Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1880-06-22


BENJAMIN RUSH FLOYD.
We are indebted to the kind attention
of Professor George Frederick Holmes,
LII. D., of the University of Virginia,
for the following valuable, graphic, and
highly interesting narrative:*
"BURKE'S GARDEN, Feb. %, 1843.
"My Dear Rush, h,-From the extreme
rigor Of the winter and my diminished
vigor have postponed answering your
letter of December 80 enclosing one from
Lyman G. Draper, of Buffalo, N. vi
1.-The object of Mr.. Draper's letter is
to collect materials for work, Sketches
of the Pioneers Would it be irrelevent
in reply to repeat the tradition have
SO often interested your childhood with
the facts of the life and death of Col
onel James Patton, &c?
"Colonel Patton was born in the north
of Ireland, in the town of Newton,
Limavaddy, in the year of our Lord
1892. He married Miss Osborn, of
Whitehaven, in Cumberland. He was
bred to the sea; and in the wars of
England with the low countries served
as an officer in the Royal Navy. After
the treaty of Utrecht he procured "a
passenger ship and traded to the colony
Of Virginia at Hobbies Hole, on the
Rappahannock river He penetrated
the then wilderness of the State as far
as Orange county then across the Blue
Ridge, and commenced settlement
near Waynesborough, Augusta county.
He crossed the Atlantic twenty-three or
twenty five times. His traffic was pei
tries and tobacco. His return cargo was
what were then termed Redemption
ers,' poor families of Irish who served
given time for the price of the passage.
In this way the greater part of the
county of Augusta was settled. The
descendants of these emigrants have
furnished the West with many of its
Governors, senators, judges, and dis
tipguished literary men, and even in
termarried with the Imperial family of
Virginia. as the historian Burk terms
the descendants of Pocahontas in our
State. Colonel Patton had two sisters,
who married men of quality, as their
nieces termed them. This state of things
kept two of the sisters unmarried. The
youngest sister, Elizabeth, crossing the
river Shannon in boat, was much at
tTacted by the beauty and department
of young man whose name was John
Preston. On inquiry he was found to
be ship-carpenter. Nothing dauDted
by his humble fortunes, an understand
ing took place, and Miss Patton con-
sented to a runaway match. This step
placed her out of the pale of her family:
Her brother, Colonel James Patton, had
by this time obtained governmental dis
tinction in Virginia, as well as grant
of 100000 or 100000 acres Colonel
De- dot ,<,A 70 ic fu S1V,
from Whitehaven to his then residence
in Augusta county. He proposed to
John Preston, his brother-in.law, to ac-
company him to America, and for his
services as shipwright promised to Sc
cure to him 4, 600 acres of land. Preston
did not hesitate. He embarked with
his three daughters and his only son,
William Preston, who was then eight
years old. In the summer of 1875 both
families settled in Augusta county-Mr.
Preston seven miles below Staunton and
Patton at Spring Hill. AS Preston had
left the seaboard his pursuits were
changed, and he worked at the cabinet
trade. A silly augury of native Irish
woman-to wit. that William Preston
would get his uncle's fortune'-sO inn
pressed Mrs Patton (who was proud,
naughty woman) that no intercourse
was allowed in the two families.
"Seven years after the landing John
Preston died at Gibson's old place, eight
miles below StauntOn. Mrs Preston 9
situation was then a Strengthened one
She sent her son to her brothers. with
message, to the effect that the youngest
daughter of Colonel Patton knew her
cousin; but her mother did not Peggy
afterwards Mrs. Buchanan passed VII
liam Preston off as neighbours son, to
prevent her mother turning him out OF
doors. By this time William Preston
was fifteen or sixteen years of age. Mrs.
Patton's dread of his getting the fortune
by marriage with one of her daughters.
urged their early marriage with k1ns-
man of hers by the name of Thompson
SIN the MS. volume containing 1t tnere Is
much genealogical data pertaining TO tne mOst ,
excellent and useful characters here mentloneo
This we design presenting in The tadnddTG: ~ !
time, il connection with the genealogles OF tne
Preston. Lewis, and STUART families, Ior WHICH
we have the material in hand. n
fNow the Hon. Lyman c. draper, ~. y.
whose zeal and acumen are SO widely recoe;
nized and whose services in the institution o.
the noble Historical Society CT Wlscons,p !
should alone enshrine him among tne oeatn
less eminent. DR.. Draper. as mas Deen Al
noEpced in these columns, is now ensasST1y 9Pu.
q work of signal interest and yalue-A Ains
Mountain and its Heroes"
10000 acres.-Campbell.H History OF virginia
p. 4a2.