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

Joseph Harrison at Broadkill River, Sussex Co DE, in 1731

I very accidentally tripped across this church record today, posted online at:

http://deahgp.genealogyvillage.com/sussex/milton_broadkiln_hundred_sussex_county_delaware.html

John Baptist Protestant Episcopal Church. Rev. William Beckett in a letter bearing date September 25, 1729, says, that his churches are in a growing condition, and that "a fourth church, built in a forest, was opened by me about a year ago by the name of St. John Baptist, and there is likely to be a numerous congregation' there." In his last letter, September 26, 1742, he states that his four churches are filled on Sundays, and he was often obliged to preach under the trees. The church building was erected at the fording-place of Long Bridge Branch in the forest of Broadkiln where the road crossed that stream, and which was at that time the main thoroughfare leading to the lower part of the County and into Maryland. It was located on the east side of the pond, between the residence of H. S. Marshall and the school-house. Ex-Gov. James Ponder has in his possession a receipt for twenty shillings, bearing date March 16, 1731, and given to John Ponder, his great-grandfather, "for his subscription to the Church St. John Baptist by me Joseph Harrison." 

So this shows Joseph Harrison right on the Broadkill River at Milton, Delaware (Sussex County) in 1731, and that he was involved in the first church there. Furthermore, it shows the Harrisons and the Ponders in the same church. We know they lived near each other on both sides of the Broadkill River, and that they lived near the Stewarts, Blacks, Cravens, and Pattersons. 

I still lean toward my Margaret Harrison (who was not yet born in 1731 and later married Thomas Patterson, also not yet born in 1731)... I no longer lean toward the theory that she was the daughter of this Joseph Harrison. That theory was mainly due to the

Another Look at Robert Patterson's Five Sons

Looking back at Robert Patterson's sons is always an interesting topic for those of us who descend from him. Robert Patterson was born circa 1705-1711 (place yet unknown). He was in Sussex Co DE by 1732, and left there about 1738 as he prepared to move to the Linville Creek VA area. While in DE he married Sarah. We still don't know her family heritage, but clues point to the Black and Cravens families as our top contenders.

We know that Robert and Sarah had at least four sons, which were named in Robert's 1775 will - written in York Co SC. But we also believe the reason Robert updated his will at such a late date (he died a few months after writing this last will) was due to one of his FIVE sons (James) having just died.

Such an event would have forced him to re-write his will, something that he certainly already had in place for years considering the magnitude of his land holdings.

In July of 2011 I wrote an article called "How Many Sons Did Old Robert Patterson Have After All?" That was the first such article dealing with this topic of James being a son of Robert and Sarah. Much of this analysis has been done by cousin Harald Reksten. Harald descends from Robert's son Robert II. I descend from Robert's son Thomas.

Here is an excerpt from the article last July dealing with the chain of evidence regarding a tract of land that James had owned which passed to his father Robert - indicating a son (James) dying without any dependents.

3) York Co SC, Book H, Page 100. 6 June 1802 Robert Wallace of York District to John Wallace of same for $10, (1) 150 acres on Clarks Fork of Bullocks Creek joining Robert Patterson, being originally granted to Robert Cravens and from said Cravens conveyed by deed to Robert Patterson deceased; (2) 40 acres on Hendersons Branch of Clarks Fork of Bullocks Creek joining John Patterson, a part of tract granted to Robert Patterson in the year 1794. Signed: Robert Wallace. Witnesses: Samuel Love, Samuel Brown, Andrew Love. Proved: 18 January 1816 by Samuel Brown before Thomas Simpson. Recorded: 4 March 1816. 

So this deed proves the same 150 acre tract passed to Robert Patterson. Which Robert Patterson? Robert Sr died in 1775. Robert Jr died in 1828. This deed was in 1802, so clearly "Robert Patterson deceased" is referring to Robert Sr. We know that Cravens did not sell the land to Robert directly, but rather to James, but the chain of title shows it passed to Robert. The only way that could have happened without James selling it to his father, was for it to pass to him through inheritance. James had to die after February 1774. And since his father died in 1775 between July and November, James had to have died prior to that.  

This is about as solid a case as one could ever present. My hat is off to Harald Reksten for nailing this one to the floor. He presented the theory to me a few months ago and then recently found this 1802 deed, which to me is empirical evidence.

The deed listed within this excerpt is the 3rd deed presented in the original article, but references within to the first two are made and noted. This land was located along Clarks Fork of Bullocks Creek in what is now York Co SC near Kings Mountain State and Military Parks.

Again, I would like to thank Harald for his keen eye for detail and his analytical approach to sorting out these old records and relationships.

So once again, this tells us there were (at least) five sons of Robert and Sarah Patterson. They include James who died in 1774/75, plus the other four sons named in Robert's 1775 will, to wit: Thomas, Robert, Peter, and William.

WP

Joseph Harrison of Sussex Co DE & Augusta Co VA

In July 2010 Harald Reksten was working the Sussex Co DE Court Records. He abstracted a set of records and emailed them to me with the following message:

While looking at the court records I came across these entries about Joseph Harrison that I copied from the microfilm. These records are not published so no one would know about them unless they looked at the microfilm. Notice the references to Joseph Harrison as early as 1725. Makes me think the Joseph Harrison that died in the 1740s Augusta was not a grandson of Isaiah. Also this Joseph could have had quite a few children since he is involved in court cases as early as 1725. Makes me think he is at least the oldest son of old Isaiah's 2nd marriage.

The Isaiah Harrison in question is the old Isaiah Sr who was first married to Elizabeth Wright and then secondly to Abigail Smith. Joseph Harrison died in 1748 Augusta Co VA. Other members of the Isaiah clan were part of the estate settlement in 1748, but Joseph has never been conclusively placed within the Isaiah family. Harald and I believe Joseph was another son, by the second wife.

The Harrisons and Pattersons migrated from Sussex Co DE to Augusta Co VA in the late 1730's. Other families who migrated from DE to VA that were associated with them were the Blacks, Cravens, Stewarts, Ponders, Hoods and others. My Robert Patterson had a sister named Elizabeth who married Jeremiah Harrison (son of Isaiah) in DE. Additionally, Robert Patterson's son, Thomas Patterson (my 5-greats-grandpa) married a Margaret Harrison.

I used to think she was a daughter of Joseph, and then I thought she was a daughter of Samuel. Samuel and Joseph Harrison were brothers. Both of these theories have proven to not hold water,  however. As of 2018, I believe she was a grand-daughter of Gideon Harrison (son of Isaiah), who died in Sussex Co., DE in 1729.

FEBRUARY 1724(5) (Microfilm)
108. 2 February 1724(5) Preservd Coggshall vs Samuel Black. Continued Withdrawn.
109. 2 February 1724(5) Christ. Tophan agt Joseph Harrison. T.C. Sherd amoried – unto the Deft – appear the first day of next Term.

MAY 1725 (Microfilm)
115. 4 May 1725 Christopher Topham agt Joseph Harrison. The said Tophaim appeared for himself T.C. Sheriff amoried ¾ unless ye Deft. appear the first day this Term with Drawer in Costs.
116. 4 May 1725 Wm. PettyJohn vs Isaiah Harrison. David French for ye plantiff appeared T.C. Isaiah Harrison appeared by his attorney Francis Allen. Continued.

Small World - Large Family

A former preacher at the church I attend here in Winston-Salem, NC had a saying that stuck with me. You know how it goes when something happens that prompts someone to quip "It's a small world"? Rod Sharp would hear that and immediately reply with "Large family!".

There's a lot of truth to that. I've especially come to realize this in recent years with genealogy research. It's no longer a shock when searching records from a different family to all of a sudden find overlapping kinship with some of my relatives from 200 years ago.

It's a small world.

Large family.

For the better part of a decade now I've been drawn in my research over and over to several individuals and families. There was never any proof or even strong indication of any relationship between my family and theirs, but I knew the possibility was there. I'm speaking of men like William Cravens and Samuel Stewart. And pretty much the entire Isaiah Harrison clan.

Who? you might ask. They were men and families that migrated from Sussex Co DE to the Shenandoah Valley of VA (around Harrisonburg) in the late 1730's and 1740's. My Pattersons and Blacks did likewise. And yes, there was intermarrying between my family of some of the others, but no obvious direct descent on my part from the Cravens, Stewart or Harrison families.

Nonetheless, I have continued to follow the Harrison clan, not only in DE and Augusta/Rockingham Co VA, but also in York Co SC and the Yadkin River region of NC (Rowan/Surry/Stokes/Forsyth/Yadkin Co's). There is a definite kinship in these families, plus I live here in Forsyth Co NC within 2 or 3 miles of where a group of the Harrisons and Stewarts moved to around 1750. Furthermore, when there is a name like William Cravens Patterson (1813-1864) in the family, you pay attention to associates like William Cravens.

Harald Reksten and I have continued working for years on these families as well. Harald is very methodical in his approach to research and it benefits all who come in contact with him. We both do a lot of research and share our work with each other all the time. In the last couple years, various details have come to light which present a very intriguing picture, especially to me in that 1) it seems now that I do descend from the Harrison clan, 2) the branch of the Harrisons I connect with seems to be present in Augusta Co, VA as well as Rowan Co NC and York Co SC, 3) this same Harrison branch seems to tie into the families of both William Cravens AND Samuel Stewart, and 4) I live within a few miles of one of the key locations, in particular, where Samuel Stewart died and is buried apparently.

In other words, it now seems that my Thomas Patterson (b ca 1740, d 1802-10) was married to a Margaret Harrison (more info on their marriage). Harald and I have worked extensively on the Harrison clan to find any possibly connections. Harald has focused on court records of all kinds from all pertinent counties in VA, PA, DE, NJ, MD, the Carolinas, you name it. His work has brought to light certain variables that are key to piecing the Isaiah Harrison clan together. There just isn't much out there in the court records on Isaiah Jr, oldest son of Isaiah Harrison. We no longer believe him to be a likely candidate for much of anything, especially the theories of being the progenitor of the Rowan Co NC Harrisons, or the York Co SC Harrisons, or the Lydia Harrison who married Samuel Stewart, or even the Isaiah Harrison who executed the 1748 estate settlement of Joseph Harrison in Augusta Co VA. In reality, it seems Isaiah Jr may have died at a fairly young age in DE or NJ perhaps.

Speaking of Joseph, he's the other key variable in Harald's research. Joseph was a key player in the records of DE, something not brought to light in J. Houston Harrison's Settlers by the Long Grey Trail. So much information has come to the forefront in recent months regarding this Joseph and his connection with the rest of the Isaiah clan, he has to have been another son of Isaiah Sr. Joseph was born ca 1700-1705, probably around 1702 or thereabouts. We also believe that Lydia Harrison, wife of Samuel Stewart, was another daughter of Isaiah Sr. The children of Isaiah Sr by his second wife Abigail Smith just weren't documented as well as the children by his first wife Elizabeth Wright.

Furthermore, the presence of Joseph Harrison at Harrisonburg, VA in the 1740's matches the timetable of the Harrisons of Rowan Co NC and later York Co SC. Both clans have Josephs and Nathaniels, Johns and Thomases, etc. Furthermore, their is DNA proof that the SC bunch (later in Buncombe Co NC) is related to the Isaiah Harrison clan. Their migration routes mirror that of my Thomas Patterson and Margaret Harrison, who married in 1761 in Augusta Co VA. Too much to go into here and now, but the evidence is quite striking.

It is our theory (no proof, just theory) that Margaret Harrison (m Thomas Patterson) was a daughter of Samuel Harrison (I used to think Joseph, but now think it was his brother Samuel). We also believe that an additional daughter of Samuel Harrison was Jane (m William Cravens), whereas Abigail (m David Stewart, son of Samuel and Lydia Harrison Stewart) was most likely a daughter of Joseph Harrison (d 1748 Augusta Va). Sons of Joseph Harrison would have been Isaiah, Joseph, and John. As for Samuel's sons, Nathaniel and Thomas for sure, possibly others.

In 1748, after Joseph Harrison died, a group of this family moved to Rowan Co NC near the Yadkin River in what is now Forsyth Co near the Yadkin Co border. This included Samuel Stewart and his entire family, plus Isaiah Harrison (son of Joseph), and eventually others like Joseph (Jr), John and Thomas. Abigail, who married David Stewart, was also here in NC.

In the early 1760's, other Harrisons - apparently Samuel Harrison and his children and their families - moved from VA to the Kings Mountain area of SC in modern day York Co. This included Nathaniel and Thomas, plus Margaret (m Thomas Patterson) and Jane (m William Cravens). It also included many members of the Black family and the entire Robert Patterson clan (father of Thomas).

If the above relationships are correct, and there is a lot more evidence than what I've shown here to indicate so, then when I look at William Cravens, I now see an uncle (his wife being a sister of my Margaret Harrison Patterson). When I look at Samuel Stewart, I now see an uncle (his wife being a sister of my Samuel Harrison).

Most of the Stewarts and Harrisons eventually moved away from the Yadkin River area, but two families stayed here, died here, and should be buried here - somewhere. That being Samuel and Lydia Harrison Stewart, and David and Abigail Harrison Stewart (Stewart Timeline).

All this time I have taken an interest in William Cravens and Samuel Stewart... and never knew they would end up being uncles. Remember, I can't prove it 100% at this time, but the hard evidence and the overwhelming circumstantial evidence as well, certainly point to this being the case. The research continues, but I can honestly say:

It's a small world.

Large family.

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.

Peter Patterson of York Co SC

The following email was sent to Harald Reksten, a fellow descendant of Robert "R" Patterson, who died in York Co SC in 1775. I descend from Robert's oldest son Thomas, Harald descends from son Robert (II), and then there's the son Peter, which has not been well documented previously. That said, we're making a valiant attempt at it:

Harald,

We've discussed the Patterson males that might be tied to Peter before, such as Andrew (possibly), and then more importantly, James, John Marion, and Peter.

As far as daughters are concerned, he appears to have had at least 4 daughters, according to the 1790 and 1800 census records. One born before 1790, another about 1789, another about 1790/91, and the 4th b/w 1790 and 1800.

I have believed for a few years now (actually, since 2003) that the second daughter was named Jane, b 1789. There was a Jane who moved to Buncombe roughly around 1805-1810 and then married a James Freeman about 1811/12. She was born in 1789 in SC. Their two oldest children were named Abigail Freeman (1813) and Peter Patterson Freeman (1816). There were 7 more kids born after that, all 9 being born in Buncombe.

James Freeman's parents were named Aaron Freeman and Mary Bentley (Freeman). Haven't we seen a York deed or two that has Peter Patterson AND an Abigail Patterson listed? Ah, yes - here it is:

E-502 13 July 1797 Peter Patterson of York County to Malcolm Henry of York County for 150 pounds, 150 acres, on the waters of Clarks fork of Bullock Creek being Patterson's branch and also 80 acres adjoining the above and Peter Patterson's lower field, the ridge road above Jacob Peters School House, Robert Love's corner at cross road and -------Ponder. Also 62 acres, adjoining and originally granted to Robert Patterson Sr., deceased, and is on both sides of Clarks fork. Witnesses: Robert Love, William Henry and Abigail Patterson. Samuel Watson J.P.

I was out walking a few minutes ago and then I was reminded of a person from Buncombe I found a few years that I couldn't ever tie to anyone. I now am quite certain this is yet another grandchild of Peter. I'm speaking of a boy named Robert Patterson Sandlin, born June 03, 1815, Buncombe, NC. This fella was the son of Ezekiel Sandlin and Martha ______.

I just did a follow up search and found that some Sandlin researchers believe Martha to have been a Patterson, but cannot prove it. Martha was born in 1790 in SC. She most certainly could be the 3rd daughter of Peter Patterson.

Get this... they supposedly married in SC around 1807, according to one source. They moved to NC about then and their children were all born in Buncombe. I also know that James Patterson (m Sarah Marr/Morrow) moved to Buncombe b/w 1805-1810.

Ezekiel Sandlin was the son of William Sandlin and they were from York Co SC, Kings Creek area - probably not far from the Ponders. After they moved to Buncombe, guess where they lived. Here's the abstract, followed by explanation:

(Buncombe Co NC)
(E 155) 5/12/1807 (8/22/1812)
Ezekiel Sandlin to James Patterson, 70 acres, "…Newfound Creek, joins George Black and Thomas Patterson's lands…, beginning on a ridge Black's corner running east to Thomas Patterson's corner…"
Witnesses: John Love & Daniel Ponders

(12/271) 3/8/1816
James Patterson to Reuben Black, 70 acres, (same land James Patterson had bought from Ezekiel Sandlin in 1807.) - "…Ridley Pence's corner…. (both men living in Buncombe at this time)"
Witnesses: Nathaniel Harrison & Jane Harrison

This means that Ezekiel Sandlin lived on the western side of Thomas Patterson. My John Patterson lived on the eastern side of Thomas Patterson. George Black lived to the south of them all. George Black was the brother in law of John Patterson. It appears now that Ezekiel Sandlin may have been the brother in law of James Patterson, as this was the same James who married Sarah Morrow. Remember that John Patterson had bought a different tract of land a little further away from a Richard Morrow.

Furthermore, Thomas Patterson's land was sold by the sheriff, and it changed hands a few times and ended up being owned by this same James Patterson. The land that John was living on next to Thomas's land had been bought by John from Reuben Black, son of Matthew Black of Burke Co NC and formerly of York Co SC. We see that James P later sells this Sandlin tract to Reuben Black. It is believed that Reuben's grandparents were Robert and Madge Cravens Black, by the way.

And last but not least, Nathaniel and Jane Harrison were siblings, and children of Joseph Harrison, and grandchildren of Nathaniel Harrison who signed Robert Patterson's 1775 will in SC.

Oh, and one more caveat. Notice that Ridley Pence lived next to them also, in 1816. John Patterson sold his land next to all this to Abram Pence, no doubt some relation to Ridley. These Pattersons were selling their land from 1815 to 1820 and moving a little further west into Haywood Co NC. A few years later, Abram Pence shows up next to John Patterson and his oldest son Joseph Black Patterson in Haywood. Abram Pence's daughter, Cassey Pence, married John Marion Patterson, brother of the above James Patterson.

Confused yet?

I don't see how this Martha could be a daughter of my Thomas, nor your Robert. If she's from the Robert "R" clan, it has to be Peter. We can't forget the daughters of Robert "R", but this Martha couldn't have been Sarah's (m Joseph Black), nor could she have been Lydia's (m John Black). While it's possible she could have been Elizabeth's (m Daniel Ponder), according to Ponder researchers, the youngest daughter they had was born in 1788, so it doesn't seem likely that she could be Elizabeth's daughter.

I am of the opinion that this Martha Sandlin was the third daughter of Peter Patterson.

Your thoughts?

Wes

P.S. I'm doing a quick review right now of your York SC deed abstracts and noticed this:

O-005-071 (Charleston) 18 February 1785 James Wilson of Camden District, farmer to John Wilson of same 4 pounds sterling, 200 acres the lower end of a survey in said district on Kings Creek adjacent Wilkinsons branch. Witnesses: Robt. Patterson, Willm. Sandlin. Proved: 19 February 1785 in Camden District by William Champion. Recorded: 15 March 1785.

Willm. Sandlin was the father in law of this Martha whom I'm suggesting is the daughter of Peter Patterson!

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
*********************

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
********************

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