Benham Preston

Abt 1770 - Yes, date unknown

• Name	Benham Preston
  Born	Abt 1770	Of, Vermont
  Gender	Male
  Land	1800	Waterloo Township - Beasley's Old Survey Lot 02, Waterloo County, Ontario
  	Nathaniel Dodge, 114 acres from Beasley in Lot No. 2, Beasley's Old Survey, August 6th, 1800, recorded February 16th, 1801. This farm was located on the west bank of the Grand River below Blair and is now part of the Wilks estate. Dodge is the traditional first squatter in the County of Waterloo. Preston purchased the remaining portion of Lot No. 2, B.O.S. consisting of 114 acres from Beasley on August 11th, 1800. Mr. Preston appeared to remain in the district but a short time for in 1807 he disposed of his property to Dodge. Waterloo Historical Society Annual Volume 1934 - THE HISTORY OF WATERLOO TOWNSHIP UP TO 1825 I. C. Bricker, Phm. B., Elora, pg 81
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-76861
  Died	Yes, date unknown
  Person ID	I76861	Generations
  Last Modified	7 Nov 2024

  
  

• Notes

  Benham Preston was a squatter in Block 1 before Mennonites came. 1799-about 1806: Benham Preston was a fur trader in Waterloo, Ontario, and Whitchurch Township, York Co. They had one son, John B., who was born in Canada about 1806. The family shortly there after moved to New York. Was of Vermont. (no proof of this) ______________________ The earliest Crown grants in the area were issued, beginning in 1803. to Samuel Bricker (lot 34. concession 8), Philip Saltberger (lot 35, concession 8). and Benham Preston Lots 32- 35. concession 9). Along with seven other families of the Mennonite faith, these settlers took land grants in Whitchurch Township because they were having difficulty obtaining dear deeds for land they had hoped to buy in Waterloo County near Kitchener. Ontario. Bricker was able to borrow enough money from relatives in Pennsylvania to form joint stock company known as the German Company, and this enabled the families to buy the land in Waterloo County. Eight of these families merely cleared the land in Whitchurch, as required, and sold the acreage within a few years. Samuel Bricker, however, held the property until 1847, when he sold the east half to William Graham. In 1852 he sold the remaining west half of his land to John Grose, whose descendants are still there. Whitchurch Township, Jean Barkey, Whitchurch History Book Committee.

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - Abt 1770 - Of, Vermont Land - 1800 - Waterloo Township - Beasley's Old Survey Lot 02, Waterloo County, Ontario  = Link to Google Earth