Wes Patterson
All Rights Reserved
Robert Patterson was born ca. 1705– 1710. He appears to have been in the Linville Creek area of Virginia by the early 1740’s, perhaps even by the late 1730's. At the time it was governed by Orange Co. By the mid 1740’s Augusta Co. became the governing county over the LC area and still was in the 1760’s when Robert and his family moved to CFBC in what is now York Co., SC.
On July 21, 1775 Robert Patterson wrote his Will in what he called “Craven Co., SC”. That was the name of the county for that area when it was previously SC in the 1750’s. The probate that took place on this Will was 11-03-1775, so it’s a safe assumption that Robert died between July and November that year. The final probate did not take place until February of 1791. The reason for this is that Robert’s widow, Sarah Patterson did not die until mid to late 1790. After her death and the final distribution of Robert’s estate had taken place, the final probate of his Will was entered into the court record on 2-4-1791.
Many researchers, including this writer, made the mistake for years in thinking that Robert died in 1790 or ’91. It wasn’t until 2001 that researchers began to uncover the truth. Harald Reksten’s trip to the SC Archives in July 2002 revealed many more “hidden facts” about this Will and this entire family, such as the identity of the “Joseph” in the body of the Will. Reksten correctly revealed his identity as Joseph Black instead of Joseph Patterson. There were many faint signatures in various locations of the Will and its jacket, stemming from the multiple probations of the Will. These signatures helped reveal the clear identity of Joseph Black, John Black, and Daniel Ponder, all three having being sons-in-law of Robert and Sarah Patterson.
The following transcription of Robert’s Will is courtesy of Reksten16:
In the name of God Amen the Twenty First day of July 1775
I Robert Patterson of Craven County farmer being very sick and weake in body but of perfect mind and memory thanks be unto God, therefore calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do maeke and ordain this my last will and testament, that is to say Principally and first of all I give and recommend my Soul into the hands of almighty God that gave it and my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in decent Christian burial at the discretion of my Executors nothing doubting but at the General Resurrection I shal receive the same again by the mighty power of God: and as touching such worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life I give demise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form
And first of all I constituet make and ordain my beloved wife Sarah and my beloved sons Robert and Peter to be my whole and sole Executors of this my last Will and testament all and singular my lands messuages and tenements whith all household goods dets and moveable affects by them to be executed according to law and for them said Executors to take care and see that all and every one of my beloved family shall have there full share as I shall appointImprimise I give and bequeath to Sarah my dearly beloved wife her full thirds of all my moveable affects and the homestead place till my son William comes of age and half afterwards while she lives and her hors and saddle.
Item I give and bequeath unto my son Thomas fifty pounds lawfull mony of South Carolina to be leveed out of my estate and all my cloathes except my fir hat and one gray three year old mare and colt to his son John.
I likewise give and bequeath unto my daughter Sarah one cow and calf, and what is between Joseph and me.I likewise give unto my son William the homestead place after his mother's decease all only from where the line crosses the road that goes to Peter's old place and straight & cors to the old saw pit below the muddy branch and straight on to the outside line and from that said line down to Peter.
I likewise give and bequeath unto my sons Peter and Robert each of them an equal part of my land and clams in the province of Virginia.
I likewis give and bequeath unto my children all and every one of them is now single with my daughter's Elisebeth and Lydia each of them an equal part of the remainder of my movable affects by all and every one of them freely to be possesed and enjoyed: and I do hereby utterly disallow revoke and disannul all and every other formal testaments wills legacies and bequeaths and Executors by me in any wise before named willed and bequeathed ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year above written
Signed sealed published pronounced and declared by the said Robert Patterson as his last will and testament
in the presence of us the Subscribers
Nathaniel Harrison, James DickieRobrt (R) Patterson
Figure 15 - The signatures of the testators Nathaniel Harrisn (Harrison) &
James Dickie, and the "R" mark of Robert Patterson on Robert’s
1775 Will
August 21, 2003 Update:
The "land and claims in the province of Virginia" no doubt refers to the 265 acres that Robert Patterson "officially" received as a land patent from the state of Virginia on June 27, 1764. In reality, he had lived there, or at least next to that land, since the early to mid 1740's, but waited until 1764 to file for the patent. Perhaps he was preparing to move to the Carolinas in 1764 and therefore wanted to establish legal ownership of his land first.
What happened to this land? In April 1787, Rockingham Co Va records show that Robert Patterson (Jr.) and Peter Patterson sold this land to John Ewing, which was probated on June 25, 1787 in Deed Book 000, page 362, Rockingham Co Va. The original deed of sale has been lost due to the fires (2) that have destroyed so many of the original documents of Rockingham Co. Nonetheless, the court minute books (Book 1) preserved the fact that the sale occured, and that it was sworn to by oaths of Hy. (Henry) Ewing and John Ewing Jr.
This very fact is the final confirmation that the Robert "R" Patterson of York Co SC was the same Robert Patterson of Linville Creek Va.
