 | CHAPTER VI History of Virginia |  |
James Patton Preston, Governor,
Dec. 11, 1816-Dec. 11, 1819.
James Patton Preston was a son of Col. William Preston,
an active, enterprising citizen of the Southwest, and was born
at "Smithfield," Montgomery County, June 21, 1774. He
studied at William and Mary College about 1795, and in 1812
was appointed Lieutenant Colonel of the Twelfth Infantry,
United States Army, and for gallantry was promoted August
15, 1813, to the rank of Colonel, and assigned to the command
of the Twenty-third Regiment. He participated in the Battle
of Chrystler's Field and was so severely wounded in the thigh
that he was crippled for life. In recognition of his patriotic
services he was elected by the General Assembly Governor of
Virginia to succeed Wilson Cary Nicholas, December 11, 1816,
and served in that capacity by annual re-elections until December
11, 1819. Subsequent to his gubernatorial service
Mr. Preston was Postmaster of Richmond for several years.
He finally retired to his home in Montgomery County, where
he died May 4, 1843.
In his message in December, 1818, he states that the Federal
Government had paid for advances during the War of 1812 the
sum of $1,693,014.62, and it is noteworthy that in the last year
of his incumbency, on January 25, 1819, the law was passed
establishing the University of Virginia in Albemarle County
—upon a site near Charlottesville, which had previously
belonged to Central College. This great institution has been
termed "The Lengthening Shadow" of Thomas Jefferson,
upbuilding.
| CHAPTER VI History of Virginia | |