New Book on John Patterson and Margaret Black

Recently, at the end of March (2024), I published a new book on John Patterson and his wife, Margaret (Peggy) Black. This is the culmination of some 30 years of research. More books will follow, but this book focuses on them specifically, including their years of living in Buncombe Co, NC along Jenkins Branch.

The book is titled John Patterson of Jenkins Branch, Buncombe Co, NC. It is 405 pages, and fully indexed. It contains lots of pictures, maps and charts, and has over 100 color pages.

This book can be purchased online here.

Following is a glimpse of three parts of the book. 1) The Table of Contents, 2) the Table of Figures, and 3) the Name Index.

John Patterson Book now available

The new book on John Patterson is available for purchase. See this page for more details.

Wes

Elijah Chastain - Father of 23 or More

Elijah Chastain was my 4X-Great-Grandpa. He was born in 1776 in Buckingham Co, VA and died in 1853 in Gilmer Co, GA. His daughter Rebecca Chastain was born in 1799 and she was his 3rd child - of 21 (at least). She married George Patterson in the early to mid 1820's and they were my 3X-Great-Grandparents. 

(3/26/24 update: at least 22 children)

(4/10/24 update: 23+ children)

Elijah Chastain and 3rd wife Catherine Carson, ca. 1850. Photo courtesy of Connie Cordell

Elijah was a character. I know he had multiple children (each) by his first two wives during the same two or three year period beginning in 1800. By 1803 he was officially married the second time to Anna Middleton. His first wife, my ancestor, was Hannah Adams. This first marriage ended in divorce. Many have said the second marriage did too, but I can't find anything about Anna after 1810, including no children born to Elijah between 1810 and 1820. I think Anna may have died around 1810 or soon thereafter, but I just don't know for certain. (4/10/24 update: Elijah had at least two children born after 1810 with Anna - Artemesia was born in 1812 and James Witt was born in 1813).