Walter, the fourth of John Foster, Jr. & Cynthia Caroline Melissa Frances (Vance) Preston's five children, was born in Henrietta, Clay Co, TX. His older siblings were Sarah Ellen (born 1878), Smith (1881), & Dora (1883).
His half brothers & sisters were: William Henry known as Bill (born 1889), James Calvin (1892), Archie (1894), Cora Bell (1897), Millie Melissa (1899) & Jessie Elizabeth (1902).
*****
Walter's Aunt, Sarah Preston, who was a midwife, helped with his delivery on January 1, 1885. John was home from herding cattle, but there wasn't much for him to do except keep the fire going and stay out of the way. During the excitement of Walter's arrival, he threw a big log on the fire. It was thrown too hard, knocking out the back of the clay fireplace. Suddenly, they were all at the mercy of the cold winter air, and they had to wrap Walter in a buffalo hide to keep him warm. (Dora Preston McFerrin) His younger sister, Mary, was born in 1887.
When Mary was a few months old his parents moved to Fort Douglas, Johnson Co, AR and bought a farm on the big Piney. His father died from Typhoid Fever the following year (1888).
In 1889 his mother married George Bell Dodson. In 1893 the family moved to Collin County, TX, and in 1895 had enough money for a down payment for a farm near Altoga. One of the first projects, after moving to the farm, was to build a levy to keep out floodwater. Smith was 14 years old and big enough to help George. Walter was only 10 but did what he could to help. Once the land dried up, there was rich soil for a cotton crop. The house was built on a hill, with the property in back of the house sloping down toward the creek. They had a big blackberry patch and an orchard. George rented an additional 35 acres, where their cattle could graze. At first, copperheads and water moccasins could be found just about anywhere. They could be found up in trees and sometimes in hen nests. Slowly, over a period of time, they got rid of most of the snakes. A few years later, Bill killed an unusually large water moccasin and decided to stuff it. He skinned it, sewed it back together, and used a bushel of corn to fill it.
Walter's sister, Dora, was married to Calvin McFerrin in the summer of 1900. Around 1902 Walter and Smith went to live with them. Smith found a job working on the railroad, but Walter preferred farming. Both stayed with them until the summer of 1908 when they were married. Walter married Linnie Bell Roberson in Anna, TX on July 11, 1908. Their first child, John, was born in 1909 and died the following year. They had two children, Edgar (1911) and Eva (1913), in TX before moving to OK.
Walter, and his wife, Linnie, moved to Yarnaby Bryan County, OK, sometime between 1913 and 1915. He found 370 acres of farmland near Yarnaby with rich fertile soil, part of which was bordering the Red River. He couldn't afford to buy this impressive property, so he talked to George and Cynthia about buying it jointly. George went to see the property and thought it had great potential for crops and income. On November 9, 1917, George and Walter jointly bought the property for $15,000 and divided the acreage up equally. Walter & Linnie's child, Paskel Lee, was born in Yarnaby in 1915.
Walter found an out of the way place on his property and went into the wholesale beverage business. The centerpiece of the business was a large, well-hidden copper kettle. Some of his friends would often join him to enjoy the fruit of his efforts. During their moments of merriment, the men sometimes lost some of their loose change. Walter's son, Edgar, known as "Fatty," remembered searching the area and finding enough money laying on the ground to buy a new pair of shoes. His still was never spotted by the law, but he never planned for the wrath of Mother Nature. During the big "forty acre flood," the copper kettle, along with the rest of his equipment, was washed away.
Walter's wife, Linnie, died on March 10, 1929, at the age of 38, and was buried in Yarnaby Cemetery. He was left with three teenage children: Edgar, age 18; Eva, 16; and Paskel, 14. Edgar went to live with George and Cynthia for the next ten years and helped on the farm. Eva stayed home to do the household chores. Later she met Edgar Baker, but Walter didn't want her to get married because he needed her at home. However, she slipped away and married him anyway. (Betty Jo Baker Bledsoe, Eva's daughter)
Caught Up in a Tornado
Cynthia's Preston children, Walter and Grace, who lived in Achille, always came by for the family reunions. Doris said Uncle Walter often enjoyed telling about a tornado that had devastated his house in Yarnaby. He claimed that he was picked up by the funnel, along with a cow and a big black wash pot. They were spun around and around in the air; for a while he would be above the cow and then the cow would be above him, after which they would change places. When they finally fell to the ground, they were about one-quarter mile from where his house had been standing. Doris always laughed and thought he was joking but says that Uncle Walter was always very serious when he told the story. Now that she has experienced a tornado herself and seen things being blown miles away, she doesn't doubt he was telling the truth. (Doris Graham Robbins)
Walter's son, Pak, vividly remembered the destruction from the tornado. He said their house "blew all to pieces" in 1932 when he was about 17 years old. (Paskel Preston)
Walter died from emphysema on October 31, 1968, in Sherman, Grayson County, Texas. His obituary was published in the Denison Herald on November 1, 1968: "Walter R. Preston - Achille - Funeral for Walter Robert Preston, 83, who died in a Sherman hospital last night will be held in the Achille School gymnasium at 4 p.m. on Saturday with burial in the Achille Cemetery. Coffey Funeral Home in charge. Survivors include his widow, Mrs. Grace; four sons, Edgar of Denison, Pascell of Yuba, Del of Dallas, and Porter of Irving; one daughter, Mrs. Edgar Baker of Cartwright; two stepsons, Ben Sikes of Durant, and Dan Sikes of Concord, Calif.; one stepdaughter, Mrs. Abner Looney of Kemp; one sister, Mrs. Dora McFerrin of Anna; one half-sister, Mrs. Jessie Graham of Pampa; and 29 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren."
His wife, Grace, died on August 11, 1970, and is buried in Achille Cemetery beside him.
*****
The above stories are excerpts, some of which have been edited, from my book, "Dodson, One Family's Journey," July 1999.
His half brothers & sisters were: William Henry known as Bill (born 1889), James Calvin (1892), Archie (1894), Cora Bell (1897), Millie Melissa (1899) & Jessie Elizabeth (1902).
*****
Walter's Aunt, Sarah Preston, who was a midwife, helped with his delivery on January 1, 1885. John was home from herding cattle, but there wasn't much for him to do except keep the fire going and stay out of the way. During the excitement of Walter's arrival, he threw a big log on the fire. It was thrown too hard, knocking out the back of the clay fireplace. Suddenly, they were all at the mercy of the cold winter air, and they had to wrap Walter in a buffalo hide to keep him warm. (Dora Preston McFerrin) His younger sister, Mary, was born in 1887.
When Mary was a few months old his parents moved to Fort Douglas, Johnson Co, AR and bought a farm on the big Piney. His father died from Typhoid Fever the following year (1888).
In 1889 his mother married George Bell Dodson. In 1893 the family moved to Collin County, TX, and in 1895 had enough money for a down payment for a farm near Altoga. One of the first projects, after moving to the farm, was to build a levy to keep out floodwater. Smith was 14 years old and big enough to help George. Walter was only 10 but did what he could to help. Once the land dried up, there was rich soil for a cotton crop. The house was built on a hill, with the property in back of the house sloping down toward the creek. They had a big blackberry patch and an orchard. George rented an additional 35 acres, where their cattle could graze. At first, copperheads and water moccasins could be found just about anywhere. They could be found up in trees and sometimes in hen nests. Slowly, over a period of time, they got rid of most of the snakes. A few years later, Bill killed an unusually large water moccasin and decided to stuff it. He skinned it, sewed it back together, and used a bushel of corn to fill it.
Walter's sister, Dora, was married to Calvin McFerrin in the summer of 1900. Around 1902 Walter and Smith went to live with them. Smith found a job working on the railroad, but Walter preferred farming. Both stayed with them until the summer of 1908 when they were married. Walter married Linnie Bell Roberson in Anna, TX on July 11, 1908. Their first child, John, was born in 1909 and died the following year. They had two children, Edgar (1911) and Eva (1913), in TX before moving to OK.
Walter, and his wife, Linnie, moved to Yarnaby Bryan County, OK, sometime between 1913 and 1915. He found 370 acres of farmland near Yarnaby with rich fertile soil, part of which was bordering the Red River. He couldn't afford to buy this impressive property, so he talked to George and Cynthia about buying it jointly. George went to see the property and thought it had great potential for crops and income. On November 9, 1917, George and Walter jointly bought the property for $15,000 and divided the acreage up equally. Walter & Linnie's child, Paskel Lee, was born in Yarnaby in 1915.
Walter found an out of the way place on his property and went into the wholesale beverage business. The centerpiece of the business was a large, well-hidden copper kettle. Some of his friends would often join him to enjoy the fruit of his efforts. During their moments of merriment, the men sometimes lost some of their loose change. Walter's son, Edgar, known as "Fatty," remembered searching the area and finding enough money laying on the ground to buy a new pair of shoes. His still was never spotted by the law, but he never planned for the wrath of Mother Nature. During the big "forty acre flood," the copper kettle, along with the rest of his equipment, was washed away.
Walter's wife, Linnie, died on March 10, 1929, at the age of 38, and was buried in Yarnaby Cemetery. He was left with three teenage children: Edgar, age 18; Eva, 16; and Paskel, 14. Edgar went to live with George and Cynthia for the next ten years and helped on the farm. Eva stayed home to do the household chores. Later she met Edgar Baker, but Walter didn't want her to get married because he needed her at home. However, she slipped away and married him anyway. (Betty Jo Baker Bledsoe, Eva's daughter)
Caught Up in a Tornado
Cynthia's Preston children, Walter and Grace, who lived in Achille, always came by for the family reunions. Doris said Uncle Walter often enjoyed telling about a tornado that had devastated his house in Yarnaby. He claimed that he was picked up by the funnel, along with a cow and a big black wash pot. They were spun around and around in the air; for a while he would be above the cow and then the cow would be above him, after which they would change places. When they finally fell to the ground, they were about one-quarter mile from where his house had been standing. Doris always laughed and thought he was joking but says that Uncle Walter was always very serious when he told the story. Now that she has experienced a tornado herself and seen things being blown miles away, she doesn't doubt he was telling the truth. (Doris Graham Robbins)
Walter's son, Pak, vividly remembered the destruction from the tornado. He said their house "blew all to pieces" in 1932 when he was about 17 years old. (Paskel Preston)
Walter died from emphysema on October 31, 1968, in Sherman, Grayson County, Texas. His obituary was published in the Denison Herald on November 1, 1968: "Walter R. Preston - Achille - Funeral for Walter Robert Preston, 83, who died in a Sherman hospital last night will be held in the Achille School gymnasium at 4 p.m. on Saturday with burial in the Achille Cemetery. Coffey Funeral Home in charge. Survivors include his widow, Mrs. Grace; four sons, Edgar of Denison, Pascell of Yuba, Del of Dallas, and Porter of Irving; one daughter, Mrs. Edgar Baker of Cartwright; two stepsons, Ben Sikes of Durant, and Dan Sikes of Concord, Calif.; one stepdaughter, Mrs. Abner Looney of Kemp; one sister, Mrs. Dora McFerrin of Anna; one half-sister, Mrs. Jessie Graham of Pampa; and 29 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren."
His wife, Grace, died on August 11, 1970, and is buried in Achille Cemetery beside him.
*****
The above stories are excerpts, some of which have been edited, from my book, "Dodson, One Family's Journey," July 1999.
Walter, the fourth of John Foster, Jr. & Cynthia Caroline Melissa Frances (Vance) Preston's five children, was born in Henrietta, Clay Co, TX. His older siblings were Sarah Ellen (born 1878), Smith (1881), & Dora (1883).
His half brothers & sisters were: William Henry known as Bill (born 1889), James Calvin (1892), Archie (1894), Cora Bell (1897), Millie Melissa (1899) & Jessie Elizabeth (1902).
*****
Walter's Aunt, Sarah Preston, who was a midwife, helped with his delivery on January 1, 1885. John was home from herding cattle, but there wasn't much for him to do except keep the fire going and stay out of the way. During the excitement of Walter's arrival, he threw a big log on the fire. It was thrown too hard, knocking out the back of the clay fireplace. Suddenly, they were all at the mercy of the cold winter air, and they had to wrap Walter in a buffalo hide to keep him warm. (Dora Preston McFerrin) His younger sister, Mary, was born in 1887.
When Mary was a few months old his parents moved to Fort Douglas, Johnson Co, AR and bought a farm on the big Piney. His father died from Typhoid Fever the following year (1888).
In 1889 his mother married George Bell Dodson. In 1893 the family moved to Collin County, TX, and in 1895 had enough money for a down payment for a farm near Altoga. One of the first projects, after moving to the farm, was to build a levy to keep out floodwater. Smith was 14 years old and big enough to help George. Walter was only 10 but did what he could to help. Once the land dried up, there was rich soil for a cotton crop. The house was built on a hill, with the property in back of the house sloping down toward the creek. They had a big blackberry patch and an orchard. George rented an additional 35 acres, where their cattle could graze. At first, copperheads and water moccasins could be found just about anywhere. They could be found up in trees and sometimes in hen nests. Slowly, over a period of time, they got rid of most of the snakes. A few years later, Bill killed an unusually large water moccasin and decided to stuff it. He skinned it, sewed it back together, and used a bushel of corn to fill it.
Walter's sister, Dora, was married to Calvin McFerrin in the summer of 1900. Around 1902 Walter and Smith went to live with them. Smith found a job working on the railroad, but Walter preferred farming. Both stayed with them until the summer of 1908 when they were married. Walter married Linnie Bell Roberson in Anna, TX on July 11, 1908. Their first child, John, was born in 1909 and died the following year. They had two children, Edgar (1911) and Eva (1913), in TX before moving to OK.
Walter, and his wife, Linnie, moved to Yarnaby Bryan County, OK, sometime between 1913 and 1915. He found 370 acres of farmland near Yarnaby with rich fertile soil, part of which was bordering the Red River. He couldn't afford to buy this impressive property, so he talked to George and Cynthia about buying it jointly. George went to see the property and thought it had great potential for crops and income. On November 9, 1917, George and Walter jointly bought the property for $15,000 and divided the acreage up equally. Walter & Linnie's child, Paskel Lee, was born in Yarnaby in 1915.
Walter found an out of the way place on his property and went into the wholesale beverage business. The centerpiece of the business was a large, well-hidden copper kettle. Some of his friends would often join him to enjoy the fruit of his efforts. During their moments of merriment, the men sometimes lost some of their loose change. Walter's son, Edgar, known as "Fatty," remembered searching the area and finding enough money laying on the ground to buy a new pair of shoes. His still was never spotted by the law, but he never planned for the wrath of Mother Nature. During the big "forty acre flood," the copper kettle, along with the rest of his equipment, was washed away.
Walter's wife, Linnie, died on March 10, 1929, at the age of 38, and was buried in Yarnaby Cemetery. He was left with three teenage children: Edgar, age 18; Eva, 16; and Paskel, 14. Edgar went to live with George and Cynthia for the next ten years and helped on the farm. Eva stayed home to do the household chores. Later she met Edgar Baker, but Walter didn't want her to get married because he needed her at home. However, she slipped away and married him anyway. (Betty Jo Baker Bledsoe, Eva's daughter)
Caught Up in a Tornado
Cynthia's Preston children, Walter and Grace, who lived in Achille, always came by for the family reunions. Doris said Uncle Walter often enjoyed telling about a tornado that had devastated his house in Yarnaby. He claimed that he was picked up by the funnel, along with a cow and a big black wash pot. They were spun around and around in the air; for a while he would be above the cow and then the cow would be above him, after which they would change places. When they finally fell to the ground, they were about one-quarter mile from where his house had been standing. Doris always laughed and thought he was joking but says that Uncle Walter was always very serious when he told the story. Now that she has experienced a tornado herself and seen things being blown miles away, she doesn't doubt he was telling the truth. (Doris Graham Robbins)
Walter's son, Pak, vividly remembered the destruction from the tornado. He said their house "blew all to pieces" in 1932 when he was about 17 years old. (Paskel Preston)
Walter died from emphysema on October 31, 1968, in Sherman, Grayson County, Texas. His obituary was published in the Denison Herald on November 1, 1968: "Walter R. Preston - Achille - Funeral for Walter Robert Preston, 83, who died in a Sherman hospital last night will be held in the Achille School gymnasium at 4 p.m. on Saturday with burial in the Achille Cemetery. Coffey Funeral Home in charge. Survivors include his widow, Mrs. Grace; four sons, Edgar of Denison, Pascell of Yuba, Del of Dallas, and Porter of Irving; one daughter, Mrs. Edgar Baker of Cartwright; two stepsons, Ben Sikes of Durant, and Dan Sikes of Concord, Calif.; one stepdaughter, Mrs. Abner Looney of Kemp; one sister, Mrs. Dora McFerrin of Anna; one half-sister, Mrs. Jessie Graham of Pampa; and 29 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren."
His wife, Grace, died on August 11, 1970, and is buried in Achille Cemetery beside him.
*****
The above stories are excerpts, some of which have been edited, from my book, "Dodson, One Family's Journey," July 1999.
His half brothers & sisters were: William Henry known as Bill (born 1889), James Calvin (1892), Archie (1894), Cora Bell (1897), Millie Melissa (1899) & Jessie Elizabeth (1902).
*****
Walter's Aunt, Sarah Preston, who was a midwife, helped with his delivery on January 1, 1885. John was home from herding cattle, but there wasn't much for him to do except keep the fire going and stay out of the way. During the excitement of Walter's arrival, he threw a big log on the fire. It was thrown too hard, knocking out the back of the clay fireplace. Suddenly, they were all at the mercy of the cold winter air, and they had to wrap Walter in a buffalo hide to keep him warm. (Dora Preston McFerrin) His younger sister, Mary, was born in 1887.
When Mary was a few months old his parents moved to Fort Douglas, Johnson Co, AR and bought a farm on the big Piney. His father died from Typhoid Fever the following year (1888).
In 1889 his mother married George Bell Dodson. In 1893 the family moved to Collin County, TX, and in 1895 had enough money for a down payment for a farm near Altoga. One of the first projects, after moving to the farm, was to build a levy to keep out floodwater. Smith was 14 years old and big enough to help George. Walter was only 10 but did what he could to help. Once the land dried up, there was rich soil for a cotton crop. The house was built on a hill, with the property in back of the house sloping down toward the creek. They had a big blackberry patch and an orchard. George rented an additional 35 acres, where their cattle could graze. At first, copperheads and water moccasins could be found just about anywhere. They could be found up in trees and sometimes in hen nests. Slowly, over a period of time, they got rid of most of the snakes. A few years later, Bill killed an unusually large water moccasin and decided to stuff it. He skinned it, sewed it back together, and used a bushel of corn to fill it.
Walter's sister, Dora, was married to Calvin McFerrin in the summer of 1900. Around 1902 Walter and Smith went to live with them. Smith found a job working on the railroad, but Walter preferred farming. Both stayed with them until the summer of 1908 when they were married. Walter married Linnie Bell Roberson in Anna, TX on July 11, 1908. Their first child, John, was born in 1909 and died the following year. They had two children, Edgar (1911) and Eva (1913), in TX before moving to OK.
Walter, and his wife, Linnie, moved to Yarnaby Bryan County, OK, sometime between 1913 and 1915. He found 370 acres of farmland near Yarnaby with rich fertile soil, part of which was bordering the Red River. He couldn't afford to buy this impressive property, so he talked to George and Cynthia about buying it jointly. George went to see the property and thought it had great potential for crops and income. On November 9, 1917, George and Walter jointly bought the property for $15,000 and divided the acreage up equally. Walter & Linnie's child, Paskel Lee, was born in Yarnaby in 1915.
Walter found an out of the way place on his property and went into the wholesale beverage business. The centerpiece of the business was a large, well-hidden copper kettle. Some of his friends would often join him to enjoy the fruit of his efforts. During their moments of merriment, the men sometimes lost some of their loose change. Walter's son, Edgar, known as "Fatty," remembered searching the area and finding enough money laying on the ground to buy a new pair of shoes. His still was never spotted by the law, but he never planned for the wrath of Mother Nature. During the big "forty acre flood," the copper kettle, along with the rest of his equipment, was washed away.
Walter's wife, Linnie, died on March 10, 1929, at the age of 38, and was buried in Yarnaby Cemetery. He was left with three teenage children: Edgar, age 18; Eva, 16; and Paskel, 14. Edgar went to live with George and Cynthia for the next ten years and helped on the farm. Eva stayed home to do the household chores. Later she met Edgar Baker, but Walter didn't want her to get married because he needed her at home. However, she slipped away and married him anyway. (Betty Jo Baker Bledsoe, Eva's daughter)
Caught Up in a Tornado
Cynthia's Preston children, Walter and Grace, who lived in Achille, always came by for the family reunions. Doris said Uncle Walter often enjoyed telling about a tornado that had devastated his house in Yarnaby. He claimed that he was picked up by the funnel, along with a cow and a big black wash pot. They were spun around and around in the air; for a while he would be above the cow and then the cow would be above him, after which they would change places. When they finally fell to the ground, they were about one-quarter mile from where his house had been standing. Doris always laughed and thought he was joking but says that Uncle Walter was always very serious when he told the story. Now that she has experienced a tornado herself and seen things being blown miles away, she doesn't doubt he was telling the truth. (Doris Graham Robbins)
Walter's son, Pak, vividly remembered the destruction from the tornado. He said their house "blew all to pieces" in 1932 when he was about 17 years old. (Paskel Preston)
Walter died from emphysema on October 31, 1968, in Sherman, Grayson County, Texas. His obituary was published in the Denison Herald on November 1, 1968: "Walter R. Preston - Achille - Funeral for Walter Robert Preston, 83, who died in a Sherman hospital last night will be held in the Achille School gymnasium at 4 p.m. on Saturday with burial in the Achille Cemetery. Coffey Funeral Home in charge. Survivors include his widow, Mrs. Grace; four sons, Edgar of Denison, Pascell of Yuba, Del of Dallas, and Porter of Irving; one daughter, Mrs. Edgar Baker of Cartwright; two stepsons, Ben Sikes of Durant, and Dan Sikes of Concord, Calif.; one stepdaughter, Mrs. Abner Looney of Kemp; one sister, Mrs. Dora McFerrin of Anna; one half-sister, Mrs. Jessie Graham of Pampa; and 29 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren."
His wife, Grace, died on August 11, 1970, and is buried in Achille Cemetery beside him.
*****
The above stories are excerpts, some of which have been edited, from my book, "Dodson, One Family's Journey," July 1999.
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