Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Preston Family Papers, Accession #1968.2, Special Collections, Kegley Library, Wytheville Community College.

Acquisition Information

The estate of Frederick B. Kegley donated the Preston Family Papers to the Kegley Library of Wytheville Community College in 1968.

Biographical/Historical Information

The Preston family played a prominent role in settling and shaping the history of southwestern Virginia. The Preston Family Papers focus on the family of William Preston and his son John Preston.

Colonel William Preston, as he was known to his contemporaries and historians alike, was born in Newton Limaviddy in Londonderry County in northern Ireland on 25 December 1730 to John and Elizabeth Patton Preston. His family emigrated to Virginia in 1738 settling in Augusta County. After John Preston died in March 1748 .Elizabeth struggled to raise her one son William and four daughters Lettice, Margaret, Ann, and Mary.

In late 1749 the family moved closer to Elizabeth's brother. Colonel James Patton, a merchant, land agent, and militia colonel guided his young nephew in education and employment. Presbyterian minister John Craig tutored the young man in history, mathematics, and penmanship. William utilized this education as a secretary for his uncle. In time he also labored as a clerk for the Augusta County vestry which essentially controlled most county affairs.

William also surveyed land for his uncle who had received a large land grant, known as the Wood's River Grant in 1745. Although John Buchanan was Patton's principal surveyor, William Preston surveyed much of the land along the New River. By 1753, Preston had traveled extensively through Virginia and present day Maryland and Pennsylvania, surveying and keeping his uncle's accounts.

Tragedy struck in July 1755 when James Patton and several other settlers were massacred by Shawnee Indians. William, already a captain of rangers (militia) began a lifelong commitment to militia service after his uncle's death. He not only served throughout the French and Indian War (1754-1763) but also in the Revolutionary War. In the latter, he fought at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse in 1781 and proved valuable in protecting patriots against those settlers (Tories) loyal to England.

On 17 July 1761 William married Susanna Smith of Hanover Court House. Susanna, the daughter of carpenter Francis Smith, had also received extensive schooling from a Presbyterian cleric. The compatible couple had twelve children including sons John, Francis, William, John Patton, and Thomas Lewis. Their daughters included Elizabeth, Sarah, Ann, Susanna, Mary, Letitia, and Peggy Brown Preston.

After residing at Greenfield, Botetourt County for several years, Preston moved his large family to Montgomery County near present-day Blacksburg in 1774. There he build Smithfield, a home which housed many generations of Prestons.

In Montgomery County, William continued his career as a public servant. In Botetourt and Augusta counties, he had been a member of the House of Burgesses, coroner, escheator, and county surveyor. In Montgomery County, he served as a justice, sheriff, and surveyor. He also was chairman of the Committee of Safety for Fincastle County (Montgomery County was formed in 1777 out of Fincastle).

With his death on 28 June 1783, William Preston left his family considerable wealth in land, personal property, and slaves. His widow and eldest son carefully managed the estate and ensured that the large family continued to enjoy the prosperity their father had sown.

John Preston followed his father's model of public and military service. Born in May 1762, he married Mary Radford. Together they reared five children including William, John, Elizabeth, Susan and Sarah. In 1811 he married Elizabeth Ann Carrington Mayo of Richmond with whom he had one son Edward Carrington Preston.

Preston, known as General Preston, served as a captain, lieutenant colonel, and ultimately major general in the Virginia militia. He also worked as justice of the peace, surveyor, tax commissioner, highway overseer, and store merchant.

In statewide office, he served as delegate in 1783, 1791, and 1803 and senator from 1792 to 1800. John Preston was Treasurer of Virginia from 1809 to 1819. Unfortunately his later years were tinged with scandal. In 1820, the discovery of a deficiency in his accounts during his term as Treasurer caused the Preston family emotional and financial hardship. A deed of trust was entered against his property and soon his vast real estate holdings were sold to reimburse the state. Preston died in March 1827.

William's sons Francis and James Patton also led successful lives. Francis studied law at the College of William and Mary and lived in Abingdon and Saltville, Va. He married Sarah Buchanan Campbell, the daughter of General William Campbell, in January 1793. They had ten children. Francis served in the General Assembly, Congress, and was brigadier general in the Virginia Militia. He died in 1836.

James Patton Preston also studied law at William and Mary. He married Nancy Taylor of Norfolk and raised six children. Preston was surveyor, justice of the peace, and trustee for the town of Blacksburg. In 1802 he was elected to the Virginia State Senate. From 1816 to 1819 he served as Governor. At the time of his death in 1843, his estate was valued at $34,845.

Scope and Content

The Preston Family Papers chronicle the family, business, and political life of a prominent Southwest Virginia family. While offering glimpses of family life, the Papers primarily focus on land, business, legal, and political affairs of Colonel William Preston and his heirs.

Arrangement

The Papers are arranged in six series including correspondence, financial, legal, land, military, and miscellaneous records.

Arranged chronologically, correspondence (1746-1915, undated) comprises Series I. Letters dating from 1746 to 1783 generally discuss land plats, surveys, sale and transfers as well as business transactions between William Preston and George Skillern, William Campbell, Peter Hogg, Robert Carter, Flower Swift, and others. One 1783 letter from Robert Carter of Westmoreland County, Virginia exhorts Preston to deliver a runaway slave named Dick. Other letters to William Preston document his military service in the Revolutionary War.

Correspondence dating from 1784 to 1822 covers the land affairs, militia service, and political life of John Preston, son of William. Also included is a 1797 letter from Elizabeth Preston Madison bitterly denouncing vicious political attacks on her brothers Francis and John. Other letters document John Preston's tenure as Treasurer of Virginia.

Series II includes financial records (1745-1838, undated) of John Buchanan, James Patton, William Preston, John Preston and others. Bills and receipts (1745-1838) form the bulk of this series. Of especial interest, however, are account books kept by Lieutenant William B. Davis (1764) and John Preston (1817-1818).

Legal records (1754-1864, undated) are included in Series III. These records primarily focus on disputes over debts, land and rental of property as well as legal documentation of militia conduct.

A most important aspect of the Preston Papers is found in Series IV with land records (1746-1821, undated). Several survey books including one kept by Col. James Patton and William Preston, record surveys done for early settlers in the Roanoke Valley, New River Valley, and along the Holston River. Individual surveys are also found in this series; the land owner, surveyor, location, and date of survey, if known, is provided in the series listing.

Also included in this series are certificates (1781-1790) from commissioners of Montgomery County entitling various settlers to land. Many of these certificates, arranged chronologically, were transcribed by Mary B. Kegley. These transcriptions will be found in the front of each folder. Information on each certificate includes names of commissioner, land owner, location, and date of certificate issue.

Various agreements, receipts, memoranda, etc (1768-1821, undated) will also be found in Series IV.

Military records (1758-1807, undated) from the French and Indian War and Virginia militia comprise Series V. Included are provisional returns (1758-1761, undated) and a roll book for Capt. John Preston's company, 112th Regt., 19th Brig., Virginia Militia dated 1792. A pay roster (undated) for Capt. Robertson's company as well as a hand-drawn map of the Battle of First Manassas, 21 July 1861, are also found in this series.

Miscellaneous records (1821, undated) comprise Series VI. These records include account statements of Randolph Ross and the Treasury Department of Virginia and a newspaper photograph of William Preston's home, Greenfield, in Botetourt County.