CEMETERY
INSCRIPTIONS
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submitted by Dr. Helen Patton |
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James Patton was born in the North of Ireland, County of Derry and Parish
of Tamlacht, on the 13th day of February, 1756. His father was a
farmer by occupation but was in failing health and died when James was
14 years of age.
The names of his parents have not been identified as yet - but his brothers and sisters were Thomas (married to Jane Shaw in Ireland, and eventually of Coffey County, TN;) William (unmarried); John, who settled in the Calhoun Settlement, Abbeville District, SC; Daniel of Bedford Co. Tennessee); Neely (of the East Indies and later London); Joseph of Asheville, NC; George of Franklin, Macon Co. NC; Rosanna married to Mr. Campbell of Pennsylvania; and Jane who married Col. Andrew Erwin, later of Bedford County, TN. James Patton, the third son in this family was instrumental in bringing his mother and all these brothers and sisters except Neely to America about the year 1790. In 1807 he moved his family and business interests to a farm located three miles from Asheville, and seven years later, into the town of Asheville. His mother was still with them, for there is reference in his paper of wanting to be buried beside his wife and his mother. He and his wife (the daughter of Francis Reynolds) had eleven children, and were able to raise ten of them to maturity. His eldest son James W. Patton together with his wife Henrietta K. succeeded to the homestead at the corner of Chestnut and Charlotte Streets, and among James Patton Sr.'s effects was found an extraordinary autobiography relating to his life from the time of his migration to this county. A copy of it, republished for the second time in pamphlet form is available from Dr. Helen Patton, 1231 Main Street, Racine, WI, a descendant of James' brother George. One or two excerpts of significance are well worth quoting: In reference to his choice of a wife: "Her Mother (Mrs. Reynolds) was a superior housekeeper; it was from the management of her domestic concerns, the neatness of her house and the nice arrangement of everything about it, that I took a fancy to my wife and I was not disappointed...." "... I made it a rule to consult my wife on all weighty and important matters ... and when I deviated from her opinion, I generally found that I was in error. I would advise all married men to consult their wives in every important undertaking. If they cannot fully understand the whole of any matter ... they will be certain to catch at parts and make some observations that will set their husbands to thinking. My opinion is that women have never been allowed their just weight in society; were they permitted to use that influence in society to which I consider them entitled, they would contribute much more to the success of business through life, than is generally imagined, and particularly to domestic prosperity and happiness." He had some sage advice on how to dissolve a business partnership in perfect harmony in the shortest possible time. He wrote: "As he was the active partner, I told him to make a division of the whole, accompanied with a statement on paper, and give me my choice, which he did; and in this way we came to an amicable settlement at once." "... The little success I have had in life, was owing to industry and frugality, for I settled in the upper part of North Carolina, at that time the poorest part of the country I ever saw to make property; I do not entertain the same opinion now. Changes and improvements have taken place which have convinced me that there are few sections of the country superior to the western part of North Carolina." Written - Asheville, NC, March 1839. --Heritage
I, article #502, p. 293
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submitted by Bruce Whitaker |
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Elizabeth Patton was born in Swannanoa, Buncombe County, NC, on May 22,
1788, one of the younger children of Robert and Rebecca (..) Patton.
She married her first cousin, James Patton, son of her father's brother
Elijah. Elizabeth and James Patton moved to West Tennessee, probably Gibson
County and were living there when James became involved in fighting in
the Creek Indian War during which he served under General Andrew Jackson.
He was wounded at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend in 1814, and as he
lay dying he asked his friend and fellow Indian fighter, David Crockett,
to take his personal effects back to his wife. David honored his
friend's dying request and in the process of returning the personal belongings,
met Elizabeth Patton.
A short time later, David's own wife Polly (Finley) Crockett died. He then thought of the pretty widow Patton, and upon inquire, he found that she had moved back to her father's home in Swannanoa in Buncombe County, NC. He followed her there. Robert Patton's home was located on the exact site of the present Laura Shuford's house which is near the new Swannanoa Elementary School. Although Elizabeth Patton was pleased by David Crockett's attention, she was not "bowled over," and it took Crockett a considerable length of time to persuade Elizabeth to marry him. Some say they were married here in Swannanoa. Others say they went back to Tennessee to be married, but either way, they were living in West Tennessee shortly after their marriage in 1815. Elizabeth did not find David Crockett to be a steady husband/farmer who stayed at home to till the land and care for his family and stock. Instead, it was mostly left to Elizabeth to run the home and garden and raise their three children as best she could while David made a precarious living as a hunter, and taking frequent long trips as a guide and trailblazer, helping other people travel or locate places to settle. In the course of this activity David Crockett was a frequent visitor to Buncombe County. David and his companions frequently travelled the road from Asheville to Old Fort by way of Black Mountain. As a result of some local "political shenanigans" a toll charge was put on this road. Crockett and others were furious, and decided to find another way to get from Asheville to Old Fort. Crockett went up the old Asheville-Charlotte Road (now U.S. 74) to Fairview. There, about a mile and a half past Mine Hole Gap, they started clearing a bridle trail east to Old Fort. This is the present "Old Fort Road" in Faiview, and for a time after Crockett cleared it, the road was known as "David Crockett's Bridle Trail." This was in 1816. Sarah Whitaker Jenkins who lived from 1801 to 1896, recalled the event. She said that when she was about 15 years old, Crockett and his friends stopped at her father's house, her father being William Whitaker Sr. (1772-1806). They asked for water first, and then for something to eat. Fifteen-year old "Sallie" helped her mother Mary Canady Whitaker (1772-1848) prepare supper for the men. Crockett spent the night with the Whitaker family. The McBrayer family tell a story about their ancestor's encounter with David Crockett during one of his trips through here. They believe it was Samuel McBrayer (1771-1846) who was out hunting one day near his home on the present Old Fort Road in Fairview. He saw a wild turkey, raised his gun and fired, but just as he fired, he heard another shot. David Crockett had also spotted the same turkey at the same time. Since the men could not determine whose shot had brought the bird down, they decided to split it.
The Cooper family also have a memory of a social encounter with David Crockett.
Elizabeth Cooper Hill was born in Fairview on October 24, 1811, the
At Robert Patton's home there was an oak tree called "The Target Tree." Here Patton and son-in-law Crockett would set up targets for shooting matches. The tree stood until the 1950's when it was struck by lightning. In 1831 Elizabeth Patton Crockett herself returned to Swannanoa for a visit. When she was ready to go back, her father Robert Patton decided to go with her, and died there a year later in 1832. David Crockett became the administrator of his estate.
In 1834 Crockett was defeated for reelection in Congress, and soon after
that he and his nephew William Patton went to Texas to explore the are
and decide upon a suitable place for relocating their families. While
there, the men became involved with the Texan war with Mexico and were
killed on March 6, 1836 in the Battle of the Alamo. Some time later
Elizabeth and their three children, John W., William and Margaret, carried
out the moved to Texas on their own, and Elizabeth died on January 31,
1860, in Acton, Texas, in Johnson County, now known as Hood County.
Sources:
Thomas, Lillian Bird: "Patton History," 1961, Shuford, Laura, Series
of newspaper articles by C.R. Sumner in the Asheville; Citizen-Times, written
in the 1950's; "Interest Stirred in Crockett's Roots;" "Story of Crockett's
Bridle Trail;" "Know Your Community;" "World Book Encyclopedia; personal
recollections of Maggie jenkins Whitaker (1893-1983); Mrs. Robert
B. Allison, and Edna Jenkins Wright
(1894- ). --Heritage II, article #152, p. 147 |
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MATTHEW PATTON SR. (1738-1824) (of Cumberland Co., PA; Mecklenburg and Buncombe Cos, NC and Jefferson County, IN (submitted with our thanks by Mrs. Jerry Ann Stout, 1739 N. Kessler, Wichita, KS 67203) |
| MATTHEW PATTON,
SR. (1738-1824) was the son of Matthew and Elizabeth (..) Patton of Peters
Township, Cumberland County, PA. (now Franklin Co. PA) [so he was actually
a "Jr.", although known in Buncombe County, N.C. as "Sr.".]
He married Jane/Jean HOUSTON (1740-1833), and they had seven children. They moved into North Carolina, first in probably Mecklenburg County, where children were born, and then on into Buncombe County, N.C. before moving to Jefferson County, Indiana. They are buried in the Underwood Cemetery, Madison, Jefferson County, Indiana. Their children: 1. JAMES PATTON, b. 19 July 1762; d. unmarried 18 March 1831, age 61 years. Buried with his parents in Underwood Cemetery, Jefferson Co., Indiana. MATTHEW
PATTON, Jr. and wife Mary McCulloch had the following children, not all
of whom can be proven because the "minor heirs" were not named in his estate
and the deed of 1818, but by census, process of elimination, letters sent
from his son John M. Patton to Franklin County, Alabama and Buncombe County,
N.C. and from a history of Franklin County, Alabama.
Elizabeth C. Patton, married Macklin Copeland.2. MATTHEW HOUSTON PATTON, b. 19 Dec. 1793, Buncombe Co., N.C.; died 8 November 1853 in Jefferson Co., IN. Married Margaret Houston Rea (his 1st cousin), d/o Robert and Agnes (Patton) Rea. Issue: Mary Louisa Patton, married Hiram Henry3. HEZEKIAH E. PATTON, b. 23 July 1796 Buncombe Co., N.C.; died 16 July 1856 in Jefferson County, IN; buried in Craig Cemetery. Was a soldier in the War of 1812 from Buncombe County, N.C. Married (1) Ann Wilson, b. 1791, d. 17 Sept. 1846, with burial in the Baxter Graveyard, Monroe Twp., Jefferson Co., IN. Married (2) Mary W. Steel/Steele, b. 20 Nov. 1800 - d. 19 November 1876, d/o Hugh Steele. Known children: Mary Jane Patton, married Ahimens Chambers4. DAUGHTER, born between 1791-1800, Buncombe Co., NC; no information. 5. JAMES M. PATTON who married Mary Lane in Jefferson Co., IN. This James M. and the James C. listed as son of Houston Patton could be reversed, as they are in the same age group and lived in the same area of Jefferson County, Indiana. 6. AARON ROBINSON PATTON, b. 1804, Buncombe County, N.C.; died after. 1870 but before 1880 in Franklin Co., Alabama. There is no tombstone, but he was buried with his wife in the Cherry Hill Cemetery, Waco, Franklin Co., AL. Aaron R. Patton went from Jefferson Co., Indiana, to Franklin Co., Alabama, to Join his two uncles there, Elijah and Isaac McCullough. There he married (about 1833) to Sarah/Sara Knox McGill, b. 1817 possibly in Giles County, Tennessee, a daughter of John and Elizabeth (McGuire) McGill. Sarah died in Franklin County, AL. in 1897. Sources:
A
LOT OF BUNKUM Vol. XI, #8 September 1990, Page 90-93; Page 90-94 September
1990 Vol. XI, #9
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