HISTORY OF KENTUCKY AND KENTUCKIANS, E. Polk Johnson, three volumes, Lewis Publishing Co., New York & Chicago, 1912. Common version, Vol. III pp. 1215-16. [Full page photograph of Mr. Meguiar included with bio.] [Jefferson County] PRESLEY MEGUIAR--That honored citizen, the late Presley Meguiar, was for many years identified in no uncertain manner with a number of the most important concerns of this part of Kentucky. A financier of talent, he was at the same time one of the largest tobacco dealers in the state. He was a veteran of the Civil war and during his long life he stood close to many of the most important events in the history of the county. Mr. Meguiar was born in Robinson county, Tennessee, April 25, 1825, and died in Louisville, Kentucky, January 29, 1904. He was reared upon a farm and owing to adverse circumstances received but a limited education. His first adventure in the world of affairs was as the proprietor of a book store in Franklin, Kentucky, whence he removed early in life. After carrying this on for a short time he removed to Bowling Green, Kentucky, and became a partner in a drug store. During the last three years of the Civil war he was a soldier in the Confederate service, being assigned to duties in the commissary department. After the cessation of hostilities between the north and the south he removed to Louisville and it was while in that city that he became interested in the tobacco business. He proved to be one of the most astute and brilliant of business men and his scope of affairs grew with the years, until the time of his death he was one of the largest dealers in the entire south. His activities were by no means limited to the tobacco trade, even though engaged in it in such an extensive manner, and it was his distinction to be one of those who assisted in the organization of that sound corporation, the Fidelity Trust Company of Louisville, in which he continued to be a director until his summons to the eternal. He was also a director of the Louisville Heating Company from the time of its organization and of several other companies. Mr. Meguiar was first married to Miss Curd, the marriage being solemnized at Bowling Green, Kentucky. The maiden name of the second Mrs. Meguiar, who now survives her honored husband, was Mary E. Ray, and she was born in Montgomery county, Kentucky, October 27, 1831. She is the daughter of John Ray, an Indianan, who on December 13, 1829, took as his wife Emily Keas, who was born in Montgomery county, Kentucky, January 21, 1811. Neither she nor her husband were long-lived, the father dying in 1834 and the mother on April 25, 1835. Of their three children Mrs. Meguiar is the only one living at the present day. She was reared by an aunt. Her grandfather, John Ray, was a Methodist minister of the old circuit rider school who traveled over the states of Indiana and Kentucky preaching salvation to the souls of men. On February 11, 1857, she married John W. White, who was born in Virginia October 24, 1824, and died in Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, October 7, 1869. John W. White came from the Old Dominion to Montgomery county when a boy to visit his grandfather and the older man persuaded him to make the visit a permanent one. He reared and educated him and his grandfather's farm was the scene of his youthful years. He adopted agriculture as a life work and for a number of years was connected with the banking interests of Mt. Sterling, the once well-known firm of White, Hoffman and Barnes now being designated as the Exchange Bank. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. White were three in number. Eugene died at age of four years and eleven months. Isa B. became the wife of Robert M. Trimble and she and her family now live with Mrs. Meguiar, her three Trimble grandchildren being J. W. White Trimble, Robert M. Jr., and Mary Ray. John W. resides in Mt. Sterling. The second marriage of Mr. Presley Meguiar was solemnized in February 1876. Mrs. Meguiar has always resided in Mt. Sterling, where she has a beautiful home, while Mr. Meguiar spent part of each week at his business in Louisville, and Kentucky's largest city was the scene of his demise. The success he achieved was entirely due to his own efforts, his indomitable courage, perseverance and unfailing good judgment having stood him in better stead than more tangible capital. He was a force in the business world and both from this aspect and as a good citizen he will long be remembered. Politically he was a loyal Democrat and though not in public life he was interested in all the important questions of the day. He was for years a member of the Chester Street Methodist church of Louisville and he was extremely liberal in his benefactions to the church. He was president of the "Church Extension Board" of the Methodist Episcopal church, South, from the time of its organization until his death. Mrs. Meguiar has been a life-long member of the Methodist Episcopal church, South. Meguiar Curd Ray Keas White Trimble Hoffman Barnes = Franklin-Simpson-KY Bowling_Green-Warren-KY Mt._Sterling-Montgomery-KY Robinson-TN IN VA http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/jefferson/meguiar.p.txt