Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 08.djvu/432

 PRESTON

PRESTON

opposition made against women physicians by the Philadelpliia County Medical society in 1867. Slie is the author of several essays on tiie educa- tion of women as physicians, and of a volume of juvenile poems entitled: Cousin Ann's Stories for Childn-n (1848). She died in Philadelphia, Pa., April H. ISTO.

PRESTON, Francis, representative, was born ill Greentield, Botetourt county, Va., Aug. 3, ITCl; son of Col. William and Susanna (Smith) Preston and grandson of John and Elizabeth (Pat ton) Preston, and of Francis and ElizaV)eth (Waddy) Smith. John Preston came from Lon- donderry, Ireland, to America in 1740, and settled at Spring Hill, Augusta county, Va. His son, William Preston, born in 1729, was a surveyor under Washington, a member of the house of burgesses, commissioner to treat with the Indians, and was appointed colonel in 1775. He commanded a regiment at the battle of Guilford Court House, S.C, in 1783, and there received injuries that resulted in liis death the same year. Francis Preston was graduated at the College of William and Mary, 1783; studied law under George Wythe, the signer; actively engaged in his pro- fession in Montgomery and Wasliington counties, Va., and was a member of the Virginia house of delegates and a state senator. He was married in 1792 to Sarah, daughter of Gen. William Campbell. He was a representative from Vir- ginia in the 3d and 4th congresses, 1793-97, and declined re-election in 1796. He resided in Abingdon, Va., after 1798. He was appointed colonel of volunteers in the war of 1812, and subsequently served in the state militia, reacliing the rank of major-general. He died in Columbia, S.C, while on a visit to his son, William C. Preston (q.v.). May 2"), 183."5.

PRESTON, Harriet Waters, author, was born in Dan vers, Mass., 1843. She was educated under private tutors, traveled in France and England until 186."), and later became a translator from the French, and an authority on Provengal literature. She wrote a .series of papers on Mistral's " Calen- dau," " Theodore Aubauet," "Jacques Jasmin," " Songs of tiie Troubadours," and " Arthuriad." Her translations include: The Life of Madame Swetchine (186.-,); and The Writings of Madame Swetchine, edited by Count de Falloux (1869); Memoirs of Madame Drsbordes Valmore by C. A. Sainte-Bt-uve (1872); Mistral's Miriio, Provencal poem (1872); Biography of Alfred de Mnsset by Paul de Musset (1877); and The Georgicsof Virgil (1881). She is the author of Aspendale (1871); Love in the Nineteenth Century (1873); Trouba- dours and Tronveres (1876); In That All? in "No Name" series (1876); .4 Year in Eden (1887), and The Gitardiaiis (written in collaboration with MissL. Dodge, 1888).

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PRESTON, James Patton, governor of Vir- "ginia, was born iu Smitiilield, Va., June 21, 1774; son of Col. William (1729-1783) and Susanna (Smith) Preston. He was graduated from Wil- liam and Mary college in 1795, was a farmer in Montgomery county; state senator; lieutenant-colonel of the 12th U.S. infantry, commissioned March 19, 1812; was promoted colonel for gal- lantry Aug. 15, 1813; com- manded the 23d infantry, and was wounded in the battle of Chrystler's Field, Nov. 11, 1813, Wa-oi manently crippled. He was governor of Virginia, 1816-19, state senator for a second term, and was for many years post-master of Richmond. Pres- ton county, Va., was named in his honor. He married Ann, daughter of Robert Taylor of Norfolk, Va., and had sons: William Ballard (q.v.), Robert T., and James Patton, Jr.. Con- federate officers in the civil war. He died at Smithfield. Va., May 4, 1843.

PRESTON, John Smith, soldier, was born at the Salt Works, near Abingdon, Va., April 20, 1809; son of Francis and Sarah (Campbell) Pres- ton. He was graduated from Hampden-Sidney college, Va., A.B., 1824; did postgraduate work at the University of Virginia, 1825-26, and attended the Harvard law school. He was married in 1830 to Caroline, a sister of Gen. Wade Hampton of South Carolina. He afterward moved to Colum- bia, S.C, and thence to Louisiana, where he worked his sugar-plantations. He became pro- Hiinent as an orator in the South and delivered many famous addresses, among them the one at the laying of the corner stone of the University of the South, at Sewanee, Tenn., in 1857. He was chairman of the South Carolina committee to the Democratic convention at Charleston in Ma}", 1860; was a commissioner to Virginia, and in February, 1861, advocated the secession of Virginia. He was on the staff of General Beau- regard in the first battle of Bull Run, 1861, was promoted brigadier-general and served in the conscript department, 1865. He was then in Europe for a number of years and subsequently returned to South Carolina. He delivered his last public address at the unveiling of the Confederate monument at Columbia, S.C. He made a col- lection of painting and sculpture, and was a helpful friend to Hiram Powers and other rising artists. He died in rolumbia. S.C, May 1, 1881.

PRESTON, John Thomas Lewis, educator, was born in Lexington, Va., April 25, 1811; son of Thomas Lewis and Edmonia (Randolpii) Pres- ton; grandson of Col. William (1729-1783) and Susanna (Smith) Preston of Smitlifield. and groat- grandson of John Preston, the immigrant. His