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Preston, Robert, Papers Guide to the Robert Preston Papers Mss. 39.1 P92

Guide to the Robert Preston Papers Mss. 39.1 P92


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Special Collections Research Center

William & Mary Special Collections Research Center
Earl Gregg Swem Library
400 Landrum Dr
Williamsburg, Virginia
Business Number: 757-221-3090
spcoll@wm.edu
URL: https://libraries.wm.edu/libraries-spaces/special-collections

Special Collections Staff.

Repository
Special Collections Research Center
Identification
Mss. 39.1 P92
Title
Robert Preston Papers 1770-1864
Quantity
1 Linear Feet, 2 Century boxes, 586 items
Creator
Preston, Robert, circa 1750-1831
Creator
Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826
Creator
Preston Family
Creator
College of William and Mary
Language
English

Administrative Information

Conditions Governing Use:

Before reproducing or quoting from any materials, in whole or in part, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.

Conditions Governing Access:

Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.

Preferred Citation:

Robert Preston Papers, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Acquisition Information:

Purchase of 512 items from previous hit George  next hit Scheer on 3/27/1939; purchase of 2 items from Mrs. Brockenbrough Lamb 3/30/1939 and 72 items on 3/20/1941.

Scope and Contents

Papers of Robert Preston, surveyor of Washington County  next hit, Virginia, dated 1780-1864. Includes on site notes of land surveyed, without plats. Mostly unprocessed and the vast majority of items has not been described yet.

Includes letters, from relatives in Ireland; financial and legal documents; surveys; plats; and memorandum books.

Includes certificate, 22 December 1779, issued by the College of William and Mary appointing Robert Preston surveyor of Washington previous hit County  next hit, signed by Thomas Jefferson. 

Some surveys for land in Montgomery previous hit County  next hit, Virginia.

Agreement between William Strother Madison and Robert Preston for the division of the surveyor's fees in Washington previous hit County  next hit, Virginia, 1777.

All accessions combined.

Arrangement

The current arrangement into folders is the result of preliminary sorting only. It may change once it has been reviewed, finalized and described to provide proper access.

Separated Material

Letters by James P. and John Preston referring to the College have been transferred to the College Papers Collection. [Date of transfer unkown]

Subjects and Indexing Terms

  • Account books
  • Correspondence
  • Ireland--History--1760-1820
  • Ireland--History--1800-1837
  • Montgomery previous hit County  next hit (Va.)--History--18th century
  • Surveying--Virginia--History
  • Surveys (documents)
  • Washington previous hit County  next hit (Va.)--History--18th century
  • Washington previous hit County  next hit (Va.)--History--19th century

Significant Persons Associated With the Collection

  • Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826
  • Preston, Robert, circa 1750-1831
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Significant Places Associated With the Collection

  • Washington County (Va.)--History--18th century
  • Washington County (Va.)--History--19th century
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Container List

Series 1: Survey Records
1780-1830
Scope and Contents

Receipts, land transaction documents and correspondence, accounts and other legal documents concerning surveying and the buying and selling of land. Many names included from Washington previous hit County  next hit, Virginia and other parts of Virginia, Kentucky and other places. Memo books, survey accounts and survey journals.

  • Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 1
    Land Warrant Surveys, Land Office Treasury Warrants, Military Warrants and Plats
    Scope and Contents

    Arranged alphabetically. Includes land survey description with plats for most of the documents. Most surveys are in Washington previous hit County  next hit, Virginia. Names include Oliver Alexander, Moses Ashbrooks, Joel Barker, Thomas Berry, Abraham Bird, William Bradshaw, Jesse Catechim (?), Robert Crow, William Bryant Ferguson, William Gill, John Griffith, John Hapton, Michael Immel (Russell previous hit County  next hit), John Jones, James Keys, Adam previous hit King  next hit, William previous hit King  next hit, Labelle Main, Anderson Marxhall, Newell Suppord, (La. previous hit County  next hit), Anderson B. Mathews (partly in Rockbridge previous hit County  next hit), James Matthews (assigned to Jacob Halenstine, Peter Mink and John Griffith), Robert McKnight, Christopher Parkey, Robert Preston (Fayette previous hit County  next hit, part of W.H. Hardin claim and part sold to Bryan Ferguson), Samuel Robinson, Andrew Rupe (on same Military Warrant: Nimrod Hughes, Joseph Strother, Andrew Buchanan, Thomas Jameson, Barthalemew Neal, Bazell Talbert, Ruben Bradley, Elisha Dungeans, John Craig, William Chrsitian, James Reid and John Crump), Isaac Shelby (other names: Thomas Shelby, previous hit George  next hit Lindemond, William Wilkerson, John Carson, Evan Shelby), Samuel Thompson (assignee of James Harris), David White, Nicholas Washburn, Fenten Williams,

  • Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 2
    Accounts, Bills, Survey Warranties, and Receipts
    1780-1790English
    Scope and Contents

    Organized by year.

  • Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 3
    Accounts, Bills, Survey Warranties, and Receipts
    1791-1800English
    Scope and Contents

    Organized by year.

  • Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 4
    Accounts, Bills, Survey Warranties, and Receipts
    1801-1810English
    Scope and Contents

    Organized by year.

  • Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 5
    Accounts, Bills, Survey Warranties, and Receipts
    1811-1820English
    Scope and Contents

    Organized by year.

  • Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 6
    Accounts, Bills, Survey Warranties, Receipts, Undated Alphabetical Ledger
    1821-1830, undatedEnglish
    Scope and Contents

    Organized by year. Includes undated ledger alphabetical by name.

  • Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 5
    Survey Entries, Bound
    1782-1831English
    Scope and Contents

    Bound survey entrees with a few loose pages. Over 100 pages.

  • Mixed Materials box: 3 Folder: 1
    Memorandum on Old Surveys
    1789-1790English
    Scope and Contents

    3 pieces of loose papers with survey notes. Includes a few personal transactions.

  • Mixed Materials box: 3 Folder: 2
    Survey Notebooks and Account Books
    1786-1813English
    Scope and Contents

    5 partially bound memo pads and loose papers with surveys notes. Names included with surveys.

  • Mixed Materials box: 3 Folder: 3
    Survey Notes
    1771 and undatedEnglish
    Scope and Contents

    Leather billfold notebook with some survey notes. Surveys are possibly both in Ireland and in Virginia. Very few pages have notes.

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Series 2: Papers
Scope and Contents

Papers of Robert Preston, surveyor, dated 1780-1864. Agreement between William Strother Madison and Robert Preston for the division of the surveyor's fees in Washington previous hit County  next hit, Virginia, 1777; and certificate issued by William and Mary College and signed by Thomas Jefferson, governor of Virginia, appointing Robert Preston surveyor of Washington previous hit County  next hit, 1779.

  • Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 1
    Correspondence from Ireland
    1773 - 1797 and undatedEnglish
    Scope and Contents

    Letters from family and friends in Ireland.

    Undated letter from Robert Preston, Esquire, Andrew Laird, Breahead to Robert Preston, Washington previous hit County  next hit, Virginia, North America. Addressed "Dear Cuzen" and writes about family news.

    May 1, 1773 bill binding John Laird of Cloughmore, city of Londonberry with bond as executorship. Signed by John Breden and John Laird.

    Partnership bond between William Strother Madison and Robert Preston agreeing to divide surveyors fees for Washington previous hit County  next hit, Virginia, March 25, 1779.

    Copy of Certificate nominating Robert Preston as surveyor for Washington previous hit County  next hit, Virginia, December 20, 1779. On verson, signed by Thomas Jefferson, Governor. Original in Surveying Collection.

    Includes accounts of items bought by Robert Preston, Derry, from James Preston

    Correspondents are Cousin Alexander and Rebeca Dean who tell of Alexander's loss of an arm, prices of goods and rent for their lands at Burnfoot, Mr. and Mrs. Davenport (cousin), news of war; Uncle James Preston of Derry who greets Robert as "Robin" and writes of family matters and previous hit George  next hit Douglass (proprietor of the Londonderry Journal); Brother James Preston who writes of family and money matters; Brother Thomas Preston; John and Sarah Teague of Ballybeg with local news; Aunt Margaret Jennet Ferman with family news.

    Letter from John Donnelly, Ireland and Scotland, to Robert Preston, Washington previous hit County  next hit, Virginia, commenting on dissatisfaction in Ireland. 1773.

    May 10, 1793: Bill for goods bought by Robert Preston, Washington previous hit County  next hit, Virginia, of James Preston (drapery business) in Derry, Ireland.

  • Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 2
    Correspondence from Ireland
    1800-1809
    Scope and Contents

    Letters from family and friends Ireland. Some correspondence with business associates.

    Includes letter from James and Sarah Preston from Donegall, Ireland, in praise of previous hit King  next hit previous hit George  next hit, May 2, 1805: ""...And as you treated of a belov'd Jefferson, I must also give way to my pen whom I cannot restrain from joining this paper in favor of a more illustrious and renowned man (I mean) our lawful sovereign previous hit King  next hit previous hit George who is a terror to evil doers and the supporter of such as do well whose arm is extended to corrcet tyranny and trample rebellion under his feet."

  • Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 3
    Correspondence from Ireland
    1810-1830
    Scope and Contents

    Includes letter from James Preston, Londonderry, to Robert Preston, April 18, 1811: " "But if that damned prohibition of joint intercourse with Britain and its colonies takes place the effects will be felt severely by Irishmen but I hope the rulers of political policy will in bothe sides see the madness they are about to commit occasioned by the Tyrant of the World (Boneparte) who has that bewitching influence over blinded Nations as to entangle in his delusion until he has sucked their vital blood and brought the body to a perfect skeleton huge monster envoy of hell whose sole enjoyment is the effusions of human as the cry of the widow and fatherless is harmonious musick in his accursed ears."

  • Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 4
    Personal Papers with Bills, Receipts and Other Business Transactions (including recipe for making whiskey)
    1831-1864, and undatedEnglish
    Scope and Contents

    Mostly personal accounts for medical, store purchases, house building, and other items. Includes a few documents regarding payments for enslaved individuals. Some land survey receipts may be included in the folder.

  • Mixed Materials box: 3 Folder: 4
    Personal and Survey Accounts, Bound Notebook
    1782-1794English
    Scope and Contents

    Small bound notebook with mostly personal accounts, but also financial accounts of surveyed properties.

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