Thursday, October 29, 2009

Israel George Lash 1810-1878

http://wapedia.mobi/en/Israel_G._Lash

"Israel George Lash (1810 - 1878) was a Congressional Representative from North Carolina; born in Bethania, North Carolina, August 18, 1810. He attended the common schools and the local academy in his native city; engaged in mercantile pursuits and subsequently became a cigar manufacturer; also engaged in banking in Salem, North Carolina; delegate to the State constitutional convention in 1868; upon the readmission of the State of North Carolina to representation was elected as a Republican to the Fortieth Congress; reelected to the Forty-first Congress and served from July 20, 1868, to March 4, 1871; was not a candidate for renomination in 1870; again engaged in banking in Salem (now Winston-Salem) N.C., until his death there on April 1, 1878; interment in the Moravian Cemetery, Bethania, N.C."

What is significant about this man to me is that he is connected to the Lash family of Brookberry Farm, off Meadowlark Drive in Winston-Salem, NC.

Another source at http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=8059680 has this to say, and even has a picture of him:

"US Congressman. Banker and cigar maker Lash was elected as a U.S. Representative from North Carolina from 1868 to 1871."

The following photo was taken in 1865.



Another source is http://www.historync.org/BankCapeFear.htm where we learn the following about Israel Lash:

"Salem branch: There were three individuals initially appointed in 1815 to act as agents for the Bank of Cape Fear in Salem. Charles F. Bagge, cashier (July 1815+), in some records also referred to as president, even though this was an agency operation until 1847; Emanuel Schober (July 1815), John Christian Blum, agent (July 1815 -1827); Friedrich Heinrich (Henry) Schumann, agent & cashier (1828 -1847), a physician who also was involved with the Salem Manufacturing Company and its cotton mill in Salem; Israel George Lash, cashier (1847 - 1866)."

Some very interesting information concerning banking, and connections between the Lash and Gray families. See http://www.archive.org/stream/forsythcountyonm00frie/forsythcountyonm00frie_djvu.txt. This source says the following:

"As early as 1815 the Bank of Cape Fear, Wilmington, N.C., appointed agents in Salem. Two years before the founding of Winston, the formal business of banking was launched in Salem with the establishment of a branqh of the same Bank. Israel G. Loesch, or Lash, was the first banker. The bank was housed in a brick building located at what is now the southwest corner of Bank and Main streets. This branch bank seems to have prospered until it went down in the general financial crash of the Civil War. In 1866, Lash opened a bank of his own, the First National Bank of Salem, using the same building which had sheltered the branch of the Bank of Cape Fear. Following the death of Israel Lash in 1879, the bank closed its doors and the banking center of the community moved into the new village of Winston.

"The Wachovia Bank & Trust Company dates back to the establishment of the Wachovia National Bank in June, 1879. This institution had as its president Wyatt F. Bowman, E. Belo as vice-president, W. A. Lemly (formerly associated with Israel Lash in Salem) as cashier, and James A. Gray as assistant cashier. Lemly was president of this flourishing institution from 1882 to 1906 and James A. Gray from the latter date to 1911. The bank started business with a capital of $100,000 and in about two months it was increased to $150,000. In 1888 the bank was moved from its original build- ing on Main Street to the corner of Main and Third streets, where it occupied a three-story building on the present site of the Main office of the Wachovia Bank and Trust Company.

"In 1893, the Wachovia Loan and Trust Company was organized by F. H. Fries and his nephew, H. F. Shaifner. Its first home was in a modest one-story wooden building on the east side of Main Street between Second and Third in Winston. The directors were James A. Gray, J. E. Gihner, C. H. Fogle, J. C. Buxton, J. H. Millis, T. L. Vaughn and R. J. Reynolds. Two of these directors, Messrs. Gray and Buxton, were closely identified with the Wachovia National Bank! Gray was elected a vice-president of the Trust Company at the beginning but was not active until later."

Another tidbit about Lash and Gray, Debbie McCann found an 1878 deed in which Israel G Lash sold a plot of land to James A Gray.

More later...

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Holland Family, by Diana Holland Calderon

http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/th/read/TXNAVARR/2008-05/1211117788

Francis Holland D.O.B. 1776 Canada; Wife: Margaret Buck

THE HOLLANDS OF AUSTIN"S COLONY (now) GRIMES COUNTY, TEXAS by Roy E. Gibson Francis Holland (Sr), the father of one of the martyrs of the Alamo (Tapley Holland), was born about 1780-1785 (believed to have been Canada). On Oct. 29,1804 in Scioto County, Ohio he married miss Margaret Buck. Her parents are ,however a Thomas and Massie Buck were listed as pioneer settlers of Scioto County,Ohio. This marriage was performed by one Elyjah Glover, a justice of the peace. Their marriage was blessed with six(6) known children,namely James,Susanna"Susan",Tapley,Francis, Jr."Frank", William and Nancy.

Scioto County was formed in 1803 from Adam County,(1797) and Washington County(1788) which were original counties from the Northwest Territory. There is no early probated record,will or estate settlement in Scioto County,that would document his percentage,therefore it is assumed that he, his brother William and sister Mary,moved into the now Scioto County, Ohio area in their teens or early twenties. Francis is listed among pioneers of this county for the period 1776-1806. The lack of land records, deeds or grants,to Francis or his brother William is not fully understood by this compiler/copier. Could it be that many of the pioneers leased or rented their land from the government or--some Land Co.?The negative land records almost eliminates knowing the name of the township in which Francis Holland and his family lived. The man that performed the marriage rites between his sister Mary Holland and William Peterson was a justice of the peace for Valley Township,Scioto Co.,Ohio. This was in 1805.Francis Holland did serve at least for a short time in the military service. He is listed as a private in Capt. John Lindsey's Company; This said company is probably from Scioto County. It is recorded he served from July 28 until Aug. 18 1813. A veteran of the War of 1812 would be indicated in this case.In 1816 Francis and William Holland,brothers, were pioneer residents of Jackson Co. Ohio. This being the year Jackson County was formed from Pike County.,which in turn was formed from Scioto, County in 1815. Since our subject from all known records lived in Scioto County from 1804 or before,until about 1816 and in Jackson County from 1816-1820 it is reasonably assumed that Francis and Margaret(Buck) Holland's children,James,Susanna,Tapley,and Francis"Frank" were natives of Scioto County, Ohio while the two youngest,William and Nancy were natives of Jackson Co.In 1816-1820 at the time Francis and William and their families were residents of Jackson County, Ohio their residency was in the township of Franklin. The area of their residence in Franklin Township became Hamilton Township on Dec. 6 1825(after the Hollands had moved away).Francis' land consisted of 75 acres, now located in Hamilton Township, Range 19,Township5,Section 28 east one-half of northeast quadrant. His property was along Holland Creek, which was most likely named for him and/or his brother. Holland Creek's course is as follows:heads sec. 24,R19,Hamilton Township,Jackson Co. Ohio;NW of sec. 25,R19,same Township, Scioto Co., Ohio. The above property of Francis Holland was carried on the tax list or rolls of Jackson County as late as 1838.The Holland brothers participated in the early elections of Franklin Township,Jackson Co. Ohio. Francis was one of the election officers "Clerk",when the election for justices was held in 1816. When the votes were counted, April 6, 1816 the record shows that Francis Holland received 36 votes for Commissioner;however he was not one of the three winners.Court records of Jackson Co.,Ohio show that on July 24,1817, Francis Holland was one of the witnesses against one Burgess Squires for paying two counterfeit notes to the county sheriff,Abraham Welch. The conviction of Squires led to the eventual indictment of Welch for counterfeiting. His bond was set at 500.00 with Francis Holland being one of the three securities. Welch's case was called for the second time on Monday Mar. 23 1818; he failed to appear as in the first. This called for his bond to be forfeited. These court actions put an end to the circulation of counterfeit money in Jackson County.Neither Francis nor William Holland were enumerated in Jackson nor any other county in Ohio in the census of 1820;this applies also to the state of Indiana. Either the enumerator missed them or they had started their migratory move south and west, about the summer of 1820. Their mode of transportation was most likely by riverboat via the Ohio and Missouri Rivers.It is not clearly known where they stopped along the way,some authors say Kentucky,and Tennessee, but they were in the State of Louisiana no later than 1821. In 1821 they moved from Cheneyville, Louisiana to what is now Sabine County, Texas.

In the year of 1822 Francis Holland with a large group of relatives arrived in Grimes County Texas(now known to have been a part of Stephen F. Austin's "Old Three Hundred" RRS) The group camped near the Andrew Millican place. Francis Holland found the area to his liking while Millican wanted to move on. Francis bought Millican's property which was a league of land located along both sides of Ten-Mile Creek some three and one-half (3 1/2) miles southwest of the present town of Anderson, Grimes County, Texas. Millican's land also included improvements. Francis Holland and his relatives settled here These relatives were Francis' wife Margaret, and their children;namely:James,Susanna"Susan",Tapley,Francis,Jr."Frank",William and Nancy.Also the family of William Holland(Francis' brother) which included William's wife,Susannah,their children; Catherine"Katy", Sarah, and a daughter who's name is not known(believed to be Nancy who later married a man named Stewart).The sister of Francis and William; Mary Holland Peterson and her two sons. Mary was a medical doctor and was at that time a widow.There was also a John and Wesley Fisher reported to be related to the Hollands(Their relationship is unclear,perhaps related to the wives of Francis and William Holland).???????The land granted to Francis and William Holland was finalized on Aug. 10,1824. Their leagues were adjacent to the property purchased from Andrew Millican in 1822 and along the Ten-Mile Creek. Due to the large number of Hollands and/or relatives settling this creek , the name was changed from "Ten-Mile" to "Holland Creek"(at present June 21,1996), it is still called Holland Creek. RRS) Therefore our subject had a creek in Jackson County Ohio and in Grimes County, Texas bearing the name "Holland Creek".

About three and one-half miles out of Anderson in Grimes County, Texas stands what is believed to be the oldest Anglo house in Texas.It is the Francis Holland house. Originally the house was a cabin or some cabins built by a colonist named Andrew Millican in 1821.According to W.P. Zuber, Andrew Millican settled on the Coshattee Trace in 1821 on the southwest side of Ten-Mile Creek, "Where he erected a set of substantial log houses, and enclosed and cultivated a farm on which he raised one(1) crop of corn.The Coshattee Trace was a section of the old"Contraband Road" which ran through Grimes County and was used by smugglers in their illicit dealings between Alexandria, La. and the Rio Grande River.The Coshattee Indians used it for their hunting grounds,therefore the name the" Coshattee Trace".Dating from the earliest days of Stephen F. Austin's "Old Three Hundred" , the house has been the scene of more tragedy than triumph.Located on the early immigrant trails the house was a place of hospitality for early colonists as they traveled toward the LaBahia Crossing of the Brazos River and down to San Filepe de Austin. It was a gathering place for colonists as they came to cast their votes for office in the Austin Colony.Most significantly however, this sturdy log cabin was the boyhood home of heroes in the Texas cause. From it's door went forth three young men to answer the call to arms in the autumn of 1835. These brave young men were James Holland, Tapley Holland and Francis"Frank" Holland, Jr. Within days they fighting for the independence of Texas at old Mission Concepcion near Bexar.

In the spring of 1836(1834?),as dreaded cholera crept up the Brazos disease took all of the residents still there,first young William, who had curvature of the spine and had been an invalid since birth,then Francis and Margaret.(one report says the parents died first).

James contracted measles during the spring of 1836 that settled in his lungs(pneumonia).Frank took him home and tried to nurse him back to health but in the fall of 1836 James Holland died at the home of his sister Susanna(Holland)Burney.

In 1838, Francis Holland,Jr."Frank" was employed by some land-owners and surveyors headed by William F. Sparks to go with them beyond the frontier as their "huntsman".Near the source of Richland Creek, about 12 miles from the present day town of Corsicana,Navarro County, Texas, Frank was killed by some Indians. It is ironic that this expert Indian fighter,well trained by his old Indian fighter father, to protect himself, should one day be killed by Indians.His fellow pioneers realizing the danger to themselves, returned home. Some years later a friend found some of the expeditions rusty equipment and Frank's bones which he buried. The grave site is .Tapley Holland had joined his brothers in enlisting in Capt. Joseph L. Bennett's regiment of the Texas Army. When James became ill and Frank left to take him back home, Tapley stayed. He was in the fighting at Concepcion and the storming of San Antonio in December of 1835 then in the garrison at the Alamo,and when Col. William B. Travis stood before his men saying there was no longer hope for reinforcements,he gave them the choice to try to escape before the battle began or staying to fight to the end;.according to the Moses Rose story of the battle of the Alamo, Tapley Holland was the first to volunteer his life. When Col.William B. Travis drew the line with his sword and invited all who would stand beside him to cross over the line, after a moment of silence,young Tapley leaped over the line with a bound saying "Let me give a life for Texas".(all accounts give the "Moses Rose Story full credit)His heroism is recorded on a monument on the courthouse grounds in Anderson and a painting depicting the "line" scene hangs in the Alamo as well as a portrait of Tapley with a plaque that reads: Tapley Holland was the second son of Francis Holland, who came to with his wife and six children from Louisiana to settle in what is now Grimes County, Texas.On March 6 1836 the Alamo fell and more than one hundred and eighty brave men died. One of them was Tapley Holland.In San Filepe de Austin, the Telegraph and Texas Register printed the tragic news from Bexar as the reports spread throughout the Colony. In the issue of March 24,1836, the name of Tapley Holland was printed in a casualty list.

This is the Holland House. But there are no Hollands anymore.

The brother of Francis, William and his wife Susannah had died shortly after their arrival in Texas leaving three daughters who then came to live with Francis and Margaret. Then in the brief span between the spring of 1834/1936 and the fall of 1838, Francis, his wife Margaret and all four of their sons had died.All of the daughters survived to become adults.

Francis Holland's residency in Texas the last fourteen years of his life 1822-1836 has been fairly documented for the time and place. Our subject appears to have been the type of person highly sought by Stephen F. Austin for his colony; That is, industrious,honorable and law-abiding. The records show he was quite active in the Colony. Among these activities were;served terms as Alcalde(Judge) for his district; in Dec. 1829 he was elected Commisario to the precinct of Viesca; He was presiding judge for the elections at least part of the time, for his home was the voting place as early as Nov. 1829. In 1832 he was delegate to the Convention that met at San Felipe de Austin: Served as a second sergeant in the 1st Militia organized in the municipality of Austin Mar 21,1829. He was without a doubt a literate person, and had not death occurred he would have most certainly been a participant in the Texas Revolution.

It has been reported that their was an epidemic of Cholera that killed some of the Holland family.It is known that William Holland, his wife, Susannah as well as Francis Holland, his wife Margaret and their sons William and James all died here in the year 1834/36. (It is known that James died from measles complications in the fall of 1836.

Questions are;Where are these people buried, was their a family cemetery on the property of Francis Holland? Are there any grave markers?

(more info is on the page but most of it is repetitive)

Tapley Holland - Alamo

Tapley "Tap" Holland is described as a 26 year old son of a War of 1812 vet. His father was William Holland, who was an original colonist with Stephen Austin.

For more information on the Holland family, see my article on The Holland Family, where I quote much of the research of Diana Holland Calderon.

My son descends from the Hollands through his mother's family (my ex-wife). The Wards trace back to the Hollands, and specifically to Susannah Holland, sister of Tap Holland.

Another source of information regarding the Hollands and Tap Holland in particular is Dr. V. M. Holland and Holland History Blog.

The Texas State Historical Association has more information about Tapley Holland as well.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Did Robert "R" Patterson's sons remain in VA to work that farm?

An email to Harald Reksten concerning a question he had asked me:

Been thinking on your question a little more... did one or more of Robert's sons stay in Va to work the land?

Your Robert (II) married late. Was that because he stayed behind and ran the farm in Va?

Peter never acquired a land grant in SC (that I know of). Was that because he stayed behind in Va, and then later bought land in SC from someone else?

Did Thomas stay a while in Va but then move south later? His son John was born ca 1765 (pretty solid date), supposedly in SC.

Thomas could have stayed in Va and then gone back and forth, but then acquiring the other Va land in 1773 negated his need for a share in his father's land.

Another angle... Robert II and Peter may have been left the land since they stayed and worked it the most, thus earning their right to inherit it.

Another thought... Robert II and Peter were not listed as Loyalists from York Co SC. Why? I'm sure there's several possible reasons, but one could be that they were not living there all the time, or as vocal there due to their interests in Va. That said, Robert and Peter do later come down and buy up land, but that may have been due to the fact that the Loyalist factions of the family were being "driven out". I remember seeing a book at the SC Archives that documented that Joseph Black's land on Clarks Fork was confiscated and then resold in 1783. Did you know that? It's my understanding that Nathaniel Harrison's was, too. And George Julian, as well. Some of them got their lands back, but apparently Joseph Black didn't.

I need to get over to Randolph Co NC and search through their records and try to determine if those Pattersons there in 1790 were my Thomas and his clan or not. I've gotta be honest with you, I'm 50/50 on it right now. Normally, I'd be 20/80, meaning I think there's an 80% chance it was NOT him. I'm more like 10/90 on the Dorchester SC Thomas now. I've seen much of the records surrounding that Thomas and it just doesn't look like mine. It COULD have been, but this Randolph group seems more likely, for more reasons.

Back to the Va lands... this means those families around Muddy Creek, Linville Creek, etc are more likely to be the families those sons married into (Thomas, Robert II, Peter). Just a possibility we have to consider.

Wes

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Turner - Patterson Reunion

Each year on the 3rd Sunday of October there is a reunion in north Ga at a church attended by many Pattersons and Turners who are "very related", shall we say. Many Turner-Patterson marriages occurred over the years.

I am working with Stan Turner and now also a Roger Turner to see if I (we) can determine where their ancestor (John Patterson Jr - married Sarah "Sallie" Hicks) is buried. John Jr died in Union Co Ga in 1854. In 1850, his mother, Margaret Black Patterson, was living with him. However, she was also recorded with her oldest son, Joseph B Patterson, that same year.

Joseph and John Jr lived several miles apart I think, and the modern county border b/w Union and Fannin counties ran b/w their farms. Where did they live exactly? Where did their parents live, more importantly to me. I descend from George Patterson, younger brother of Joseph and John Jr. I believe there to be one or more family cemeteries on their farms that I would like to one day find.

Wes

John Pattersons in 1830 VA, NC, SC, GA, AL, TN, MO

Courtesy of Margaret Smith:

John Patterson Northern District, Augusta, Virginia
John Patterson Northern District, Augusta, Virginia
John Patterson Southern District, Augusta, Virginia
John Patterson Brooke, Virginia
John Patterson Brooke, Virginia
John Patterson Senr. Greenbrier, Virginia
John Patterson Jr. Greenbrier, Virginia
John Patterson Kanawha, Virginia
John Patterson Bedford, Virginia
John Patterson Stafford, Virginia
John Patterson Wheeling, Ohio, Virginia
John Patterson Pittsylvania, Virginia
John D Patterson Bedford, Virginia
John H Patterson Hanover, Virginia
John H Patterson Lynchburg, Campbell, Virginia
John W Patterson Hanover, Virginia
Jon Patterson Rockbridge, Virginia
John Patterson Ashe, North Carolina
John Patterson Bladen, North Carolina
John Patterson Pittsboro, Chatham, North Carolina
John Patterson Fayetteville, Cumberland, North Carolina
John Patterson Guilford, North Carolina
John Patterson Iredell, North Carolina
John Patterson Iredell, North Carolina
John Patterson Iredell, North Carolina
John Patterson Lincoln, North Carolina
John Patterson Mecklenburg, North Carolina
John Patterson Mecklenburg, North Carolina
John Patterson Esq. Moore, North Carolina
John Patterson Esq. Moore, North Carolina
John Patterson Richmond, North Carolina
John Patterson Laurel Hill, Richmond, North Carolina
John Patterson Rutherford, North Carolina
John Patterson Regiment 2, Randolph, North Carolina ***** (not the same one that was in Randolph in 1790; this John was born in the 1770s and is clearly younger)
John Patterson Surry, North Carolina
John Patterson Stokes, North Carolina
John H Patterson Northampton, North Carolina
John T Patterson Orange, North Carolina
Esta John Patterson St Peters Parish, Beaufort, South Carolina
John Patterson Abbeville, South Carolina
John Patterson Barnwell, South Carolina
John Patterson St Bartholomews Parish, Colleton, South Carolina
John Patterson Edgefield, South Carolina
John Patterson Darlington, South Carolina
John A Patterson Abbeville, South Carolina
John A Patterson Abbeville, South Carolina
John B Patterson Anderson, South Carolina
John L Patterson Spartanburg, South Carolina
John Patterson Company District 72, Burke, Georgia
John Patterson Crawford, Georgia
John Patterson Dekalb, Georgia
John Patterson Habersham, Georgia
John Patterson Hall, Georgia
John Patterson Rabun, Georgia
John T Patterson Monroe, Georgia
John Patterson Montgomery, Alabama
John Patterson Fayette, Alabama
John Patterson Bedford, Tennessee
John Patterson Carroll, Tennessee
John Patterson Anderson, Tennessee
John Patterson Fayette, Tennessee
John Patterson Franklin, Tennessee
John Patterson Lawrence, Tennessee
John Patterson Hawkins, Tennessee
John Patterson McNairy, Tennessee
John Patterson Overton, Tennessee
John Patterson Sumner, Tennessee
John Patterson Wilson, Tennessee
John Patterson Wilson, Tennessee
John Patterson Williamson, Tennessee
John Patterson Williamson, Tennessee
John Patterson Pike, Missouri
John Patterson Jr. St Ferdinand, St Louis, Missouri
John Patterson Senr. St Ferdinand, St Louis, Missouri
John Patterson Bonhomme, St Louis, Missouri
John Patterson Saline, Ste Genevieve, Missouri
John Patterson Perry, St Francois, Missouri
John Patterson Cape Girardeau, Missouri
John Patterson Le Sieur, New Madrid, Missouri

Our Margaret Adams

Courtesy of Harald Reksten:

Augusta Co, Va Court Records:

11-754. 19 November 1764 Thomas Harrison and Sarah to John Harrison for £---, 150 acres on a Sinking Spring Branch of Linvel's Creek; corner Mary Adams.

Our Margaret Addams received her Va land patent under the name of Mary Adams. She was the mother of Robert "R" Patterson, and the widow of William Patterson first, then later a widow of John Addams.

While her land patent was recorded under that name of "Mary", however, that was in error. Her name was not Mary, but Margaret. Thomas Jefferson's Memorandum Books shows a court case that clarifies that issue of her name.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Thomas Patterson 1773 record found

For those of you who connect to the Thomas Patterson of York Co SC and Buncombe Co NC...

Thanks to Harald Reksten for all the research and analysis he's currently doing on the old records of the Shenandoah Valley of Va. In the course of his work he has uncovered the following record:

13-495. 21 August 1767 Ruben Moore & Ann of Frederick County to Rubin Harrison for £100, 400 acres on the Dry Fork of Smith's Creek patented to John Harrison, deceased, 10 February 1748 who devised the same to Ann. Delivered: Thomas Patterson by your order January 1773.

This means the land was subsequently sold by Rubin Harrison TO Thomas Patterson in 1773.

I am 100% convinced this Thomas Patterson is the one from whom I descend, and who was the father of John Patterson (b ca 1765) who married Margaret "Peggy" Black.

Robert "R" Patterson (father of Thomas) had a sister named Elizabeth who married Jeremiah Harrison. Jeremiah's brother John Harrison was the father of the above mentioned John Harrison, Rubin Harrison, and Ann (Harrison) Moore. This court record shows that John Harrison (Jr) patented this tract of land on 10 Feb 1748 in Augusta Co Va. This same John was killed in 1763 by a negro slave. John was unmarried and had no children. He devised (bequeathed) the land to his sister Ann, who in turn sold it on 21 Aug 1767 (along with her husband Ruben Moore) to her brother Rubin Harrison.

Anytime Augusta Co court records mention a transaction and then at the end say "delivered", what it means is that it was subsequently sold to "whomever". In the case above, this land after being sold to Rubin Harrison in 1767, was in turn sold (delivered) to Thomas Patterson in Jan 1773. I'll not bore you with the details, but there is no doubt as to the identity of this Thomas Patterson being ours from York Co SC.

I do find it interesting to then wonder if Thomas was in the act of moving back to Va where he grew up? If so, he didn't stay long as he was later listed among the Loyalists of York Co SC during the Revolution. That said, I know that Robert Cravens Jr (a nephew of Elizabeth Patterson Harrison) owned land on Clarks Fork in SC next to our Robert Patterson and also Robert Black (another uncle of said Cravens). I also know that Cravens continued to live in Va. His brother William Cravens, however, is said to have lived in the Carolinas from approximately 1766 to 1773. Interesting, as that puts him returning to Va in the same year as this Thomas Patterson transaction.

Furthermore, William Cravens and Thomas Patterson were chain bearers together in SC on at least one occasion, and I knew they grew up practically next to each other in Va.

Some of you in this forum descend from Thomas Patterson via a man named William Craven Patterson, b 1813 NC. He was a great grandson of Thomas Patterson.

Just how often did these folks travel up and down that dirt road back in the day? More than we imagine, I believe.

Wes

P.S. Harald found another record for Thomas Patterson in November, 2009, as follows:

(Augusta Co, Va) 21-075. 16 August 1775 Robert Cravens and Abigael his Wife of Augusta to Michael Mullin of same for £80, 169 acres on both side of Cooks Creek adjacent a survey of James Fisher, crossing the creek and line originally granted to Robert Cravens Senior. Signed: Robert Cravens, Abigael Cravens (X). Witnesses: John Christian, Thomas Patterson, John Smith. Acknowledged: 15 August 1775 by Robert Cravens and Abigael his Wife she being first privately Examined. Delivered: June 1777 to Mach Mullen.

This Robert Cravens was also known as Major Robert or Robin, and was the son of William and Jane Cravens, and therefore a grandson of Robert and Mary Harrison Cravens, Sr. Abigail was Abigail Harrison, daughter of Jeremiah Harrison, who was the uncle of Thomas Patterson. That means Abigail was a 1st cousin to my Thomas Patterson (my ggggg-gf).

Craven(s) Connection or Not?

Taken from an email to Harald Reksten on 16 Oct 2009:

Harald, I'm beginning to be drawn back to the Craven(s) family once again, but this time, in searching for the identity of Sarah, Robert's wife (i.e. Robert Patterson). I have no conclusions at this time, but I'm beginning to see some evidence that could lean that direction. I still have more organizing of data to do to make the analysis easier, but for now, here are some random thoughts concerning this line of thinking.

We know that Robert and Sarah married b/w 1732 and 1738. We also know they had children before 1744. I believe they may have had as many as 3 or 4 of their children by then, certainly Abigail, Mary and Thomas, and quite possibly Sarah, too. This dau Sarah had her first child (Susannah Kincaid) by 1763, by the way. All that to say this... I would be surprised if Robert and Sarah were married after 1735. If that is the case, then Sarah was probably born by 1715-17, perhaps.

We know that the Cravens family was all around the Harrisons, et al in Sussex Co De as well as Salem Co, NJ. Robert Cravens (b 1696) and his sister Margaret both married Harrison siblings. Elizabeth Patterson (Robert's sister) married another Harrison sibling. This older Cravens generation is not as well documented, but many have made attempts over the years and there's just enough info out there to raise certain questions.

There was a trio of Cravens siblings who were orphaned in Salem Co, NJ in the early 1680s, Thomas, Peter, and Ann Cravens. Ann was born 1670, and Thomas was born about 1665-68, and Peter more like 1672-74. Neither of these Cravens brothers are well documented, but Robert (1696) is thought to have come from one of them, perhaps, but that hasn't been proven. I know that Thomas Craven was under the guardianship of an uncle until the late 1680s or so. It would not be unreasonable for him to be the father of Robert 1696. Furthermore, he certainly could have fathered children over a 20 year period, such as our Sarah (1715-18).

The name Peter Craven(s) was passed down for generations among the Peter Craven family. Peter II was born 1712. His descendants are not sure if he was the son of Peter I or of Thomas, however. Peter II moved his family to Augusta Co Va in 1744. Around 1755 or a little later perhaps, he moved his family to Randolph/Guilford Co NC around the Deep River. The Cravens lived around the Quakers in NJ and also in NC. They were Regulators and Loyalists during the Revolution.

Furthermore, during the Revolution, Loyalists from York Co SC were identified as our Pattersons and Blacks, plus Nathaniel Harrison, plus some others, including a whole group of Julians. Peter Julian sr and Jr and many others, were named. Many of these Julians also moved during the Revolution to Randolph/Guilford Co NC near the Cravens. The Julians were also Quakers.

I don't have to remind you that our Robert and Sarah Patterson named one of their sons Peter. I believe he was the second son, after Thomas.

I have thought for years that the move to SC was precipitated by the Blacks (I still believe that to be the case) and that Robert Patterson and Nathaniel Harrison followed because their wives somehow were related to the Blacks. But what about this possibility? Could it be that the wives of Patterson and Harrison were related to the Cravens instead! Robert Black, one of the key members of this Black clan who moved to SC, was married to Majey Cravens, dau of Robert Cravens and Mary Harrison Cravens. Perhap the connection is a Cravens connection. We also know that Robert Cravens Jr and his brother William Cravens speculated in SC and owned land right next to Robert Patterson and Robert Black. These Cravens brothers were brothers to Majey Cravens Black. Was Sarah Patterson their aunt by virtue of being a younger sister of their father Robert Cravens?

Another connection is that Robert Patterson's niece, Esther Harrison (dau of Eliz Patterson and Jeremiah Harrison), married Robert Cravens Jr (mentioned above). They were also first cousins to each other by virtue of the fact that Esther's father (Jeremiah) and Robert Jr's mother (Mary Harrison), were siblings.

Thomas Patterson had multiple things in common (chain bearers together, etc) with William Cravens. Furthermore, Thomas Patterson's oldest grandson was named Joseph Black Patterson, born 1789 in SC. This grandson named a son William Craven Patterson (1813).

One source even has the elder Thomas Craven having several daughters and a son named Nehemiah Cravens. That was a common name passed down thru the Robert Cravens family, also. Rachel was another name I saw in these other Cravens families (from the Peter Cravens line). We know that Nathaniel Harrison's wife was named Rachel.

Just thinking out loud.

Wes
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Apparently there was a Thomas Craven Sr and a Thomas Craven Jr in Burlington, West New Jersey in 1701.

See http://books.google.com/books?id=VKaOB4sKiL0C&pg=PA250&lpg=PA250&dq=%22thomas+craven%22+salem+new+jersey&source=bl&ots=8uMI-KwhM6&sig=rNOEuMgSFclxKOf_EOqfBxwWRUc&hl=en&ei=ubnYSr_cNpPR8QaT7cm3BQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10&ved=0CCwQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=%22thomas%20craven%22&f=false

They were witnesses to a deed involving the Stokes family.

Another source http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=ttg13&id=I28337 leads one to believe that none of the DE and VA Cravens could have come from this Thomas or Peter Cravens... but there must have been a relation as Thomas' uncle was a Smith from Smithtown, NY and the Harrisons descended from the same Smiths.

Still searching...
Wes
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This source paints an accurate picture of what JH Harrison wrote in Settlers by the Long Grey Trail:

http://www.heritagecenter.com/Research/WPA/Robert%20Cravens%20Home.htm

Bottom line is, no one knows for sure where Robert Cravens (m Mary Harrison) came from, but he and his sister both married Harrisons in Sussex Co DE. Most people assume his father was a Richard Cravens.

Bottom line is, I think the Craven(s) family is one we need to keep our eyes on for Sarah's ancestry.

Wes

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