The Patterson-Ferrell Connection - Part 5

The Patterson-Ferrell Connection: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

The Patterson-Ferrell Connection to the Robert Patterson Family of York Co., SC - The DNA Proof!

Last Revised: 28 January 2019

As I stated in Part 1 of this series, I mentioned that by the time I got to Part 5, the case would have been made for connecting these families of Bedford/Warren/Cannon Counties, TN to the Robert Patterson who died in 1775 in York Co., SC. I hoped to establish those links in Parts 2-4 using traditional methods of research, involving deeds, wills, court records, church records, migration patterns, etc. I hope I have been successful in doing so. I believe I have.

In Part 5, however, I want to close the circle on this discussion by bringing us back to the DNA evidence that initiated this entire research effort to begin with. John W. Patterson had his DNA tested in 2014. He descends from Lee Patterson, as we discussed in Part 2. Lee was a son of John Patterson and Ann Ferrell. I believe that John Patterson, in turn, was the son of Robert and Elizabeth Patterson who lived in Buncombe Co., NC between 1795 and 1810. This Robert was the son of Thomas Patterson and Margaret Harrison. Thomas Patterson was the son of Robert and Sarah Patterson, this latter Robert being the one who was born ca. 1705/11 and died in 1775 in York Co., SC.

The DNA Results

Let it be known... I know enough about DNA evidence to be dangerous! That said, I can extrapolate a few things that I hope make sense.

The Patterson-Ferrell Connection - Part 3

The Patterson-Ferrell Connection: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

The Patterson-Ferrell Connection to Robert and Elizabeth Patterson of 1810 Buncombe Co., NC

Last Revised: 9 March 2019

Before I discuss the Pattersons and Ferrells of Bedford, Warren, Cannon and Dekalb Counties, TN, let's take a step back and look at a Patterson couple that could have been the parents of John Patterson that married Ann Ferrell. The couple in question were named Robert and Elizabeth Patterson.

Robert Patterson was born between 1766 and 1774, based on census records (1800 & 1810 Buncombe Co., NC). However, he was most likely born closer to 1766/8. Circumstantial evidence indicates that Robert was a son of Thomas Patterson, who was born ca. 1736/40 in the Shenandoah Valley of Va in what is now Harrisonburg, Va. It was Augusta Co. at the time, but now Rockingham Co. Thomas was a son of Robert and Sarah Patterson, who died in 1775 and 1790, respectively, both in York Co., SC. This latter Robert was born ca. 1705/11 to William and Margaret Patterson.

The Patterson-Ferrell Connection - Part 2

The Patterson-Ferrell Connection: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

The Patterson-Ferrell Connection to the Claborn Gunter Family

Last Revised: 28 January 2019

John W. Patterson had his DNA tested in 2014. John's Patterson ancestors are from TN going back several generations. When John's DNA results matched several Pattersons who descend from Robert Patterson who died in 1775 in York Co., SC, with a fairly close genetic distance, it caught the attention of Harald Reksten, and then also this writer, Wes Patterson (as I mentioned in Part 1 of this series). The DNA evidence confirms a relation, but the real question is, Where do the lines join? Who is our common ancestor?

It's easy enough for Harald and Wes to answer that question where their own relation is concerned. Their most recent common ancestor WAS Robert Patterson who died in 1775. Harald descends from Robert's son, Robert, who married Mabel Ponder. Wes descends from Robert's son, Thomas, who married Margaret Harrison. But how does the afore-mentioned tester, John W. Patterson, connect to Harald and Wes?

What We Do Know

Let's start with what we DO know. John says his line is confirmed all the way back a man named Lee Patterson, who was born in February 1826, somewhere in the state of Tennessee. Lee married on 11-21-1847, in Dekalb Co., TN, to Mary "Polly" Davis. According to John, his ancestor Lee Patterson died on 12-31-1862, in Murfreesboro, Rutherford Co., TN, during the Civil War.