James Patton

1692 - 1755

I don't know much about James Patton except what is included in the Patton story from data supplied by Annie Rhea Bruce from the book "James Patton and the Appalachian Colonists" and some material from Mary Preston Gray's book "The Family Tree". Some additional detail was supplied by G. Mallory Boush. More detail can be found in the Patton story but this may be easier to follow various lines. One comment, James Patton has been referred to as Governor, there was no Gov. of VA named James Patton, there was a James Patton Preston Gov. from 1816-19. James was also referred to as Colonel, in 1742 he was commissioned by Gov. Gooch as Lieutenant Col. of His Majesty's Militia in Augusta Co.

1. Henry Patton b.abt.1635 d.xxxx married Unknown and had a son:
• Henry Patton b.abt.1670 d.xxxx married Sarah Lynn b.abt 1675 daughter of David Lynn and sister of William Lynn. Henry and Sarah had the following children:(order of birth and dates not known except James was one of the younger boys.)
• Elizabeth Patton 1700-1779 m. John Preston 1699-1747 and they had 4 daughters and one son, William, who started the Smithfield Preston line.
• Andrew Patton of whom I know nothing.
• Richard Patton also know nothing.
• Samuel Patton may be descended from Henry and Sarah.
• James Patton 1692 - 1755 was born in Newton, Limavaddy, Derry Co., Ireland. He married Mary Borden (name also shown as Burden and Osborne). James being a younger son wasn't scheduled to inherit anything so he went to sea in the royal navy. Became a ships captain and was held in high esteem by the King. His father Henry, was a ship builder and/or merchant fleet owner and operator. The King granted James Patton 120,000 acres of land with the only stipulation that it be located on the west side of the 'Blue Mountains' and that it be settled by loyal British subjects. James sailed in one of his father's ships, the 'Walpole'. This ship is said to have made 20 or more passages to the states. He carried Ulster immigrants to America and returned with furs, skins and tobacco. In one of these passages in 1738, James and his wife Mary, and his two daughters, Margaret Patton and Mary Patton, along with John Preston, his wife Elizabeth (Patton) Preston, their children Letitia abt.10 years old, Margaret abt.8, William about 7, and Mary Preston abt 6, along with John Prestons sister Mary Preston who later married Phillip Barger, and supposedly another of John's sisters, Jane (Preston) Breckinridge and her husband Alexander Breckinridge, arrived in Belhaven, near Alexandria on the Potomac on August 26, 1738. One of James Patton's settlements was known as "Drapers Meadows", located at the present site of Blacksburg, VA. One sunny Sunday morning on July 8th, 1755, Indians wiped out much of he settlement including James Patton. James and his wife Mary Borden had 2 daughters and no sons. He adopted (officially or un-officially ?) William Preston, son of John Preston.
• Margaret 'Peggy' Patton m. John Buchanan. John's sister, Martha Buchanan married a cousin newly arrived in America, another John Buchanan. His other sister, Margaret Buchanan married Maj. Charles Campbell, parents of Gen. William Campbell.
• Mary 'Molly' Patton 1728-1778 m. Capt. William Thompson b.1722 in Ireland d.1796 in Wash. Co., VA. They had 10 children, James, Patton, Henry, John, Nancy, Mary, Margaret, Isabella, Sarah and Elizabeth Thompson.
2. John Patton b.abt 1637 married Unknown and had a daughter:
• Margaret Patton b.abt 1675 married William Lynn, brother of Sarah Lynn who married Henry Patton. Margaret and William had two children:
• Margaret Lynn who married John Lewis, John died in Staunton, VA.
• Dr. William Lynn who founded Fredericksburg, VA in 1727.