David Pattison was born around 1815 in New York
State. Nothing is known of his family. He left home, probably alone, and was
living in Knox County, Ohio by 1837, when he married Olive Mitchell. He was
involved in the religious and political life of that place, and earned his
living as a farmer. He and Olive had at least five children, of whom only two
are known to have survived to adulthood: Harris E. and Lucina. The others were Spencer,
Dorr (?), and another boy whose name is not known.
Between 1871 and 1880, David and Olive moved to
Pulaski County, Indiana, where their son Harris E. was working as a medical
doctor. When Olive died in 1881, David returned to his farm in Ohio and married
Mrs. Emeline Teagarden nee Cummings, who had been a friend of the family for
many years.
David died 12 Apr 1890 in Milford Twp., Knox,
OH.
Although the family name is often written
"Patterson", the fact that the less common spelling
"Pattison" persists among the children, and is in fact the spelling
used on the latest historical document from David, namely his will, indicates
that that is the correct spelling.
Here's the information I
have on David Pattison, in chronological order:
1) David Patterson married Olive Mitchell July
20, 1837 in Knox County, OH officiated by Wm. Hays, M.D., minister of the gospel (Puts his birth
as before July 20, 1816, since he must have been over 21 here) SOURCE: Knox
County, OH Record of Marriages, Vol. 2 H-Q
2) David Pattison among founding members of
First Milford Congregational Disciple church in Mt. Vernon, Knox County, OH in
1845. SOURCE: Hill, Norman Newell, Jr. "History of Knox County", Mt.
Vernon, A.A. Graham & Co. Publishers, 1881, p. 520.
3) David Patterson listed in 1860 OH census,
Knox County, Milford Twp. as 43 years old. (Puts his birth as 1816/1817)
SOURCE: Federal Census
4) David Patterson Justice of the Peace in Knox
County, OH 1858-1860, 1861-1863, 1864-1866. SOURCE: Same as #2 above, p. 521.
5) David Patterson listed in 1870 OH census,
Knox County, Milford Twp. as 45 years old. That age is obviously wrong, because
then he would have been 12 when he got married. Maybe they meant 54, which
would put his birth as 1815/1816. SOURCE: Federal Census
6) D. Pattison owned a lot of 74-1/2 acres on
southern border of Milford Twp., Knox County, OH west of Lock, in 1871. It
looks like that is where the cemetery is today (although the cemetery is less
than one acre). SOURCE: Milford Twp. Advertising Business Directory, 1871.
7) David Patterson in Indiana for the 1880
census (age 66=born 1813/1814), living with son Harry E. in Winamac, Pulaski County,
and presumably remained there until the death of Olive in August 1881 SOURCES:
Federal Census; Winamac newspaper item (sorry, title of paper got cut off)
dated Sept. 3, 1881.
8) David Pattison married Emeline Teagarden in
Knox County, OH 25 July 1882. SOURCE: marriage license
9) David Pattison living in Ohio in 1883. SOURCE:
"Counties of White and Pulaski, Indiana" Chicago, F. A. Battey &
Co. 1883, p. 662.
10) David Pattison died in Milford Twp., Knox
County, OH 12 Apr 1890. SOURCE: Knox County, OH Probate Court Records, Box 216,
Document #1818, application for probate of will.
David Pattison's Will, filed
in Knox County, OH Will Record Book "I" 1887-91, pp. 283-285, reads
as follows (all spellings are original!):
"In the name of the Benevolent Father of
all, I David Pattison, of the County of Knox & State of Ohio do make and
publish this my last will, and testament.
"I give and devise to beloved Wife in lieu of her dower the homestead on
which we now live situate in the County of Knox and State of Ohio containing
ten-and-one-half acres during her natural life and all the stock, household
goods, furniture, provision, and other goods and chattels which may be theron
at the time of my deceased during her natural life as aforesaid she however
selling so much thereof as may be sufficient to pay my just debts at the death
of my said Wife the Real estate aforesaid I desire sold and the proceeds
thereof equally divided between my Son H.E. Pattison and Lucina Lewis my daughter and their heirs also
all my household good and personal property that may be left at the death of my
said Wife I wish equally divided between my Son H.E. Pattison and my Daughter Lucina Lewis and their hears forever.
"I devise and bequeath to my Son H.E. Pattison and his heirs my Real estate
situate in the town of Winamac and State of Indiany and Pulaski County situate
on lot ninety-three of said town of Winamac and his heirs forever.
"I give and bequeath to my Daughter Lucina Lewis and her heirs forever all my right
title and interest that I now hold in a mortgage and the interest thereof covering
the farm of one-hundred acres on which my Daughter Lucina Lewis and husband David T. Lewis now
reside in the County of Pulaski and State of Indiana and Vanburn Township this
shall be a complete release of all the claims I hold in said Mortgage on said
share farm.
"I do hereby nominate my beloved friend Torence Mitchell executor of this
my last will and testament hereby authorizing and empowering him to compromise
resease and discharge in such manner as he may deem proper the debts and claims
due me. I do also autherize and empower him if it shall become necessary in
order to pay my my debts to sell by Private Sale or in such maner upon such
terms of credit as he may think proper I desire that no appraisement nor sale
of mmy personal property be made and that the Court of Probate direct the
omission of the same in pursuance of the Statute.
"I do hereby revoke all former wills by me made.
"In testimony hereof I have set my hand and seal this 2 day of May in the
year 1887."