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).