just “Preston”.


At first, the northern boundary of the town was Plainfield. But in 1815, Griswold separated to form a separate town, reducing the size of Preston by about half. This is why many early Preston town records are found in Griswold. There also were other changes in the town eastern boundaries through the years.


Preston consisted of 3 populated areas, and scattered farms. Each area, Preston City, Poquetanuck, and Long Society, were typical small New England villages, with services such as a blacksmith shop, a grist mill, and a store. Early trades practiced were tanning of leather, shoe making, a silversmith, goldsmith, and a clock maker. Small industries existed, such as shipbuilding in Poquetanuck, a fulling and carding mill,and brick making along Brickyard Road.
As in most of colonial New England, the Congregational Church was the center of the religious, political, educational, and social activities of the town. The earliest church was established in 1698 in Preston City, followed by many other of various denominations in Long Society, Poquetanuck, and Preston City. Schools were built in “districts” to serve the local children, until two central schools, one on Poquetanuck and one in Preston City were built between 1938 and 1940.


Even today, you will see examples of early Connecticut farmhouses dotted throughout the town along with small ponds, brooks, stonewalls and dams. This delightful hamlet continues to maintain its history of country living.


Harriet Rosiene, of the Preston Historical Society, was the primary author of the above narrative.

http://www.preston-ct.org/html/about_preston___.html

Events/Places of Interest

Article genealogybank.com  "A farmer in Preston, Conn., who was troubled with rats, purchased a cat with a reputation as a mouser, and rats were soon among the things that were. But on going into the cellar, one day, he saw rats sharing the noonday meal of the cat. The cat appeared to be charmed by them. The farmer allowed the strange friendship to exist for several days." Date: June 22, 1880 Location: Michigan Paper: Jackson Citizen

WILLIAM E. CHAPMAN KILLED.; Crushed by a Tree Weakened by Last Week's Cyclone -- Escape of His Son.   One of the victims of the cyclone of last week was William E. Chapman, the well-known President of the Chapman Wrecking Company. Early on Thursday, the morning after the storm, Mr. Chapman left his Summer home at Preston, Conn., with his son, Isaac E. Chapman, for the railway station. As they drove along the road a tree, which had been weakened by the fury of the storm, toppled over and fell upon their wagon, crushing them and their vehicle to the ground. The horses broke loose, and as they ran wildly along the road and to the railroad station, they were recognized and it was at once surmised that some member of the Chapman family had met with an accident. Searchers were immediately sent out in a wagon, and it was not long before they found the wrecked wagon and its passengers. Mr. Chapman was found pinioned to the ground by the fallen tree. He was covered with blood, his skull having been pierced by a splinter from the tree. His son was also held fast to the earth by the tree. Father and son had been under the fallen tree an hour before relief arrived. Both men, who still breathed, were at once taken to their home, where the elder Chapman died in a few hours. Mr. Chapman's son was not seriously injured, but he suffered from mental and physical shock. Mr. Chapman's body was brought to his home, at 104 Taylor Street, Brooklyn, where funeral services were held yesterday morning. The pall bearers were officers of the Chapman Wrecking Company and Captains of the fleet - C. F. S. Snyder, A. M. Smith, W. T. Leathbridge, Capt. L. L. Sealy, Capt. George Eral, Capt. T. A. Kennedy, and Thomas T. Quackenbush. Mr. Chapman leaves a wife and three sons - Isaac E. Chapman, W. L. Chapman, and A. Nelson Chapman, and a daughter, Mrs. Edward Buchanan. He took a warm interest in church affairs, and was a prominent member of the First Baptist Church, Brooklyn. He contributed liberally toward the city missions connected with that church. In early life Mr. Chapman was interested in the manufacture of brick, but for the past seventeen years he had devoted himself to the recovery of vessels and other property lost at sea. Mr. Chapman was in his sixty-first year. Isaac Chapman will probably succeed his father as President of the Chapman Wrecking Company. The New York Times New York, New York August 29, 1893

Ancestors Who Were Born in Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA

 Brown
Elias Brown (24 Feb 1745, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA - 15 SEP 1806, )

Elizabeth Brown (4 Nov 1738, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA - , )

Elizabeth Brown (7 Feb 1709, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA - , )

Esther Brown (15 Jul 1747, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA - , )

Eunice Brown (abt. 1749, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA - 20 SEP 1836, Williamsfield, Ashtabula, Ohio)

Hannah Brown (15 Mar 1743, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA - , )

Jacob Brown (6 Jul 1711, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA - , )

John Brown (16 Nov 1737, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA - , )

Judith Brown (19 Aug 1734, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA - 5 JUL 1821, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA)

Judith Brown (abt. 1700, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA - , )

Nathaniel Brown (22 Jan 1704, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA - 11 JUN 1787 , Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA)

Rachel Brown (10 Feb 1740/1741, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA - , )


 Brown (Browne)
Amie Brown (Browne) (4 Oct 1732, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA - 8 Mar 1796, Shaftsbury, Bennington, Vermont, USA)

John Brown (Browne) (19 Jul 1706, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA - 15 MAR 1776, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA)


 Burnham
Eleazer Burnham (15 July 1780, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA - 3 May 1867, Aurora, Cayuga, New York, USA)


 Cooke
Jane Cooke (1686, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA - 1721,  )


 Leonard
Ebenezer Leonard (17 Mar 1710, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA - , )

Jane Leonard (05 Nov 1714, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA - , )

Lydia Leonard (22 Sep 1707, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA - possibly June 6, 1777, Norwich, New London, Connecticut, USA)

Nathan Leonard (22 Aug 1717, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA - , )

Samuel Leonard (18 Mar 1712, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA - 24 Apr 1760, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA)


 Tracy
Thomas Tracy (1644, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA - 1721/1724, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA)


 Williams
Isaiah Williams (15 OCT 1721, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA - 15 AUG 1793, Canterbury, Connecticut)

Ancestors Who Died in Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA

 Brown
John Brown (1675, Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts, USA - 17 FEB 1767, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA)

Judith Brown (19 Aug 1734, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA - 5 JUL 1821, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA)

Nathaniel Brown (22 Jan 1704, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA - 11 JUN 1787 , Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA)


 Brown (Browne)
John Brown (Browne) (19 Jul 1706, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA - 15 MAR 1776, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA)


 Cooke
Mary Cooke (abt. 1675, Norwich, New London, Connecticut, USA - 4 May 1766, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA)

Obed Cooke (1 Feb 1681, Norwich, New London, Connecticut, USA - 7 Apr 1755, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA)

Sarah Cooke (abt. 1682, Stonington, New London, Connecticut - 17 May 1724, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA)


 Fellows
Amie (Ame) Fellows (1710, Plainfield, Windham, Connecticut, USA - 31 MAY 1786, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA)


 Huntington
Matthew Huntington (16 Apr 1694, Norwich, New London, Connecticut, USA - 1756, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA)


 Leonard
Mercy Leonard (abt. 1677, Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA - 24 Dec 1749, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA)

Samuel Leonard (18 Mar 1712, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA - 24 Apr 1760, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA)


 Leonard (Leonardson)
Samuel Leonard (Leonardson) (1683, Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA - 11 May 1718, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA)


 Safford
Elizabeth Safford (3 Aug 1670, Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts, USA - 19 JAN 1739, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA)


 Tracy
Jonathan Tracy (21 Feb 1646, Old Saybrook, Middlesex, Connecticut, USA - 15 Dec 1711, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA)

Thomas Tracy (1644, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA - 1721/1724, Preston, New London, Connecticut, USA)

Cemeteries

Reference Sources

 

 Databases/WebSites

 First Congregational Church of Preston, CT - 1698 - 1898, Baptisms

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