Mark Preece

Mark Preece was born Sep 1, 1839 in Rowlestone, England to Richard and Susanna Pritchard Preece. Mark was a veteran of the Indian Wars. Mark is a Pioneer of Cove.

History

Soon after Mark was born, his parents converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and began the necessary procedures to move to the United States. The Preece family sailed on the Ellen Maria on Feb 1, 1851, and arrived in New Orleans, Louisiana, on April 7.1 They made it to Council Bluffs, Iowa, before the money ran short and began working to afford their journey to Utah.

During their wait in Iowa, Mark's father died. With his mother's courage, the Preece family joined the John Tidwell Company on June 4, 1852 and arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on Sep 10. After their arrival, Mark and his older brother began working for Mr. Allen in Cottonwood, Utah.

In 1860, Mark, his siblings, and his mother moved to Franklin, Idaho. In Franklin, Mark became acquainted with the Comish family and married Eleanor Ellen Comish on Nov 22, 1862 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Tragically, Eleanor died in 1871, giving birth to their fifth daughter. Soon after, Mark hired Emma Bloomfield to care for his children, and they later married on Nov 27, 1872 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

In 1872, a man (possibly Abraham Foster) moved onto Mark's land in Cove. Mark got him out of the area and moved his family to the land in Cove. After their move, life did not get easier for Mark. His daughter died in 1874, his son William Frederick in 1878, Emma became very sick and could not work, and died in 1887, and his mother died in 1882. While Emma was ill, he hired another caretaker, Octavia Elenor Braley, whom he later married on June 3, 1885, in Logan, Utah, technically making Mark enter the practice of polygamy, but not by the practice of the Church.

On Jan 4, 1891, Octavia died, leaving Mark to care for their two young children. Mark, for the final time, hired another caretaker and again married her: Annie Lane on Jan 6, 1892, in Logan, Utah.

Indian Wars Service

On Sep 14, 1864, Mark was enrolled in a company under the command of Captain William H. Head as a member of the Home Guard of Franklin, Idaho. He was released from active duty on Oct 25, 1864.2

Epilouge