General Notes

Robert Patton was the father of Margaret Patton, who married Abner Burginand is the mother of my great-great grandmother Matilda Burgin Edmundsonon  my fathers side of the family. He is also the father of Elizabeth"Betsy" Patton Crockett the 2nd wife of David Stern "Davey" Crockett,hunter, explorer, soldier, member of the Tennessee State Legislature, theUnited States Congress, and one of the heros of the battle at the Alamoin the war of independance of Texas from Mexico. Robert, in his ownright, was a distinguished North Carolina and West Tennessee pioneer anda Revolutionary War figure of note. He was born about 1736 in Ulster,Northern Ireland of Scotch-Irish parents. He came to America about 1755with his father John and brother Elijah. Family historians say that theylanded
at Charleston, South Carolina and migrated overland to Rowan County,North Carolina. Robert met Rebecca in about 1780 and they were married inRowan County.  Between 1790 and 1800 Robert and his his family andmigarted 100 miles further west and settled in the valley of theSwannanoa River near what is now Ashville, Buncombe County, NorthCarolina. Robert and Rebecca lived happily in the shadow of BlackMountain raising crops, cattle and a family of 5 daughters and 2 sons.Two of their daughters Sarah and Rebecca  married William and JamesEdmundson, brothers to great-great-great grandfather John Edmundson.When Rebecca died in about 1828, she was laid to rest in The Old PattonCemetary in an unmarked grave on a grassy slope about a mile north ofSwannanoa, Robert had given the land for the cemetary, which was said tobe the first cemetary for white people west of the Blue Ridge Mountains.He also donated the land for the site of the hewn-log Presbyterian Churchthat once stood by the cementary.  It is believed to be believed to bethe first church structure raised west of the Blue Ridge Mountains  shortof the Catholic Missions in the West.

REVOLUTIONARY WAR:   When the Revolutionary War broke out, Robert and hisneighbors, mostly Scotch-Irish like himself, almost by reflex sympathizedwith the Patriot cause. A century or two earlier, the English hadforicbly transported their protestant ancestors (mostly Presbyterian)from Scotland to Northern Ireland to colonize there and hold in check theIrish Catholics. Intermarriage with the Irish and harsh English tarriffsthat crippled Irish trade with England made the transplanted Scotts asanti-English as the Irish themselves. During the fall of 1780, Loyalist(Tory) Forces commanded by British Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Fergusoninvaded Western North Carolina to subdue the settlements considered to besympathetic to the Patriot cause and forage for cattle and supplies forLord Cornwallis's British Army. From his headquarters in Gilbert Town inRutherford County, NC he sent a dispatch to the "Officers of the WesternWaters" (West of the Blue Ridge) that if they did not desist from theiropposition to the British Army and take protection under his standard, hewould march his army over the mountains, hang their leaders and lay theircountry to waste with fire and sword. To this end he planned a raid intothe Catawba Valley to obtain beef cattle there. When he heard of thisColonel McDowell held a meeting with the leaders of the Upper CatawbaValley and suggested that in view of the present emergency they shouldtake the ruse of seeking the protection of the Crown to ensure that thecattle they so desperatly needed for the future would not wind up asprovisions for Colonel Furgeson and his Tory troops. Daniel Smith (LaterColonel), Captains Thomas Lytle, Thomas Hemphill, Robert Patton, and JohnMcDowell (Hunting John McDowell) of Plesant Gardens, absolutely refusedthis course of action and gathered all the cattle they could and drovethem deep into the coves of Black Mountain. Some others did employ theruse, thus saving the rest of the cattle. Colonel Ferguson did asexpected and penetrated into the heart of Burke County as far asDavidson's Old Fort i