Evaline Gray1

b. 2 May 1813 or 3 May 1813, d. 5 December 1884
FatherWilliam Gray2,3 b. say 1773, d. May 1846
MotherMary Davis3 b. 16 May 1773, d. 14 Apr 1856
Birth2 May 1813 or 3 May 1813 Evaline Gray was born on 2 May 1813 or 3 May 1813.1,4 
Marriage5 Nov 1835 She married Reuben Bradley on 5 Nov 1835 in Washington County, Virginia.5 
Residence  Evaline and Reuben appear to have lived in Talahatchee County, Mississippi, as their daughter Mary Elizabeth was born there in the summer of 1836. 
Marriage7 Jan 1841 She married Thomas M. Preston, son of Samuel A. Preston and Abigail Montgomery, on 7 Jan 1841 in Washington County, Virginia.6 
Cens-1850Sep 1850  Evaline and Thomas were recorded in 1850 in Washington County on the first federal census to list all members of the household by name. Their blended family included Thomas's 3 sons from his first marriage as well as the first 5 children born to Thomas and Evaline. Evaline's daughter, Mary Elizabeth Bradley, was not listed as part of the household.7 
  Thomas and Evaline named their first daughter Jane Orr Preston in honor of Thomas's first wife, and their first son Reuben Bradley Preston in honor of Evaline's first husband. 
ChildDeath1854  In August and September of 1854 daughters Sarah and Hannah died of dysentery. 
Cens-186031 Jul 1860 On the eve of the Civil War Evaline and Thomas were again enumerated in Washington County. Thomas was 53 and owned real estate valued at over $18,000 and personal property of $8,000. Five children were also enumerated: Jane (18), Rebecca (16), Reuben (15), Thomas (13) and William (8).8 
  Daughter Jane died of diphtheria a few months later. 
Cens-187021 Sep 1870  The 1870 census more narrowly focused the neighborhood in which the couple was living. They were listed in Glade Spring township where they were farming with sons Thomas and William.9 
Widowed22 Feb 1875  Evaline was widowed a second time when Thomas died on 22 Feb 1875. 
Cens-18805 Jun 1880  She then made her home with her youngest son William and his family.10 
  Shortly after Thomas Preston Sr. died, William, with his brothers Reuben and Thomas, and brother-in-law Capt. George Graham, executed an agreement whereby Evaline relinquished her dower interest in the various tracts of land left to the men in Thomas Sr.'s will. In exchange, she was to have the control and management of two rooms at the west end of the house (which sat on the tract devised to William), as well as other items. The men also pledged themselves to provide her the $150 annual payment dictated by the will.11 
Death5 Dec 1884 Evaline died on 5 Dec 1884.12,1 
Burial She was buried at Rock Spring Cemetery in Washington County, Virginia.1 

Related Links and Images:

Evaline's side of the Thomas and Evaline Preston monument (first photo); second photo shows monument in relation to children's stones
Other interments in Rock Spring Cemetery

Family 1

Reuben Bradley d. 1836
Child

Family 2

Thomas M. Preston b. 14 May 1807, d. 22 Feb 1875
Children
Last Edited25 Oct 2013

Citations

  1. [S2] Catherine McConnell, High On A Windy Hill, p. 209. Stone reported to read: Evaline Preston, 2 May 1813-5 Dec. 1884.
  2. [S701] William Gray Sr. will (1846), Washington Co., Virginia Will Book 10: 99. The will was dated 5 May 1846 and recorded 25 May 1846. It was witnessed by Wm A. Preston, Francis Preston, William Lynch and Jacob Lynch.
  3. [S1637] King Albert Hagey and William Anderson Hagey, Hagy Families in America, p. 193.
  4. [S2123] "Thomas M. Preston Bible", The Library of Virginia (http://www.lva.lib.va.us). The Bible entry states: Avalina Preston was born May 3, 1813.
  5. [S4] D.E. Brown, Marriages of Washington Co., VA 1781-1853, p. 7. Record reported to read: Reuben L. Bradley and Evelina Gray, marr 5 Nov. 1835 by Stephen Bovell.
  6. [S2123] "Thomas M. Preston Bible", The Library of Virginia (http://www.lva.lib.va.us). Marriages: Thos M. Preston and Avalina Bradley was married January 7th 1841.
  7. [S367] Thomas Preston household, 1850 U.S. Census, Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., 67th district, p. 137 (stamped), dwelling 1002, family 1002, viewed online at Ancestry.com, March 2007, image 139 of 289. Household includes: Thomas Preston, 41, farmer, real estate: $8,000, Eveline, 36; Samuel, 21; James, 18; John 15; Jane, 9; Rebecca, 7; Reuben, 5; Thomas, 4; Sarah J., 2; all b. VA.
  8. [S234] Thomas M. Preston household, 1860 U.S. cens, Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., Western district, p. 148 (script), dwelling 1102, family 1058, viewed online at Ancestry.com, March 2007, image 150 of 361. Household includes: Thomas M. Preston, 53, farmer, owns real estate: $18,125 and pers prop $8,000; Eveline, 47; Jane 18; Rebecca, 16; Reuben 15; Thomas 13; William 8; all b. VA.
  9. [S635] Thos Preston household, 1870 U.S. cens, Washington Co., Virginia, pop. sched., Glade Spring township, p. 8, dwelling 84, family 88, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Apr 2007, image1 2 of 49. Household includes: Thos Preston, 63, owns real estate val at $4,000, pes. prop __, farmer; Eveline, 57; Thos, 33, farmer; Wm, 18; Nancy, 35 Emeline Widener, 21, cook; Robt Evans, 22, laborer, all b. VA.
  10. [S165] Wm G. Preston household, 1880 U.S. Census, Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., Holston district, ED 100, page 5A (p. 243A), dwelling 39, family 39, viewed online at www.Ancestry.com, April 2007, image 5 of 54. Household includes: Wm G. Preston, 28, farmer; Margaret, 30, wife; Eva, 5/12, dau b. Jan.; Eveline, 67, mother; all b. VA; all parents b. VA except Eveline's father b. PA.
  11. [S3217] Jack Hockett, Washington Co., Virginia Deed Book 31, 1874-1875, abstracting Washington Co., VA Deed Bk 31: 416.
  12. [S2123] "Thomas M. Preston Bible", The Library of Virginia (http://www.lva.lib.va.us).
  13. [S2] Catherine McConnell, High On A Windy Hill, p. 85; stone reported to say: Mary Elizabeth Bradley Kreger, w/o John G. Kreger, only child of Reuben L. & Eveline Gray Bradley, b. 1 Aug. 1836, d. 12 Jul 1893.
  14. [S6] Thomas Colley, Washington Co. VA Marriages 1853-1880, p. 201. Record reported to state: John Goodson Kreger, 32y 8m 25d, sgl, b. & resid WCV, clerk of the county court, s/o Isaac & Nancy R. Kreger AND Mary Elizabeth Bradley, 23y 1m 28d, sgl, b. Pharsalia, Talahatchee Co. MS; resid WCV, d/o Reuben L. & Eveline Bradley; marr 29 Sept. 1859 by Wm W. Stickley.
  15. [S2] Catherine McConnell, High On A Windy Hill, p. 186. Jane O. Preston, d. 23 Sep. 1860, age 18y, 9m, 3d (with Thomas and Evaline Preston).
  16. [S6] Thomas Colley, Washington Co. VA Marriages 1853-1880, p. 135. Record reported to state: George Graham, 37y, sgl, b. & resid WCV, farmer, s/o Wm & Isabella Graham AND Rebecca Sandoe Preston, 18y, sgl, b & resid WCV, d/o Thomas M. & Eveline Preston; marr: 31 March 1863 by R.S. Reese.
  17. [S6] Thomas Colley, Washington Co. VA Marriages 1853-1880, p. 289. Ruben B. Preston, 23y, sgl, b. & resid Wash. Co. VA, farmer, s/o Thos M. & Eveline Preston AND Isabella J. Moore, 22, sgl, b. & resid WCV, d/o John B. & Mgt. A. Moore; marr: 13 Jan. 1869.
  18. [S1198] Virgil Lewis, "Residents of Washington County," in Virginia and Virginians, p. 747.
  19. [S1682] Thomas & Jane (Fleenor) Colley, Washington County, Virginia Cemetery Annotations, Vol III, p. 1022, citing Washington Co., VA death register.
  20. [S3] Moore and Stephens, Washington Co., VA Birth and Death Records, p. 212. Record abstracted as: Sarah Ann Preston, d. 21 Aug. 1854 of dysentery at age 6 y, 5 mos; parents: Thos M. & Evaline Preston.
  21. [S3] Moore and Stephens, Washington Co., VA Birth and Death Records, p. 212. Record abstracted as: Ann Louisa Preston, d. 13 Sept. 1854 of dysentery at age 3y, 5 mos; parents: Thos M. & Evaline Preston.
  22. [S6] Thomas Colley, Washington Co. VA Marriages 1853-1880, p. 290. Abstract reads: William G. Preston, 26, sgl, b. & resid WCV, farmer, s/o Thomas M. & Eveline Preston AND Mary Margaret McQuown, 28, sgl, b. & resid WCV, s/o Isaac A. & Nancy E. McQuown; marr 27 Nov. 1878.