| Show BISHOP PRESTON CULLED IT BY DEATH One of Most Prominent Officers in Mormon Church for Many Years PIONEER IN CALIFORNIA AMONG FIRST SETTLERS RS OF UTAH William Bowker Preston for many years ears the presiding presIdIng bishop of ot the Church of ot Jesus Christ of ot Saints died at the home of ot his sonin law Oscar W V Moyle lole in Big BI Cotton Cottonwood Cottonwood wood at 3 yesterday esterday afternoon if general debility The end was has hastened hastened by a t severe chill chili several days daY ago At the time of ot Ills his death he was wa surrounded by b the members of ot his fam ily 11 W Yo B Preston son of Christopher and Martha Mitchell Claytor Preston was born In Franklin county count Virginia Nov ov 24 1830 on a plantation He spent tho early earl days of on the farm where he was birn b rn spending the summer in the labors Incident to the Industry of tilling the soil and in winter he attend attended ed school He remained at the oM 01 1 home until he hf was year of he went to Va where he obtained a clerical al position but soon oon left there to take a more re responsible at Lynchburg in the same ame Off for Gold Fields When hen the marvelous tales of oC the dis discoveries of gold in California came amI to the ears of the young oun man Ills blood was fired with the spirit of ot and he left It lt for the new sold old fields by bv steamer crossing the Isthmus of or Dari Darl n nat at and thence to California by sea Instead of embarking In the mining Business Mr Preston saw the possibilities possIbilities of tilling the soil and Imme I I I I I I I I i I I I I I Bishop W B Preston engaged In farming and stock raising settling In the Yolo valley He was successful in his work the early earl traInIng he had received in Virginia being a holp In the new country countr Soon E oon after he had settled in the new country he hp made acquaintances which were to change the drift of oC his career He had been reared as a Methodist hit hl parents being devout members of ot that denomination and during his childhood he had been taught the doctrines of or that church Becoming acquainted with the family of Thatcher he be became became came convinced that the faith to which Mr Thatcher belonged was the only on I proper one and he was baptized as a n member of the Church of ot Jesus Christ Christof of ot Saints by b Elder Eld r Henry G GBoyle Boyle Boyie in 1857 Soon afterwards he was ordained an nn elder cIder He was sent ent as a missionary to the northern part of ot the new state stat He continued this work until the tho elders were called to return to Utah in the fall of the same oame year ear With other members of ot the church he returned by way of Los Angeles and San Bernardino arriving In this city In January of ot the following year Inside of or a month after his arrival in Salt SaIL Lake he was united in with Miss lIss Harriet Ann Thatcher daughter dau of or the man who had assisted in his conversion to tho cere ceremony ceremony mony was performed Feb Settles at t Payson He and his bride left for the southern part of ot the state stare settling In Payson for tor a time but being unable to secure sufficient land for tor his hl purpose left that place for Cache valley where he as assisted in the location and building of or the tho city of ot Logan LoganI I Continued Co on Page 2 BISHOP PRESTON CALLED BY DEATH Continued from Page 1 Soon afterward Apostles Orson Hyde and Ezra T Benson entered the Cache valley to establish wards and Elder Preston was chosen by these apostles and Peter Maughan as bishop of Logan LolO ln The next five years ears were spent in the of oC tho city of oC Logan and ether matters beneficial to the vicinity including two trips to the east to escort emigrants to the state He was captain of or the two companies and succeeded Jn In bringing them safely satel to their destination He was chosen a member of the ter territorial territorial legislature le In 1865 he went to Europe and conducted a company of ot missionaries as far as New York While on his way he visited his parents in Virginia for the first time in thirteen years He spent moro more than three years as business manager of the British mis mission sion slon under the tho presidency of ot Elders Brigham Young Jr and Franklin D Richards Mayor of Logan ogan Soon after his return home he was chosen as mayor of his home city Lo Logan Logan gan and acted in that capacity for tor twelve twe ve years when he was chosen for tor greater political honors being a n mem member member ber of ot the convention which adopted the state constitution in 1895 He also assisted in the development of ot the now state by b turning his energy to railroad building and assisted in building the Union Pacific through Echo canyon He also lent his Influence and endeavors toward the successful com completion completion of ot the Utah Northern railroad of or which company ho was vice president president dent and general superintendent Bishop Preston was appointed a coun counselor counselor to President Moses Thatcher of the Cache stake In 1877 1871 which position he heoc occupied oc until the promotion of at tel ter when hen he was as chosen to fill the va vacancy a cancy caney He continued as president of the Cache stake until April 25 1884 when he was chosen chos n as presiding bishop of ot tho church by the general conference then In session in this city Interested In Education Ho was deeply interested in the edu educational educational affairs of his tate state and for years years was one of the directors and chairman of the Brigham Young col college college lege at nt Logan Other important positions which he has held include the vice presidency of ot the State Stat Dank Bank of ot Utah presidency of or orthe the Provo Woolen Mills company of ol the th Nevada Land Livestock company and of ot the Central Mill Elevator company and ancl vice president of ot the Rexburg Milling companies He has always been considered as one of ot the leaders of or his church and state and has done much toward the In Ing of both Beside his wife wi e he is survived by three children Mrs Oscar W Moyle at whose homo h mo he passed his last days Lee Preston a ranchman of Wyoming and Miss Mary Preston ston Two other children Mrs L t R K and William Preston died about a year ago The rhe body of Bishop Preston was brought from the Moyle where the death oc occurred to the undertaking un establishment of Joseph William Taylor where it is being prepared for burial Definite funeral arrangements arran have apt vet been n completed |
