The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-05-22
Tho late Mrs. Flovd.

The death of Mrs. Floyd, at Abingdon, on
Wednesday, has been announced. Mrs. |
Sally Buchanan Floyd was the widow of
the late General (and Governor) John Buch-
anan Floyd. She was the daughter Of Gen
eral Frank Preston, Of Arlington, Va, who
was q member of the first three Congresses
of the United States and citizen of great
wealth, owning the Preston Salt Works,
near Abingdon. Mrs. Floyd was niece Ct
Colonel James P. Preston, gallant soldier
of the war of 1872. and aiterward Governor
Of Virginia, who was well known in Norfolk,
from having married 2 sister of General
Robert E. Taylor, and by his son, Secretary
and Senator VIM. Ballard Preston.
Mrs. Floyd was the last of family of dis
tinguisned sisters, viz Eliza, wife of Gen
eral Edward C. Darlington. of Halifax
county. Virginia: Susan, wife of Governor
James Mcdowell, of Lexington, Va; Soph-
nisba, wife of Rev. Robert j. Breckenridge,
D. D., of Lexington, Kentucky Maria, wife
of John M. Preston, of Washington county,
Va. and Margaret, wife of General (now
senator) Wade Hampton, of South Carolina
all of them women worthy of such men.
Mrs. Floyd was the sister of William G.
Preston, Senator from South Carolina, to
which State he had emigrated; who was one
OF the most eloquent orators which the coun.
try has produced since his grand-uncle,
Patrick Henry. She was also sister of Col
onel John S. Preston, the commissioner OF
South Carolina to Virginia in 1861, and since
much distinguished by various public orators.
The mother of Mrs. Floyd. and of the dis
tinguished persons just named, Mrs. Sally
Buchanan Preston, was the only child of
General William Campbell, who commanded
at the battle of Kings Mountain in the Rev.
dictionary war. where a victory was won
by his rifemen over detachment of the
British army that drove Lord CORVALLIS
into series of movements, which ended in
his surrender at Yorktown.
The wife of General Campbell, and grand
mother Of Mrs. Floyd, was Elizabeth Hen
ry, sister Of Patrick Henry. General
Campbell died at the close of the Revolution ;
and Mrs. Campbell afterwards Mrs. IRusselD
was the chief stay of the infant Methodist
church of her day in Southwest Virginia.
Her house was the home of its young mis-
sionarles, and pulpit was part of the fur
niture in her parlor at the salt works. She
was herself renowned for her eloquence in
exhortation and prayer, and she was thought
to be equal to her brother Patrick himself, in
strength of mind, brilliancy of Imagination
and silver. tongued el0cution. From this
grandmother Mrs. Floyd inherited the fervent
devotion to Methodism which characterized
her life. Through the Henrys Mrs. Floyd
was near relative to General Joseph E.
johnson, Senator johnson and the rest of
that family OF distinguished men.
Mrs. Floyd's maternal aunt married Gov
John Floyd, the elder, whose son, John 3.
Floyd, the younger, she married. Mrs.
Floyd has no children of her own, but early
adopted two orphaned relatives of both her.
self and her husband, John Preston johnson,
afterwards gallant young artillery officer
of the army, who was killed on the field OF
battle at Centreras, in the Mexican war, and
his sister, Mrs. Judge Hughes, cow resident
in Norfolk.
Mrs. Floyd died at the ripe age fseventy-
seven. A few years ago she spent winter
in Norfolk, but has ever since preferred to
remain in Abingdon and wait for death near
the grave of her husband. She leaves few
behind her of more exalted qualities of heart,
mind and character.
1t is well to speak Of high lineage when it is
the inheritance of the good. The bad who
discredit an Honorable descent are those who
should be silent on such subject.