Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-11-29
THE PRESTON FAmILY.
How Connected with the BIairs,
HamptOnS and Others.


From the Cincinnati Gszette.l
LExISGT0E. November lSth.
There was a reference, in the columns
of the Gazette few days ago, TO the
relationship of Frank P. Blair, William
Preston, of Kentucky, and Wade Hamp-
ton, and the effect of it upon the Dem
ocratic party in the late Presidential
campaign. Perhaps a short history Of
that Preston family and its ramideations
will enable some of your readers to ex-
plain other political movements Of the
past. The history l propose to give !:
John Preston. the first American branch
of the family, came to this country from
Londonderry, ireland, in 1910; he mar
died Elizabeth Patton. Col. james Pat
ton. brother Of Elizabeth, came to Fir-
ginia at the same time was very wealthy
and was killed by the Indians in 1853.
He left two daughters, one Of whom
married Col John Buchanan, and from
him descended John Floyd, once Cover
nor Of Virginia, and we believe the
father of John B. Floyd, James Buc-
hanan's famous Secretary of War. John
Preston had FIVE children OF them in
their order
/. Letitia Preston married Col. Robt
Breckindridge, Virginia farmer. His
SON John Breckenridge, was a lawyer Of
eminence, was a United States Senator,
and Attorney General under Jefferson
He had the famous Kentucky and Fir-
ginia resolution adopted by the Ken
tucky Legislature. His sons were three
Presbyterian preachers, John Breckin-
ridge who held the noted debate with
Archbishop Hughes, r. J. B., aud W.
L. B. John C. Breckinridge, of rebel
fame, was the grandson of this John
Breekinridge and Letitia Preston.
,. Margaret Preston married the
Rev. John Brown Presbyterian min
lister, and from them were deeended
Hon. John. Brown, United States Sen
ator from Kentucky, James Brown first
Secretary Of State of Kentucky, Doctor
Saml Brown, Professor in the Medical
School of Transylvania University.
John Mason and Orlando BroBn, both
eminent citizens Of Kentucky, were sons
of the Hon. John Brown.
>. William Preston-His descendants
are very numerous. The mention of a
few of them will be interesting. Fran
els Preston, his second son, was the faith
er of the distinguished South Carolina
orator, W. c. Preston. Francis Pres
tons fourth daughter, Sarah, married
John B. Floyd. Of Virginia, and Wade
Hampton, of South Carolina, married
his tenth child, Margaret. Francis
Preston, son of John S, married a Miss
Hampton, daughter of Gen Wade Hamp-
ton. Col. William Preston's (of Smith
field, Va. second daughter, Sarah, mar
ried Crl. JAS Mcdowell of Virginia,
and their daughter Eliza married Hon.
Thomas II. Benton, Of Missouri, whose
daughter, Jessie Ann, married Gen. Jno
c. Fremont William Prestons third
son. William, married a Miss Hancock,
of Virginia. and their eldest child, Hen
rietta, married Gen. Albert Sidney John
ston. the great rebel chieftain. William
Preston, of Kentucky, who nominated
Frank Blair for Vice President, is also a
child Of William Preston and Miss Han
cock. Letitia Preston, the fifth daughter
of William Preston, married John Floyd,
of Kentucky, and they afterward moved
to Virginia. Their eldest son was John
B. Floyd, of Virginia.
4. Ann Preston married Francis
Smith, of Virginia. Their Oldest daugh-
ter, Elizabeth, married James Blair, a
lawyer, and Attorney General of Ken
tucky. This James Blair was the father
of F. P. Blair, editor of the Globe, and
he was the father Of Montgomery Blair
and Frank Blair.
5. Mary Preston, the fourth daughter
of old John Preston married John How
ard, of Virginia. Their son, Benjamin
Howard, was Governor Of Missouri.
Margaret Howard, also their daughter,
married Robert Wieklife, of Lexington,
KY, whose daughter, Margaret, married
Gen. William Preston, Of Kentucky.
We omitted to mention among the an.
cestors Ann Preston, and her daughter,
Agatha, who married DR.. Lewis Marshall,
of WoOdford county, Ky. Thomas Z.
Marshall, the orator, was their child.
The above are few of the descendants
of John Preston and his wife, Elizabeth
Patton.
We could extend the list much farther,
but the above is enough to show,the con-
nection of several men who have acted
conspicuous parts in the late stirring
years. In the ramifeations Of the fam
lily we find them connected with the
Taylors, Peytons, BIedsees and Watts, of
Virginia, one Of the younger members
marrying Miss lee, of the same State.
The Reeses and Campbells, Of Tennes-
see, the Harts, Todds, Castlemans and
Paynes, of Kentucky, the Masons, Of
New York, ETC., etc, spreading all over
the South and West, and everywhere
rising to eminence. Among them have
been great lawyers, preachers, senators.
generals and politicians. They were
/ generally wealthy, and almost universal
1 " shareholders, and while many Of them
were intense rebels and intense pro-
slavery meD, others Of them were life
long enemies to the institution. AL
though coming to this country from Ire
land, the Preston's we're Englishmeu.
( The father Of John Preston served un-
der King William. He was Presbyte-
rian of the time of Cromwell and was
said to be man of strong mind and cor
rect principles. That he partook OF
Puritan principles, and was bitter op-
ponent Of the cavaliers of Charles and
james, is quite certain.
Great Britain paid f7o, ,665, ,536 fol
cotton in 1866, and f4s, ,33s, ,241, in IS.