Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Robert Patterson of Rusk TX (b 1796)

Robert Patterson of Rusk Co Tx was enumerated on the 1860 census there. He died sometime between that year and 1870. For years I have been researching this man and his family, and their connection to my John and Margaret Black Patterson family of Union Co Ga. I have become convinced that Robert (born ca 1796) was a son of John and Margaret. As a point of reference, I descend from John by his son, George (b 1800). I have additional notes on this Robert on a page at WesPatterson.com.

In December 2009, Marty Grant was updating his website and he did some follow up research on this Robert and was able to find him on the 1840 (St Francis Co AR) census, and perhaps also in 1830 (Clarke Co GA). No one had previously located him on any census except 1860. The following research notes are excerpts of communications initiated by Marty Grant on 10 Dec 2009. These notes are from Marty Grant, and supplemented by Wes Patterson in Dec 2009 and April 2010.

The following notes begin with Marty’s data collection and analysis.

Franklin Co., GA Marriages to 1850:
9 Oct 1806 Rachel Patterson & James Bohannan
26 Nov 1825 John Strange & Ann Johnson
23 Mar 1830 Milly Patterson & Absalom H. Shelton
9 Feb 1832 Calvin W. Patterson & Elizabeth Attaway
11 Oct 1832 Nancy Patterson & H. K. Phillips
25 Aug 1833 Hampton Patterson & Mary Bowers
11 Oct 1835 Robert Patterson & Ann Strange
18 Jul 1840 Tryon Patterson & Eliza Prewitt
22 Nov 1842 Samuel Patterson & Frances M. Patterson

Jackson Co., GA marriages to 1850:
29 Aug 1808 Rachel Patterson & Patton Gardner
25 Dec 1817 Charlotte Patterson & Grigsby Grady
14 Apr 1819 William Patterson & Rebecca Coffee
15 Feb 1821 Tabitha Patterson & James Candle
10 Oct 1828 Katharine Patterson & Stephen Caudle

Clarke Co., GA marriages to 1850:
20 Apr 1809 Nancy Patterson & Henry Langford
29 Jan 1818 William Patterson & Rodey Runnels
28 Oct 1827 James Patterson & Nancy Howard
13 Feb 1834 Littleton Patterson & Elizabeth Dupree

Madison Co., GA marriages to 1850:
12 Jun 1817 Celia Patterson & Charles McDaniel
2 Jan 1829 Elizabeth Patterson & James S. Palmer
22 Nov 1840 Elizabeth Patterson & Ezekiel Bray
25 Nov 1847 Joshua M. Patterson & Prudence Chetham
7 Dec 1848 Mary E. Patterson & James R. Anderson
3 Jan 1850 Martha A. Patterson & Thomas B. Thompson

1820 Census - Georgia
Clarke County - No Pattersons
Franklin - None

Jackson -
1- Wm Patterson 000200-10010 no slaves
2- James Patterson 110101-00001 no slaves
3- Wm Patterson 000001-00010 no slaves
# 1 and 2 were very near each other

Madison - None

1830 Census
Clarke -
David Paterson (c1790/1800) 100001-12001, 55 slaves
John Paterson (c1790/1800) 210001-010001, no slaves
Robert H. Paterson (c1790/1800) 200001-10001, no slaves
No Morrow, Marr or similar. No Kincaid

Franklin -
John Strange (c1800/10) 20001-10001, no slaves, 1 slave
Claborn Johnson (c1780/90) 2011001-0120001, 8 slaves, next to John Strange
William Strange (c1790/1800 or 1800/10) 200011-00001, no slaves, 8 houses from John Strange
George Patterson (c1800/10) 20001-10001, 1 slave, 5 houses from William Strange
Tryon Patterson (c1770/80) 00021001-00110001, no slaves
William Patterson (c1800/10) 00001-200010001, no slaves
James Strange (c1800/10) 10001-00001, no slaves
Seth Strange (c1780/90) 00011001-00000001, 12 slaves
Seth Strange (c1800/10) 00001-1001, 2 slaves

Jackson - none
Madison - none

From the Franklin County records you can see that John Strange (1st husband of Ann Johnson) was next to Claborn Johnson, perhaps her father [WP: he definitely was Ann's father]. They weren't far at all from George Patterson. Don't know how George ties in with Robert or if he does.

By 1840 there were only two Strange families in Franklin: Seth and William.

I also found this in St. Francis Co., AR in 1840 side by side in Johnson District (or Township):
pg 196 Claborn Johnson (c1780/90) 00010001-00010001, 11 slaves
pg 196 Robert Patterson (c1800/10) 212001-012101, 4 slaves

This is almost certainly the same Claborn Johnson from 1830 Franklin, and this would be his son-in-law Robert Patterson and wife Ann Johnson Strange Patterson. It also fits to be your Uncle Robert Patterson except we didn't know they were ever in Arkansas (or at least *I* didn't know it). William King was next door. I mention that because Robert's daughter R. E. married a King in the 1840's.

There is a William H. Patterson (c1790/1800) in 1840 St. Francis also, but not nearby.

Looking for them again in 1850 (I tried to find Robert in 1850 before but failed), I first looked for Claborn Johnson, and found him in Rusk Co., TX, right where he ought to be! He was by himself, age 66 born SC, no occupation, no real property, Rusk District, house and family # 430/430. No obvious relatives nearby, and still no sign of the Robert Patterson family in 1850. I checked for them in St. Francis Co., AR in 1850 but they weren't there. William H. Patterson (c1803) and family were there in 1850, probably same from 1840.

On a hunch I checked the 1850 Slave Schedule for Rusk and found "C. Johnson" listed with two slaves. That is probably Claborn. No Pattersons were listed in Rusk County, TX with slaves.

Marty Grant (Marvin A. Grant, Jr.)

*** and then my consolidated responses to Marty ***

Marty,

You've gotten my attention for sure! Yes, Claborn Johnson WAS Ann's father. There is no question about that from the previous research I've done. And yes, he arrived in Tx prior to Robert and Ann coming. There WAS a young John Patterson living with Elizabeth Ferguson in Rusk Tx in 1850, and I believe him to have been the oldest son of Robert Patterson by his 1st wife.

St Francis Co AR is on the eastern border of the state - with Mississippi. This is certainly in the direct line of travel from GA / AL etc toward Tx. The 1840 AR Robert Patterson and his wife both appear to be too young by one column, but I realize that census records are not always correct - depending on who actually gave the data to the census taker.

Given that Patterson is next door to Claborn Johnson, that is a HUGE factor in believing this is most likely the Robert Patterson who married Ann Johnson Strange and ended up in Rusk Co Tx.

Now - here's the next question I have for you. Do we think this is John and Margaret's son born in 1796? Or do we think this is their nephew, son of Robert and Elizabeth Patterson of 1800 and 1810 Buncombe and 1820 Haywood? I don't have those census records in front of me right now, but I know that Robert had at least 3 sons. Could the 3 Patterson males from 1830 Clarke Co Ga be the sons of Robert and Elizabeth? And, therefore be nephews of my John? [WP: in 1800 Buncombe Co NC census, Robert Patterson had 2 males 0-10 in his household. So it's possible that the Robert of Clarke 1830 could have been a son of 1800 Buncombe Robert, but all 3 of these 1830 men were not his sons, if any. I believe the evidence will show a closer kinship to John of 1800 Buncombe.]

1830 Census
Clarke -
David Paterson (c1790/1800) 100001-12001, 55 slaves
John Paterson (c1790/1800) 210001-010001, no slaves
Robert H. Paterson (c1790/1800) 200001-10001, no slaves

Either way, there was a huge connection b/w the Patterson/Johnson group of Pattersons and then Amos Patterson's sons - in Rusk Co Tx. They all served together in the 14th TX Cavalry under Col Middleton Tate Johnson, brother of Ann Johnson Strange Patterson!!!

Here's more info on Claborn Johnson, who's full name was Matthew Claiborne Johnson, b 1784 SC. He died in 1853 in Rusk Co Tx, and was in Tx as early as 1839, although he apparently was back in AR for the 1840 census.

And, here's another page about Claiborne Johnson's family, his father being Rowland Johnson of Amelia Co, Va and Spartanburg Co, SC.

Marty, you mentioned that Robert Patterson's daughter (R.E.) married a King in the 1840's. I found some info on the Robert Patterson daughter who married a King. You mentioned:

I also found this in St. Francis Co., AR in 1840 side by side in Johnson District (or Township):
pg 196 Claborn Johnson (c1780/90) 00010001-00010001, 11 slaves
pg 196 Robert Patterson (c1800/10) 212001-012101, 4 slaves

This is almost certainly the same Claborn Johnson from 1830 Franklin, and this would be his son-in-law Robert Patterson and wife Ann Johnson Strange Patterson. It also fits to be your Uncle Robert Patterson except we didn't know they were ever in Arkansas (or at least *I* didn't know it). William King was next door. I mention that because Robert's daughter R. E. married a King in the 1840's.

If you go to http://ftp.us-census.org/pub/usgenweb/census/tx/rusk/1860/pg0297b.txt and search for King you'll find the George and R.E. King household. Whoever transcribed this page added some annotations to this family, which sheds light on the fact that this Rhoda E. was a STRANGE, and therefore apparently the daughter of Robert Patterson's wife Ann, by her first husband.

18-1434/1452 KING George 36 M W M.D. 1,000 6,300 TN
19-1434/1452 KING R. E. (Rhoda E. STRANGE) 29 F W - - - GA (m. 1 Jan. 1850)
20-1434/1452 KING E. C. 8 M W - - - TX
21-1434/1452 KING William G. 6 M W - - - TX
22-1434/1452 KING J. E. 4 M W - - - TX
23-1434/1452 LUMMUS (?) Elizabeth 15 F W - - - GA

And then a page or two further down we find Amos and Kimsey Patterson living next to each other. Amos was a younger brother supposedly, of Robert Patterson, and Kimsey was a son of George and therefore nephew of Amos.

12-1446/1464 PATTERSON S.K. 32 M W farmer 800 200 GA
13-1446/1464 PATTERSON M.E. (Mary F. JOWELL) 20 F W - - - AL (m. 13 Dec. 1855)
14-1446/1464 PATTERSON H.B.J. 2 M W - - - TX
15-1446/1464 PATTERSON L.B. 5/12 M W - - - TX
16-1447/1465 PATTERSON Amos 51 M W farmer 3,000 550 NC
17-1447/1465 PATTERSON Parmelia (A. MORRIS) 40 F W - - - AL (m. 12 Sept. 1858)
18-1447/1465 PATTERSON Lumpkin 30 M W f laborer 300 – GA
19-1447/1465 PATTERSON J.J. 25 M W – 150 – GA
20-1447/1465 PATTERSON Margaret 22 F W - - - GA
21-1447/1465 PATTERSON Nancy 20 F W - - - GA
22-1447/1465 MORRIS Eliza 10 F W - - - TX
23-1447/1465 MORRIS Martha 8 F W - - - TX

S K Patterson (Silas Kimsey), was the son of George (b 1800) and nephew of Amos (and Robert).

The Morris girls were daughters of Amos' 2nd wife, Parmelia _____ (Morris) (Patterson), by her first husband.

Another big clue along the way in believing that Amos and Robert of Rusk were brothers, is the following deed:

H/532 - B. C. H. Johnson to Amos Patterson, a tract of land 25 mi. s.e. of Henderson (now known as Caledonia Community), 215 acres, filed 12-26-1853.

This was Berryman Cicero Holt Johnson, brother of Ann Johnson Patterson, and therefore brother-in-law of Robert Patterson - selling land to Amos Patterson! Robert Patterson named one of his sons B C H Patterson, as well.

Furthermore, these same Johnsons were intermarried with the Davis clan, including Jeremiah Gurley Davis. One of Jeremiah Gurley Davis's daughters married Wilson Lumpkin Patterson, son of Amos Patterson.

Wes Patterson (ggg-grandson of George Patterson – b. 1800)

***

Additional thoughts, April 2010:

So what does all this mean? I do believe the 1830 Clarke Co Ga record to be this same Robert Patterson. He had two sons in 1830 which match the ages of his two older sons in 1840. Also in 1830, Robert H Patterson of Clarke Co Ga had a daughter, which could be one of the older daughters in 1840. We also know that his second wife, Ann Strange (widow of John Strange from 1830 Franklin Co Ga), had a daughter by 1830. That only accounts for one of the 3 older daughters of Robert in 1840 (plus his own older daughter), leaving a third older daughter, age 10 or higher, unaccounted for. It could be that Ann or Robert, either one, had another daughter born right around 1830, who was not enumerated in 1830 but was listed as 10-15 in 1840.

The remaining children in Robert's 1840 household are accounted for. So if Robert is this Robert H. Patterson from Clarke Co Ga in 1830, what does the middle initial "H" stand for? I would be shocked if it was NOT "Harrison". Robert was born in 1796, at which time the Patterson family was relocating to Buncombe Co NC with all of their Harrison and Black relatives. Robert's paternal grandmother was named Margaret Harrison (Patterson). I cannot prove this, so don't write it down as gospel, please.

So that leaves two census years in which we are still missing Robert. He is not located in 1820 yet, and perhaps was living in another household as a farm laborer. That doesn't surprise me. But in 1850 he's also missing. Perhaps one day we'll locate that record.

Wes

Friday, April 16, 2010

Edward Hughes facts

Facts to keep in mind as I plot the Yadkin Valley tracts:

1) On 27 May 1757- Edward Hughes to Edward Underhill of Chowan CO 188 acres s/side of Yadkin adj to Abraham CREASON -- Jon. Hanby and William Sheppard

2) Samuel Davis 579 acres directly opposite George Forbush, passed into Edward Hughes' hands in 1752. Source

3) John Pelham lived adj Edward Hughes near the Shallowford before 1756. In the spring of 1756, Pelham sold his tract to Nathaniel Wiltshire. Source

4) Nicholas Harford bought 331 acres from Edward Hughes at the shallowford in 1753. Harford was in the Shenandoah by 1742 and the Yadkin by 1753. Source

Nathan Thomas Harrison of Buncombe

Some years ago, a lady named Frances Ebbs Johnson wrote a letter to Mr. Johnson, of Harrison Repository fame. This info sheds more light on the Harrisons and Granthams and Johns of Buncombe, relatives of my Pattersons.

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Nathan Thomas Harrison

Nathan Thomas Harrison, born 1779, NC or VA and wife Sarah Ogelsby are the ancestors of many in Madison County, NC. Early on he was an itinerant Methodist minister to churches in Old Buncombe County. About 1835 Rev. Nathan and family moved from the Sandy Mush area [wp: Buncombe Co NC, where the Pattersons et al lived] and settled into the Cherokee stronghold of Spring Place, Murray County, Georgia a few years before the Cherokee Removal. Known Children: John Valentine m Jane Bell; Rev. Samuel Robert. m Minerva Bell; Jeremiah m (1) Loucinda Lee (2) __________England; Abraham Pickens m Sarah Watters; Sarah m Dr. Tarver; Nathan m Jane_______; Cecil; Thomas, blind since age 17, m Ann (Lord?); Mary m Henson Gossage; Margaret m Edward F. Farrington; Rachel m James Madison Ellis, called "Too Dottle Too" by the Cherokee in reference to his red hair and literacy. Possible children were William C. and Lydia m Rev. Joab Humphries. Rev. Nathan m 2nd Nancy (Bailey?) but had no children. Rev. Nathan died 1852 at Spring Place.

Nathan’s son Thomas was my great great grandfather. He alone of the brothers remained in Buncombe where he lived on Turkey Creek on property owned by his parents. Thomas and Ann’s known children: Jesse, eldest; Mary A.; Robert m Martha ______; Harriet E. and Martha. Thomas and Ann were living with their son Jesse and his bride at Sandy Bottom in 1850, but 1860 they were living in Polk County, TN with their son Robert, a blacksmith, and his family.

Jesse, my great grandfather married Althia Caroline Hawkins, the girl next door on Turkey Creek. She was the daughter of Thomas Hawkins Sr. and Dorothy Worley. Jesse with his 16 year old bride, parents and siblings, moved to Sandy Bottom in 1850 where Jesse was a blacksmith along the Buncombe Turnpike. Children: Harriet Jane m Gabriel Cody; Sarah C. m Adolphus E. Treadway; Julia Ann m Charles Z. Netherton; James Madison m Susan V. Hunnicut; Mary m Frank Randall Treadway; John Frederick m. Rebecca Treadway (my grandparents - see Treadway Ancestry); Lucinda R. m David Wright Reeves; Thomas Jefferson m Emma Elvira Cowan; George Washington m Ana Laura Smith and Allice Belle m John W. Misner.

Rev. Nathan Harrison’s parents are unknown. He appears to be connected to several households in the 1800 Buncombe County Census. #1. Thomas and (Eleanor?) Harrison with a household of 14 including several adult males, in the Turkey Creek area. #2. John Harrison m _____(Davis?). #3. Ezekiel John m Lydia (Harrison?). #4. Rev. John Grantham m. Elizabeth Harrison, daughter of Thomas. She is said to have been born in Buncombe 1776 (then Indian country). Their eldest son was Isaiah, which suggests a relationship to the Isaiah Harrison Clan of Virginia, from the book, Settlers By The Long Grey Trail, by J. Houston Harrison.

A Thomas Harrison Jr., a prominent manufacturer of Belleville, Illinois gave a history of being born in York District, SC 1779. His father moved to Rutherford Co NC, then settled in Georgia [wp: probably Walton Co, Ga] then in Buncombe and then with others moved to Illinois in 1804. He had a nephew John P. Grantham whose father lived in Montgomery Co. IL (Rev. John Grantham). Probably also connected to these households were Rev. Jeremiah Harrison m Sarah Addington, and Nathaniel Harrison m Sarah Carrell.

The above Harrisons appear to be related to the Joseph and Margaret (Hill) Harrison family which came about 1803 from York Co. SC /Rutherford NC region to Turkey Creek, Buncombe County. A great grandson of Joseph, Nathaniel Ballard, wrote, long ago, that he remembered his cousins Nathan, Jeremiah and Thomas. [wp: this Joseph Harrison was son of Nathaniel and Rachel Harrison of York Co SC]

Frances Ebbs Johnson
8514 Rockmoor
San Antonio, TX 78230

Harrisons of Buncombe NC

The following email was archived on the Internet. It's a little hard to read there, but worth it. I have edited it here for clarity. There's some good history in here concerning the Harrisons of Buncombe Co NC and York Co SC, and even the comment that Nathaniel Harrison of Clarks Fork was just to the south of Kings Mountain.

Wes

http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/th/read/HARRISON/1999-06/0929588414
From: Charles W. Johnson
Subject: Joseph Harrison
Date: Wed, 16 Jun 1999

Great to hear from a descendant of Nathaniel Harrison [wp: of York Co SC, who signed the will of Robert Patterson in 1775]. I do not think I have ever heard from one before! I am fascinated with your description of ability but morose personality. It is hard to figure why he left Buncombe where he was so successful and such a big property owner. He was variously Sheriff, State legislator and long time County Clerk. Once I was in the Buncombe Genealogy Society and met a researcher, a retired Judge I think of Florida and with his son a present Federal Judge of Tallahassee, Fl. I am not sure about what if any relationship he had to Nathaniel but he was very curious how he could be so successful yet coming from modest means. He thought perhaps that his marriage to Sarah Smith (his second marriage) may have been a big boost since her father was perhaps the wealthiest man around: James M. Smith who was said to be the first white person born in Buncombe. Maybe that is part of the answer.

As county clerk he ran the courthouse and if I count correctly, the courthouse had three record damaging fires while he was in office. Consequently, Buncombe is sadly deficient in Wills and Estate papers. The deeds were destroyed also but people came back in and re-registered their deeds and there are several volumes of re-registered deeds. He signed his name as N. Harrison.

Once he went to Ohio to fetch his sister [wp: Rachel Harrison Snelson] and her children. Her husband [wp: Joseph Snelson], a son of the pastor of Newfound Baptist Church had died in Ohio where he and his father [wp: John Thomas Snelson was pastor of Newfound Baptist Church from 1802-1815] and numerous others had gone for mining. Nathaniel brought her back to Buncombe where she remarried to David Miller, who had lost his wife and David Miller replaced Nathaniel as County Clerk when Nathaniel moved to Georgia. Abel Hill Harrison lived a long time and not morose as far as I can tell. He was a prosperous merchant in Villa Rica GA as well as their legislator for GA. He was admired as a philosopher and confidant. When he died all of his siblings were dead and he had no children. His considerable wealth therefore was to go to his siblings children and/or grandchildren. The court ordered an "official" genealogy of the heirs which produced much information about his siblings and their descendants.

Another document of interest, we call the "Ballard" document. It was a writeup of the family and going back into Buncombe and the writer, a descendant of Nathaniel and a Physician, told about knowing his cousins, as a child, Thomas, Nathan and Jeremiah and he told about Nathan, who became Rev. Nathan Thomas Harrison, my late wife's ggg-grandfather who also moved to GA to Murray County, as did Rev. Jeremiah, another Methodist Minister. The Thomas he probably referred to was Rev. Thomas Harrison who went to St, Clair Co. IL (Belleville) right across the Mississippi from St Louis where he was a Methodist Minister but also became a very wealthy man in the wheat and flour milling business and banks, hotels, heavy machinery manufacturing and philanthropy. Dr. Ballard referred to these as cousins but they could not be first cousins we figure since Nathaniel's father, Joseph was an only son. We do not know the relationship but close we figure.

Your Nathaniel was the son of Joseph and Margaret Hill, daughter of Abel Hill of SC. This Joseph is not to be confused with the Joseph who started this all out [wp: "this" meaning the thread of conversation they were engaged in at the time of this email]; Joseph of Charles City County, MD. There is no relationship that we know of but some old genealogical records of Buncombe claim that your Joseph was fom Charles City County. Moreover it claims that Joseph was a cousin to President William Henry Harrison Balderdash, but these mistaken records prompted the DAR to put a marker on Joseph's grave in Newfound Baptist Cemetery in Buncombe stating more errors such as calling him the famous pioneer preacher of Historic Three Forks Baptist Church in Watauga Co., NC - preposterous. This marker ceremony was with a ceremony and the press and pictures and such in the 1930's. The marker has apparently been quietly removed, but the errors persist.

Your Joseph was the son of Nathaniel Harrison of Clark's Fork of Bullock's Creek in York County, SC just south of the famous King's Mountain. Nathaniel's loyalty to the American cause in the Revolution is questioned. He may have been a loyalist and property confiscated and he could have been executed perhaps, but Joseph regained the property and he and his mother [wp: Rachel Harrison] sold the property and moved to Buncombe with some relatives, the Blacks and Ponders [wp: we can add Pattersons to this list, as Thomas Patterson of Clarks Fork SC and also Buncombe Co NC was a neighbor of old Thomas and Nathaniel Harrison on Clarks Fork, and then also a neighbor to Thomas Harrison in Buncombe. Furthermore, Thomas Patterson was married to a Margaret Harrison, of the same age as Nathaniel and Thomas Harrison]. The Ponders were notorious Tories and the last I heard the Sheriff of Madison Co. NC which was part of Buncombe has long been a Ponder. We do not know the parents of Nathaniel, father of Joseph, but we think we find him in the book SETTLERS BY THE LONG GREY TRAIL by J. Houston Harrison and we feel that all the other Harrisons of Buncombe are from this same family but probably from a missing link we have not yet found. I belong to a group of researchers of the Buncombe County Harrisons and we have never had anyone from your Nathaniel's family. Welcome! We have much more information and members of that family but I guess that this is enough for now. One other item. We were in the Atlanta Archives and we found a letter from someone in Hollywood CA who sounded important but I had never heard of. The letter was addressed to the Governor seeking information on your Nathaniel and his brother Abel Hill Harrison and their GA legislative file. The Governor sent this letter to the head of the Archives and asked him to respond, which he did. It told that Nathaniel was born in SC in the Greenville area, but did not say where Abel Hill was born . This suggests to me that his mother went home to SC to have her baby with her parents, the Abel Hills.

In the 1800 census your Joseph was shown in Rutherford County NC (always confusion as to just where the border was between N and S Carolina in this area. But in Buncombe was Thomas Harrison with a household of 14 including a number of adults. Nearby were households of John Grantham whose wife was Elizabeth daughter of Thomas Harrison and Eleanor his wife, and also nearby was Ezekiel John whose wife was a Harrison, and John Harrison whose wife was Davis. This household seems to be a hot bed of future Methodist preachers named Harrison and Grantham. It was a year later in 1801 when your Joseph and Margaret Hill Harrison acquired property near "our" Harrisons in Buncombe.

Sincerely, Charles W. Johnson, M.D. ...please keep in touch.
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Wes' thoughts continuing here:

Apparently, the 3 fires in Buncombe took out the wills and estate papers, and many of the deeds, too - but people came back in and re-registered many of the deeds - thankfully.

The Nathaniel Harrison of Buncombe (son of Joseph Harrison and Margaret Hill Harrison; and therefore a grandson of Nathaniel of Clarks Fork) was not only the county clerk, but sometimes a sheriff, and also a state legislator. According to Mr Johnson (who's notes are online on what's called the Harrison Repository), this Joseph (b 1762) was the only son of Nathaniel of Clarks Fork. Something to keep in mind, although I'm not sure what that declaration is based on.

I suspect the Thomas Harrison of Clarks Fork was a brother of Nathaniel, and therefore was probably the old Thomas Harrison of Buncombe, also. He would then be the progenitor of most of these Buncombe Harrisons, and Joseph of Clarks Fork (son of Nathaniel) would be the progenitor of the rest of the Buncombe Harrisons.

I also suspect (believe) that Margaret Harrison, wife of Thomas Patterson, was a sister of Nathaniel and Thomas Harrison, but cannot yet prove that. Thomas and Margaret Harrison Patterson were the parents of John Patterson of Buncombe, my gggg-grandfather.

Harald Reksten and I have a theory that these older Harrisons, who were born in the 1730's and 40's, were siblings and may have been children of the Samuel Harrison, brother of the Joseph Harrison who died in Augusta Co Va in 1748. That Joseph's estate settlement was administered by Jeremiah Harrison (brother-in-law of old Robert Patterson) and was held at the home of Samuel and Lydia Harrison Stewart, along Linville Creek, near Harrisonburg, Va. We think this older Joseph who died in 1748 would have been born ca 1702. We think that he may have been an undocumented son of Isaiah Harrison Sr,. Another possibility is that Joseph could have been a son of Isaiah Harrison Jr, but we are leaning toward the first suggested theory. We believe that Isaiah Harrison, Jr actually died young and never lived in VA or the Carolinas. That the Isaiah Harrison named in VA in 1748 and then later in NC was a son of the Joseph who died in 1748 VA.

Joseph Harrison's clan appears to have moved about this time (1748-1753) to the Yadkin River Valley of NC. While on the other hand, this other group who moved to Clarks Fork in modern day York Co SC, moved there in the 1760's with the Blacks, Pattersons, and Cravens. This latter group was the focus of this post, i.e. Nathaniel and Thomas Harrison and Margaret Harrison Patterson. The Clarks Fork group is the same group who later moved to Buncombe Co NC in the 1790's, give or take a few years depending on the person. It is now my believe that the SC and then later Buncombe NC Harrisons were children of Samuel and Mary Harrison, he being the youngest son of Isaiah Harrison, SR.

Wes

August 25, 2016 Update

I no longer lean toward the theory that Margaret Harrison, wife of Thomas Patterson, was the daughter of Joseph Harrison. That theory was mainly due to the extensive collaboration of the primary families (Harrison, Cravens, Patterson, Black, Ponder) who moved to Clarks Fork in York Co, SC in the 1760's, and their connections to the Joseph Harrison, Samuel Stewart, Jeremiah Harrison families, all of whom were involved in Joseph Harrison's estate vendue in 1748 in VA (Augusta Co., near Harrisonburg). The connections of these families in DE and VA were there, but they diverged at that point. The Joseph Harrison and Samuel Stewart clans moved to the Yadkin Valley of NC about 1748, while other Harrisons (most likely only Samuel Harrison - brother of Joseph), and the Cravens, Pattersons, Blacks, and Ponders moved to York Co SC later in the 1750's and early 1760's.

Harrison Influence at Newfound

This was an email I sent out to the Patterson research lists today. I started out with the intent of focusing on the Shatteen name, but ended up falling all over the predominant Harrison influence in the church at Newfound Baptist Church, which is located about 8 miles west of Asheville, NC in the modern town of Leicester, in Buncombe County. Here's the email I sent.

Barbara,

You mentioned a few weeks ago that the name Chastain was pronounced "Shatteen" in the early 1800s in western NC. Guess what I just tripped over today?

I am now in the final editing process on the minutes of Newfound Baptist Church in Buncombe Co NC (1802-1865, more specifically). This church began in 1802, and my Pattersons and Blacks and the Ponders, et al were all members and early founders of this meeting. Apparently the Harrisons were a big part, also, as we'll come to see in a moment.

Right off the bat it has a record of a "Brother Shatteen" in its early records, as follows:

March 20th Day 1803 the church of Christ at Newfound being called together with some of our Brethren from the mouth of Milles River Church also Brother Shatteen from our Sister church at Prathers Creek the minds of the Brethren to wit Thos Snelson, J _____ (Saw? Same?), Eton, Daniel Ponder, Nathan Smith, Jn Grantham to attend on the Saturday Beefore the 1 Sunday in May. ADJourned AD

This writing is extremely difficult to read on some pages, this being one of them. This was from page 4 of Book 1.

Daniel Ponder was the uncle of my John Patterson, who also attended this church. John Grantham was married to Elizabeth Harrison, daughter of Thomas Harrison of Buncombe. It seems we now know that John Patterson's mother was a Harrison. I think it very likely that John's mother, Margaret Harrison Patterson, was a sister of this Thomas Harrison. That is not proven, however.

And then we have Thomas Snelson, who was the first pastor of Newfound, from 1802-1815. His full name was John Thomas Snelson. His son Joseph Snelson married Rachel Harrison, daughter of Joseph and Margaret Hill Harrison. Joseph's father was Nathaniel Harrison (m. to Rachel ____), one of the witnesses to old Robert "R" Patterson's 1775 will in York Co SC. It is believed by many Harrison researchers, including myself now, that THIS Nathaniel Harrison was a brother to the aforementioned Thomas Harrison, and quite possibly also to Margaret Harrison Patterson, mother of my John Patterson. So Snelson was no longer the pastor after 1815. Interesting.... now that I think about it, 1815 was also the last time my John Patterson was in these minutes of the church.

Back to Shatteen.... The original typed transcription I have from the church says Shatteen was from Matheus Creek, but it was a guess at the handwriting. It looks more like Prathus or Prathers to me. I did a quick online search and found that there was a Prathers Creek in old Wilkes Co in the part that became Ashe Co in 1799, and then later in the 1820s or 30s it became Alleghany Co. I'm not sure which Shatteen would have lived there in 1803, but I'm convinced this sister church was Prathers Creek.

Again, my John Patterson's son, George (b 1800), later married Rebecca Chastain, daughter of Elijah Chastain. Elijah was a scoundrel and womanizer though, so I know he wasn't the pastor mentioned in 1803.

Any thoughts, Barbara - or anyone else?

Wes Patterson

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I couldn't attach any images to the emails sent to the lists, but here on my blog I can. The following image is that of pages 4 and 5 of Book 1 from the minutes of Newfound Baptist Church. Look toward the bottom left of the image, which is page 4:


Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Stewart Land Entries Along the Yadkin River

Last Thursday I spent the entire day in Raleigh, NC at the state archives pulling land entries, surveys, grants, etc on microfilm. My primary focus that day was the Stewarts and Harrisons and their settlements along the Yadkin River in modern day Forsyth Co, but in those days, Anson, Rowan and later Surry counties.

*** The links below are broken, but the images for those can be found here***

I have more details on the Stewarts and their records along the Yadkin on my Stewart Timeline, but as a result of this archives trip, I can now understand the various records much better. In particular, there seems to have been six (6) land entries involving Samuel Stewart Sr and Jr, and David Stewart - from 1748 through 1762. There were subsequent deeds as well, but these six land entries are more specific to land "grants" - a subject full of confusion and speculation for many years as it concerns these Stewarts.

As best I can tell at this point, the following records are the extent of the land entries (application for grant), survey warrants, surveys, and grants, in regards to the Stewarts - east of the Yadkin River. Not all land entries and surveys led to grants. In some cases, grants were issued and later confiscated. So there still remains some confusion, but the following details certainly clear up many previous errors.

  • 1748, (Stewart Entry #1) David Stewart entered 138 acres on the Yadkin River, Anson Co., surveyed 10 Jan 1748/49 (1749 by today's calendar). Per Hofmann's Granville District of NC 1748-1763, Vol. 4, grant #285 says "David Stewart, plat dated 10 Jan 1748/49, 138 acres (Anson Co) on the North Bank of the Yadkin River opposite Eagleton, joining the river bank; CC: Abraham Potter, Antony Heavely; C. Robinson Surv." This tract was definitely along the bank of the Yadkin River. David was the first of the Stewart clan to enter land in Anson Co. However, there is no record of any grant ever being issued for this 138 acre survey. There may have been, but I can find no record of it.
  • 1751 (Oct 9), (Stewart Entry #2) Samuel Stewart, Entered 640 acres on 9 Oct 1751, Warrant for survey dated 1 April 1752. Survey date is not known, but Grant was issued 10 Jan 1761 according to the warrant cover. This grant was for 640 acres on a branch of Muddy Creek above the head of Stewarts Run at a White Oak Mark'd. I found no grant paperwork for this, but again, the warrant cover had a notation that a grant was issued on the date previously noted. Also on the warrant cover, under Samuel Stewart's name, was "Muddy C" with the rest of "Creek" blotted out. Then under that note was "Esaih" and obviously something else after that blotted out. This would be a good time to note that many Harrison researchers have said that Isaiah Harrison Jr received a 640 acre grant in Anson Co NC under the name "Esaiah Harrison". I have never been able to find this grant at the NC Archives. Perhaps this particular grant was originally for him, but then was assigned to Samuel Stewart instead? Isaiah Harrison Jr is believed to have been Samuel Stewart's father-in-law.
  • 1751 (Oct 9), (Stewart Entry #3) Samuel Stewart Junior, Entered 646 acres on 9 Oct 1751, Warrant for survey date is unknown, but a survey was completed on 23 Apr 1753, with chain carriers David and John Steward. No grant paperwork has been found, so it is not clear to me there was ever a grant issued for this survey. This survey was for 646 acres on the NE side of Yadkin River and on waters of Reed Creek, beginning at David Stewards corner. I believe that Reed Creek may have been south of Bashavia Creek and possibly somewhere in the vicinity of the Shallowford or even Double Creek. At this time, given that David Stewart's lands appear to have been between the Shallowford and Bashavia Creek and on the river bank, I'll assume Reed Creek is in that area as well.
  • 1753 (July 16), (Stewart Entry #4) Samuel Stewart entered 640 acres on 16 July 1753, east side of Yadkin River on the South Fork of Barshaby (Bashavia) Creek, joining his other survey. This entry (Rowan Co) joined the bank of the Yadkin River. Wit: Jno Haywood, David Stewart. Warrant dated 30 Nov 1753, surveyed 24 May 1754 (for 508 acres), deed issued 9 May 1757 (warrant cover), same day as David Stewart's 380 acre grant. CC: John Stewart, John Dawson. The back of the grant described the grantee as "Samuel Stewart Sr". On the grant itself you can see that Samuel Stewart Sr always made his mark "S". This tract of 508 acres was later sold to Matthew Brooks in two parcels (1775 and 1779), both deeds mentioning the "bank of the Yadkin River" and the latter one also said "down the river". This was grant #4903 in Hoffman's Granville District of NC 1748-1763, Vol. 3, under Rowan Co.
  • 1753 (July 26), (Stewart Entry #5) David Stewart entered 640 acres on 26 July 1753, east (north) side of Yadkin, (Rowan Co) adj Joseph Hartford, Wagners line, John Miller, and the several courses of the sd river. Warrant for survey dated 30 Nov 1753 (warrant cover), surveyed 23 May 1754 (for 380 acres), deed issued 9 May 1757 (deed cover), same day as Samuel Stewart Sr's 508 acre grant. CC: John Stewart, John Dawson. This 380 acre tract was later referred to as David Stewart's Fishing Place, and then again later was described as containing a "Fish Pott" and "Seine Landing", the latter being a type of fishing net. I believe this land to have been at or near the modern day "Old 421 River Park" in modern day Forsyth Co NC. Another possible location for this tract is a little further south, closer to the Shallow Ford. This was grant #4898 in Hoffman's Granville District of NC 1748-1763, Vol. 3, under Rowan Co.
  • 1762 (May 24), (Stewart Entry #6) Samuel Stewart (Sr, but later sold by Jr) was granted 332 acres on 10 Aug 1762, Rowan Co East side Yadkin River and on both sides of Swan Creek, adj David Stewart, George Stown, John Howard, and bank of river. Wit: John Frohock; Surveyed by John Frohock 24 May 1762 (survey cover); CC: David Stewart, Thomas Harrison. Note: Plat was originally done in the name of Joseph Harrison, a line drawn through and Samuel Stewart written above. This survey was clearly on Swan Creek, clearly for Joseph Harrison originally, and clearly Samuel Stewart Sr, based on Samuel's "S" mark on the grant itself. This grant has always been attributed to being Samuel Stewart Sr, and referred to in Lydia Stewart's 1771 will where she left this land to her sons if they could "obtain a clear title". However, I no longer agree with the latter assumption. Lydia's will clearly refers to a tract of land on the "south" side of the Yadkin, and this tract was on the east (or north) side, so this is NOT the land Lydia was referring to. Interestingly, this land was sold by Samuel Stewart JR and his wife Elizabeth Stewart in 1774 to Joseph Williams (Surry Bk A Pg 95), witnessed by John Harrison, and bounded as "adj. David Stewart.... riverbank..." and George Stown to the east and John Howard to the south and west. Subsequent deeds describe this tract as "North side Yadkin River, both sides Snow Creek." It is DEFINITELY the same tract. It could be that Samuel Jr sold this land as an heir, and his wife (Elizabeth Winscott) as a witness of Samuel Sr's will. This 1762 grant was grant #60, Bk 6, Pg 221, Issued 10 Aug 1762 Rowan Co, and was entry #4905 in Hoffman's Granville District of NC 1748-1763, Vol. 3, under Rowan Co.

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