BAKER FAMILY HISTORY AND GENEALOGY

BAKER FAMILY HISTORY AND GENEALOGY

THE DESCENDANTS OF PETER PATTERSON

Chapter III – JAMES PATTERSON, Peter’s brother

James Patterson, Peter’s brother, was born about 1727, possibly in Ireland. James’ birth date is deduced from his headstone information. A transcription by Ken O’Neal* of Laurel Hill Associate Reformed congregation burials was posted in 2000 at rootsweb.com and contains this inscription: “James Patterson died March 11, 1823**, age 96.”

James married Flora Dale 7 June 1756 in the Middle Octoraro meeting-house. The ceremony was performed by Covenanter itinerant minister Rev. John Cuthbertson. (Records of Rev. John Cuthbertson) Two Flora Pattersons are buried in the Laurel Hill Associate Reformed cemetery, but neither are of the age to be James’ wife. (See full list of burials in Chapter VII records.)

James and Flora (Dale) Patterson had the following children (listed below in the order James named them in his Will (Fayette Co. Transcription Will Book 1, p. 734; filed 17 Mar 1813 & probated 28 Mar 1823**):

1. Robert –Cuthbertson baptized two Roberts, sons of a James, in Middle Octoraro: one 12 Oct 1767 and one 21 May 1769. Also, a Robert is buried in Laurel Hill Associate Reformed Cemetery, “died March 25th, 1815” (no age)—though this Robert was married to a Mary also buried at Laurel Hill, and this Mary “died January 9th, 1811, age 58,” so she would have been born about 1753 and would have been much older than Robert if he were baptized either 1767 or 1769. Though Robert was listed first in the will, I don’t think he could have been the oldest son. Since James and Flora Dale were married 1756, and since their son John was baptized one year later, I think John was the oldest son.

2. John – prob. the John, son of James, baptized 5 June 1757 in Middle Octoraro by Rev. Cuthbertson; prob. the John buried at Laurel Hill who died “April 9th, 1843, age 87.” Another John, son of James, was baptized by Cuthbertson 20 Mar 1763 in Middle Octoraro.

3. Sarah – perhaps the Sarah, dau. of James, baptized 29 Apr 1759 in Middle Octoraro by Rev. Cuthbertson. Sarah perhaps d. bef. 1813, as in her father’s 1813 will he refers to her “heirs.”

*Mr. O’Neal wrote: “It [Laurel Hill cemetery in Franklin Twp., Fayette Co.] is also known as the ‘Junk’ Cemetery. Have been told there are three Laurel Hill cemeteries in the area. To find it take West Crawford Ave. out of Connellsville, PA toward Leisenring; to 6 & 1/2 miles. The road you are on bears left at a Y. Go straight toward Rt. 51. Go 1 & 3/10 miles; turn right on Elm Grove Rd. just past Laurel Hill Church. Go 3/10 mile; cemetery is on right as you start up a hill. I went to top of hill to start and found a large stone monument with a bronze plaque with this wording: ‘Near this site stood the Laurel Hill Associate Reformed Church Congregation organized 1791. It became the Laurel Hill United Presbyterian Church in 1858.’ (The present Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church and cemetery is on the main road 3/10 of a mile away.) The cemetery has 10-12 illegible and or broken stones, also several sunken places that are probably graves but no markers.”

**In Patterson & Pattison Family Vol. 2, p. 71, is an abstract of the “Will of James Patterson who married ‘Flora’ Dale.” This will is said to have been “dated March 17, 1813; probated May 18, 1822.” The submitter of this material goes on to write that “James died March 11, 1823 ae 96.” Obviously the will could not have been probated prior to James’ death, and since the death date here coincides with the death date on Ken O’Neal’s headstone transcription, I am assuming that there was a ‘typo’ in the Patterson & Pattison material, and that it should have read: “probated May 18, 1823.”

4. Florence – prob. the Florence, dau. of James, baptized 7 Mar 1764 in Middle Octoraro by Rev. Cuthbertson.

5. Margaret – prob. either the Margaret, dau. of James, baptized 28 June 1761 in Middle Octoraro OR the Margaret, dau. of James, baptized 18 Feb 1766 in Middle Octoraro. Margaret m. _____ Brown (James’ will)

6. Hannah – prob. the Hannah, dau. of James, baptized 1 Apr 1772 in Middle Octoraro

7. Jane – prob. the “Jean,” dau. of James, baptized 20 Feb 1770 in Middle Octoraro. Jane M. ____ Stewart (James’ will) I believe Jane married Samuel Stewart abt. 1796 (he b. 5 Mar 1767; he bapt. 5 Apr 1767 by Rev. Cuthbertson; he d. 1854 in Allegheny Co. (Stewart genealogy: History of the Stewart Family by Bucher Ayres. Philadelphia: 1876; transcription on-line at http://maley.net/transcription/Stewart/Stewart1-5.htm) According to this Stewart genealogy, they had “8 sons and 4 daughters”—and one daughter, significantly, was named Flora.

The complete entry for the baptism of Jean above is: 1770 Feb. 20 – “rode 7 miles to James Paterson’s [from Cuthbertson’s home in Middle Octoraro] preached psalm 61:1-L and catechized 50 and baptized Jean, daughter to James Paterson, Jr.”

8. William – prob. the William, son of James, baptized 13 Sept 1767 in Middle Octoraro; prob. the William buried at Laurel Hill who “died November 11th, 1831, age 65.”

9. James – NOT NAMED IN WILL. I believe it reasonable to assume that James had a son named after himself. Rev. Cuthbertson baptized James, son of James on 2 July 1777 in Middle Octoraro; Rev. Cuthbertson also possibly baptized a James, son of James on 13 Sept 1767 in Middle Octoraro. (This second record is confusingly worded.)

James enlisted in 1776 in Capt. Cowden’s company, with his brothers Peter and William. (See Chapter 1.) Capt. Cowden’s company was raised in Paxtang and the men who joined were Paxtang and Hanover men, which is why we are certain that the James Patterson listed on Capt. Cowden’s muster roll is the James who was brother of Peter and William. However, I found that others have claimed this James Patterson in Capt. Cowden’s company to be a James Patterson who was b. in 1731 and who d. 1789. In the “Roll of Ancestors” of the Pennsylvania Society of Sons of the Revolution, in the “Dicennial Register 1888-1898” is listed the alleged Revolutionary ancestor of William Casper Stoever, James Patterson Ziegler and Walter Macon Lowrie Ziegler. They claimed their S.A.R. membership from a James Patterson (1731-1789) who was a “member of the Committee of Observance of Lancaster Co., PA 1775” and who was also a “private, Capt. James Cowden’s Co.” They also claim their James was a “First Lt., Sixth Co., Second Battalion, Col. James Watson, Lancaster Co. PA Militia.” I have to wonder if these S.A.R. members knew they had an ancestor named James Patterson and then, when they found a James on a muster roll, they claimed him for their own. Neither the birth date nor the death date of their James matches those we know to be correct for “our” James, Peter’s brother, whom we know was in Capt. Cowden’s Co. Future researchers may want to try to find a James Patterson who was b. in 1731 and/or a Patterson who d. in 1789, in order to identify the James who was “mixed up” with “our” James.

Since Franklin Ellis, in History of Fayette County, Pennnsylvania, wrote that the four Patterson brothers (Peter, William, James & Robert) went west together with their families, and since we believe Peter left Dauphin (then Lancaster) Co. in 1778 or 1779 (see Peter’s chapter, Chapter I), we therefore believe that James moved to Westmoreland County abt. 1778-79, to the area which in 1783 became Franklin Co., Fayette County.

James Patterson was one of the original landholders in Franklin Twp., Fayette Co. (Ellis, p. 554) James is listed in Franklin Twp. on the 1773 Westmoreland Co. tax list. Fayette Co. was formed from part of Westmoreland Co. in 1773; perhaps this tax list was prepared just prior to the creation of Fayette Co. Other Pattersons in Franklin Co., per this list, are John (single), Thomas & William. (PA Archives, Series 3, Vol. XXII, pp. 377-426). There were eight white inhabitants in James’ household in 1773. If James had nine children (see above) and if James’ wife, Flora, was still living in 1773, then we might expect to see 11 inhabitants. However, the three oldest children could have left the household by 1773. James is also listed in Franklin Twp., Fayette Co. in 1785. Other Pattersons in Franklin Co. in 1785 were Thomas and John. (PA Archives, Series 3, Vol. XXII, pp. 546-586)

In December, 1789, and in August, 1792, James was a ‘viewer’ of a new road in Jefferson Twp. (part of Washington Twp. bef. 1840) in Fayette Co. “At the March term of court in 1788 a road was petitioned for from Peter Patterson’s to Samuel Jackson’s mill, and at the September session the report of the viewers was confirmed. The names of the viewers were James Crawford, William Campbell, Josiah Crawford, Amos Hough, Thomas Gregg, and William Sparks. At the December sessions in 1789, John Cooper, Richard McGuire, James Patterson, James Finley, and Samuel Jackson were appointed to vied a road from Brownsville by Samuel Jackson’s mill to Moncraft’s Ferrry on the Youghiogheny River….August 15, 1792 an order was issued to James Patterson, William Patterson, John Robison, Peter Miller, Andrew Arnold and Samule Freeman to view a road from Andrew Arnold’s to Samuel Jackson’s new mill.” (Ellis, p. 620)

James was a member of the Associate Reformed Congregation of Laurel Hill, which was organized 1792, and was a ruling elder sometime in the period between 1798-1823, when he died. Ellis, in History of Fayette County, p. 560, gives this account of the formation of this church: “About the year 1790, during the pastorate of Rev. James Dunlap, the elders of the Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church introduced Watts’ ‘Hymns’ into the form of worship, despite the opposition of many of the members. The result was seen in the withdrawal of the disaffected ones… They desired, they said, to remain faithful to the forms their fathers had observed. They were popularly known as ‘Seceders’…In 1792 they formed the Associated [sic] Reformed Congregation of Laurel Hill… [By 1806] the ruling elders were…William Patterson [perhaps James’ son]…In 1798 Rev. David Proudfoot was called to be the pastor…He labored at Laurel Hill..from 1798 to the spring of 1824…During his pastorate at Laurel Hill the ruling elders ordained were: James Patterson, Peter Patterson,

John Patterson, Esq., W.C. Patterson, William Patterson, Jeremiah Patterson, John Patterson…”*

James’ household is enumerated on the 1790, 1800 and 1810 Franklin Twp., Fayette Co. censuses. (See Chapter VII for census transcriptions.) In 1790 James’ household contained 3 males >16 and 5 females. In 1800 James’ household contained 1 male >45 (himself), 1 male 0-10 [who could this be?], 1 female 16-26, and 1 female >45 (presumably his wife, Flora). In 1810 James’ household contained just 1 male >45 [himself] and 1 female >45 [presumably his wife, Flora].

Though James did not die until 1823, his household is not listed on the Franklin Twp. census in 1820. I believe he was probably living in the household of his son Robert in Franklin Twp. Robert’s household shows 2 males >45. Since Robert’s household does not show any females >45, it might be that Flora (Dale) Patterson, James’ wife, died between 1810 and 1820. If so, she is undoubtedly buried at Laurel Hill, though her burial is not listed on the transcription referred to above. Perhaps her headstone is one of the ones that are no longer legible.

James died 11 Mar 1823 at age 96, and is buried at the old Laurel Hill Associate Reformed Congregation Cemetery.

*As to the identifies of these other Patterson edlers: (1) John Patterson, Esq., was son of Thomas Sr. of Washington Twp., Fayette Co. Some think that Thomas Sr. was another brother of Peter Patterson, the subject of this paper. As was mentioned in Chapter I, there does seem to be a close association between the families of Peter and Thomas Sr., but I have as yet not found any proof that they were brothers; (2) W.C. Patterson—unidentified; (3) Jeremiah Patterson was perhaps the Jeremiah who was son of William Jr., who was son of William, Peter’s brother. I have no birth date for this Jeremiah, but think he was born perhaps 1790, which makes him a little young to be an ordained elder, but it’s possible. If this Jeremiah is not the son of William Jr., then I do not know who he was; (4) John Patterson is undoubtedly James’ son John who is also buried at Laurel Hill.