Jacob was born February 24, 1680/1 in Andover, Massachusetts and died probably in Ashford, Connecticut after 1742. On June 17, 1702, he married Sarah Wilson at Andover. Sarah, daughter of Joseph Wilson and Sarah Lord, was born at Andover on December 31, 1678 and died after 1716. When Sarah was fourteen, she was imprisoned for witchcraft along with her mother.
Jacob Preston was a blacksmith, and was so styled in deeds, both before and after his removal from Andover. The last record of him in Andover is that of his admission to full communion in the church in the south precinct, August 31, 1718. His last sale of land there was September 27, 1714, when "Jacob Preston, blacksmith," sold all right to his common and undivided land, to John Ames of Boxford.
Some time between 1718 and 1723, Jacob and his family removed to Windham, Connecticut, and settled in that part of the town called Windham Village which in 1786 was set off as the town of Hampton. The first mention of him there is October 29, 1723, when Robert and Rebecca (Preston) Holt of Windham, sold to Jacob Preston of Windham, blacksmith, upland and swamp in Windham. Jacob joined the church in Windham in 1723, and his son Benjamin owned the covenant December 23, 1724. Sarah Preston (probably Jacob's wife) was received into full communion September 22, 1723.
There were many transfers of land from Jacob Preston, Sr.. to his sons, and other conveyances by them and in which all of them are mentioned except Benjamin. A few abstracts will prove the relationship conclusively: Jacob Preston, Jr. of Windham sold "father Jacob Preston of Windham land and house where I now dwell"...bounded by land of David Preston, November 11, 1721. Jacob Preston of Windham sold to "son Joseph Preston land bought of son Jacob," November 11, 1732. Jacob Preston of Windham sold to "son Joseph Preston part of a house and land in Windham...bounded by land now belonging to my son William...for the use of Joseph and [my] wife Sarah during their natural life, January 16, 1733/4. William Preston of Windham sold to David Preston, land bounded by "land belonging to my father Jacob Preston and my brother Joseph Preston," March, 1734. Joseph Preston sold "brother John Preston land that was given me by my father Jacob Preston," 1735. David Preston of Windham sold David Ripley land "adjoining my father Jacob Preston's and my brother Joseph Preston's," February 10, 1736/7.
Jacob Preston, Sr. probably moved to Ashford when his son John settled there in 1740 or a littler later, for on June 13, 1742, "Mr. Jacob Preston received into our holy communion in full being recommended by a letter from the Rev. Mr. Mosely by the consent of the brethren of Windham Village where he was in full communion. On April 18, 1740, Jacob Preston and John Preston, Jr., of Windham sold fifty acres of land with buildings, "ye whole of farm which belongs to us" to Jacob Preston, Jr. for £500. This land was in the north part of Windham and joined the land of Jacob Preston, Jr.
See lineage of Preston Family
Read the Biography of Jacob's grandfather, Roger Preston
Read the Biography of Jacob's father, Samuel Preston
Read the Biography of Jacob's son, David Preston
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