John T. L. Preston papers

Location of collection:

Virginia Military Institute Archives

Preston Library

Virginia Military Institute

345 Letcher Ave.

Lexington, VA 24450-0304

Contact for questions and access:

POC: Jeffrey S. Kozak

Email: archives@vmi.edu

Phone: (540) 464-7516

Phone: (540) 464-7566

Fax: (540) 464-7089

Web: www.vmi.edu/archives

Restrictions:

There are no restrictions.

Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may not be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information.

Preferred citation:

John T. L. Preston papers, 1806-1889. MS 0240. VMI Archives, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia.

Summary

Extent:

0.69 cubic feet 1 2.5-inch legal document box and 1 5-inch legal document box

Creator:

Preston, John T. L. (John Thomas Lewis), 1811-1890

Language:

English

Preferred citation:

John T. L. Preston papers, 1806-1889. MS 0240. VMI Archives, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia.

Background

Scope and content:

The John T. L. Preston papers consist of the personal papers of Preston, including:

• A farm account book (1834-1887)
• Bills
• Deeds
• Memoranda
• Receipts
• Correspondence
• A photocopy and transcription of Preston's Civil War journal ("Jottings"), which dates from his military service at Craney Island, Virginia from late July to October 1861. The original journal is held by the Library of Congress.
• Preston's United States passport (May 1851)
• Franklin Society membership certificate (1851)
• A typescript "brief historical sketch" of VMI written as a speech for the Institute's semi-centennial celebration in 1889 (the typescript contains handwritten corrections in ink; Preston's son delivered the address on behalf of his father).

The majority of the papers relate to Preston's personal, financial, and property (land) transactions and do not involve his work at VMI.

A noteable item includes a letter (dated April 24 1863) to General Stonewall Jackson (to whom Preston was related by marriage) in which Preston discusses religious and financial matters.

Passport for John T. L. Preston.

Written from Lexington, Virginia. Letter regards Topics financial transactions affecting Stonewall Jackson, including the purchase of Confederate bonds and proceeds from sale of tannery. The letter also concerns religious matters, particularly the upcoming General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Columbia, South Carolina.

Typescript sketch written by John T. L. Preston. It was prepared at the request of the VMI Board of Visitors to mark the Institute's semicentennial celebration. Preston had planned to deliver this as an address, but he was not able to do so and it was read by his son Reverend Dr. T. L. Preston.

The sketch includes details about events leading to the establishment of VMI, including debates in the local Franklin Society and letters to the local newspaper written by Preston under the penname "Cives" in 1835.

Reprint in pamphlet form of letters written by John T. L. Preston to the Lexington (Virginia) Gazette in 1835, discussing the desirability of turning the local arsenal into a military college. Preston wrote these letters under the pen name "Cives" and these are often referred to as the "Cives letters." This pamphlet was issued in 1889 to mark VMI's semicentennial.

Copy and transcription of John T. L. Preston's journal, which he called "Jottings." This journal was written during his military assignment at Craney Island, Virginia in the the summer and fall of 1861.

The journal relates to his activities while with the 9th Virginia Infantry Regiment under the command of VMI Superintendent Francis H. Smith. It includes comments on the cause of the Civil War, the defense of Norfolk, Virginia, military science, and family.

This letter was written on the occasion of VMI's semicentennial celebration, in which John T. L. Preston reminiscences about Francis H. Smith's role in the founding and growth of VMI.

Biographical / historical:

John Thomas Lewis Preston (1811-1890) was one of the founders of VMI. He served at VMI as a member of the first Board of Visitors (1839) and as a Professor of Modern Languages from 1839 to 1875. During the Civil War he was on the staff of General Stonewall Jackson.

Physical location:

Manuscripts stacks

Related

Alternative form available:

A portion of the John T. L. Preston papers are avaliable online.

Location of originals:

The original journal is located in the Library of Congress (John Thomas Lewis Preston MMC-1936; MSS94284).

Other descriptive data:

Lexington April 28, 1863

Dr General,

Our tannery has been very prosperous. I have not deemed it necessary to write to you about it hitherto. But now I have to say that the concern will be ready to pay over to you in a few weeks, as your share of the profits from ten to fifteen thousand dollars ($10,000 - 15,000). We have on hand a contract for tanning from the Government which will not be as profitable as our operations heretofore have been but it will be remunerative and [left edge] Maggie sends her love at the same time safe. If I can be of any service to you in investing your money let me know. I was informed at the VMI that there was a balance of $50 against you on the Treasurer's Book. I told the Supt. that I would settle it out of your funds. Maggie wrote lately to Mrs. Jackson something about your house. I cannot recollect any other business items.

I expect to leave home, day after tomorrow for the Gen. Assembly at Columbia. I go with the earnest wish and prayer that this the supreme council of our branch of the church may under the guidance of the Holy Spirit be able to devise something which will be operative in impregnating the institutions of our very nation with the spirit of vital Christianity. I cannot myself think of any new mode of attempting this. We have in operation all the agencies prescribed in the Gospel and if these are used in the spirit of the Gospel they will prove sufficient. But the real battle of the Church will begin when the national struggle is closed and Peace opens the flood gates through which will flow upon society the stream of evils generated by War. Profanity, Sabbath breaking, intemperance, idleness, lawlessness and general looseness of morals may be expected partly as the reactive influence of the scenes through which the entire youthful population of the land have been called to pass. Against all this the church must lift up her banners if would maintain her own. But instead of merely maintaining her own she does not make the reorganization of things the occasion of assuming an advanced position, will she be guiltless. Dr. Palmer has replied to Dr. White who had communicated [illegible] about supplying the army with religious service. He does not express any very decided convictions upon the subject and looks to some action by the Gen. Assb. I trust it is a good Providence that has given to your corps Mr. Lacy. Remember me warmly to him.

If you can make any suggestions touching church matters, write to me at Columbia Pres. Gen. Assembly. On business at Lex. If you wish anything done before I return Gilham or Fuller will attend to it for you. My love to your wife if she is still with you.

July 4, 1889

The proof of your work is twofold- first in rearing a noble structure upon its foundation and then in raising it from its ruins. Testimony to this work is found in the annals of the state of Virginia, in the records of successive Boards of Visitors, by the voices and the lives of the Alumni who have gone forth from its walls, and by these words from him who is the sole surviving sharer of your labors from the founding of the V. M. I. to its semi-centennial Jubilee.

But best of all is the testimony of your own conscience, that you have never swerved from your purpose, nor spared yourself in your devotion to the object you had set before you.

With the many, various, and formidable obstacles you had to encounter I am familiar, but what other and unrevealed struggles were yours, none but yourself may ever know.

The crown of a completed work is yours.

But for all true and faithful followers of the Master there is another crown laid up – a crown of glory – a crown, not for the closing of this mortal life, but a crown for the opening of an immortal life – a crown to be worn forever!

May this crown, my old friend, be yours and mine!

Indexed terms

Subjects:

Virginia Military Institute—Faculty—Biography
Account Books
Receipts (financial records)
Correspondence
Memorabilia
Certificates
Financial records
Speeches, Addresses, etc.

Names:

Preston, Margaret Junkin, 1820-1897
Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863