The Office & Schoolroom

Colonel William Preston was a true businessman of his time. Not only was he an important figure in the political landscape of the time, he also was a surveyor. William would have also had many goods to sell from the surplus of things produced on this plantation. This is the room where William taught apprentices the trade of surveying. The Preston children also would have treated this space as a school room. Education was very important to the Prestons.  William and Susanna would have hired tutors and used white indentured servants to educate their children, boys and girls equally.

William's children and grandchildren, due to their exceptional education, advanced past him politically. Smithfield would later produce two Preston Governors of Virginia: James Patton Preston and John Floyd.  William was a founding member of Liberty Hall, which became Washington College, and later Washington and Lee University. Preston was highly committed to the education of all 12 of his children; it was written in his will that on his death, Susanna could continue to live at Smithfield as long as she never remarried and if she made plans to provide a continued and thorough education for all of his children, boys and girls. The importance William placed on education is obvious, even today.  His son James Patton helped establish the University of Virginia, and their grandson William Ballard was a founder of the Olin & Preston Institute, a precursor to Virginia Tech.

Preston was a military and diplomatic leader -these positions clearly showcase his wide variety of leadership skills that established him as a role model and leading citizen in the early community. William Preston was a surveyor by trade and this was how he amassed much of his wealth. Surveying as a profession showcases American ingenuity.

“Preston served as the Deputy surveyor for Augusta County from 1752 - 1770 and became Deputy surveyor of the newly formed Botetourt County in 1770”. (this is where Greenfield was located). (In The True Blue’s Wake, p12)

Media Collections, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.

In the School Room, we showcase a portrait of George Washington. George Washington and William Preston were acquaintances and professional colleagues as both men were soldiers as well as surveyors. We know that William Preston accompanied George Washington for a few days in October of 1756 while Washington made his frontier tour to inspect area fortifications. There is no proven instance that we are aware of that says George Washington spent time at Smithfield, but it is possible, as the two men knew one another well and were together on multiple occasions. We have two artifacts that help establish this connection between Washington and Preston, William Preston's Snuffbox, c. 18th century and The Washington Invitation both located in our muesum.

William and the children would have used many printed documents in this room. Anything coming to Smithfield from Williamsburg was already a week or two old. And anything coming from Europe was older than a month.

Media Collections, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.