3. Preston Family Collections
These collections contain primary source materials on
Preston family members, especially those from Montgomery
County:
• Preston Family (Alice Preston Moore Collection) Papers,
1745-1882 (Ms1962-004)
• Preston Family (Charles Peale Didier Collection) Papers,
1747-1897 (Ms1985-020)
• Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities,
Montgomery County Branch Papers, 1754-1966 (Ms1962-
001)
• William Preston Land Grant, 1773 (Ms1994-027)
• Smithfield Preston Foundation Papers, 1784-1881, n.d
(Ms1997-002)
4. Preston Family Collections
• Francis Preston Receipt, 1791 (Ms2013-067)
• John Preston Papers, 1796-1844 (Ms1994-034)
• John Preston Deed, 1826 (Ms2005-014)
• Saran Buchanan Campbell Preston Land Deed, 1835
(Ms1987-034)
• Robert Taylor Preston Papers, 1849-1871 (Ms1992-003)
• Thomas L. Preston Letter, 1860 (Ms2008-041)
• Preston Family Correspondence, 1861, 1872 (Ms2010-070)
5. Preston-Related Collections
• Anna Burton Ellett Collection, 1751-1841 [1932] (Ms1974-
010)
• Anne Judkins Hager Papers, 1828-1990 (Ms1995-008)
• George Green Shackelford Papers, 1899-1990 (Ms1983-
008)
• Patricia Givens Johnson Papers, 1920-1986 (Ms1988-007)
• Anna Whitehead Kenney Papers, 1965-1972 (Ms1991-022)
• Dorothy McCombs Papers, 1970-1989 (Ms1995-006)
• Willard Preston Genealogy, c.1998 (Ms2009-121)
• Smithfield Plantation House Architectural Drawings
(Ms2011-053)
9. Locating Resources:
Vertical Files, Historic
Photographs, & Maps
• Vertical file listings are in Virginia Heritage
• Historical photograph collection folders, listed by
topic, are in Virginia Heritage
• Maps are on our website. Some of the map collection
is also online through Imagebase.
10. Other Materials in Special
Collections
• Biographical research files:
• James Patton
• Subject research files:
• Smithfield
• Blacksburg & Montgomery County
• Greenfield
• Historical photographs
• Smithfield Plantation
• Digital photographs
11. Other Materials in Special
Collections
• Historical maps
• Smithfield Property (2 copies). Virginia Polytechnic Institute and
State University, 1966. [FOLDER D-5]
• Topo of Smithfield Plantation. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and
State University Physical Plant, 1974. Rolled map. [DRAWER D]
• The Virginia Polytechnic Institute and a Proposed Preservation
and Circuit Drive to Include Smithfield and Preston Cemetery.
Warren H. Manning, 1925. [FOLDER E-2]
• College and Surrounding Property, Virginia Polytechnic Institute,
Showing College, Smithfield, and Whitethorne . H. P. C.
Vandenburg, 1935 & 1947. [FOLDER E-2]
• College and Surrounding Property, Virginia Polytechnic Institute,
Showing College, Smithfield, and Whitethorne. Vandenberg, H. P.
C., n.d. (1947?). [Historical Map Collection Box 1]
12. Locating Resources:
Newman Library,
Online, & Local
• Preston Family Resources LibGuide:
http://guides.lib.vt.edu/specialcollectio
ns/prestonfamily
• Ancestry Library Edition
• Encyclopedia Virginia
• Dictionary of Virginia Biography*
• Smithfield Plantation*
13. Still Need Help?
• ASK US! Contact Special Collections and
we’re happy to help you locate resources
for your paper.
• pay us a visit (M-F 8a-5pm)
• specref@vt.edu (reference email)
• Kira (kadietz@vt.edu) or Marc
(marc9@vt.edu)
• 231-6810 (reference desk)
Notas del editor
What do finding aids describe/what mss resources do we have?
Talk about Virginia Heritage and possible materials in other places. It’s also worth mentioning that there are collections beyond those we’ll look at and talk about today that may be on our shelves. One of the advantages of a tool like Virginia Heritage is that it a full text searchable. This means you can find collections where someone may be mentioned (search “william ballard preston” for examples)
Talk about finding aids generally. Show RPT with links to digital content
Be aware that while your focus is on the 1840s-1870s, there could be materials outside of this range that could be interesting/helpful. There may be background on family members, plantations, etc.
NEED SUMMARIES W/ RELEVANT DATES, FAMILY MEMBERS TO TALK ABOUT
NEED SUMMARIES W/ RELEVANT DATES, FAMILY MEMBERS TO TALK ABOUT
Special Collections includes many manuscript collections with primary sources and/or secondary sources or research relating to the Preston family that aren’t clearly labeled as Preston family (or by family member), since collections are usually named for creators. This list is by no means comprehensive.
Some materials may be digitized, but not all will be.
NEED SUMMARIES W/ RELEVANT DATES, FAMILY MEMBERS TO TALK ABOUT
What’s in the catalog? Books, mss (minimal desc)
-The Preston cemetery at Smithfield Plantation, 1782-1980 CS 71 P94
-Smithfield Plantation House, Blacksburg, Virginia, CS 71 P94 1983
-The Prestons of Smithfield and Greenfield in Virginia : descendants of John and Elizabeth (Patton) Preston through five generations / John Frederick Dorman, CS 71 P94 1982
-"Smithfield" home of the Prestons, in Montgomery County, Virginia / By Janie P. B. Lamb, CS 71 P94 1939
-Historical sketches and reminiscences of an octogenarian. By Thomas L. Preston F232 W3 P8
-"Greenfield" and the Prestons of "Greenfield" and "Smithfield“ CS71 P94
-Bugle’s Echo
-Virginia and local history texts
-Smithfield Review
-Virginia Magazine of History and Biography
-Papers of the Preston Family of Virginia (1727-1896) and additional manuscripts described as the Virginia Carrington scrapbook (1748-1929) CS71 P94 1977 Microfilm
-Campbell-Preston-Floyd family papers, 1741-1925 [microform], F235 C34
What’s not in the catalog? Maps, photos, vertical files
Imagebase
*Note on the DVB. It currently only goes through early “D” in the alphabet, but you might find information on people who are connected to Preston families
*Note on Smithfield Plantation: I believe they have some historical resources and certainly some artifacts, but you can only view their materials by-appointment. That being said. April Danner is a wonderfully helpful person!
