David Preston, father of W. D. Preston, was a member of the Preston banking family of Detroit. He was in Chicago by 1874 where he established a private bank, Preston, Keen and Co. This bank was absorbed by Elbridge Keith in 1884 when Keith established the Metropolitan National Bank. W. D. Preston had been an officer of his father's bank and then became treasurer and later cashier of Metropolitan National. Elbridge Keith was Jesse (Roberts) Preston's uncle. W. D. Preston resigned his position in 1894 to engage in other pursuits. The Preston family resided at 2320 Indiana Ave., formerly the home of Samuel and Judith Keith Roberts.