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Descendants of Tristram Patton

Generation No. 1

1. TRISTRAM¹ PATTON was born Abt. 1758 in Father's Estate, County Tyrone, Ulster Plantation, Ireland, and died July 07, 1843. He married JANE NELSON May 24, 1808 in Rev Wm Adair, Lebanon Seceder Church. She was born April 15, 1786, and died March 20, 1860.

Notes for TRISTRAM PATTON:
Greenbrier County, West Virginia Biography of TRISTRAM PATTON.

This biography was submitted by Sandy Spradling,
E-mail address: <SSpradling@aol.com>

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History of Greenbrier County
J. R. Cole
Lewisburg, WV 1917
p. 328-334

TRISTRAM PATTON.

Tristram Patton, Senior, was the progenitor of one branch of the Monroe
family bearing that name. He was called senior because of there being another
of that name, his cousin, living in that district, who was known as Tristram
Patton, Jr. Both were known bv a nickname, Trussy Patton.
Tristram Patton was born on his father's estate, County Tyrone, Ulster
Plantation, Ireland, about the year 1758, and came to America about 1777 at
the age of 19.
It is said that this estate had come into the possession of the Pattons early
in the reign of James I, after the conspiracy of some of the landed
proprietors in Ulster to dethrone the king. One of them was Lord Tyrone, for
whom Tyrone county was named. The plot was discovered, the lords fled from
the country and their land, on~half million acres, was confiscated and taken
into posses-sion by the Crown. These lands were surveyed and alloted to new
proprietors, Scotch and English, who were favorites of the king, on account
of services already rendered or expected, among the latter being to hold the
natives in subjection and "to civilize them."
The Patton family is supposed to have come from Scotland. In a book on Scotch
Clans the name Patton is found in the Douglas Clan, but it is not mentioned
in any other. Some authorities indicate that the name is English-Irish
instead of Scotch-Irish. From the same name is derived Paton, Peyton,
Peytonne, Patten, etc. The name is found in the Irish Period as Baron
Wilmarliegh, extincteth Ulster. The name Patton is now extinct in Tyrone
County and probably in all of the Ulster Plantation.
Tristram Patton taught school several years in Philadelphia, and while living
there it is said he served in the Continentai army, and was, at one time, a
member of Washington's bodyguard. He came to Greenbrier county (now Monroe)
some years after the Revolutionary war. Hardesty's History says he was horn
in 1764, and came direct from Ireland to Greenbrier in 1780, which
information was incorrectly given.
Before coming to Greenbrier he persuaded his younger brother, Robert, to join
him, telling him he could never be successful in Ireland, while America was
rife with promise. Their eldest brother, William Patton, had, of course,
inherited their father's estate.
In the Old Greenbrier county court records, June 26, 1798, Tristram and
Robert were granted leave to make an incursive survey of the lands wilereon
they lived. From this it is known that they had lived at least three years on
their lands on Second creek. There is also a record in the court house at
Lewisburg of Robert Patton s receiving a warrant from Governor Lee, in 1797,
for land on the Greenbrier rlver. April 21, 1797, is found the record of his
marriage to Eleanor Gray, Rev. John Alderson officiating.
Tristram and Robert owned a large tract of land on Second creek, whereon was
a powder mill. They divided their holdings, Tristram taking most of the land,
and Robert the reniainder and the mill. Patton's powder mill was below
Hamilton's mill (no longer in use) and on the site where Curry's mill (now
owned by J. M. Rodgers) was later erected-not near Nickell's mill, as has
been stated. It is said to have been built by Frederick Gromer.
About i800, Robert Patton and a negro man, one of their slaves, were in the
powder mill when an explosion occurred, which wrecked the mill and killed
both men.
Tristram Patton owned a large grist mill and a saw mill just above Hamilton's
mill, about a mile above the powder mill, and about a mile below the
macadamized road. He spent thousands of dollars building races and building
and rebuilding dams, be-cause of their being washed out by floods. He owned
about 2,000 acres of land on Second creek and near Mt. Pleasant church. While
he gave his attention to his mills and other matters, his farming was carried
on by his son and his slaves. "Old Shaderack." He also owned Meshack and
Abednigo known as the laziest negro for miles around, superintended the
farming in Mr. Patton's old age. He taught the boys how to work, while he lay
in the shade and slept. For some time Mr. Patton held the office of high
sheriff.
May 24, 1808, when he was about 50 years of age, he married Jane Nelson, who
was born April 15, 1786, Rev. William Adair, pastor of the old Lebanon
Seceder church, officiating. The Pattons belonged to his church.
Tristram Patton, Senior, died July 7, 1843. Jane Nelson Patton died March 20,
1860, and they are buried near old Lebanon church. On his tombstone are a
number of passages of Scripture and this verse:

"Look, ye strangers, passing by;
As you are so once was I;
But as I am, so you must be;
Prepare for death and follow me."

To Tristram and Jane Nelson Patton were born fourteen children, all of whom
lived to manhood and womanhood; all married and reared families except one.
List of children:
William Madison, born March 12, 1809; died January, 1878.
Mary Brown, born June 10, 1810.
James Nelson, born November 4, 1811.
Elizabeth Simpson, born January 24, 1813.
Robert Miller, horn July 17, 1814.
John J. Patton, born October 5, 1816.
Louisa Amelia, born July 19, 1818.
Nancy Nelson, born June 28, 1820.
Thomas Beirne, born December I, 1822.
Washington LaFayette, born May 7, 1824.
Edwin Franklin, born March 26, 1826.
Margaret Jane, horn March 9, 1828.
Columbus Marion, horn March 9, 1828.
Sidney Ewing, born September 25, 1830.
Not long before Tristram Patton's death he was notified to return to Ireland
and claim his estate, his elder brother, William, having died without
children. He was then too old to make the journey, and at his death the
estate descended to his eldest son, William M. Patton, who made no effort to
claim it. After fifty years the property reverted to the Crown.
After the death of Robert Patton, his widow, Eleanor Gray Patton, who was a
sister of John Gray, of near Pickaway, moved with her two sons, William and
Robert, to Kentucky, where she married a man named Dyer. She had one son,
Albert Dyer, who died in early manhood. Her son, William, returned to Monroe
county, where he married and lived for many years Her son, Robert, married
in Kentucky and lived at Elkton, Todd county. He left some children, but the
family name has become extinct.
Edwin Franklin Patton married Rebecca M. Burdette in October, 1853. She was
born March 24, 1839. To this union was born Samuel Rutherford Patton, only
son, who was born July 3, 1854.
Mr. Patton was a progressive and successful business man, owning large tracts
of land on Second creek. In his later life he was overtaken by financial
reverses and then moved to Ron-ceverte. During the Civil war he was a member
of Company A, Twenty-second Virginia Cavalry, Confederate service.
Honorable, upright and obliging at all times, there was no better citizen
than he.
Samuel Rutherford Patton when a lad attended the Second
Creek High School and finishing there he attended a boys' school at
Lewisburg; then he went to college one session, graduating from the Hampden
Sydney College in the regular course. He next graduated in the law course
from the Washington and Lee University, taking his degree from that
institution in 1878.
After leaving college he established The Messenger, a weekly newspaper, which
he owned and published for years. About this time he was married to Miss
Nannie Warwick, and to this union were born three children, Edith, Edwin and
Ashton. the latter dying in infancy.
December 4, i88i, he was married to Miss Sophona Figgett, who, through the
vicissitudes of the succeeding years, has been a helpmate indeed-a woman of
great worth and strength of character-she has helped him faithfully in the
discharge of life's duties.
Mr. Patton was a scholar. a man of poetic temperament, an interesting and
fluent writer. His knowledge of law, united to his great store of information
on all subjects of general interest, caused his fellow citizens of his town
to select him as a leader. In fact, he was offered every office of honor and
trust in the jurisdiction of the town, and people sought his opinion and
advice on all kinds of questions. In dispensing justice, he leaned toward
mercy-"Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy."
His loyalty to his friends was conspicuous. He was especially kind to the
poor, and far beyond his means he ministered to their needs, and in a quiet,
unassuming way that attracted no notice from the public. He was mayor of this
town two terms, recorder two terms, justice of the peace two terms of four
years each, president of the board of education four terms. He was one of the
organizers of the Greenbyjer Valley Democrat and its editor for five years.
His facile pen rendered it a power in his town and community, though this
section of the State was already oversupplied with newspapers. A leader in
his party. his judgment was always sought in its deliberations.
Two years ago his health began to decline, and gradually from that time he
grew worse until nine weeks ill that he was from that time confined to
his room. His suffering was intense at times, but the end came peacefully,
and he fell asleep gently as a little child upon its mother's breast.
Though fitted by mental endowment and by education for public office, Mr.
Patton was a modest, unpretentious man who loved retirement; a man whose
heart was gentle and tender; he had respect for the feeling and Opinions of
others, and the mean-est and humblest he treated with as much respect and
courtesy as those of highest station.

More About TRISTRAM PATTON:
Burial: Near old Lebanon Church

More About JANE NELSON:
Burial: Near old Lebanon Church

Children of TRISTRAM PATTON and JANE NELSON are:

2.	i.	COLUMBUS MARION² PATTON, b. March 09, 1828, Monroe County, VA.
	ii.	WILLIAM MADISON PATTON, b. March 12, 1809.
	iii.	MARY BROWN PATTON, b. June 10, 1810.
	iv.	JAMES NELSON PATTON, b. November 04, 1811.
	v.	ELISABETH SIMPSON PATTON, b. January 24, 1813.
	vi.	ROBERT MILLER PATTON, b. July 17, 1814.
	vii.	JOHN J PATTON, b. October 05, 1816.
	viii.	LOUISA AMELIA PATTON, b. July 19, 1818.
	ix.	NANCY NELSON PATTON, b. June 28, 1820.
	x.	THOMAS BEIRNE PATTON, b. December 01, 1822.
	xi.	WASHINGTON LAFAYETTE PATTON, b. May 07, 1824.
	xii.	EDWIN FRANKLIN PATTON, b. March 26, 1826.
	xiii.	MARGARET JANE PATTON, b. March 09, 1828.
	xiv.	SIDNEY EWING PATTON, b. September 25, 1830.

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