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Conflict & Colonization

Civil War, European expansion, territorial disputes

2 Articles

William Preston & the Virginia Land Grab: Colonial Surveying & Legacy

This landmark article uncovers the pivotal role of surveyor William Preston in orchestrating one of the most expansive land claims in colonial Virginia. Dr. Glanville connects Preston’s surveying empire with the broader system of elite land speculation—linking genealogical power, economic control, and political privilege across Appalachia. From headrights to treasury rights, this archive lays bare the colonial land mechanisms that shaped modern Virginia.