Patterson Ancestors

An American Adventure

Augusta County, Virginia - When John Patterson died in 1749, he left an infant son also named John Patterson, who went on to raise a strong family of five children. Son George Patterson remained in Augusta County, while other family members left the area. George, as well as daughter Sarah Patterson, married into the Sillin family. Son Adam Patterson became a pioneer in Licking County, Ohio in 1810.

Licking County, Ohio - Adam Patterson, 1774-1855, was a Licking County pioneer in 1810, establishing his home in Homer, Burlington Township. It has been said that "he was obliged to cut his way through the timber from Utica, a distance of five or six miles." Adam Patterson raised a family of twelve children by three wives: Sophia Jones of Augusta County, Virginia; Rebeckah Moore, who relocated with Adam to Licking County; and Ann Crow, from another Licking County pioneer family.

About 1815 Abraham Morey, 1773-1833, relocated his family from Rutland, Vermont, settling in Homer, near the Patterson family. Abraham and his wife Abigail Stratton are buried in the Homer Cemetery along side the Patterson family. The 1840 census enumeration illustrates the close proximity of the Virginia families (Patterson, Sillin, Moore, Butcher, Dixon) and the Vermont families (Morey, Briggs, Wright, Wheeler) in Homer. Some children of these two families would intermarry; others would move on to Iowa at mid-century.

The children from Adam's marriage to Ann Crow remained in the Licking County area, including Jordan Patterson, Matilda and husband V. R. Moore, Cordelia and husband Augustine Householder, as well as Maria and husband John C. Dixon. All are buried in Homer Cemetery, Burlington Township, Licking County, Ohio. The children from Adam's marriages to Sophia Jones and Rebecca Moore, however, left Licking County for lands further west.

Auglaize County, Ohio - Daughter Rebecca married William P. Morey, 1814-1852, and moved to Auglaize County, Ohio in the 1840s. William died accidentally in 1852, leaving Rebecca a widow with eight children. Rebecca died in 1893, surviving William by forty years. Daughter Hannah married John P. Sillin. This couple moved to Auglaize County at the same time as William and Rebecca.

Johnson and Washington Counties, Iowa - Before 1850 siblings Elizabeth Patterson, 1797-1863, Lydia Patterson, 1798-1854, and Ephraim Patterson, 1807-1873 (Adam's three oldest children) were in Johnson and Washington counties in Iowa, residing just a few miles from one another across the county line. Ephraim Patterson and wife Eve Fry settled their family of six (Clarissa, Adam, Jacob, Jane, Smiley, and Bruce) in Johnson County, Iowa. Elizabeth Patterson and Lydia Patterson and her husband Philip B. Moore settled in Washington County. Elizabeth was accompanied by her son Cyrus Patterson, while the Moore's brought their family of five children (John or Jacob, Calvin, David, Elisha, and Sophia and her husband William Billingsley) to Iowa. The Iowa families continued a strong relationship with their Auglaize County kin, based on census records showing Auglaize cousins residing in the Iowa households at various times.

Gage County, Nebraska - Ephraim's son John Patterson and his wife Rebecca Middleton settled in Gage County, Nebraska, where he farmed and served as a preacher for the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Butte County, California - Ephraim's sons Jacob and Smiley Patterson became miners in Butte County, California.

©2004 Sue Phillips - Material on this site may be quoted or reproduced by those engaged in non-commercial genealogical research without prior permission, provided appropriate credit is given to the compiler. Any commercial use of this material without prior permission of the compiler is prohibited.

Updated: Sunday, March 5, 2006