Person Record
Images
Metadata
Name |
Preston W. Brown |
Born |
1775 |
Deceased |
1826 |
Notes |
Preston Brown emigrated to Kentucky with his father and settled in Woodford Co., Kentucky by 1800. He married Elizabeth Watts in 1802. He lived at Sumner's Forest in Woodford County until 1818, when he moved to Frankfort. His whole family lived at Liberty Hall for 2 years before his own home was built. He moved to Frankfort for better schools for his children. He was a medical doctor with studied with Dr. Benjamin Rush and Dr. Alexander Humphreys. Preston was murdered in 1826 in Jefferson County. He had recently bought property there. Preston was murdered by Randall W. Smith, the son-in-law of his friend Ebenezer Christopher. According to the Kentucky Gazette on October 6, 1826, Preston had a farm about 16 miles south of Louisville, but didn't have a house on his own plantation and therefore would stay with his friend Mr. Christopher. Smith, Christopher's son-in-law, came in tipsy, hostile and abusive to the family, and Preston had an argument with Smith, who became so angry that he left the house and returned the next morning with a large pistol loaded with slugs that he concealed under his jacket. Smith said he wanted satisfaction for the treatment he had received the night before, and Preston tried to pacify him, but to no avail. A scuffle ensued between them, and when Mr. Christopher tried to interfere, Smith fired at Preston. 8 slugs entered his side, one of which passed through his body. One bullet entered Christopher's knee and another passed through his thigh. Smith immediately took off. Christopher survived for a few weeks before dying. |
