Peter Preston was the son of John Preston and Rebekah Vickers; born in Loudoun Co, VA near Goose Creek Meeting House, where his family resided 1783-1792. Peter's father John served in the War for Independence in Bucks County, PA. In 1792, Peter's family removed from Goose Creek MM to South River MM in Lynchburg, VA.

Peter married Abigail "Abi" Hole on 28 March 1808 in Bedford County, VA, and lived in Lynchburg, VA near his parents and brothers Zenas and Moses, and his sister Sarah. In June 1825, Peter left Lynchburg, VA for Columbiana Co, Ohio - driven in part by Peter's strong feelings against slavery, and where his older brothers Zenas and Amos had bought land as early as 1806. Peter's brothers Amos and John served in the Columbiana Co, Ohio militia during the War of 1812.

As a mason, Peter built his brick home along the Lynchburg canal, and also owned a large tobacco company. Peter's brother Amos Preston was one of the founders of Lynchburg (Columbiana Co), Ohio - named after their former home of Lynchburg, VA - now an unincorporated area in Kensington. Peter's tobacco sold as Preston Sweet Plug to what was to become a major US tobacco company, and the farm was eventually sold after Peter's sons showed little interest in tobacco.

Peter died at the Preston "Fancy Farm" in Lynchburg/Kensington, buried at Quaker Ridge Cemetery located at site of Augusta Friends Meeting House, along the boundary of West Twp, Columbiana County and Augusta Twp, Carroll County; at intersection of Andora and Starling Road. Peter's burial was noted on pg 136 in book "American Grit: A Woman's letters from the Ohio Frontier" by Anna Briggs Bentley, whose daughter Hannah Bentley married Peter and Abi's son John Alexander Preston.

Peter and Abi had 16 children:

*Charles Hole Preston 1809 – 1844, m. Susannah Hicklen
*Martha Vickers Preston 1810 – 1843, m. James Green
*Mary Knight Preston 1811 – 1881, m. James Thompson
*Edwin Thomas Preston 1813 – 1902, m. Mary Chambers
*Eloisa Marie Preston 1814 – 1861, m. John T Johnson
*William Penn Preston 1816 – 1895, m. Cynthia Tinker
*Caleb Meade Preston 1817 – 1883, m. Ann Morris
*Sarah Ann Preston 1819 – 1895, did not marry
*Hartwell Lytton Preston 1821 – 1889, m. Emily Lathrop
*Junius Addison Preston, 1823 – 1897, m. Elizabeth Bancroft
*John Alexander Preston 1824 – 1899, m. Hannah Bentley, m. Emily Gray
*Minerva Jane Preston 1826 – 1893, m. Thomas Morris
*Elizabeth Rebecca Preston 1828 – 1883, m. Joseph B Smith
*Charlotte Elizabeth Preston, 1830 – 1907, m. William Cope
*Lindley Murray Preston 1831 – 1902, m. Alice "Mattie" Howe
*Joseph Warren Preston 1834 – 1837