Marty and Karla Grant


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Rebecca Cathey (before 1755-aft 1823) and Robert Patton (1742-1832) of North Carolina (Burke and Buncombe) and Tennessee (Gibson)


[Cathey Home] - [Table of Contents] - [George Cathey (1725-1790)] - Rebecca


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Rebecca Cathey is my 6 times great aunt. That makes her husband Robert Patton my uncle by marriage. However, he is also my 1st cousin 8 times removed by blood. (See the Patton pages for more on that family.]


Rebecca Cathey was born before 1755 per her age on the 1800 census (45 and up). If her father’s birth year of 1725 is correct, then she probably wasn’t born very long before 1755.


She is a child of George Cathey (1725-1790). Her mother is either Ann Price or Margaret —.


Rebecca Cathey is a proven child of George as named in the 1823 Wilson Co., TN court case as his daughter. It also names her husband as Robert Patton.


Robert Patton presents a bit of a problem for researchers as there was more than one man of that name in the area. In fact, I have an ancestor named Robert Patton (1715-1772). He had a son named Robert Patton (1747-1813) who was my 6th great uncle. However, the Robert Patton who married Rebecca Cathey was a nephew of my ancestor of the same name. The Pattons, like the Catheys, used the same given names over and over which can cause much confusion for researchers.


Robert Patton was born 1742 in Ulster, Ireland, a son of John Logan Patton. I don’t know the evidence for either of those three facts. He was born before in the 1740s per his age on the 1830 census so that tracks. Ulster, Ireland seems likely. However, how do we know he’s a son of John Logan Patton? Robert seems to be the brother of Elijah Patton who married Margaret Cathey, sister of Rebecca.


Generally speaking the Pattons came from Ireland to America, first to Pennsylvania, then to Virginia, then to North Carolina.


Both Robert Pattons served during the American Revolution. The other Robert was a Captain, this one a Lieutenant under Cpt. William Moore in 1776 in the 2nd Rowan regiment during the Cherokee Expedition.


Burke County was formed from western Rowan in 1777. Unfortunately, Burke County lost most of its early records during the Civil War when union soldiers burned them in 1865. Only a precious few early records survive.


In 1784 Robert Patton entered land in the Middle District of Tennessee (then part of North Carolina). This was for Revolutionary War Service. His tract was to be on the Duck River near his father-in-law George Cathey. Robert’s brother-in-law George Cathey Jr entered a tract right next to his. However, it turned out there were prior claims for that very land, thus neither man received the land they’d wanted. They weren’t totally out of luck for they were given alternative land of the same acreage originally entered in 1788. However, instead of being on the Duck River near George Cathey Sr, their land was granted way out west on the Rutherford Fork of the Obion River. That land is in what is now Gibson Co., TN, but was then unorganized territory still inhabited by Indians. Thus, neither Cathey or Patton could really do anything with that land for quite a long time. Decades in fact.

 

North Carolina Revolutionary War Grants, Roll 5, Book C, p. 187

State of North Carolina. No 63. Know ye that we have given and granted unto Robert Patton a tract of land containing one thousand acres lying and being in the Western District on Rutherfords fork of Obion River. Beginning at two Black gums and a sweet gum marked HR on John Tates line runs South eighty chains to a white oak and ash sapling marked HR James Davidsons North East corner then with his line West one hundred and twenty five chains to a stake his corner on Blounts line with his line North eighty chains to a stake said Tates corner with his line East to the beginning. To hold to the said Robert Patton his heirs 7 assigns forever. Dated the 10th day of July 1788. S: Sam Johnston. J. Glasgow, Secretary.

A copy Wm Hill, Secretary.

Warrant No 1569 surveyed by H. Rutherford, John Tate & Amos Moore, chain carriers.


The very next grant on the page was the one for George Cathey Jr. The next few after that are the same names mentioned in Patton and Cathey’s grant as neighbors.


Both Robert Pattons are listed on the 1790 census in Burke Co., NC. The first one is listed next to Andrew Woods (a name associated with George Cathey), and next to Frank Patton, presumably a close relative. They are in the 6th Company of Burke County which area is still Burke County today. The other one is in the 11th company near several other Pattons, namely Matthew, Thomas, James, Matthew Sr, Aaron, Matthew Jr and John Patton. This Robert is listed as “Robt Patten Sad” which presumably means he was a Saddler by trade? This part of Burke became Buncombe County in 1791. This Robert, who is the one married to Rebecca Cathey I think, was listed between Benjamin McWhorter and William Long and just two houses from Thomas Patton.


1790 Census - Burke County, North Carolina


Page

Name

Males 16+

Males under 16

Females

Others

Slaves

 

6th Company

 

 

 

 

 

96

Robt Patten

1

1

3

~

~

 

11th Company

 

 

 

 

 

102

Robt Patten Sad

1

2

5

~

2

My analysis (who each person *might* be)

Robert Patton, Saddler, 1-2-5-0-2

1m 16+ (before 1774)        Robert Patton (1742)

2m -16 (1774/1790)            1. James Patton (1780) son

                                               2. George Patton (1786) son

5f (before 1790)                  Rebecca Cathey Patton (bef 1755) wife

                                               2. Sarah Patton (1780/1784), daughter

                                               3. Ann Catherine Patton (c1783) daughter

                                               4. Elizabeth Patton (1788) daughter

                                               5. Daughter?

2 slaves


Buncombe County was formed from Burke (and Rutherford) in 1791. Robert Patton and family fell into the new county.


Robert Patton is listed on the 1800 census in Buncombe Co., NC. Unfortunately this census is alphabetical so we can’t determine neighbors.


1800 Census - Buncombe County, North Carolina


Page

Name
M0-9

 
M10-15

 
M16-25

 
M26-44

 
M45+

 
F0-9

 
F10-15

 
F16-25

 
F26-44

 
F45+

 
FPC

 
Slaves

 

183

Robert Patton

~

1

1

~

1

4

1

1

~

1

~

6

My analysis (who each person *might* be)

Robert Patton 01101-41101-0-6

1m 45+ (before 1755)        Robert Patton (1742)

1m 16-25 (1774/1784)       James Patton (1780) son

1m 10-15 (1784/1790)       George Patton (1786) son

1f 45+ (before 1755)           Rebecca Cathey Patton (bef 1755) wife

1f 16-25 (1774/1784)         Sarah Patton (1780/84) daughter

1f 10-15 (1784/1790)         Ann Catherine Patton (c1783) daughter

4f 0-9 (1790/1800)              1. Elizabeth Patton (1788) daughter

                                               2. Matilda Patton (1784/90) daughter

                                               3. Margaret Patton (c1794) daughter 

                                               4. Rebecca Patton (c1800), daughter

6 slaves


Robert Patton is listed on the 1810 census in Buncombe. He is listed between Aaron Patton and George Patton (not his son of that same name).


1810 Census - Buncombe County, North Carolina


Page

Name
M0-9

 
M10-15

 
M16-25

 
M26-44

 
M45+

 
F0-9

 
F10-15

 
F16-25

 
F26-44

 
F45+

 
FPC

 
Slaves

 

83/265

Robert Patton

~

~

1

~

1

~

~

1

~

1

~

3

My analysis (who each person *might* be)

Robert Patton 00101-00101-0-3

1m 45+ (before 1765)        Robert Patton (1742)

1m 16-25 (1784/1794)       George Patton (1786) son

1f 45+ (before 1765)           Rebecca Cathey Patton (bef 1755) wife

1f 16-25 (1784/1794)         Margaret Patton (c1794) daughter

3 slaves


They are still in Buncombe for the 1820 census. They are near several relatives. George Patton is next door. Son-in-law William Edmundson is two houses away. Rebecca’s cousins Thomas Moore and Margaret (Moore) Rutherford are very nearby. Thomas and Margaret are children of William Moore and his first wife Ann Cathey, probably Rebecca’s aunt. Charles Moore is also nearby, he is from William Moore’s second marriage, to Margaret Patton. That makes him Robert’s cousin and not Rebecca’s.


1820 Census - Buncombe County, North Carolina


Page

Name
M0-9

 
M10-15

 
M16-17

 
M16-25

 
M26-44

 
M45+

 
F0-9

 
F10-15

 
F16-25

 
F26-44

 
F45+

 

118

Robert Patton

~

~

~

~

~

1

~

~

~

~

1

My analysis (who each person *might* be)

Robert Patton 000001-00001-*

1m 45+ (before 1775)        Robert Patton (1742)

1f 45+ (before 1775)           Rebecca Cathey Patton (bef 1755) wife


* The page which would have had slaves, free colored persons and other enumerations is missing.


There was a lawsuit in Wilson Co., TN in 1823 regarding some land that Rebecca’s father George Cathey had entered in 1784. Since George and the other parties to the original transaction were dead, their heirs were named in the suit. That included his daughter Rebecca and her husband Robert Patton. This document is the proof that she is George Cathey’s daughter. Click here to read the Wilson Co., TN court case.


Rebecca died sometime between 1823 and 1830 for Robert seems to be a widower for the 1830 census.


1830 Census - Buncombe County, North Carolina


Page

Name

(Males first row, females on second)
0-4

 
5-9

 
10-14

 
15-19

 
20-29

 
30-39

 
40-49

 
50-59

 
60-69

 
70-79

 
80-89

 
90-99

 
100+

 

272

Robert Patton Senr

~

~

~

~

~

~

~

~

~

~

1

~

~

 

 Slaves=400200-111010*

~

~

~

~

~

~

~

~

~

~

~

~

~

My analysis (who each person *might* be)

Robert Patton Senr 00000000001-0

1m 80-89 (1740/1750)       Robert Patton (1742)

10 slaves

* The first column for slaves was obscured so you can’t see a 4 there. However, his total household was 11 people. Adding him to the 6 slaves equals 7, so there must be 4 in that first column if the total is correct.


Sometime after 1830 Robert, in his 80s, moved to far western Tennessee to be near some of his children who had moved there in Gibson Co., TN. They may have lived on the land granted to Robert Patton in 1788, some 40+ years earlier.


Robert Patton made his Will in Gibson Co., TN in 1832. The only date given was the year! He named his “seven children” George Patton, Sally Edmiston, Ann McWhorter, Elizabeth Crockett, Matilda Trosper, Margaret Burgen and Rebecca Edmisdon. He mentions “the heirs of my son James.” If they (James’s heirs) are not heard from in ten years, their share goes to his son George. He named David Crockett and George Patton his executors. Witnesses were Elizabeth Crockett and D. M. Pound.


Robert Patton died on 11 Nov 1832 in Gibson Co., TN. I don’t know the source for that date. However, he was certainly dead by Dec 1832 for then David B. Crockett and others entered into an administration bond to handle Robert’s estate. It seems George Patton didn’t want to go all the way to west Tennessee to act as co-executor, so it fell to Davy Crockett to handle it all. The other bondsmen were William Atchison, Jeptha Billingsly, William Goodman and Benjamin P. Tyson, all of Gibson Co., TN.


Robert Patton’s entry on findagrave.com lists his burial place as Old Bluff Cemetery in Gibson Co., TN in a community called Rutherford. There is apparently no marker for him.


There is a biographical sketch of Robert and Rebecca on the Old Buncombe County Genealogical Society website. It is worth looking at.



Children


Rebecca Cathey and Robert Patton had eight children according to his 1832 will, one of whom was deceased by then (James). Their son George was the only one to remain in North Carolina.


One of their sons-in-law was the very famous folk hero, frontiersman and politician Davy Crockett. He was one of those who died at the Battle of Alamo.



For Family Group Sheet and other notes see my database pages for Robert Patton and Rebecca Cathey.


Revised: September 3, 2023


Copyright © 1996-2023 Marvin A. Grant, Jr. All Rights Reserved.


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