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Genealogy: Finding Your Folks

The Patton family of Bethany, Part 1

By Judy Fowler Kilgore

After trying to do some quick research on the early Pattons of Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia, I confess I am more confused than ever. Some sources say the Fayette Pattons are descended from one John Patton and his wife, Jennet, of Craig’s Creek, Augusta Co., Va., and others say they are descended from one Jacob Patton of the same area. I do not know which is correct and don’t have the time to really dig into it, so I’ll leave it to the members of the Patton family to sort it out.

However, one thing is clear. The Pattons of Fayette do appear to descend from one Matthew Patton who moved from Augusta Co., Va. into Johnston Co., N.C., and later into the Wilkes and Oglethorpe areas of Georgia. Matthew died in 1806 and his will was probated in Wilkes County. Christopher Orr was the administrator. Whether Matthew’s father was John or Jacob I do not know.

In his book on the Boyd, Tidwell, Milam, Patton and DeGraffenreid families, George Hugh Boyd states that among the earliest settlers of Wilkes County were six men with the surname of Patton: Jacob, Matthew, James, Thomas, William and John. Mr. Boyd also makes the assumption that they were all probably related and I would be inclined to agree, since court records show many of them interrelated while they were in Wilkes County. Many of the early records of Wilkes County are online (transcribed from the original records) on the Wilkes County GenWeb site.

This family is quite complicated and complex and it will probably take several parts to sort them out and show their migration paths and their relationships to many of the Bethany families.

Matthew Patton is said to have been married twice. His first wife’s name is unknown and the second is said to have been an Elizabeth Moore, daughter of Charles Moore.

Another source says she was actually Mrs. Elizabeth Barber, the widow of a George Barber, and she and Matthew were married in 1751 in Craig’s Creek, Augusta Co., Va. This source is a book online, “Capt. George Barber of Georgia,” by David W. Morgan, published in 1975 and placed online in 1998. The book states that Matthew and Elizabeth Patton lived next to the Watkins family in Johnston County, N.C., and also lived next to Capt. George Barber and Reese Watkins in Wilkes Co., Ga. Capt. George Barber was said to be the stepson of Matthew Patton and married Margaret Watkins.

We know only of four children of Matthew: Thomas, b. 1753, d. before 1820, m. Catherine Unknown; Samuel, b. 1755, d. 1817, m. Mary Powell; Solomon, b. 1757, d. 1811 in Wilkes County; and Rebecca, b. 1761, m. William Winfrey 14 May 1785 in Wake Co., N.C. If this Matthew and Elizabeth were married in 1751 in Virginia, and these children were all born after that date, then we assume that Elizabeth (Moore?) Barber was their mother.

Solomon Patton, b. 1757, son of Matthew, married (1) Nancy Unknown, and (2) Lydia Orr, the second marriage recorded 11 Feb 1806 in Wilkes County. Solomon died in 1811 and left no will, but his estate was also administered by a Christopher Orr. Mr. Boyd’s book indicates this Christopher Orr may have been the father of Solomon’s second wife, Lydia, and also the same Christopher Orr who administered the will of Solomon’s father, Matthew.

In 1814, according to Wilkes Co. records, Lydia Patton was appointed guardian of Solomon, Willifred, Sabry and Polly Patton. Other guardians were appointed for other children of Solomon. David Patton chose Drury Stovall, with Peter Stovall as security, and Benjamin Patton chose James Henderson.

Solomon Patton’s known children included: George, b. 1786, m. Mary Unknown; Jacob, b. 1791, d. 1843 in Oglethorpe Co.; James, b. 1793 in Wilkes Co., d. 1838 in Pike Co.; Benjamin, b. 1798, m. Anna Goolsby in 1819 in Oglethorpe Co.; David, b. 1801, m. Nancy Bridges; Matthew, m. Polly Bennett in 1818; Mary (Polly), d. 1826, m. Bracken Owen; Solomon C., m. Lilly P. Thornton in 1831 in Oglethorpe Co.; Saberry (Sabry), m. Randall Goolsby in 1838 in Wilkes Co.; Willifred, b. 1810-1820 (1840 Wilkes census), m. Sarah Barber in 1835 in Oglethorpe Co. (There’s that Barber family again.)

In addition, Wilkes Co. records show a Samuel Patton listed as the orphan of a Solomon Patton in 1814.

Of the children of Solomon, Jacob and James are the ones who have descendants at Bethany.

Jacob married (1) Rebecca Stovall in 1822 and (2) Elizabeth Cox in 1834, both marriages recorded in Oglethorpe County.

James married Elizabeth Ann Hunt in 1821 in Jasper County and moved to Pike County where he died in 1838. Elizabeth was the daughter of Judkins Hunt and Unity Hancock.

The two brothers’ families joined together with the marriage of first cousins, Solomon, son of Jacob, and Rebecca Albina J., daughter of James, who were married in 1852.

I will continue next week with the full list of children of both James and Jacob and their descendants who made their way to Fayette County.

Although early records from the 1700s are hard to find and conflict in many cases, this family has been fascinating to unravel and I look forward to continuing the Patton story next week. I would also love to hear from some Patton descendants.

I welcome all letters and e-mails about genealogy and info on south metro Atlanta families. Send them to The Citizen, P.O. Drawer 1719, Fayetteville, GA 30214; e-mail jkilgore@thecitizennews.com or jodiek444@aol.com. Any letters and/or e-mails I receive are subject to being used in the column.

Until next week, happy hunting!