Sunday, December 10, 2017

New photo of William Harden "Billy" Patterson

William Harden Patterson, aka "Billy" was born in 1832 in north Ga. He died from blood poisoning - perhaps Rocky Mountain spotted fever - in 1883. He served in the War for Southern Independence - aka "Civil War" from 1862 - 1864. He was first in Smith's Legion, part of the Georgia Partizan Rangers, and then later his company was merged into the newly formed 6th Georgia Cavalry. 

This picture is from a large framed photograph that was formerly in the possession of the late Nellie Patterson Mason, a granddaughter of Billy Patterson. In the 1980's, my father, the late Frank Patterson (nephew of Nellie) and I both visited Aunt Nellie at her home. We took the picture outside and dad took a few slides of the framed photo. 

In 2017 I was going through some of dad's slides and found these pictures. I in turn took digital pictures of these slides, and these are the pictures I took.

William Harden "Billy" Patterson (1832-1883)

Nellie Patterson Mason and Frank Patterson

Nellie Patterson Mason and Wes Patterson

Monday, June 26, 2017

When Sorrows Come

By Francis O. Patterson
April 27 or 28, 2012

I learned of the home-going of Brother Bobby Lookabill as I was working on getting this bulletin ready for Sunday. My mind soon thereafter went back to others in our church that have had loved ones go home to be with the Lord in recent months and years. As I was thinking about these things, I was reminded that through the death of a loved one and friend God is able to teach us things that He could not teach us otherwise and in other circumstances. So, I encourage you to wait on the Lord and allow Him to show you some things, even though at the moment it might be difficult for you. For instance:

God wants you to know that He still loves you:
We sometimes wonder how can God love us and allow the things to come into our lives that he does.
1. The Bible responds by telling us that it is God’s very nature to be loving:
God is love (1 John 4:8)
His love for us doesn’t change though the circumstances may.
2. The problem isn’t that God doesn’t love us but that our perspective is limited:
God is infinite, we are finite.
God sees the whole, we see only the part.
God’s ways aren’t our ways. Isaiah 55:8-9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
God in His wisdom allows sorrow to come into our lives and we must remember that His plan is best.
3. It is to this loving God that we can turn and know that He judges rightly and correctly:
Gen. 18:25 asks, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” The Bible answers that God the Creator “worketh all things after the counsel of his own will” (Eph. 1:11).
We can turn to God at this time and know he is fair, just, impartial and loving. (Ps. 98:9)
4. Yes, in this time of sorrow it may seem as if God’s love is not to be found:
But His word reminds us that He does love you.
But more than this He sympathizes with you. Heb. 2:17 says, “Wherefore in all things it behooved him (Christ) to be made like unto His brethren, that He might become a merciful and faithful High Priest…”
The Lord Jesus came to earth from heaven to become a man.
He knows what it means to sorrow, to grieve.
He sympathizes with you in your grief.
So, when sorrow comes, God wants you to know He still loves you.
He is loving.
He is just, and fair in judgment.
He is sympathetic in our sorrow.

FOP

Note: Transcribed by Wes Patterson, son of FOP. Bobby J. Lookabill passed away on Friday, April 27, 2012, and was a member of Lighthouse Baptist Church in Welcome, NC. This article was previously published in the Bulletin of Lighthouse Baptist Church on April 29, 2012, of which Frank Patterson was the editor. Frank Patterson, in turn, went home to be with the Lord on July 31, 2015. His own words were truly a comfort to us, his family. CWP
 

Frank Patterson: From North Georgia to Southeast Asia

My dad passed away on July 31, 2015. He was 75 years old and had experienced increased health issues in recent months and years. But as recent as August of 2008, Frank Patterson was still traveling overseas to teach the Bible to Christians who would in turn go and continue to teach their own.

Dad was born on June 25, 1940, in a small community called Ivy Log, in north Georgia. Ivy Log is a few miles north of Blairsville, the county seat of Union County. In fact, the small cabin where dad was born, was later removed with all surrounding homes during the clearing of that section of Union County for the building of Nottely Dam. The location of dad's birthplace is now under water, under Nottely Lake.

Dad's family was a poor farming family, as were many from this section of north Georgia. So how does a young boy from a community like this, end up traveling to so many countries in his lifetime? Frank had a passion for teaching the Bible to men and women who wanted to learn about the Lord Jesus Christ. This passion led him to take at least 26 trips overseas from 1973 to 2008.

The following details were gleaned primarily from dad's passports, as well as other anecdotal information known by this author and other family members.

#1) Israel - 1973 (2 weeks?)

- Frank traveled with a team from Piedmont Bible College to Israel for a couple weeks.

NOTE: Attempts were made to reach out to staff members from Piedmont in order to verify the specific details of that trip - but with no success.

#2) Brazil - 1975 (7 weeks)

- Frank and Vanza (his wife and my mother) arrived in Brazil on July 11, 1975.

- Frank and Vanza arrived back in the U.S. on Aug. 28, 1975.

#3) Bangladesh - 1979 (3 weeks)

- Frank and three other men from Baptist Mid-Missions (BMM) arrived in Delhi, India on March 31, 1979; departed Delhi same day, arrived same day in Calcutta, India; departed same day, arrived same day in Dacca, Bangladesh.

- Frank departed Dacca on April 17, 1979; arrived same day in Delhia, India; departed Delhi on April 18, 1979, arrived at JFK in New York, New York, USA on same day.

#4) Bangladesh - 1979 (19 months)

- Frank, Vanza, Chip and Wes (me) departed New York on July 2, 1979, arrived in Delhi, India on July 3, 1979; departed Delhi on July 4, arrived in Calcutta, India same day; departed Calcutta same day, arrived same day in Dacca, Bangladesh.

- Frank and family departed Dacca on Feb. 10, 1981; arrived in Bangkok, Thailand on Feb. 11, 1981; departed Bangkok on Feb. 12, arrived same day in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA; departed Honolulu on or about Feb. 15, arrived in Atlantla, Ga same day.

#5) Bangladesh - 1981 (20 months)

- Frank, Vanza and Wes departed San Francisco on or about October 10, 1981, arrived in Singapore on Oct. 12; departed Singapore on Oct. 14, arrived same day in Bangkok, Thailand; departed on Oct. 16, arrived same day in Dacca, Bangladesh.

- Frank and Vanza took a 3 day trip to Calcutta, India from Feb. 19, 1982 through Feb. 22.

- Frank and family departed Dacca on June 3, 1983; arrived in London, England on June 4; departed London same day and arrived at JFK airport in New York City on June 5, and continued on to Winston-Salem, NC.

#6) Bangladesh - 1983 (8 months)

- Frank departed the U.S. on Aug. 15, 1983 and arrived same day in London, England (Vanza and Wes had already returned to Bangladesh two weeks prior on the previously scheduled round trip tickets); Frank departed London the same day, arrived in Dacca, Bangladesh on Aug. 16.

- Frank took a short trip to Hong Kong and back to Bangladesh. He departed Dacca on Oct. 9, 1983, arrived in Bangkok, Thailand same day; departed Bangkok on Oct. 11, arrived in Hong Kong same day; departed Hong Kong on Oct. 14, arrived in Bangkok same day; departed Bangkok on Oct. 16, arrived in Dacca, Bangladesh same day.

- Frank took a short trip to Bangkok, Thailand; departed Dhaka, Bangladesh on March 30, 1984, arrived in Bangkok same day; departed Bangkok on April 3, arrived in Dhaka same day.

- Frank and family departed Dhaka, Bangladesh on April 27, 1984, arrived at JFK airport in New York City on April 28, 1984, and continued on to Winston-Salem, NC. (Note: No other airports are stamped in dad's visa for this trip, but I (Wes) remember that we traveled through Amsterdam, Holland on this particular trip home.)

#7) Bangladesh - 1984 (1 week)

- Frank arrived in London, England on June 28, 1984, departed same day, arrived in Dhaka, Bangladesh on June 29.

- Frank departed Dhaka, Bangladesh on or about July 2, 1984; arrival location and date not discernible, but was most likely one or two days later.

#8) Bangladesh - 1985 (2 weeks)

- Frank arrived in Bangkok, Thailand on Feb. 17, 1985; departed Bangkok on Feb. 19, arrived in Dhaka, Bangladesh on same day.

- Frank departed Dhaka on Feb. 24, 1985, arrived in Bangkok on same day; departed Bangkok on Feb. 26; arrival location and date not discernible, but was most likely one or two days later.

#9) Bangladesh - 1985 (2 weeks)

- Frank arrived in Bangkok, Thailand on June 20, 1985; departed Bangkok on June 21, arrived in Dhaka, Bangladesh on same day.

- Frank departed Dhaka on July 5, 1985, arrived in Bangkok on same day; departed Bangkok on July 7; arrived in Dallas, Tx on July 7, and continued on to Winston-Salem, NC.

#10) Bangladesh - 1986 (2 weeks)

- Frank arrived in Bangkok, Thailand on Apr. 10, 1986; departed Bangkok on Apr. 11, arrived in Dhaka, Bangladesh on same day.

- Frank departed Dhaka on Apr. 22, 1986, arrived in Bangkok on same day; departed Bangkok on Apr. 23; arrival location and date not discernible, but was most likely one or two days later.

#11) Bangladesh - 1986 (5 months)

- Frank, Vanza and Wes departed San Francisco on or about Sept. 22, 1986, arrived in Hong Kong on Sept. 23; departed Hong Kong on Sept. 29, arrived same day in Bangkok, Thailand; departed on Oct. 3, arrived same day in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

- Frank and family departed Dhaka on Feb. 27, 1987; arrived same day in Bangkok, Thailand; departed Bangkok on March 1, and arrived in Dallas, Tx on March 1, and continued on to Winston-Salem, NC.

#12) Bangladesh - 1987 (1 week)

- Frank arrived in Hong Kong on Dec. 5, 1987; departed Hong Kong on Dec. 7, arrived in Singapore same day; departed Singapore on Dec. 8, arrived same day in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

- Frank departed Dhaka on Dec. 15, 1987; arrived same day in Singapore; departed Singapore on Dec. 16, and arrived same day in Honolulu, Hawaii, and continued on to Winston-Salem, NC.

#13) Bangladesh - 1989 (6 weeks)

- Frank arrived in Singapore on Sept 24, 1989; departed Singapore on Sept 26, arrived same day in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

- Frank departed Dhaka on Nov 7, 1989; arrived same day in Singapore; departed Singapore on Nov 8; arrival location and date not discernible, but was most likely one or two days later.

#14) Bangladesh - 1990 (4 weeks)

- Frank arrived in Bangkok, Thailand on Jan 25, 1990; departed Bangkok on Jan 26, arrived in Dhaka, Bangladesh on same day.

- Frank departed Dhaka on Feb 25, 1990, arrived in Bangkok on same day; departed Bangkok on Feb 27, and arrived in Seattle, WA same day, and continued on to Winston-Salem, NC.

#15) Bangladesh - 1990 (6 weeks)

- Frank arrived in Bangkok, Thailand on Apr 10, 1990; departed Bangkok on Apr 12, arrived in Dhaka, Bangladesh on same day.

- Frank departed Dhaka on May 22, 1990, arrived in Bangkok on same day; departed Bangkok on May 23, and arrived in Seattle, WA same day, and continued on to Winston-Salem, NC.

#16) Bangladesh - 1990 (13 months)

- Frank left Winston-Salem, NC on Aug 26, 1990 at the last possible time as his grandson (Wes Patterson Jr) was due to be born any time; Vanza joined Frank in Bangladesh about 1 month later; Frank arrived in Bangkok, Thailand on Aug 28, 1990 (the day his grandson was born); Frank departed Bangkok on Aug 31, arrived in Dhaka, Bangladesh on same day.

- Frank and Vanza departed Dhaka on Oct 5, 1991; the route they took is not totally clear, I just know they arrived in Chicago, IL on Oct 6, 1991, and continued on to Winston-Salem, NC.

#17) Bangladesh - 1991 (3 months)

- Frank and Vanza arrived in Bangkok, Thailand on Nov 27, 1991; departed Bangkok on Nov 28, arrived same day in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

- Frank and Vanza departed Dhaka on Feb 13, 1992, arrived in Bangkok on same day; departed Bangkok on Feb 14, and arrived in Los Angeles, CA same day, and continued on to Winston-Salem, NC.

#18) Ukraine - 1999 (5+ months)

- Frank arrived at Gatwick in London, England on Sept 20, 1999; departed London same day, and arrived in Ukraine on same day.

- Frank departed Ukraine on March 3, 2000, arrived at Gatwick in London, England on same day, departed London same day, and continued on to Winston-Salem, NC; arrival details in U.S. are not clear.

#19) Colombia - 2001 (1 week)

- Frank and Vanza arrived in Bogota, Colombia on Aug 17, 2001.

- Frank and Vanza departed Bogota on Aug 25, 2001, and arrived in Atlanta, GA same day, and continued on to Winston-Salem, NC.

#20) Myanmar (Burma) - 2003 (2 weeks)

- Frank arrived in Paris, France on July 11, 2003; departed Paris on July 19, arrived in Malaysia same day; departed Malaysia on July 21, and arrived in Myanmar on same day.

- Frank departed Myanmar on Aug 4, 2003, arrived in New York on Aug 5, and continued on to Winston-Salem, NC.

#21) Ukraine - 2003 (3 weeks)

- Frank arrived in Ukraine on Oct 3, 2003; specific route taken is not documented in his passport.

- Frank departed Ukraine on Oct 24, 2003, arrived in Atlanta, GA on Nov 8, 2003, and continued on to Winston-Salem, NC; specific details about Oct 24 to Nov 8 are not clear from passport.

#22) Myanmar (Burma) - 2004 (2 weeks)

- Frank arrived in Malaysia on Jan 31, 2004; departed Malaysia on Feb 2, and arrived in Myanmar on same day.

- Frank departed Myanmar on Feb 13, 2004, arrived in Malaysia same day; departed Malaysia on Feb 14, arrived in New York on Feb 15, and continued on to Winston-Salem, NC.

#23) India - 2006 (3+ months)

- Frank arrived at Gatwick in London, England on Jan 1, 2006; departed London on Jan 4, and arrived in Kolkata (Calcutta), India on same day. His ultimate destination was the Bible college in Silchar, Assam, India.

- Frank departed Kolkata (Calcutta), India on Apr 14, 2006, arrived at Heathrow in London, England on same day; remainder of itinerary is unclear but presumably arrived in Winston-Salem, NC a few days later.

#24) India - 2007 (4 months)

- Frank arrived in Frankfurt, Germany on Dec 29, 2006; departed Frankfurt on Jan 1, 2007, and arrived in Kolkata (Calcutta), India on Jan 2; departed Kolkata same day, arrived in Silchar, India same day.

- Frank departed Silchar, India on Apr 18, 2007, arrived in Kolkata (Calcutta), India same day; departed Kolkata on Apr 19, arrived in Frankfurt, Germany same day; departed Frankfurt Apr 20, arrived in Munich, Germany same day; departed Munich same day, arrived in Charlotte, NC same day, and continued on to Winston-Salem, NC.

#25) India - 2008 (3+ months)

- Frank arrived in Kolkata (Calcutta), India on Jan 1, 2008; departed Kolkata on Jan 14, arrived in Silchar, India same day. Rest of travel details not specified in passport.

- Frank took a few days trip with Indian men from Silchar, India to Mizoram, India on Feb 12. Length of trip unclear, but if my memory serves me correctly, it was about a week or so. I don't believe the return trip to Silchar was by plane.

- Frank departed Silchar, India on or before Apr 6, 2008, arrived in Kolkata (Calcutta), India same day; departed Kolkata on Apr 6, 2008; precise details of return trip not documented on passport, but appears to have arrived in the U.S. on or around Apr 7, 2008, and continued on to Winston-Salem, NC.

#26) Iraq - 2008 (18 days)

- Frank departed NC on Aug 4, 2008, arrived at Wien-Schwechat in Vienna, Austria on Aug 5, 2008; departed Vienna same day, and arrived in Iraq same day (Aug 5, 2008); his ultimate destination was in Irbil (Erbil), Iraq..

- Frank departed Iraq on Aug 22, 2008, arrived in Vienna, Austria same day; departed Vienna on Aug 23, arrived in Washington, DC same day, and continued on to Winston-Salem, NC.

Thursday, May 25, 2017

Gideon Harrison 1694-1729

Who was Gideon Harrison?

Last Revised: 31 August 2018

Gideon Harrison was a son of the well-known Isaiah Harrison clan. Isaiah Harrison was married twice. His first wife was Elizabeth Wright (daughter of Gideon Wright and Elizabeth Townsend) and they married about 1688, their oldest child Isaiah Jr arriving in 1689. After Isaiah Jr, other children born to this marriage were John (1691), Gideon (1694), Mary (1696) (m. Robert Cravens), and Elizabeth (1698). Following the fifth child, Isaiah's wife Elizabeth passed away.

Soon thereafter he married again, to Abigail Smith. While the children of Isaiah's first wife are clearly documented with birth dates, in the town records of Long Island, NY, we are not so lucky with the fruit of the second marriage, other than the fact that those children started arriving about 1701, with Daniel. Following Daniel, was Joseph (1702-04), then Thomas (1704-05), then Jeremiah (ca. 1707; m. Elizabeth Patterson), then Abigail (ca. 1710; m. Alexander Herring), and also Lydia (ca. 1706; m. Samuel Stewart), and lastly Samuel (1712-13). There may have been other children, but these are the ones we know of.

Not much has survived about Gideon, however. We know that he was born on 25 June 1694 at Oyster Bay, Long Island, NY (as were all of his siblings). He bought 75 acres of land on 5 Feb 1723 in what later became the town of Milton, Delaware (DE), in Sussex Co. His father Isaiah had purchased the 907 acre Maiden Plantation about 3 miles south of Gideon's location, in 1721, at what is now Harbeson, DE. Gideon died in 1729 in DE, and we learn that his widow was named Hannah, and that they had "heirs". No names were recorded for their children, but there were at least two for certain.

However, there are more records regarding Gideon than most people are aware of. The following records are a roster of documented facts known about Gideon Harrison.

Birth (Oyster Bay, Long Island, NY)


25 June 1694 Gideon Harrison, son of Isaiah Harrison and Elizabeth Wright.

Court (Sussex Co, DE)


188. August 1728 Grand Jury: ..., John Harrison, Gideon Harrison, ...
192. August 1728 John Price vs Gideon Harrison.  Continued to this Term ...
197. August 1728 Wm. Till Esq. vs Gideon Harrison ...
199. August 1728 Grand Jury: ..., John Harrison, Gideon Harrison, ...
201. November 1728 John Price et uon vs Gideon Harrison.  Continued ...
209. February 1728(9) Grand Jury: ..., John Harrison, Gideon Harrison, ...
211. February 1728(9) John Price et uon. vs Gideon Harrison ...
242. 5 August 1729 William Till Esqr vs Adm of Gideon Harrison ...
258. 4 November 1729 William Till Esqr. Vs Gideon Harrison Adms ...
269. 3 February 1729(0) William Till Esqr. vs Gideon Harrison ...

Deed (Sussex Co, DE)


A-264. February 1722 [1723] John Fisher and Elizabeth his wife to Gideon Harrison, 75 acres on branch of Broad Creek part of 1000 acres called Millford purch by the said John Fisher from Thomas Bedwell and Honour, his wife executrix of the will of William Clark, late of Lewes Town, Sussex County, gentleman, deceased.

F6-049. 5 February 1722/3 John Fisher, yeoman, of Sussex to Gideon Harrison, yeoman, of same for 30 pounds, 75 acres on a branch of Broad Creek bounded by Kings Road at the Round Pole Branch ... Witnesses: William Seltheridge, Phil. Russel.  Acknowledged: February 1722/3.

F6-368. 8 May 1730 Ryves Holt, sheriff of Sussex to Daniel Harrison for 20 pounds, 75 acres on lower side of Kings Road at the Round Pole Branch.  Land belonging to Gideon Harrison who was indebted to Wm. Till of the Loan Office who brought suit on 4 November 1729. Land sold at public auction to Daniel Harrison.  Witnesses: Henry Fisher, Joseph Pemberton.

G7-215. 12 April 1737 Daniel Harrison, yeoman of Sussex to Henry Scidmore, yeoman of same, for 30 pounds, 75 acres on a branch of Broad Creek bounded by the lower side of Kings Road at the Round Pole Branch and by a fork of Round Pole Branch, part of larger tract of 1000 acres known as Millford ... land bought at auction for 20 pounds on 8 May 1730 as a result of the non payment of debt by Gideon HarrisonSigned: Daniel Harrison. Witnesses: Jacob Phillips, Jacob Kollock.  Acknowledged: May 1737.

Will (Sussex Co, DE)


1-010. 13 June 1729 Hannah Harrison widow & administratrix of Gideon Harrison. Inventory is £87.5.0. Accounts are £71.4.6. Distribution to: widow (1/3), heirs (unnamed).

A Closer Look at Gideon Harrison


As previously shown, Gideon served on juries several times in Sussex County, the last date being February 1729 with his brother John Harrison. Sussex Co., DE Will Book 1, page 10 says "13 June 1729 Hannah Harrison widow & administratrix of Gideon Harrison. Inventory is £87.5.0. Accounts are £71.4.6. Distribution to: widow (1/3), heirs (unnamed)." Therefore we can deduce that Gideon died between February and June 13 of 1729.

Gideon probably got married between 1715 and 20. He probably began having children in the late 1710's and throughout the 1720's, perhaps. Gideon's younger half-brother, Daniel, bought his 75 acre tract at auction in 1730 in order to preserve the land for Gideon's family, apparently. This was later sold in 1737, when most of these Harrisons began selling their DE land in preparation to move to the Shenandoah Valley of VA. Old Isaiah Harrison Sr. died en route to the Shenandoah in either late 1737 or early 1738.

One note about the location of Gideon's land in DE. Robert Patterson's 106 acre tract was located one mile west of Gideon, with a small road running directly between the two tracts (Sand Hill Road, which runs from Gravel Hill Road to Harbeson Road). And bounding the north side of Patterson's tract was Robert Cravens Sr., who was married to Mary Harrison, sister of Gideon.


Who knows how many children Gideon had, especially daughters? But there were at least two male Harrisons that showed up in the Augusta Co VA records in the 1750's and 60's that "could" have been sons of Gideon. They could have also been sons of Samuel, bear in mind, but the possibility certainly exists that they were sons of Gideon. This was first proposed by J. Houston Harrison, author of the seminal book Settlers by the Long Grey Trail. He mentions the Gideon that died in 1761, and the John who "left the colony" in 1765, as two potential sons of the older Gideon Harrison. See below.



With that in mind, who was this third John Harrison that is mentioned in 1765 as having left the colony of VA? Where did he go? How old was he? Those are questions that cannot be answered for certain. But some interesting clues become tantalizing when poring over the Augusta records through this prism.

When I say "third John Harrison", I mean that the other two well known John Harrisons were Sr and Jr, father and son. The father being born 1691 and older brother of Gideon born 1694. And the son, John Jr, died in the 1760's when he was murdered by a slave, having no heirs of his own. So who was this third John Harrison named in 1765 after John Jr was already dead?

A Deeper Dive into the Augusta Co., VA Records


In September 1758 the colony of VA passed a law to reimburse colonists on the frontier for costs they had incurred during the defense of the colony during the French and Indian War. Many of these Harrisons and Pattersons (sometimes spelled Peterson) were named. It's hard in many cases to tell which John Harrison is which, and so forth.

However, in one such case, there were three individuals named together on the same record (see http://vagenweb.org/hening/vol07-09.htm for more details). In this one line, it named "John Harrison, Nathaniel Harrison, and Thomas Peterson" together. And two lines above it was named Gideon Harrison.



I am inclined to believe that this John Harrison in particular, and the Gideon just above him, were brothers, and sons of the older Gideon who died in 1729 in DE -- just as J. Houston Harrison suggested in his book. I know this is my Thomas Patterson and the Nathaniel Harrison that moved to the Kings Mtn / Clarks Fork SC area in the 1760's. I know both of them were born by 1740 or perhaps a little earlier.

Taking it one step further, I also think there's a strong likelihood that this Nathaniel was a son of this John Harrison. For reasons we may never fully understand, my Thomas Patterson appears to have had a significant relationship with them, but this was three years BEFORE Thomas Patterson married Margaret Harrison. Regardless, it seems Nathaniel may have been an older child of John Harrison, and that Thomas Harrison (also moved to SC with Nathaniel), as well as Margaret Harrison, were younger children of said John. William Cravens' wife, Jane Harrison, may have been an older child of John also, or perhaps even a sister of John. But I tend to believe she was a sister of the other three Harrisons who moved to Clarks Fork (Kings Mtn) in York Co SC.

Nathaniel Harrison's only known child was Joseph Harrison, born 1762. Therefore, Nathaniel could have been born around 1740, give or take a couple years. That would then suggest that this John Harrison would have to have been born by 1720 at the latest, if not earlier. In order for said John Harrison to have been a son of old Gideon Harrison (1694-1729), John probably was not born earlier than 1715, however. But the math DOES work. Not proof of anything, just a matter of working the math to see if we can rule out the possibility of their relationship. At this point, the possibility is still there.

Did John Harrison go to SC when he "left the colony" of VA in 1765? No record has been found of him in SC to my knowledge. I cannot prove that he was the father of the Kings Mtn Harrisons. But Thomas Harrison and Thomas Patterson (m. Margaret Harrison) and William Cravens (m. Jane Harrison) did have sons named John, and that was new for the Pattersons. John Harrison did not have to obtain land in SC necessarily. One or more of his children could have done so and he could have lived with them.

It should be pointed out at this time that when the original land warrants for Clarks Fork were entered, Nathaniel Harrison and Thomas Patterson entered 100 acres each. By the time the tracts were surveyed and later granted, they had rearranged the allotments and Harrison surveyed 140 acres, while Patterson only surveyed 60. That tells me there were more families living on the Harrison portion, such as Nathaniel Harrison and his brother Thomas Harrison, and possibly their father John Harrison, as well. And their sister Margaret and her husband, Thomas Patterson, lived on the 60 acre tract next to them. The Land Warrants, Surveys, and Grants interchangeably spelled these Pattersons as either Patterson, or Paterson, or Petterson. There is no doubt as to their true identities, however.

The following map shows the tracts of land as they join each other on Clarks Fork of Bullocks Creek in York Co SC near modern day Smyrna, SC. From top to bottom is shown

  • (MB) Matthew Black who married Margaret Ponder
  • (NH) Nathaniel Harrison who married Rachel ____
  • (TP) Thomas Patterson (son of Robert and Sarah Patterson) who married Margaret Harrison
  • (RB) Robert Black who married Majey Cravens (sister of William Cravens and daughter of Robert Cravens Sr and Mary Harrison)
  • (RP) Robert Patterson Sr who married Sarah _____ (father of Thomas Patterson).
  • Not shown here, but also nearby was Robert Cravens Jr who married Esther Harrison (dau. of Jeremiah Harrison and Elizabeth Patterson). This latter couple didn't live on this land, but it is believed his brother, William Cravens, lived here for 7 years. William Cravens married Jane Harrison.

The Cravens siblings were Robert Jr, William, and Majey. They were children of Robert Cravens Sr and Mary Harrison (dau. of Isaiah Harrison Sr).

The Harrison siblings were Nathaniel, Thomas (chain carrier for some of the surveys), Jane, and Margaret. My belief is they were children of John and Mary Harrison, with this latter John being a son of Gideon Harrison (1694-1729).

The Harrison siblings from the older generations mentioned were Gideon (b. 1694), Mary (m. Robert Cravens), Jeremiah (m. Elizabeth Patterson), and a brief mention was made to John Harrison Sr - meaning the one who was born 1691 and was a brother to Gideon, Mary and Jeremiah.

Pattersons mentioned here were Robert and Sarah Patterson, and their children Robert Jr, Thomas, and a daughter who married Daniel Ponder Jr. Daniel Ponder Jr's sister Margaret is the one who married Matthew Black, an apparent brother of the afore-mentioned Robert Black. These families were extremely inter-married in many different ways. And they lived contiguously here in SC (and later in Buncombe Co NC), as well as previously in Augusta Co VA along Linville Creek near Harrisonburg, and also previously in Sussex Co DE near the modern towns of Milton and Harbeson, DE.


The DNA Link

The Buncombe Co NC Harrisons (who have been proven to be the Kings Mtn Harrisons) are known to be a DNA match with the Isaiah Harrison clan. There is no doubt of a connection. The doubt is in the precise details of said connection. Was their branch the Gideon branch (through his son John)? The 1758 record listing John and Nathaniel Harrison, with Thomas Patterson, all together, really gets my attention. Keep in mind, this Nathaniel Harrison later signed the 1775 Will of Robert Patterson, in York Co., SC, who was the father of Thomas Patterson.

Another "John Harrison" record should be referenced in this post that perhaps is not as clear as I previously assumed. There was an estate record (Wills) on March 7, 1738(9) in Sussex Co, DE that included names such as Daniel Ponder, Samuel Stewart, John Harrison, and Sarah Patterson. See below.

7 March 1738(9) John Lullom executor of Matth. Dowling (or Downey / Downing). Inventory is £82.2.5. Payments to: Samuel Digenson, Mary Dingey, Antho. Everlo, John Reed, Rach. Harefield, Robert Smith, Benjamin Shaw, Daniel Ponder, Samuel Stuart, Jeremi Claypole, John Hall (tanner), Jacob Kollock, Chris. Phillipson, John Harrison, Sarah Patterson, William Cook, Samuel Hand. Accounts are £21.1.8.0. Distribution to: heirs (unnamed).

In previous years I assumed this John Harrison to be the 1691 (birth year) son of Isaiah. And it may very well have been. But as you can see from the estate record above, John Harrison was listed next to Sarah Patterson. Sarah was the wife of Robert Patterson, and they were the parents of my Thomas Patterson. This estate record was a full year after my Pattersons had sold their Delaware land. John Harrison Sr had also sold his DE land prior to this time. Were the Pattersons and some of the Harrisons still in DE? Or, had they already moved to VA like the rest of the Harrisons?

Perhaps Sarah Patterson had remained in DE while the men had moved on to VA looking for land to settle on. Perhaps this John Harrison was the son of Gideon, instead. If so, with him having been born ca. 1715-20, he would have been 19 to 24 years old at the time of this 1739 estate record, and presumably closer to the 24 mark. Was this John Harrison (son of Gideon and Hannah), or was John's wife Mary, somehow related to Sarah ____ Patterson? We may never know. But these are interesting questions to ponder.

As for Daniel Ponder and Samuel Stewart in this same estate record... Daniel Ponder was married to Jemima Bennett. They would later move to Augusta Co Va also, and then to the Kings Mountain area of SC like the Pattersons, Harrisons, Cravens, and Blacks. Daniel Ponder Jr would later marry Elizabeth Patterson, daughter of Robert and Sarah Patterson.

Did this John Harrison have a daughter named Margaret that would later marry another child of Robert and Sarah Patterson? Robert and Sarah's son Thomas Patterson did in fact marry a Margaret Harrison, and their oldest son was named John Patterson - also my direct ancestor. Was he named for a grandfather – as in John Harrison? Was this him in 1739?

Samuel Stewart was married to Lydia Harrison, daughter of Isaiah. They would later move to Augusta Co Va and then later to the Yadkin Valley in NC, along with the Joseph Harrison branch of the Isaiah clan.

Conclusion


One caveat to this entire line of thinking... the name Gideon does not appear to show up in any of these families in later generations. So the trail really goes cold on Gideon and his family. However, the clues surrounding this "third John Harrison" of Augusta Co VA may just be enough to tie these NC/SC/VA Harrisons to the Gideon Harrison family of Sussex Co DE.

Wes

Monday, April 24, 2017

Location of Clarks Fork Tracts in York Co SC

Clarks Fork of Bullocks Creek, York Co SC

CFBC Home  |  Robert Patterson Sr  |  Cravens & John Patterson

By Wes Patterson

Last Updated: 2018-01-22 (Originally published: 2017-04-24)

Modern day York Co SC contains the location where my ancestors (Pattersons, Blacks, Harrisons, et al) lived during the 1760's through the early 1800's. It was originally known as Craven Co SC, then it was claimed by NC during the 1760's and 70's under the counties of Anson, then Mecklenburg, then Tryon. Once the boundary line was re-surveyed west of the Catawba River, it was deemed that this location was indeed within SC, and it was designated under the newly formed York County. For decades, it was also known as Camden District, which included many surrounding counties.

Bullocks Creek is one of the main tributaries of the Broad River in this northern county. One of the main forks of Bullocks Creek is Clarks Fork, on the west side of Bullocks Creek. Both run north to south. Bullocks Creek starts east of Kings Mountain, while Clarks Fork starts within the modern boundaries of the Kings Mtn State Park. As Clarks Fork flows south, it passes near the town of Smyrna, SC.

From Smyrna to Kings Mtn is a stretch of land that was heavily settled during the 1760's and later decades. This is ground zero for my Pattersons, and their relatives, the Harrisons, Blacks, Cravens, Ponders, et al. While I'm not sure whether or not I descend from the Cravens or Ponders, I know I descend from the Pattersons, Blacks, and Harrisons.




Over the last several years, Harald Reksten and I have obtained many land records. Harald's efforts have been quite comprehensive. This includes grants, warrants, plats, and deeds - from both NC and SC - covering this Clarks Fork region. There are hundreds of records in question, and I recently narrowed the list down to a few hundred. In particular, I am concentrating on about 45 or 50 key tracts of land, and following the chain of title from one owner to the next as best I can.

This is an on-going process, but it seems I have at least half, if not 2/3 of the plats in question already. I will soon be ordering the remaining plats, so that I can plot all of these tracts of land in my Deedmapper program. My attempt will be to isolate precisely where these key families lived. More to come on this later.

For now, the key families I'm hoping to plot are as follows:
  1. Robert and Sarah Patterson (Sr)
  2. Thomas and Margaret Harrison Patterson
  3. Nathaniel and Rachel Harrison
  4. Peter Patterson
  5. Robert and Mabel Patterson (Jr)
  6. Daniel and Elizabeth Patterson Ponder (Jr)
  7. Joseph and Sarah Patterson Black
  8. Matthew and Margaret Ponder Black
  9. Robert and Magy Cravens Black
  10. Robert Cravens (William Cravens, James Patterson, John Patterson)
  11. William Wilson
  12. Gowen Black
  13. William McElwee
  14. Jeremiah Cravens
  15. Robert & Samuel Swann
  16. Robert Love
I will build in links to new pages for each person above as more information becomes clear.

Wes

Thursday, April 13, 2017

Bellinger Family 1810 Papers

By Wes Patterson

Last revised 13 April 2017

In 1810, George Bellinger wrote down the family legacy going back to the late 1600's - to Edmund Bellinger, 1st Landgrave of South Carolina. Some years ago, those original 1810 documents miraculously ended up in our family's possession. I had seen the transcription of these records online many times, but to now have the originals in our possession, quite unexpectedly, was a pleasant surprise. 

The following pictures were taken by me of these papers. There are three or four pages of the notes that were written in 1810. Subsequent pages were added to the record throughout the 1800's by other members of the family, including the Bellingers and Beaumonts who moved to Texas in the mid 1800's.

For more information on my wife's lineage to the Bellingers see my page on the Bellinger Family.

Here are the pictures from the 1810 notes. Click on each image to view a larger version of it.

















Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Patterson-Harrison Farms on Jenkins Branch, Buncombe Co NC

The Patterson and Harrison Farms on Jenkins Branch, West Side of French Broad River near Alexander, NC - Buncombe County

By Wes Patterson

Last Revised 06 April 2018


The Harrisons, Blacks, Pattersons, Ponders, and other families that had previously lived in Burke Co NC and York Co SC, began moving in the 1790's into the part of Buncombe Co NC that is about 8 to 10 miles NW of Asheville near the modern town of Alexander. This area is on the west side of the French Broad River along the tributaries known as Turkey Creek, Sandy Mush Creek, Jenkins Branch, and Newfound Creek. Many of these families also attended Newfound Baptist Church which began officially around 1802/03 and currently exists at the town of Leicester, NC.



Click to see larger view

Some of the early families to settle here were the Harrisons, Blacks, and Morrows. The Pattersons followed in the late 1790's and the Ponders arrived in the late 1790's or soon after 1800. 

The Harrisons were made up of about three or four distinct families that moved into Buncombe, that traced their roots back to siblings who lived in York Co SC during the 1760's through the 1780's and 90's. These siblings were Nathaniel Harrison, Thomas Harrison, and their sisters Margaret and Jane. Nathaniel was married to Rachel, and he passed away in 1783 in York Co SC. His son Joseph Harrison later moved into Buncombe, however. Thomas Harrison had a large family and they moved into Buncombe as well. Margaret Harrison married Thomas Patterson on 24 Dec 1761 in Augusta Co VA at the Peaked Mountain Church, not long before they moved to York Co SC, where they in turn had at least two sons (John and Robert Patterson) who later settled in Buncombe on Jenkins Branch and Turkey Creek, respectively. Jane Harrison married William Cravens. It is possible that some of their family moved into Buncombe, but nothing has been proven in that regard. But there was a James Cravens who recorded a land entry for 150 acres in 1794 "...on a big branch that runs in between Newfound Creek and Turkey Creek." That could have been Jenkins Branch. The Harrisons can trace their roots back to the Isaiah Harrison clan of Long Island NY, Sussex Co DE, and Augusta Co VA.


The Blacks were made up of two primary branches of the family from York Co SC. Matthew Black may have either been a son of Matthew and Mary Black, or perhaps grandson. If the latter, he was a son of Robert Black and Majey Cravens (whose mother was a Harrison). Matthew Black (the younger) married Margaret Ponder, daughter of Daniel and Jemima Ponder. Matthew Black's family later moved to Burke Co NC and then later down to Buncombe. The other branch of the Blacks was of the Joseph Black family, brother to the afore-mentioned Robert Black. Joseph Black married Sarah Patterson, sister of Thomas Patterson. They had several children, including a daughter Margaret, who married John Patterson, son of Thomas. This entire clan moved to Buncombe as well. Key members of the Black clan in Buncombe included George, Robert, and Joseph - sons of Joseph; also, their cousins - sons of Matthew - including John, Reuben, Daniel, another Joseph, another Matthew. A James Black was also in Buncombe by the 1810's and he was another of this overall clan of Blacks from York Co SC.


The Ponders not only included Margaret who married Matthew Black, but also brother Jesse Ponder, and brother Daniel Ponder Jr - who married Elizabeth Patterson, another sister of Thomas Patterson. 


The Morrows are a little harder to identify, but there were several Morrow families. Richard Morrow sold land to John Patterson early on and moved further west into Haywood Co NC and then later to KY. A Sarah Morrow married James Patterson, son of Peter. And a James Morrow married Elizabeth Patterson, who seems to have been a daughter of Peter.


So the branches of the Patterson family included Sarah Patterson who married Joseph Black, plus Thomas Patterson who married Margaret Harrison, plus Elizabeth Patterson who married Daniel Ponder Jr, plus Peter Patterson's children and grandchildren. Peter died in York Co SC, but his children soon thereafter moved to Buncombe and then later Haywood Co NC.



Click to see larger view

The map above is of the area around modern day Alexander, NC in Buncombe Co. The French Broad River is on the right. The gray shaded area is a tract of 16,000 acres that was obtained by Joseph Hughey that had previously been part of 55,000 acres owned by Mitchell & Davidson. Joseph Hughey was the first 
Sheriff of Buncombe, beginning 1792. However, he resigned his post as Sheriff in 1795, and his brother James Hughey became the new Sheriff of Buncombe. It is important to know where this tract lies as its southern line is constantly referred to in old Buncombe deeds as Mitchell's & Davidson's line. This helps us pinpoint the approximate locations of several tracts involving key members of these families. On Sept 25, 1797 (Book 5, Page 179), James Hughey as High Sheriff sold this tract of 16,000 acres to Joseph Hughey at a public sale due to unpaid taxes for the year of 1796. Joseph Hughey was the highest bidder at the auction. This deed was proven in open court in April of 1801. I can only suppose that Thomas Patterson had some agreement with Hughey that fell through and thus it was sold by Hughey in 1804.

Thomas Harrison owned 100 acres (Tract #1) next to Richard Morrow (
Tract #2). Morrow later sold his 100 acres to John Patterson (presumed nephew of Thomas Harrison) in 1802. Tract #3 was owned by Ezekiel Sandlin who was a son-in-law of Peter Patterson it seems. Sandlin was from York Co SC also, and he apparently led the migration of the Peter Patterson clan. In 1807 he sold Tract #3 to his brother-in-law James Patterson (m. Sarah Morrow). 

Thomas Patterson owned Tract #4. He was here in 1800 but no acquisition of the land has been found. Joseph Hughey later sold Thomas' land in 1804, so it had passed into Hughey's possession for some reason. I am not certain if Thomas was buying it from Hughey and then somehow defaulted on it, or died leaving debts? That said, there were at least four subsequent deeds over the next 20 years involving Tract #4 that made reference to "Thomas Patterson's improvement", but what that improvement was is unclear. Was it a home? A public road? 


George Black first obtained Tract #5 and then a year later sold it to his cousin Reuben Black, who then sold the same 170 acres to John Patterson in 1805. John's wife was Margaret Black, sister of George Black and cousin of Reuben.


There were several other relatives who owned tracts of land in the vicinity and I am still working to pinpoint the exact location of those tracts, including Daniel Ponder's two tracts and Robert Patterson's Turkey Creek tract. However, the five tracts shown above are very close to their exact locations, and all five were owned by families who were somehow related to one another.


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