Patton Family Research Notes

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES ON THE VARIOUS PATTON FAMILIES OF BUNCOMBE COUNTY, NC
From the research of Jonathan B. Butcher, Reg. Genealogist, on behalf of Mr. Jesse D. Patton, Babylon, NY.Aaron Patton was probably born in the 1760’s and lived on Swannanoa. It seems likely that he was the son of Matthew Sr., next to whom he was listed in 1790, but this is really only a guess at present. As noted above, he sold land to George Patton on 25 Feb. 1814 (17:52). We also find that on 8 Jan. 1822 Aaron sold 50 acres on Bee Tree Creek to the heirs of Spencer Hemby. (13:84). A grave in the Patton Cemetery shows that Aaron died in 1826, while his widow, Magdalene (Cunningham) Patton died in 1840. Deeds reveal that Aaron left a will, which is unfortunately now lost. Specifically, on 17 June 1840 Aaron F. Patton sold to George C. Alexander tracts of 90,50, and 50 acres on Swannanoa, subject to the life estate of Magdalene Patton, widow of Aaron Patton, “which had been previously willed by the said Aron Patton Decd. to the said widow…and after her death to his son Aron F. Patton”. Court minutes are also lost for the time in which this will was probated. It appears that Aaron F. was a younger son, while the older sons of Aaron Patton (at least two) are not identified by the land records.

However, it would appear likely that these included Brandon Patton and George N. Patton who appear near Aaron on the 1820 Census. The Census records are not very clear, but suggest that Aaron may have had as many as four sons. His children thus may have included:

i. daughter, born 1784/90.
ii. daughter, born 1784/90.
iii. son, born ca 1790. Probably Brandon Patton, of Buncombe in 1820, but does not appear in land records and likely moved elsewhere.
iv. Nancy Patton, born 22 Sept. 1792, married George Patton.
v. Son Patton, born 1790/94/? Probably George N. Patton, born ca 1797/8?, father of Lewis E. Patton and ancestor of the W. E. Patton family.
vi. Daughter Patton, born 1790/1800.
vii. Daughter Patton, born 1800/1810.
viii. Son Patton, born 1804/10. This might be a younger Matthew Patton. (see below.) ix. Son Patton, born 1810/20. Likely Aaron F. Patton, probably born ca 1810, who left Buncombe after the sale of 1840.
(Continued from 90-42)Matthew Patton(shown by the 1850 Census to have been born ca 1805), seems a likely possibility to be a son of Aaron, particularly as he named a son A [aron] F. Patton. The deeds however, do not show his parentage. He died in 1855 leaving land on Cove Creek, and his children, who petitioned for a division about 1880, were:i. A. F. Patton.
ii. George Patton (died without issue.)
iii. Susie Patton, married John Williams.
iv. William Patton.
v. John Patton.
vi. L. M. Patton.
vii. Mary M. Patton, married John E. Young.
viii. Sallie Patton, married (2) John Williams.John Patton Jr.appears near George N. and Aaron Patton on the 1820 Census. John Patton Jr. on 28 July 1829 sold to John Patton Sr. (i.e. Col. John Patton of Asheville) for $200, 575 acres on the east side of French Broad River and south side of Shoal Creek (16:22). This John Jr. was not a son of John Patton Sr., but was probably in some way related to Aaron Patton’s family, near whom he was listed in 1820. (Indeed, perhaps he is the same as John N., eldest son of Matthew Jr.) It is also possible that there was some relationship between these Pattons and Col. John Patton.Thomas Patton was also in the same area in 1790, with some nearly grown sons at home. Thomas also seems to have been the father of the third Matthew Patton listed in 1790. Thomas died by 1808, leaving land on the French Broad River. The Abigail listed in 1810 was his widow, and on 219 June 1810 Ebigail Patton, widow of Thomas Patton, released to Joseph Erwin Patton all her rights to two tracts of 400 and 50 acres on both sides of French Broad (C:301), witnessed by Joseph Chambers). Meanwhile, the other sons seem to have all moved to Tennessee.

We find another deed of 19 October 1808 in which James Patton, Thomas Patton, Humphrey Cunningham, John Moore, Daniel Renny, and John Patton, Catharine Hannah and James Patton as executors of Mathew Patton, all of the state of Tennessee, released their rights as heirs of Thomas Patton, dec. to Joseph Erwin Patton of Buncombe (H:268). Thomas Patton Sr., thus seems to have left:

i. Matthew Patton, died in Tennessee by 1808, leaving a will.
ii. James Patton.
iii. Thomas Patton Jr., born ca. 1774/80.
iv. Joseph Erwin, born ca. 1774/84. Obtained the rights to his father’s land and listed in Buncombe in 1820 with a large family. The deeds show that he sold 17 acres to Benjamin Gullick on 6 May 1819 (12:224). He seems to have been living in the 1830’s. However, we do not find any later deeds of sale for Joseph in Buncombe, or an estate record. He may be the Joseph Patton, aged about 70, whose obituary states that he died on 15 March 1843 at his residence in Henderson County.

There were also OTHER PATTONS who came into the county after 1810.
Samuel Patton over age 45 on the 1820 Census. An obituary shows that Mrs. Mary, wife of Samuel Patton, died on 27 Nov. 1845, aged 85. I have not however, attempted to trace Samuel’s branch of the family at present, although he may have been the father of William Patton, age 55, listed on the 1850 Census [Buncombe County].

 

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