Alexander Patteson (1785 - 1836)

Born 8 Jan 1785 in Campbell, Virginia, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Jarratt) Patteson — married 5 Dec 1807 in Goochland, Virginia, United States

Died 23 Jan 1836 at age 51 in Prince Edward, Virginia, United States

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Biography

Alexander was born in 1785. He was the son of Littleberry Patterson and Matilda Smith. He passed away in 1836.

From "Virginia-Kentucky Pattesons in Illinois"^[1]:

Clover Hill became the property of Lilbourn and Alexander Patteson in 1814, when they bought it from John B. Sadler, according to the deed book of Prince Edward County. There were 206 acres of land,^[2] along the main road to Richmond, and the Patteson brothers evidently bought the place to make it headquarters from which to operate the stage line they had already established.

Our family records make it fairly certain that besides Alexander Patteson himself and his daughter Mary Diuguid Patteson, who died a few months after he did, in 1836, a little boy, Claudius Oscar, who died in infancy in 1825 lies there. Possibly also Lilbourn Patteson, who died in 1817, and maybe some of his family, although we have nothing to show that Lilbourn ever lived at Clover Hill. Clover Hill was sold in the fall of 1836, eight months or so after Alexander Patteson died. It was bought by Captain John Raine, probably the owner, or at all events of the family of the owner of "Raine's Tavern", another stop on the stage route.

From the "Campbell Chronicles"^[3]:

DURING the period of Campbell's establishment, transportation was a serious problem either by land or water on account of the conditions of the road and streams, these being full or rocks and holes. Alexander Patterson was the first person to venture running stages between Lynchburg and Richmond. At the time he started his line of leathern conveniences, the road between the two towns was almost impassable, and he only undertook to ply forth in once-a-week trips. The coaches were little better than wagons, and the passengers clambered into them by the way of the driver's seat at the front. When they acquired side-doors they became more convenient and were considered very luxurious. They began then to make two trips weekly, finally tri-weekly trips, and when these started they were regarded as the greatest progress at which public convenience could arrive. Notable stopping places along the route were Upper Patterson's, Lower Patterson's (at "New Store", operated by a cousin, James Philander Patteson)^[4], French's, Raines' Tavern, etc.

::…Ultimately, as I learned from Prince Edward County records, the stages made six trips a week, and surely must have been more comfortable, for Mrs. Margaret Couch Cabell, "the oldest inhabitant of Lynchburg," in her book of "Sketches" (published by C. H. Wynne, Richmond, in 1858) wrote this lament: "But since the canal and railroads have been in operation, the pleasures of stage traveling are now scarce known, whilst all those well-known and celebrated stopping places are broken up and many public houses on the high road are untenanted save by owls and bats." Our Grandfather, too, remembered "the pleasures of stage traveling". "In the fall of 1830, when I was 12 years old", he writes, "I enjoyed a great privilege, which fell to very few boys in those days in Virginia. I went with my father to Washington City. He had to visit the city often in consequence of his business of carrying the United States mail. We had to travel a distance, by stage and steamboat, of a little over 230 miles; first to Richmond by stage, about a hundred miles; then to Fredericksburg 62 miles, then to Potomac Landing, 9 miles, and then to Washington, 62 miles by steam- boat. "We left Richmond a little past 2 o'clock in the morning, rattling over the cobblestone pavement or the dark streets in the stage on our way to Fredericksburg. I remember how dark and desolate and lonesome everything appeared to me at that very early hour, with no sound but the rattle of the stage, and no light but that of the coach lanterns and the occasional glimmer of a hotel lamp, or the light from the window of, perhaps, a sick room. "However, we soon bowled into the country and after a toilsome day, for the roads were muddy, we crossed the Rappahannock River at 4 o'clock in the afternoon at Fredericksburg, and arrived about 7 o'clock at Potomac Creek Landing, where we met a good supper and the steamboat for Washington. We embarked on board the "Cygnet" and arrived at the Federal City at about 2 o'clock A.M.; and after daylight went up to Brown's Hotel, where my father was in the habit of putting up when in the city." Apparently the stage line was started about 1811. That date I derive from Grandpa's statement that "my father's business during 25 years was staging", together with the fact that his father died in 1836, at the age of 51. The brother and partner, Lilbourn, had died in 1817, so Alexander had carried on by himself for the last nineteen years. In his will, he directed that all the stage property be sold within three years after his death, and the proceeds distributed to the heirs, among them two orphan children of Lilbourn. The sale did occur within the three years, and the executors reported receipts of $14,742 for a year's operation under their direction for the heirs, $12,773 of that sum representing passenger fares. The contract for carrying the mail yielded $1500 a year. I also saw among the county records the inventory of Alexander Patteson's estate. It fills many long pages of fine handwriting in the big volumes of the county files, and most of the items would be called, I suppose, prosaic. But I think that "1 Troy coach, nearly new, with appurtenances complete, including 2 double and 4 singletrees, $400", has a touch of the romantic and certainly the antique. The coaches and the horses and mules were itemized by teams working between relay points on the stage route, and identified by name. When you read of horses named Shakespeare, Punch, Buck, Davy Crockett, or mules named Amanda, Venus, and Juno, you get a glimpse of the people who named them which is, I think, delightful. Food supplies on hand would seem to be inevitably conmonplace, but an item of "Bacon in the meathouse, say 6000 lbs. $500" in the present day (1948) seems gloriously fantastic! Who bought the stage property, and whether the line continued to operate, I did not find out. Nor had Mr. Gurney, who has examined the county records and other sources, as well, discovered what became of the stage line. Was the day of railroads so close at hand that the stage coach had actually too little future to find place in the local history?

Notes

1812: Littleberry Patteson present in Campbell list but Alexander and Lillborn absent 1813: Littleberry, Lillborn, and Alexander absent from Campbell County Personal Property Tax list 1815: Alexander next to Capt. William Patteson in Buckingham with 27 horses and 2 stages @$200 each^[5]
1816: Alexander in Buckingham Personal Property Tax list.
1817: Lillborn's wife Jane Patteson is next to Alexander Patteson in the Prince Edward County Personal Property Tax list. Whereas Lillborn had no horses the year before, Alexander has 27 and a coach valued @ $250, no Ordinary license^[6]
1820: Alexander & C. Humbles charged for 45 horses, 3 carriages @$250; next door to James Patteson & C. Smith (possibly "Charles", son of Alex's uncle Jacob Smith), 2 horses^[7]
1821: First year Alexander had Ordinary license at Clover Hill, back to 27 horses, James Patteson next door ^[8]

• 20 Nov 1814, John B. Sadler & wife Jane to Alexander and Lillbourn Patteson of Buckingham, $1600, 206 acres more or less, bound by William Sweeney dec'd, on South side of Main Road, Pryor Wright, Thomas Logwood, down Appomattox River to Moses Sweeney's line to Main Road; same tract sold by Robert Moseley & William Sweeney dec'd; wits: Samuel Watkins, Rezin Porter, William Patteson, Jr., John Williams; 19 Dec 1814, oaths of Wm. Patteson & Williams, recorded B. Worsham CC^[9]
  
• 11 Sep 1815, John McAllister appointed trustee in Deed of Trust for Elimas Jones, to Lillborne and Alexander Patteson, land on waters of Wreck Island Creek next to McAllister, James Taylor et al.^[10]
  
• 22 Mar 1816, Campbell Co., VA DB11:160; Alexander Patteson & wife Mary, Lillbourn Patteson & wife Jane Sampson to William G. Gannaway of Buckingham, $790, 158 acres next to John McAllister, Charles Fitch, Robert Morris, Samuel Davidson, and Levi Lee, formerly owned by Limus Jones (of color); wits: John Christian, Jr., John Williams, Thomas W. Marriner, Littleberry Patteson, Wilson Branch; 11 Nov 1816, Mr. Henry Flood & George Christian, Justices of Buckingham acknowledge that Mary, wife of Alexander, and Jane Sampson, relict of Lillborn willingly signed and sealed and wished not to retract, presented 13 Jan 1816 Campbell County Court.^[11]
  
• 22 Mar 1816, Alexander Patteson & wife Mary, Lillbourn Patteson & wife Jane Sampson to William G. Gannaway of Buckingham, $790, 158 acres; wits: John Christian, Jr., John Williams, Thomas M. Warriner, Joseph Walker, Littleberry Patteson, Wilson Branch (repeat copy of Flood & Christian response)^[12]note: this was recorded twice
  

• 8 Jan 1836, Alexander Patteson will: Stage property should be kept together for 3 years (present contract) unless executor finds it unprofitable, other property sold at discretion of Executor within 3 years; wife Polly: $4000 fee simple, all household and kitchen furnishings and stock; Fund of $2000 "laid apart" invested securely with interest for education of younger children: Maria $666, Marion S. $467, Elizabeth $$400, Lucy Ann $267, Augustus $200 plus interest to all; All my slaves except Charles to be hired out to humane masters for 10 years, half proceeds to estate, half to wife; after 10 years, all and their increase to have freedom and $500 to defray cost of passage to some colony or Free State. Charles to have freedom at end of any year he chooses and $50 for costs to travel to a colony or free state; If they desire not freedom they shall remain part of my estate. Estate kept for no longer than 3 years and wife to have Clover Hill for her use for 1 year; all funds handled by executor should be invested at interest in responsible hands, bonds renewed and interest collected annually; Remainder of property to be distributed among children except $2000 be deducted from Susan's part, which she's already received; Willis P. Bocock Executor, 8 Jan 1836; wits: William D. Christian, Joel S. Flowers, Robert P. Phelps; 15 Feb 1836 Court, proven by oaths of Christian and Flowers.^[13]
  

Sources

1. ↑ Virginia-Kentucky Pattesons in Illinois, Ethel Marion Smith, 1941, pp. 106-126 https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/559327/?offset=0#page=115&viewer=picture&o=info&n=0&q=
2. ↑ >Deed books, 1782-1869, Virginia. County Court (Campbell County), Virginia State Library, Richmond, VA. 1950 (DB10:592), film 31026 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKH-W388-3?i=328&cat=405319
3. ↑ "Campbell Chronicles and Family Sketches, embracing history of Campbell County, 1782-1926", by Ruth Hairston Early, 1927. Chapter VII "Stage and Boat"(cited by Smith)
4. ↑ Virginia Taverns, Ordinaries and Coffee Houses: 18th - Early 19th Century Entertainment Along the Buckingham Road, Agnes Gish, Heritage Books, 2012, p.376
5. ↑ Personal property tax lists, 1809-1831, Virginia. Commissioner of the Revenue (Buckingham County), Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 1955, Film 29291 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSHS-RKNK?i=132&cat=406616
6. ↑ Personal property tax lists, 1809-1831, Virginia. Commissioner of the Revenue (Prince Edward County), Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 1992, Film 1905692, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS79-1SJ6-8?i=261&cat=693155
7. ↑ Personal property tax lists, 1809-1831, Virginia. Commissioner of the Revenue (Prince Edward County), Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 1992, Film 1905692, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS79-1S2M-C?i=339&cat=693155
8. ↑ Personal property tax lists, 1809-1831, Virginia. Commissioner of the Revenue (Prince Edward County), Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 1992, Film 1905692, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS79-1SKL-9?i=410&cat=693155 (self) https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS79-1SK2-4?i=418&cat=693155 (license)
9. ↑ Deeds, 1754-1866, Prince Edward County (Virginia). County Clerk, Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 1949, (DB15:258), Film 33229 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSYD-Z9CY-Q?i=524&cat=362164
10. ↑ Deed books, 1782-1869, Virginia. County Court (Campbell County), Virginia State Library, Richmond, VA. 1950 (DB10:592), film 31026 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKH-W388-3?i=328&cat=405319
11. ↑ Deed books, 1782-1869, Virginia. County Court (Campbell County), Virginia State Library, Richmond, VA. 1950 (DB11:160), film 31026 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKH-W3ZL-Q?i=440&cat=405319
12. ↑ Deed books, 1782-1869, Virginia. County Court (Campbell County), Virginia State Library, Richmond, VA. 1950 (DB11:315), film 31026 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKH-W3ZF-C?i=517&cat=405319
13. ↑ Will books, 1754-1869, Virginia. County Court (Prince Edward County) Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 1949 (WB8:436), film 33219 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9PX-L9YL-D?i=193&cat=378289

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