William Patterson, Sr. was born on 22 May 1734, very likely in Virginia (964, Page 224; 1007). He was probably a son of William Patterson and Hannah (Peebles) Patterson. The Patterson’s were members of the Society of Friends, the Quakers.
William Patterson and Keziah Reams married in Virginia, on about 1 Jun 1758 (964, Page 224; 1007). Before 1768, five children were born to William and Keziah Patterson: Elizabeth on 20 Nov 1760, William on 3 Jul 1762, Martha on 9 Apr 1764, Joseph on 19 Feb 1766, and Jeremiah on 30 Oct 1767 (964, Page 224; 1007). All five children were likely born in Amelia County, Virginia.
On 16 Mar 1768, William Patterson and his wife were received by the Black Water Monthly Meeting of Friends in Amelia County, Virginia on a certificate from the Henrico Monthly Meeting (1058, Page 117; 1059). On 20 Apr 1768, the Black Water Monthly Meeting granted William a certificate to excuse him from military service and appointed him an overseer of Pattison’s Particular Meeting in Amelia County (1058, Page 117).
On 20 May 1769, a daughter Mary Patterson was born to William and Keziah Patterson in Amelia County, Virginia (964, Page 224).
By December 1769, William Patterson was planning to migrate to North Carolina. On 21 Dec 1769, the Black Water Monthly Meeting granted William a certificate to the Rich Square Monthly Meeting of Friends in North Carolina (1058, Page 117). On 16 Apr 1770, William Patterson was received by the Rich Square Monthly Meeting of Friends in Northampton County, North Carolina on a certificate from the Black Water Monthly Meeting (1059; 964, Page 252).
Three children were born to William and Keziah Patterson in Northampton County, North Carolina: a son Anselum Patterson on 24 Jun 1771, a daughter Hannah on 30 Dec 1775, and a daughter Lydia on 2 May 1778—Hannah Patterson died on 3 Oct 1778 (964, Page 224).
The 2 Aug 1790 federal census of Northampton County, North Carolina enumerates the William Patterson household, including three females, one of whom was almost certainly Keziah (Reams) Patterson, and two additional males (963).
The 4 Aug 1800 federal census of Halifax, Northampton County, North Carolina enumerates the household of William Patterson, Sr., over 45 years old; a female, over 45 years old, presumably Keziah Patterson; a female age 26–44 years, likely Mary; and a female, age 16–25 years old, likely Lydia (989).
On 7 Sep 1805, William Patterson, Sr. requested a certificate from the Jack Swamp Monthly Meeting in Northampton County, North Carolina to the Short Creek Monthly Meeting of Jefferson County, Ohio.
The Minutes of the Short Creek Monthly Meeting of Friends record the death of William Patterson, Sr. on 22 Sep 1812 in Jefferson County, Ohio (1186). William Patterson, Sr. is buried in the Short Creek Family Burial Ground.
Notes and Comments
A record of births by the Rich Square Monthly Meeting of friends in Northampton County, North Carolina documents Keziah Patterson as the wife of William Patterson, but without providing a date for their marriage (1007). According to Rich Square Monthly Meeting birth records for the family of William Patterson and Keziah Patterson, their first child, Elizabeth Patterson, was born on 20 Nov 1760 (964, Page 224). Thus, apparently William and Keziah Patterson likely married before 21 Feb 1760.
The 1800 federal census of Halifax in Northampton County, North Carolina enumerates nine adjacent Patterson households (963):
John Patterson, a: > 45
Joseph Patterson, Sr., a: > 45
William Patterson, Jr., a: 16–25
Jonathan Patterson, a: 26–44
Benjamin Patterson, a: > 45
Joseph Patterson, Jr., a: 26–44 (son of William Patterson, Sr., a: 34)
William Patterson, Sr., a: > 45
Hanswell Patterson, a: 26–44
Jeremiah Patterson, a: 26–44 (son of William Patterson, Sr., a: 32)
Joseph Patterson, Jr., a: 16–25
William Patterson, Jr., a: 26–44 (William Patterson, Jr., son of William Patterson, Sr., a: 38)
David Patterson, a: 26–44
Dinwiddie County, Virginia was created on 1 May 1752 from parts of Prince George County.
Sources
963. William Patterson Household, 1790 U.S. Federal Census, Northampton County, North Carolina, 2 Aug 1790. Series M637, Roll 7, Page 568, Image 331, Family History Library Film 0568147. U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C. (Images: Ancestry.com. Image on file.)
964. Hinshaw, William Wade. Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy. Volume I. Genealogical Publishing Company, Inc., Baltimore, Maryland, 1994. Rich Square Monthly Meeting. (Images: Ancestry.com, Image on file.)
1007. Births, Family of William Patterson, Jr. and Elizabeth (Ladd) Patterson. Minutes of the Rich Square Monthly Meeting of Friends 1760-1913, Volume 1, Northampton County, North Carolina. Quaker Meeting Records, Friends Historical Library, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. (Images: Ancestry.com. Image on file.)
1058. Hinshaw, William Wade. Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy. Vol. 6. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, Inc., 1950. Black Water Monthly Meeting. Page 117. (Images: Ancestry.com. Image on file.)
1059. William Patterson and Wife, Admittance, Blackwater and Upper Monthly Meetings. Minutes of the Blackwater and Upper Monthly Meetings, Amelia County, Virginia, 16 Jan 1768. “Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Minutes1765–1776,” Pennsylvania Minutes. Haverford College; Haverford. (Images: Ancestry.com. Image on file.)
1313. 1810 Tax List, Island Township, Jefferson County, Ohio. (Databse: Ancestry.com.)