My Genealogy Hound

JOHN C. PATTERSON. Silver Creek Township is rarely fortunate in having been settled up by a class of men enterprising, intelligent and industrious, who have almost uniformly prospered and are owners of fine homesteads which they have built up by the labor of their own hands, and which stand as the most fitting monuments which could be erected to worthily perpetuate their names. Among these is the farm of Mr. Patterson, embracing one hundred and fifteen acres of choice land, thoroughly cultivated and embellished with substantial and convenient buildings. It lies on the Jamestown and Paintersville Pike and has been occupied by the present owner since 1861.

Mr. Patterson has been a resident of Silver Creek Township, Greene County excepting two years, since 1828. Prior to this he was for one year a resident of Xenia and he lived also one year in Jasper. He came to this county from Warren County, this State, wherein he was born February 22, 1818, at his father’s homestead in Turtle Creek Township. His father, Capt. John C. Patterson, was a native of Greene County, Pa., and the son of Thomas Patterson, a native of Dublin, Ireland. Grandfather Patterson came of substantial Irish stock and was reared to manhood in his native county, where he was married to Phebe Carson. She was born in the city of Dublin and was also of a good family. The marriage, however, was opposed by Grandfather Patterson and soon afterward the young people set out for America, which they reached in safety and settled in Pennsylvania. Grandfather Patterson, however, soon afterward joined the Continental Army and fought all through the Revolutionary War, being at the battle of Lundy’s Lane and in many other important engagements, including that which resulted in the capture of Cornwallis.

After the war was over Grandfather Patterson returned to Greene County, Pa. He had served gallantly in the army and was mustered out with the rank of Captain, having command of a company of Irish volunteers who, like himself, were delighted to have an opportunity to fight the oppressors of their own Ireland. His wife spent her last days on the farm in the above-mentioned county, living to be very aged; the grandfather died in Delaware County, Ohio, attaining to nearly one hundred years. Both were conscientious members of the Presbyterian Church. There was born to them a family of eight children, of whom John C., the father of our subject, was the third in the family and all are deceased.

John C. Patterson was born in Greene County, Pa., where he was reared to man’s estate and married Miss Betsey McFarland, who was also a native of that county and of Scotch-Irish ancestry. They settled down on a farm where four of their children were born, three of whom lived to come with them to Ohio in the early part of the present century. They located on a tract of wild land in Warren County where they resided fifteen years. Then in 1828 they removed to Greene County, settling in what is now New Jasper Township.

The father of our subject now purchased one hundred and thirty-three acres of land, seventy acres of which he brought to a good state of cultivation. Later he sold out and purchased another farm in Caesar’s Creek Township where he and his estimable wife spent the closing years of their lives. Mr. Patterson was seventy-five years old at the time of his death and his wife seventy-four; both were members of the Baptist Church. There had been born to them ten children, five sons and five daughters, of whom only two are living: John C. Jr., our subject, and his sister, Abigail, Mrs. Sutton, who is a resident of Hutington, Ind., and has arrived at the age of seventy -seven years.

Mr. Patterson, of whom we write, remained a member of his father’s household until a man of twenty-five years. He was married July 21, 1843, under the roof which still shelters him, to Miss Rosanna Bargsdall. This lady was born in Silver Creek Township, December 10, 1823, and is the daughter of Joel and Phebe (Strong) Bargsdall who were natives respectively of Virginia and New York State. Both came to Ohio in their youth with their respective families, settling in Greene County and were married in Silver Creek Township. They at once settled upon the farm which remained their home until the close of their lives. Mr. Bargsdall departed hence in 1838, in the prime of life. He was an honest, hard-working man and a citizen held in high esteem. He took an active part in politics, belonging to the old Whig party and voted for John Q. Adams. The wife and mother is still living, being now nearly ninety-two years old and makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. Patterson. She is remarkably bright and active for one of her years and can tell many an interesting tale of the pioneer days.

The maternal grandparents of Mrs. Patterson were Elisha W. and Phebe (Vail) Strong, who were natives respectively of Boston, Mass., and New Jersey. They were married either in Massachusetts or New York State, and afterward settled on a farm in the latter State where they lived until after the close of the War of 1812. Thence, coming to Ohio, they settled on land included in the military tract and comprising a part of the present farm of our subject. The country was then very thinly settled, their nearest neighbors at first being several miles away. They lived to see the country opened up and settled by an intelligent class of people, and died at this same farm when ripe in years.

Mr. and Mrs. Patterson began their wedded life with very little means, but strong in hope and courage and labored together with the mutual purpose of securing a home and a competence. Prior to this Mr. Patterson had learned millwrighting which he had followed for eleven years thereafter. Later he turned his attention to farming and has been very successful. The family circle comprised the following children: Joel was married and died at the age of forty-two years leaving four children; Phebe was married, and died at the age of twenty-seven years, leaving one child. The survivors are Jacob M. and James Sanders, who live on a farm in Randolph County. William H. remains on the farm with his father and assists in its management. Mr. and Mrs. Patterson are regular attendants of the Baptist Church in which our subject has officiated as a Deacon for some years. Politically, he is a sound Republican.