48b

JAMES PATTERSON, LITTLE BRITAIN
            Written 20 Dec 1791; Probated 30 Dec 1791

Children: Hannah, William, John, Samuel, Isabella, Mary, Thomas, Jean, James

Grandchildren: James & Martha (children of Samuel); Nathan & Elizabeth (children of Thomas)

Exec.: John McCullough & John Eckman

Below per Lancaster Co. Orphans Court records as abstracted by Egle in “Notes and Queries,”

Vol. 4, XXI, p. 61:

SAMUEL PATTERSON of Rapho. Per Orphans Court records Samuel d. bef 1789 and his  children were: Arthur, Martha, James, William, Samuel, Margaret, Rebecca (m. Rev. Matthew Henderson) and Ann. William & Samuel both “got farms in Westmoreland County.”

ARTHUR PATTERSON of Rapho.  Per Orphans Court records he d. bef 1822 leaving children: Jane, William, Sally, Maria, Margaret, Eliza-Lueinda [sic], and Jos.-Morrison [sic]. Reference to brother-in-law James Patterson.

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Return of the 4th Battalion, Lancaster Co. Militia – March 13, 1776

Colonel James Burd’s Battalion

Captain James Cowden’s Company

            Listed among the privates are:            Patterson, James

                                                                     Patterson, Peter

                                                                     Patterson, William

(Source: “A True Return of Captain James Cowden’s Company,” PA Archives, Series 5, Vol. VII, p. 337)

            This is one of the very few extant complete muster rolls from the early Revolutionary period. That this company was mustered in Paxtang there is no doubt. We have laboriously examined the nearly 120 names included in this muster roll and have found over half of the names on Paxtang tax records. It seems a safe assumption that the three Pattersons on this roll are three of the “four Patterson brothers.” We have not at this time found any Peter Patterson living in Paxtang other than “our” Peter, so we are assuming that the Peter on this muster roll is “our” Peter.

The captain, James Cowden, was himself a “Paxtang” man. In a bio from Commemorative Biographical Records of Washington County, Pennsylvania (found on-line at http://maley.net/transcription) we read: “He [Cowden] was one of the leading spirits in the meeting at Middletown [Paxtang Twp.], June 9, 1774, of which Col. James Burd was chairman, and whose action, in conjunction with those of Hanover [township], nerved the people of Lancaster in their patriotic resolves.  Suiting the action to the word, Mr. Cowden and the young men of his neighborhood took measures toward raising a battalion of associators, of which Col. James Burd was in command, and a company of which was intrusted [sic] to Captain Cowden. His company, although not belonging to the Pennsylvania Line, was, nevertheless, in several campaigns, and did faithful service at Fort Washington, in the Jerseys, at Brandywine [11 Sept 1777], and Germantown [4 Oct 1777], and in the war on the northern and western frontiers, defending them from the attack of the savage Indian and treacherous Tory.” Egle, in his Notes and Queries (Vol. 1, XXXVII, p. 259) writes: “During the compaign of the year 1776, they [Cowden’s Co.] were in active service—quite a number were captured at Fort Washington, and several lost their lives. Many of the younger portion subsequently enlisted in the Pennsylvania Line, remaining in the patriot army until its close.”

   

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            It is possible that it was “our” Peter Patterson who was captured and imprisoned on the prison ship “Jersey”. In a list of prisoners compiled in 1888 from papers of the British War Department by the Society of Old Brooklynites, we find the following seven Patterson names:

                        Edward Patterson                    Peter Patterson

                        Hance Patterson                      W. Patterson

                        John Patterson                         William Patterson

                        John Patterson

One DAR lineage claims that William Patterson, Peter’s brother, was indeed on this infamous prison ship. In DAR Lineage Book Vol. 73, p.44, #72120 Mrs. Mary E. Patterson Elliott, b. in Fayette Co. PA, gr-grandaughter of William Patterson and Mary McCormick [sic], writes that “William Patterson enlisted, 1776, in Capt. Cowden’s company…He was afterwards on the prison ship “Jersey.”

            So it is possible that Peter was imprisoned on the “Jersey” with his brother, William (if indeed the imprisoned William was correctly identified by Mary Elliott, above, as the William who settled in Fayette Co., PA and was therefore “our” Peter’s brother.)*  However, the British brought the “Jersey” to shore in April of 1778.  If the Peter Patterson on the “Jersey” was “our” Peter, then he would have had a short stay aboard this prison ship.  See below, where “our” Peter is back in Paxtang three months later, on 21 July 1778 where he appeared in person in Paxtang before a military appeals board.

*Regarding the veracity of Mary Elliott’s claim that her ancestor, William (one of the “four Patterson brothers” to whom Ellis alludes in History of Fayette County) was actually on board the Jersey, we think this is only barely possible.  See below, where at a 1777 military appeal one William Patterson in Paxtang, whom logic begs us to identify as Peter’s brother, appeared in person to appeal a military tour of duty on the basis of being over age, i.e. older than 53 years old.  Would a man not required to fight because of age, a man the military board thought only perhaps capable of “garrison duty” (see below) find himself in a combat situation in which he was captured? If so, William would have had to be captured and released by about 1779, the latest date by which we calculate William and his brothers removed to Westmoreland/Fayette counties. (See below.)  However, we give some credence to the statement of Mary Elliott that her ancestor William Patterson was aboard the “Jersey” because she was his great-granddaughter and was still living in Fayette County at the time she applied for DAR membership.  She would likely have had access to records of her family and would have perhaps heard about William’s experience from close family members, since a large number of William’s descendants remained in Fayette Co. for many years.

Some interesting facts about the “Jersey”: The Society of Old Brooklynites list contains the names of over 8,000 men imprisoned on this ship, which was docked in Wallabout Bay where the Brooklyn Naval Yards now stand. The British had several of these prison ships, but the “Jersey” was the largest. Men were packed together in filth, were fed putrid food, and were given little fresh water.  Every morning of the five years the “Jersey” served as a prison ship, there were dead to be thrown overboard. Escapes were rare. As a means of trying to imagine how terrible the conditions on these prison ships were, consider this fact: it is estimated that over 4,000 patriots died in battle—yet over 12,000  while imprisoned by the British. Here is a poem written in 1781 by one of the prisoners who survived, Philip Freneau:

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                                              “The British Prison Ship” 

                        The various horrors of these hulks to tell,

                        These prison ships where pain and horror dwell,

                        Where death in tenfold vengeance holds his reign

                        And injur’d ghosts, yet  unavenged, complain;

                        This be my talk—ungenerous Britons, you

                        Conspire to murder those you can’t subdue.

(Poem found on-line at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~anneryan/Jersey.html)

    

            On December 11, 1777, “in pursuance of an act of General Assembly of the State of Pennsylvania, an appeal was held as directed by said law” at Garber’s Mill, Paxtang Twp., Lancaster Co., PA. Peter Patterson appeared to appeal  a tour of military duty. The appeal, as presented in Egle’s Notes and Queries, (Third Series, Vol. I, IX, p. 42) reads as follows: “Personally app’d Peter Patterson and complains he’s unfit to do his own business, but has to hire a man 7/6 p. day to fatten his Cattle and has 2 sons already in the service at Camp in the seventh class. He’s exempted this Tour.”

Apparently a man was required to serve if he were able-bodied and under the age of 53. (This was deduced by reading, in the PA Archives, Series 3, Vol. I, IX, p. 42: “Wm. Bell appears and makes appear by deposition of his father that he is above the age of 53 years. Is therefore discharged.”)  Since Peter does not base his appeal on age, but rather on hardship, we therefore logically deduce that he was under 53 years of age, i.e. Peter was born after 1724.

            Also appearing on December 11, 1777 was a William Patterson: “Personally appear’d Wm. Patterson, and complains of Inability of Body and says he is overage, tho’ he cannot prove it. Thought capable of performing garrison duty.” Who was this William? We believe him to be “our” Peter’s brother, one of the “four Patterson brothers.”

We have these thoughts: (1) If this is Peter’s brother William (and we believe he was), then he would have had to have been born before 1724, in order to have been more than 53 years old, or  (2) he was lying about his age to try to get out of a tour of duty; or (3) this is not Peter’s brother—in which case we have not a clue to this William’s identity! There was an old William Patterson living in Paxtang very early on (see the “Wills” section above), but this William Patterson of Paxtang died in 1745 and therefore cannot be the William who appeared at this 1777 appeal.

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On p. 228 of Egle’s Notes and Queries, First & Second Series, Vol. 1, XXXII, Peter Patterson is found on a  “list of Person’s Names who took the Oath of Allegiance before Joshua Elder, one of the justices for Lancaster County, from the 28th of January, 1778 to the 7th of January, 1779.”  Peter’s name is found in the section of the list said by Elder to have been “sworn and subscribed since the first day of June, 1778.”

            The list is not alphabetized, so a listing of the names surrounding Peter’s may be those of his neighbors or friends. The 4th name after Peter’s is “Elijah Stuart.”  It should be noted that Elijah “Stewart” was also a private in Capt. Cowden’s Co., along with Peter, William and James Patterson.  Elijah Stewart was from Paxtang, and had a sister, Mary, who married Robert Patterson, whom we believe to be “our” Peter’s brother. (See Robert’s chapter.) 

            On July 21, 1778 Peter Patterson again appeared at Garber’s Mill, Paxtang Twp., Lancaster Co., PA, to appeal a tour of military duty. (Egle’s Notes and Queries, Third Series, Vol. 1, XI, p. 62) “Personally appeared Peter Patterson and says he is ab’t to remove to Westmoreland immediately, and his sons are there already. Is excus’d in case he removes in less than two months; if not is liable to his Tour or Substitution.”

            The purpose of this hearing was described as “an appeal held by the subscribers for all persons belonging to the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Classes of the 4th Batt’n of Lancaster County Militia who may think themselves agriev’d by marching to Northumberland County for the protection of the Frontiers.”

            We know from Ellis’ History of Fayette County that Peter, his brothers and their families came to Westmoreland (later Fayette) County “prior to the close of the Revolution.” Could Peter have gone “west” as early as 1778?  If so, then it was probably not he who was imprisoned on the prison ship “Jersey” (see above), for the “Jersey” was not put into use as a prison ship until April, 1778. Peter would have to have been captured, imprisoned after April 1778 but back in Paxtang by July 1778, then out of Lancaster Co. and on his way to Westmoreland by September, 1778 (or he would have had to serve a tour with the Lancaster Militia).

            One remote possibility is that Peter was exempted from his tour in July, 1778, but did NOT remove to Westmoreland County as planned, and so he was then drafted for duty, and was then captured and imprisoned. There was a Peter Patterson still serving in the War from Lancaster County in 1782, as seen on the following record:

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            Peter Paterson [sic] is listed in the “seventh class” on the “Class Roll of Capt. McCoy’s Co., made out by Liet. Beaty [sic], the Capt. being Dead for the Years 1781 and 1782.” (PA Archives, Series 3, Vol. XXIII, p. 797)

            Only five other men are listed in the seventh class with Peter: John Hart, John Coburn, Benj. Chambers, John Haggins and Wm. Coburn. Could the Peter listed on this roll be a SON of Peter?  Remember, in the 1777 appeal above, Peter said he had two sons in the “seventh class.” However, we have absolutely no record of “our” Peter ever having a son named Peter. (See Cuthbertson baptism records below, and also Peter’s will below.) We would therefore guess that the Peter Paterson listed on this 1782 muster roll is no direct relation to our line.  Hey, maybe THIS is the Peter who married Ann Montgomery (as seen in so many DAR lineages).  Maybe HE was “born in 1739” and “lived to a phenomenal age.” (See D.A.R. lineage records below.) Future researchers would do well to investigate the identity of the Peter Patterson in Capt. McCoy’s Co.

       

            In DAR Lineage Book Vol. 38 p. 198 is the lineage (#37550) of Mrs. Genevieve Morrison Smith. She claims her lineage through:  “Peter Patterson (1739-1840), served as a soldier in the Lancaster county, Pennsylvania militia. He lived to a phenomenal age.” In this lineage she claims that “Polly” Patterson was the daughter of this Peter Patterson and _____Montgomery.

We know that this information is wrong.  The Peter Patterson who had dau. Mary “Polly,” wife of George Espy, was NOT born in 1739 and he did NOT die in 1840 and the name of the mother of Mary “Polly” was  NOT ____ Montgomery.  (See Chapter III where Peter’s actual birth and death dates and the name of the mother of Mary “Polly” is substantiated by primary reccords.) So where did Mrs. Smith’s information come from? 

We have copies of D.A.R. Lineage Book Vol. 38 pp. 197-198, received from the D.A.R. Library in Washington D.C.  In examining the actual pages of this book we made a very intresting discovery.  Mrs. Genevieve Morrison Smith was from Fort Madison Iowa.  The lineage number assigned to her was #37550.  If one turns to the previous page, p 197, one would find lineage #37549.  It is the lineage of Miss Florence Mercy Espy, also living in Fort Madison Iowa.  (Miss Espy, remember, was the author of the D.A.R. magazine article piece— “F.M.E.”—quoted at the begiinning of this paper.)  It would appear that Mrs. Smith and Miss Espy applied for membership in the D.A.R. at the same time, as their assigned lineage numbers are consecutive.

 In 1905 Miss Espy published a book of Espy genealogy, and the probable errors contained in it are discussed at length in Chapter III. These errors suggest that Miss Espy did not find the primary source records that we did, and so made some wrong “guesses” that got into print.  Further, it appears that Miss Espy’s wrong “guesses” concerning the Pattersons in her Espy line found their way into the D.A.R. lineage information of Mrs. Smith.  

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This lineage information, in turn, got published, and the road was paved for the propagation of much incorect information about the Peter Patterson whom we know to be “our” Peter Patterson.

In a letter from Elizabeth Erb Bode, Search Librarian at the DAR Library in Washington D.C., August 8, 2003, concerning those who have claimed DAR membership through Peter Patterson:

            “The members who applied as descendants of [Peter] Patterson did so early in the last century. The first was in 1901 and the last, the most recent paper, is from 1916. In its early years, the DAR did not require the documentation that it does today. Many times the word of the woman or her mention of family Bibles or records was accepted with regard to lineage names,  dates  or places. This appears to be the case with Patterson members, each of whom descends from Peter through daughter Polly who married George Espy. Two of the earliest and two of the latest applications were pulled and reviewed. None of the four has any notation or reference for lineage.”

Regarding the (incorrect) birth and death dates (1739-1840)  of “our” Peter listed on nearly all the DAR lineage records, we have found a possible explanation, and it involves yet another mix-up between “our” Peter and a different Peter Patterson, Revolutionary soldier.

A transcription of a book (published by American Genealogical Research Institute, Arlington, VA, 1973, Library Congress #72-93050; title of book not cited on the web page we reference) found on-line at http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Woods/9796/NGRPat2.html refers to a Peter Patterson b. 1739 d 1840 who m. _______ Montgomery, but, according to this source, THIS Peter Patterson was a private in a NEW HAMPSHIRE unit!  Again, we believe that researchers over the years have found various facts about various Peter Pattersons and have “merged” various combinations of these facts and then ascribed them, incorrectly, to “our” Peter. Check out this web page; it is a long list of all Pattersons known to have served in the Revolutionary War.

            To sum up, it is documented that a Peter Patterson of Paxtang Twp., Lancaster Co., served in the Revolution; his name is seen on Capt. Cowden’s muster roll above. However, the birth date, death date, and name of spouse for our Peter should not be accepted without question, if that information is found in DAR lineage books.  We have positively ascertained (see Chapter III) that “our” Peter was born between 1724 and 1730 and that he died in the late summer of 1821.  Curiously, no DAR lineage claiming descendancy from the Peter Patterson whose daughter Mary married George Espy seems to have anything close to a correct birth date or a correct death date for “our” Peter. Likewise, these lineages seem also to incorrectly list the name of Peter’s wife, Mary (Patterson) Espy’s mother (see “Baptisms and Marriages” section further in this chapter).