Genealogy of

Joseph Patterson (1793-1879), His Descendants

& His Ancestors

by Clay Patterson, Certified Genealogist

Joseph Patterson has long been an enigma for family genealogists because on successive U.S. Census listings in 1850, 1860 & 1870, he is listed as having been born in Kentucky, Virginia & Maryland.  One would think that this issue could be resolved by checking in on his children on the 1880 U.S. Census to see where they indicate the birth state of their parents.  The family has played havoc with us again as several listed Kentucky, several listed Virginia and the others noted his birthplace to be Maryland.

OK, how do we narrow it down and get a better picture?  Who do we believe?  One would think that his oldest child, my 3rd Great Grandfather, Martin Patterson, would know best.  Another might think that the younger son, with whom Joseph lived his last few years on this earth, John Ambrose Patterson, would know best.  Well, guess again.  Martin said his dad was born in Maryland and repeats this assertion on the 1900 Census.  While living in son John Ambrose Patterson's home in 1870, Joseph apparently claims to have been born in Kentucky.  John is dead by 1880 but his widow, Hettie, is living next door to one of John & Martin's brothers, William P. Patterson who states on the 1880 census that Pop was born in Kentucky.

So there we have it.......Joseph Patterson was born in Kentucky, Maryland and Virginia.  OK, so the search goes on, and on, and on.  I have made several trips to Kentucky, Maryland and Virginia and have found the only two 'most likely' parents for our Joseph Patterson.  These searches will be revealed below.

Read a web story about the Patterson's connection to Scotland and Clan MacLaren among others

Grandma Fanny Patterson wrote a number of letters to me between 1975 and her death.  Almost all of her writings have proven out to be true in the 33 years since we started this project.  In spite of the census reports noted above (which I'm sure Grandma Fanny had no idea about) one of her letters state that Joseph Patterson (1793-1879) was born in Maryland and that his father, also named Joseph, was born in Ireland.  The attached Register Report provides the short story about my Maryland research and Joseph (abt 1750-1804) Patterson's brief life and descendants.  More will be added soon.

Previously, there was a Genealogy Report from Gigi Crow for Joseph Patterson at this spot.  It has been integrated with the Register Report above.   Gigi's email address is crow_giles_gen@sbcglobal.net

Read the story about the wedding china that Joseph & Rosanne tried to take to Indiana in their move in the winter of 1818-1819 after their marriage.  This letter was sent to Gigi by Sister Mary Ann McCauley of Providence in Terre Haute, IN 19 June 2007