Name |
William Preston |
Title |
Colonel |
Suffix |
(Immigrant) |
Birth |
25 Dec 1729 |
Co Londonderry, Ulster, Ireland |
Gender |
Male |
Property |
1749 |
Beverley Manor NE, Augusta Co, Virginia |
"Early Settlers of Augusta" |
|
Breckenridge, Alexander Early Land Acquisition in Augusta County, Virginia, 1748
Alexander Breckenridge's land (Beverley Manor SW, 245 acres & 112 acres) as shown on the map meticulously drawn by J.R. Hildebrand, cartographer.
William Preston, 334 Acres 1749
|
Other-Begin |
23 Sep 1755 |
Augusta Co, Virginia |
- Annals of Augusta County, Virginia p 117
In several letters, Governor Dinwiddie expressed disapprobation of the conduct of Captain Dickinson, of the Augusta rangers, in allowing certain Indians to slip out of his hands. They were called '' praying Indians," because they professed to be Christianized, but were supposed to be partisans of the French. Some friendly Cherokees were expected at Staunton to be employed against the Shawnees, and the Governor wrote to David Stuart and Robert McClanahan to treat these allies well.
A letter written by Robert McClanahan, dated September 23, 1755, relating to supplies for rangers and Indian allies, was found among the papers in an old suit. The name of the person to whom it was addressed, does not appear; but circumstances indicate that it was either William Preston or Robert Breckinridge. The writer speaks of one hundred and fifty Cherokees who were expected, and inquires when and to whom the supplies should be delivered. He says that Capt. Dickinson and his company had "a small scrimmage" with nine Indians, in which one white man and one Indian were killed, and "two small Indian boys belonging to the Cherokees, being captives, were released." The boys were at Fort Dinwiddie, and the Governor had been written to in regard to them. If the Cherokees were informed about the boys, "perhaps it might exasperate them against our enemies," says the writer.
|
Residence |
1770 |
Botetourt Co, Virginia |
James John Floyd |
- At the age of 18 he married Matilda Burford, daughter of Daniel Burford, sheriff of Amherst County, but she died a year later during the birth of their daughter, Mourning Floyd.[2] In 1770, at the age of 20, Floyd moved to Botetourt County, Virginia to seek employment.[2] He worked as a teacher while living in the home of Col. William Preston.[3] Preston, a prominent frontier Virginian, was the surveyor for the western part of Virginia then known as Fincastle County, Virginia, which stretched as far as the Mississippi River.
Wikipedia
|
Other-Begin |
13 Mar 1771 |
Botetourt Co, Virginia |
- William Preston, Executor of John Buchanan, deceased, proved certificates for two thousand three hundred and twenty seven pounds of hemp, which is ord. to be certfd.
Ord. that this court be adjd. till tomorrow morning, eight o'clock.
The minutes of these proceedings were signed.
Andrew Lewis
http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/botetourt/court/minutes26gwl.txt
|
Other-Begin |
14 Mar 1771 |
Botetourt Co, Virginia |
- At a court held for Botetourt County fourteenth of March, one thousand seven hundred and seventy one.
On motion made by Israel Christian, it is ordered William Preston, Robert Breckenridge and Andrew Woods do value the additional five acres of land conveyed by the said Christian to the County for the use thereof and make report
thereof to the next court.
http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/botetourt/court/minutes26gwl.txt
|
Death |
28 Jun 1783 |
Smithfield, Montgomery Co, Virginia |
Burial |
Preston Cem, Smithfield Plantation, Blacksburg, Montgomery Co, Virginia |
Notes |
- Soldier, Surveyor. He was a Captain of a Company of Rangers of Augusta County, Virginia in the French and Indian War. He was a Burgess for Augusta County in 1765 and 1766-1768 and for Botetourt County in 1769-1771. He was County Lieutenant, Sheriff and Surveyor of Fincastle County, Virginia 1772-1776 which included the present State of Kentucky. In 1773 he purchased land at Draper's Meadows in present day Montgomery County, Virginia and established a plantation known as "Smithfield". He was County Lieutenant, Justice, and Surveyor for Montgomery County from 1776 until his death. He served as a Colonel of the Virginia State Militia in the Revolutionary War from Montgomery County. He died while attending a muster of the Montgomery County Militia.
The historical marker in Blacksburg, Virginia pictured at the right reads as follows: "One mile west is "Smithfield", old home of Col. Wm. Preston, who materially guided the destiny of the Virginia frontier from the French and Indian War through the Revolution. On this estate two Virginia Governors were born: James P. Preston, 1816-19; John B. Floyd, 1848-52, the latter was the son of another Virginia Governor, John Floyd, 1830-34, who while in office advocated before the Legislature abolition of slavery in Virginia."
Most of the papers of William Preston were collected by Lyman Draper and are portion of the Draper Manuscripts known as the William Preston Papers. His biography, "William Preston and the Allegheny Patriots" was published by Patricia Givens Johnson in 1976. The inventory of his estate included 273 books. His was one of the largest libraries in Virginia.
(findagrave)
|
Person ID |
I48125 |
Roots |
Last Modified |
4 Jan 2015 |
Family |
Susanna Smith, b. 23 Jan 1740, Hanover Co, Virginia d. 19 Jun 1823, Montgomery Co, Virginia (Age 83 years) |
Marriage |
17 Jan 1761 |
Newtown Limavady, Limavady, Co Londonderry, Ireland |
Notes |
|
Children |
+ | 1. General Francis Smith Preston, b. 2 Aug 1765, Botetourt Co, Virginia d. 26 May 1836, Columbia, South Carolina (Age 70 years) |
| 2. Sarah Preston, b. 3 May 1767, Botetourt Co, Virginia d. 3 Jul 1841, Rockbridge Co, Virginia (Age 74 years) |
| 3. William Preston, b. Abt 1770 d. 24 Jan 1821 (Age ~ 51 years) |
| 4. Susannah Preston, b. 7 Oct 1772, Botetourte Co, Virginia d. 21 Jun 1833, Woodford Co, Kentucky (Age 60 years) |
| 5. James Patton Preston, b. 21 Jun 1774, Montgomery Co, Virginia d. 4 May 1843, Montgomery Co, Virginia (Age 68 years) |
+ | 6. Letita Preston, b. 29 Sep 1776, Smithfield, Montgomery Co, Virginia d. 13 Dec 1852, Burkes Garden, Tazewell Co, Virginia (Age 76 years) |
|
Family ID |
F15903 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
Last Modified |
25 Jul 2013 |