Next Book - George Patterson of Ivylog, GA

A few weeks ago I began the early stages of my third volume in the Butterfly Biographies (BB) series. This next book will tackle the family of George Patterson (1800-1860) and his wives, Rebecca Chastain (1799-1845/7) and Sophia Dunagan (1825-1872/81). 

Volume 1 covered John Patterson, the father of George. Volume II covered Elijah Chastain, the father of Rebecca. Both of those fathers were 4X-Great-Grandfathers to me. George and Rebecca were my 3X-great-grandparents.

When I start a new book, the first thing I blaze through is the content in my FamilyTreeMaker database. That will end up being my guide for the rest of the book, so I make sure I have all details on all lineages correct, as much as possible. Volumes I & II covered a lot of the ancestors and cousins for George and Rebecca and was limited to 3 generations of descendants. Volume III for George will be able to focus on more details regarding his descendants. Therefore, I'm having to research and document all generational lines from George at least one generation further - coming forward in time. In fact, I'm taking the lines as far as I can to World War II descendants, and in some limited cases, even to recent decades. 

I always leave identifiable details blank in the book, however, for living persons. I do list their names, but not other details.

There will be 8 chapters on descendants of George Patterson, one for each of his children who had families of their own. My line is the 4th of the 8 lines - William Harden (Billy) Patterson, who lived from 1832 to 1884. Most of the 8 lines had numerous children and grandchildren, so it can take some time to research every single one of them in online resources, but that's the job!

So far, I have all lines for Jim, Mary and Kimsey completed. I'm currently on the 4th line, which is Billy. He had 12 children, and I'm finished with 10 of those 12 lines. So next I will finish Billy's remaining 2 lines, then finish up the last 4 of George's lines, that being Elizer, John A., Elijah M., and Margaret. Once I have those details completed in FamilyTreeMaker, I begin filling in the content in the book in Microsoft Word.

I was hoping that by the second and third volumes of this series I would be hitting my stride. I think that is starting to work out. I took a few months off this summer and didn't do any writing at all, which delayed Volume 2. However, once I picked it back up, I hit it pretty hard, and am happy to be able to say that the Printer/Publisher (Old Buncombe County Gen. Soc.) accepted it and published it without a single edit!!! Wow. 

OK. Back it...

Wes

Elijah Chastain Sr - Update on Forth-coming Book

In March this year I posted some updates on my research pertaining to Elijah Chastain Sr of Caney Fork, Haywood Co, NC (now in Jackson County). I am currently in the final stages of editing and prepping to send to the publisher for printing. Hopefully by the end of October or early November we will be good to go.

Elijah Chastain lived from 1776 to 1853. He had at least 23 children by three wives - Hannah Adams, Anna Middleton, and Catherine (Kathy) Carson. In the book I will show as many details as I've gathered on these 23 children, 20 of whom married and had their own children. 

The numbers I documented from my exhaustive research and have included in the book are:

1. 23 Children
2. 168+ Grandchildren
3. 806+ Great-Grandchildren

There were also at least 89 descendants or husbands of descendants of Elijah Chastain who served in the Civil War. Details regarding them are also included.

I do not know of any other published work that has covered all three of Elijah's families. Some have focused one or the other, or perhaps two of them, but not all three. This has been my goal in producing this next installment of Butterfly Biographies.

Wes

P.S. Oct 9, 2024 update: I have asked someone to write the Foreword for the book. I am finished with my drafts and have sent to the printer for one copy for final editing - on paper!! Maybe ready to submit in the next week actually - to the publisher!

P.S. Oct 13, 2024 update: This book has been submitted to the publisher. Now awaiting the publisher's board review and pricing decisions.

Elijah Chastain - Father of 23 or More

Elijah Chastain was my 4X-Great-Grandpa. He was born in 1776 in Buckingham Co, VA and died in 1853 in Gilmer Co, GA. His daughter Rebecca Chastain was born in 1799 and she was his 3rd child - of 21 (at least). She married George Patterson in the early to mid 1820's and they were my 3X-Great-Grandparents. 

(3/26/24 update: at least 22 children)

(4/10/24 update: 23+ children)

Elijah Chastain and 3rd wife Catherine Carson, ca. 1850. Photo courtesy of Connie Cordell

Elijah was a character. I know he had multiple children (each) by his first two wives during the same two or three year period beginning in 1800. By 1803 he was officially married the second time to Anna Middleton. His first wife, my ancestor, was Hannah Adams. This first marriage ended in divorce. Many have said the second marriage did too, but I can't find anything about Anna after 1810, including no children born to Elijah between 1810 and 1820. I think Anna may have died around 1810 or soon thereafter, but I just don't know for certain. (4/10/24 update: Elijah had at least two children born after 1810 with Anna - Artemesia was born in 1812 and James Witt was born in 1813).