Benjamin W Presnell

Notes:

Buried:
Zion Hill Baptist Church Cemetery

Benjamin married Sarah Ellen Trivette about 1895. Sarah was born on 11 Aug 1870 in Watauga, North Carolina, USA; died on 24 Mar 1945 in Watauga, North Carolina, USA; was buried in Watauga, North Carolina, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. William Presnell was born in Jan 1891 in Watauga, North Carolina, USA.
2. Ocie May Presnell was born on 4 Nov 1896 in Watauga, North Carolina, USA; died on 19 Jun 1979 in Elizabethton, Carter, Tennessee, USA.
3. Valentine Presnell was born on 16 Feb 1909 in Watauga, North Carolina, USA; died on 30 Jul 1909 in Watauga, North Carolina, USA.
4. Mary E. Presnell was born on 22 Mar 1911; died on 31 Mar 1955.
5. Audie Presnell was born on 1 Sep 1914; died on 24 Feb 1971.
6. Martha Presnell was born on 18 Oct 1904; died on 10 Oct 1905.
7. Shelly Presnell was born on 12 Jun 1898; died on 19 Mar 1962.
8. Perley L. Presnell was born on 24 Feb 1900; died on 18 Mar 1920.
9. Freddie Presnell was born on 12 Aug 1906.
10. Abraham Lincoln Presnell was born on 11 Oct 1902 in Watauga, North Carolina, USA; died on 30 Jul 1990 in Watauga, North Carolina, USA; was buried in Mountain Dale Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery, Watauga, North Carolina, United States.

James married Sarah Melissa Dyer in 1864 in Watauga, North Carolina, USA. Sarah (daughter of Joel Wayne Dyer and Minnie Baggett) was born in Aug 1845 in Watauga, North Carolina, USA; died on 15 Feb 1915 in Obion, Obion, Tennessee, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

From Terry Harmon:

Miles Presnell was born around 1824 in North Carolina. Some have suggested that his full name was “Harvey Miles Presnell,” and his great-granddaughter, Aner Tester Rominger, even arranged a tombstone with that name on it, but there are no records to substantiate this. In fact, the 1860 Watauga County census records his name as “Miles A. Presnell.” Miles’s son, Jordan H. “Jerd” Presnell, was a patient at the North Carolina State Mental Hospital in the 1920’s and 1930’s, and although more is written about Jerd later, it is important to note here that the hospital archives record Jerd’s parents as Rilda Hix and Miles Abernathy Presnell. There is no indication as to who the provider of this information was, but perhaps it was Jerd himself or Jerd’s son, Harrison Wesley Presnell, who is believed to have sent his father to the hospital. Either way, a son and/or a grandson would probably have known Miles’s name. Jerd’s death certificate also lists his father as “Miles Abernathy Presnell.” Additionally, on the death certificate of Miles’s
son, John Columbus Presnell, John’s father is listed as “Miles Avanathy Presnell.” “Avanathy” was likely a misspelling of “Abernathy.” The middle name “Abernathy” supports the 1860 census listing of “Miles A. Presnell.” It is also interesting to note that Miles Presnell’s nephew, Jackson Ward (son of Miles’s sister, Clarissa Presnell Ward), named one of his sons Miles Abernathy Ward, no doubt after his uncle Miles Abernathy Presnell. Miles Ward in turn named one of his sons Charles Abernathy Ward.

When I discovered that Miles’s middle name was Abernathy, I wondered about the source of it, particularly since Abernathy is not a name common to the Watauga area. I wondered if it was similar to Lorenzo Dow. Many early residents of this area were named Lorenzo Dow. There were several Lorenzo Dow Wards, for example, as well as a Lorenzo Dow Whittington and a Lorenzo Dow Tester. This name was, in fact, originally given in honor of Lorenzo Dow (1777-1834) who, according to Wikipedia, the on-line dictionary, “was an eccentric minister whose infamy, influence and travels throughout the country led to many thousands of U. S. children of the early 19 th century to be named after him. The 1850 U. S. census lists Lorenzo as one of the most popular first names in America. His autobiography at one time was the second-best selling book in the United States, exceeded only by the Bible.” With that knowledge in mind, I searched for a man named Miles Abernathy. Although I did not locate a Miles Abernathy of the same fame as Lorenzo Dow, there was an Abernathy family in early Lincoln County, North Carolina, and at least two of their members were named Miles and others were named James and Nathan - all names that appear in the Presnell family. Miles Presnell’s father, James Presnell, at one point lived in Burke County, and part of Burke County was later added to Lincoln County (1782- 1784). As is believed to be true of the Presnells, the Abernathys moved to North Carolina from Virginia. Although there appears to be no intermarriages or blood relation between the two families, perhaps they were neighbors or associates, and perhaps that is how the Abernathy name came to be part of the Presnell and Ward families.

Miles married Rilda Hicks on 4 Dec 1845 in Watauga, North Carolina, USA. Rilda (daughter of Harmon Hicks and Nellie Tester) was born in Dec 1826 in Ashe County, North Carolina, USA; died in 1902 in Rominger, Watauga, North Carolina, USA; was buried in Mast Cemetery, Rominger, Watauga County, North Carolina. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Joel married Minnie Baggett on 15 Dec 1831 in Coweta, Georgia, United States. Minnie was born in 1811 in South Carolina, United States; died in Dec 1849 in Coweta, Georgia, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Buried:
Mast Cemetery

James married Susanna Benfield in 1818 in Chatham, North Carolina, USA. Susanna (daughter of George Benfield and Sarah Hartzel) was born on 1 Jan 1804 in Taylorsville, Lincoln County, North Carolina; died in 1898 in Rominger, Watauga, North Carolina, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Harmon married Nellie Tester in 1815 in Ashe, North Carolina, USA. Nellie (daughter of Samuel Tester and Mary Elizabeth Daniels) was born in 1802 in North Carolina, USA; died in 1880. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Thomas married Elizabeth Thomas. Elizabeth was born in 1772 in Virginia, USA; died in 1863 in Coweta, Georgia, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]