Papers, 1731-1757, of James Patton (1731-1755), John Buchanan (1742-1757), and William Preston (1754-1757). Patton's early papers include a few business records prior to his emigration from Great Britain and an indenture for Peter Burke (also known as Burk or Burn), one of the servants who came to America with the family. Among Patton's Virginia records are commissions signed by William Gooch (1742-1743) and Robert Dinwiddie (1752, 1754), both lieutenant governors; a muster book, 1742-1747; and numerous records of Augusta County militia court-martial proceedings, which include information on taxation and on wolf bounties. Many documents concern the vast land grants and leases in which both Patton and Buchanan were deeply involved.

Memoranda, 1745-1751, by Buchanan include his diary of a trip to Wood's River on land business in October, 1745.

Preston's papers begin with entries in 1754 in his "Register of persons killed, wounded, or captured by Indians in Augusta County" (1754-1758), followed by rolls, accounts, and orders for his company of rangers in 1755-1756; his diary (February 9 - March 13, 1756) of the Sandy Creek expedition, which ended in mutiny and desertion by most of the rangers; and correspondence on frontier defense and on relations with the Cherokee and the Shawnee. Writers of letters include Robert Macky in London; J.O. Miller in Ireland; and in Virginia Robert Dinwiddie, William Fleming, Robert Jackson, Andrew Lewis, James Patton, Edmund Pendleton, William Preston, Clement Read, and John Wood. Among persons addressed were John Blair, John Buchanan, Dinwiddie, Patton, and Preston. One letter by Robert Jackson (1753) may have been intended for Dr. Thomas Walker.

Appendix A lists by page number names found in 1 QQ (Volume 1).