William Radford Preston to Sarah Buchanan Campbell Preston, June 29, 1832

Greenfield, near Cloverdale and Fincastle, Virginia, in 1934 (Botetourt). 

[William Radford Preston at [Greenfield], Cloverdale, Virginia, to Sarah Buchanan Campbell Preston at Abingdon, Virginia, June 29, 1832. Box 29, folder 10, Robert Morton Hughes Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Patricia W. and J. Douglas Perry Library, Old Dominion University Libraries, Norfolk, VA 23529. This is my rough transcription. Instances of the "long s" in the original have been modernized and paragraph breaks added for easier reading.]

Dear Aunt,

I had intended to have written to you some time ago from Lynchburg on hearing of the lamented death of Mr. Johnston but was so [rushed?] & hurried for time that I postponed it until I arrived at home.

I wish to get you to intercede with Mr. Johnston's relations to permit me to take my little nephew & niece to raise as my own children not that I think that there [their] Father's relations would not be as kind as part by them as I or any person else but none of them being married or permanently settled are in a situation to keep them together as I would do.

I would not trouble you with doing this favour but I am concious [conscious] of your kind feeling to myself & those poor Little Orphans and if there [their] relations will consent to let me have them I will come out for them immediately.

I am appraised of the fact Sarah & Susan have both been conferred & have two fine girls & are doing well.

We all join affectionately in love to all our relations in Washington & pray kiss my Dear little nephew & niece for me & tell them every thing that is kind from me & there [their] little Cousins.

                                     Your sincerely & affectionate nephew
                                                 W.R. Preston  

[William Radford Preston (1798-1846)
Sarah Buchanan Campbell Preston (1778-1846)
Mr. Johnston = Charles Clement Johnston (1795-June 18, 1832)
Little nephew & niece = John Preston Johnston (1824-1847) and Eliza Mary Johnston (1825-1909).
Sarah = Sarah Radford Preston Bowyer (1805-1848), married to Henry Morton Bowyer (1802-1893).
Susan = Susanna (Susan) Smith Preston Radford (1805-1857), who married William Mosely Radford (1810-1873) at Greenfield.]

Note: Radford University, Radford, Virginia, has a digitized set of Radford Family Letters (transcripts) available online. Looks like a goldmine of material. Link here.

[Many thanks to Sue Davis, William Myers, Mary Davy and Sally Young for their ongoing research collaboration.]