Further LC records regarding Robert (A) Patterson show the importance of pinpointing the land that these individuals resided upon, such as LC. There were two land patents in Augusta Co., VA involving a Robert Patterson. The first was in 1756 while the second was in 1764. This writer has seen information on the Internet attributing both patents to Robert (B1) Patterson and even other Roberts. At one time, this writer thought that perhaps both of these patents really belonged to Robert (A). However, there seems to be enough evidence to warrant a third possibility, one that is more believable.

This writer believes that the 1756 patent belonged to Robert (B1) Patterson, son of William and Janet Erwin Patterson. It appears that he left the 193.5 acres to his son-in-law Alexander Stuart in 1767. That patent is as follows:

This patent belonged to Robert (B1) Patterson. The Massanutten Mountain runs from the southwest to the northeast. There are two forks (or “rivers”) of the Shenandoah River. The north Fork (which Linville Creek flows into) runs on the north side of the Massanutten Mountain (MM). The South Fork (described as “South River” in the 1756 patent) flows along the southern side of the MM. Both forks flow northeasterly and join beyond the northeastern end of the mountain. This Robert (B1) Patterson’s patent was on the south fork of the River. In other words, he lived on the other side of the mountain from all of the Harrisons, Cravens, Adams, Blacks, and Robert Patterson of LC.

Linville Creek flows to the northeast also, into the North Fork of the Shenandoah River. There are many head branches of LC, such as Patterson Creek, Black’s Run, Gum Run, Skidmore Fork, etc. All of these head branches are to the southwest of LC, which means this area where the LC families in question lived, is even further west from the South Fork of the Shenandoah River families. There is absolutely NO way at all that the 1756 patent could be anywhere close to the 1764 patent. Today they are in separate counties, and still separated by a large mountain, an Interstate highway, the city of Harrisonburg, and many miles. This is an important distinction to make since the 1764 land patent description states that it was “…joining the land the said Patterson lives on.”

In April 1763, Alexander Stewart (Stuart) sued his father-in-law Robert (B1) Patterson because he (Alexander) and his wife Mary, daughter of Robert Patterson, did not get as much of the estate as the other children of Robert. In 1767, which was seven years before Robert died, he left this land patent (the 1756 patent) to his son-in-law Alexander Stuart.

The second land patent for a Robert Patterson took place in 1764, which involved 265 acres (not mentioned in Robert (B1) Patterson’s Will or any other Deeds for Robert (B1)):

What is now called Patterson Creek is southwest of LC. This writer believes this creek is on the land that Robert Patterson received in this Land Patent. Jeremiah Harrison’s patent was near the south side of LC. Jeremiah Harrison was a son-in-law of Margaret Adams by virtue of his marriage to Elizabeth Patterson (evidence will be shown later to prove this), and therefore a brother-in-law of Robert Patterson of LC. Other families who lived on the south side of LC were the Adams, Cravens, Harrisons, Stewarts (Samuel and Lydia), etc. I would suggest that the phrase in the second patent “joining the land the said Patterson lives on” has NOTHING to do with the first patent, but simply refers to the fact that he already lived on land next to it – land that he had been “given” by his mother Margaret Adams (land which he would later disclaim any rights to, in 1770).

Figure 1 - The Town of Harrisonburg, VA with Linville Creek & its Head Branches to the West

This map shows the town of Harrisonburg (bottom right); in that same corner is a creek called Black’s Run; going north from there you can see Linville Creek; then to the west almost all the way to the left of the map is Patterson Creek. All of these creeks are “head branches” that eventually flow north into Linville Creek and/or the North Fork of the Shenandoah River.
 
 
 
 
 

Figure 2 - More Head Branches of LC to the West of LC, including Patterson Creek, Black Run, & Gum Run

This map is on the same vertical plane as the previous map, it’s just presenting the landscape more to the west of the previous map. Patterson Creek is now in the middle, but more to the right; notice to the west is Black Run, and even further west is Gum Run. The modern day border with West Virginia is only a few miles to the west of this layout. Was Gum Run named after Jacob Gum, one of the testators of Margaret Adams’ 1744 Will?