John Preston (alderman)
Alderman John Preston, of Tara, served as Mayor of Dublin in 1653-4. He was born in Tara, Ardsallagh, County Meath, in 1611 the son of Hugh Preston, of Bolton, Lancaster, the grandson of Jenico Preston, 3rd Viscount Gormanston. He married Mary Morris (1615–1654) on 21 May 1643 at Bolton, Lancashire, England, with whom he had three children, Mary, Phineas, and Samuel. Following the death his wife, he married Katherine Ashburnham, the widow of Sir John Sherlock MP of Littlerath, County Kildare. He married for a third time another widow, Anne Tighe (1655–1700) the daughter of Alderman  Richard Tighe (who also served as Mayor of Dublin), who bore him a son also called John Preston, who served as MP in the Irish Parliament for Meath in 1711-1715. He was elected alderman on Dublin Corporation in 1650 and served as Mayor of Dublin in 1654 and also served as MP for Navan in 1661. He founded the "Preston Schools" in Navan, Co. Meath and Ballyroan, Co. Laois in 1686. He died on 13 July 1686.