Biography

Robert E. Preston was born in Bean Station, Tennessee

Bean Station, Tennessee

Bean Station is a city in Grainger County, Tennessee, United States. It is part of the Morristown, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city was incorporated in November 1996...

 in 1836. In 1856, United States Secretary of the Treasury

United States Secretary of the Treasury

The Secretary of the Treasury of the United States is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, which is concerned with financial and monetary matters, and, until 2003, also with some issues of national security and defense. This position in the Federal Government of the United...

 James Guthrie appointed Preston to a clerkship in the office of the first auditor. He rose through the ranks in that office and was responsible for auditing the accounts of the United States Mint

United States Mint

The United States Mint primarily produces circulating coinage for the United States to conduct its trade and commerce. The Mint was created by Congress with the Coinage Act of 1792, and placed within the Department of State...

.

When the Mint Bureau was created by the Coinage Act of 1873, Henry Linderman

Henry Linderman

Henry Richard Linderman was an American financier.-Medical practice:...

, the Director of the United States Mint

Director of the United States Mint

The Director of the United States Mint is the head of the United States Mint. The position is currently vacant following the resignation of Edmund C. Moy in January 2011....

, encouraged Preston to join the Mint Bureau. Preston served as Computer of Bullion, Assay Clerk, Adjuster of Accounts, and Mint Examiner. At several times, he served as Acting Director of the United States Mint in the absence of Linderman and his successors, Horatio C. Burchard

Horatio C. Burchard

Horatio Chapin Burchard was a U.S. Representative from Illinois.Born in Marshall, New York, Burchard attended the public schools and private preparatory schools. He was graduated from Hamilton College, Clinton, New York, in 1850.He studied law. He was admitted to the bar in 1854 and commenced...

 and James P. Kimball

James P. Kimball

James Putnam Kimball was a United States geologist who was Director of the United States Mint from 1885 to 1889.-Biography:James P. Kimball was born in Salem, Massachusetts on April 26, 1836...

.

In 1893, President of the United States

President of the United States

The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....

 Grover Cleveland

Grover Cleveland

Stephen Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Cleveland is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms and therefore is the only individual to be counted twice in the numbering of the presidents...

 named Preston Director of the United States Mint

Director of the United States Mint

The Director of the United States Mint is the head of the United States Mint. The position is currently vacant following the resignation of Edmund C. Moy in January 2011....

. Preston's appointment was strictly on the basis of merit; with the Free Silver

Free Silver

Free Silver was an important United States political policy issue in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Its advocates were in favor of an inflationary monetary policy using the "free coinage of silver" as opposed to the less inflationary Gold Standard; its supporters were called...

question raging, Cleveland wanted to appoint a nonpartisan as Mint Director. Preston held office from November 1893 until February 1898.