John Patton of Ohio
John Patton, of Ohio, so designated to distinguish him from his father, having the same name, but who never resided in Ohio, was born in Rockbridge County, Virginia, June 9, 1787. His mother was Martha Sharp, the daughter of a Presbyterian minister of Glasgow, Scotland. He was married to Phoebe Taylor in Rockbridge County, Virginia, in 1813. While he was courting her, he used to visit her about every ninety days, riding over the Natural Bridge, his home being on the opposite side of the bridge from her. He resided in Rockbridge County until 1816, when he moved to Wayne Township, Adams County, where he purchased a farm, His wife was aunt of Bishop Taylor, of the M. E. Church, so long a missionary in Africa. She was born February 2, 1794. They joined the Associate Reformed Church in North Liberty as soon as they came from Virginia and attended it all their lives. They had ten children born to them, four sons and six daughters. Martha, the eldest, was born in Virginia. She married the Rev. Robert Stewart, who was pastor of the church at Cherry Fork for nineteen years. She died in 1852. His second son, James T., born October 25, 1815, died in 1835. He had been attending Miami University, and was expecting to become a minister of the Gospel. Another son, John Elder, lived many years near North Liberty on the Winchester road. Nathaniel C. Patton, one of the principal farmers of the county, lives near Harshaville. Henry Patton died unmarried. Of the daughters, Larissa married Alexander Caskey and had a large family. One of her sons is John P. Caskey, of the firm of Harsha & Caskey, at Portsmouth, Ohio. A daughter, Elizabeth, married Robert Morrison, of Eckmansville; Phoebe Caroline married S. D. McIntire, and Nancy and Margaret each married a Kirkpatrick. They also had an adopted child, Phoebe C. Finley.
John Patton died October 7, 1853, aged sixty-five years. His wife died October 7, 1863, aged sixty-nine years.
John Patton and his wife were the very strictest Presbyterians. There was family worship morning and evening, grace before meals, and a returning of thanks after, and Sunday was devoted entirely to public and private worship, including the catechism. When anyone visited their house, he was not asked if he were a member of any church, but he was called on to say grace or take part in worship, and if he was not in a condition to do so he was put in the position to be asked to be excused. In those days religion was a severe and awful matter, and they made it a part of their every day life. Sunday was a day when only public or private worship, reading of the scriptures or catechising, and nothing else, was to be thought of. They believed that the promises were for them and their children, and acted on their belief. Their lives were models for all the world, but alas, how the world has changed since that time. The severity of the religion of the Pilgrim Fathers was no greater than that of Rockbridge County, Virginia, Presbyterians, but with all their religious severity, they did not forget to make and save money and kad all that thrift which belonged alike to the New England Puritan and the north of Ireland Protestant Irishman.
From History of Adams County, Ohio from its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time - by Nelson W. Evans and Emmons B. Stivers - West Union, Ohio - Published by E. B. Stivers - 1900