Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-02-18
COL. JAS. PATTON. OF TINKLING SPRING
TFor the SPECTATOR.

For the SPECTATOR
Among the early settlers of Augusta
county no one was more prominent than
James Patton. Indeed, it would seem
that from the date of his coming to the
county, for fifteen years or more, he was
the leading man in this region. His name
frequently appears in our local records,
and with however many he was associated,
he was always mentioned first.
We learn from note by R. A. Brock,
editor Of the "Dinwiddie Papers," that
Col. Patton was born, in 1899, in the town
of Newton, Limaddy, Ireland, and that his
wife was a Miss Osborn, of Whitehaven,
Cumberland. He IVES bred to the sea, and
in the wars of Queen Anne's reign served as
an officer in the Royal Navy. 1t is said that
after the Treaty of Utrecht he procured "a
passenger Ship" &c. 1t must haveibeen a
considerable time after the treaty, which
was concluded in 1918, when Patton was
oaiy tWenty-one years of age, and it is
hardly possible be began to trade between
the old country and the Colony OF Virginia
before the year 1870 OR 1732.
But, at whatever date, upon procuring
his passenger ship he traded to Hobbies
Hole, on the Rappahannock river. He is
said to have crossed the Atlantic twenty
five times, bringing Irish emigrants, and
returning with cargoes of peltries and to-
bacco. The class Of erligrapts introduced
by Patton were known as s.R Eeotcn aia ai5t1 ii556i01
ers," or UNIDENTIFIED servants" who served
a stipulated time to pay the cost of their
transportation, The records of the County
Court of Augusta show that there were
many people of this class in the county
prior to the Revolutionary war. Most of
them were probably introduced by Patton
as settlers in Beverley's Manor and Bor-
den's Grant Landing on the Rappahan-
mock river, they came to this county from
that quarter; while most of the early set
tiers who came at their own cost and
charges arrived by way of the Delaware
and through eastern Pennsylvania and the
lower Valley of Virginia.
We are unable to ascertain at what date
Patton located in the county. He was re-
siding here, however, in 1741. The Rev.
John Craig settled in the county in 1740,
and during the next year the portion. of his
flock afterwards known as Tinkling Spring
congregation, subscribed the following obli-
cation:
"Know all men by these presents, vt we,
ye undermined subscribers, do nominate,
appoint and constitute our trusty and we'll
beloved friends, James Patton, John Fin
ley, George Hutchison, John Christian, and
Alexander Breckenridge, to manage our
public affairs, to choose and purchase a
piece of ground and to build our meeting
house upon it, to collect our minister's S
salary, and to pay off all charges relating
to said affair; to lay off the people in pro-
portion to this end; to place seats in our
said meeting house; which we do hereby
promise to reimburse them, they always
giving us a months warning by an adver-
tisement on the meeting house door, ma
jority of the above five persons, provided
all be apprised of their meeting, their act
ing shall stand; and these persons above
named shall be accountable to the minister
and session twice every year for all their
proceeds relating to the whole affair. To
which we subscribe our names, in the pres
ence of Rev. Mr.. John Craig, August 18th,
1741.''
One of the subscribers having failed to
pay his subscription, or assessment, was
sued in the County Court, and the Com
missioners obtained verdict and judg-
ment against him for &c.
When Patton located in the county, he
took up his abode on South River, above
Waynesborough, at or near the present
Porcelain Works, and called the place
Springhill. Beverley's patent for 11S, 491
acres, issued in 1876, embraced the land
occupied by Patton; but the latter had no
deed till February 81, 1749, when the pat
entee conveyed to him the tract, 1893
acres, more or less, for the nominal consid-
Grafton of five shillings. 1881 cents.
John Preston, the ancestor of nearly all
the Prestons in Virginia, came to Augusta
from Ireland about the year 174O. His
wife was sister of Patton, and he lived
for time at Springhill, but finally settled
at Spring Farm, adjacent to Staunton,
where he died.
The act setting apart the county of
Augusta from Orange was passed in 1913;
although the county was not organized till
1745. The act of 1873 exempted the in
habitants from payment of all public levies
for ten years, unless Court should be
erected sooner. But the people petitioned
the Colonial Assembly for the privilege of
being taxed! Accordingly, at the session
of the Assembly, or House of Burgesses,
which began May 6, 1742, an act was passed
imposing tax of two shillings 1881 cents
On each tithable, to be paid to trustees who
were to expend the money, as directed by
the annual Court Martial of the county, in
hiring persons to destroy wolves, in reliev-
ing the poor, building bridges, and opening
roads. The trustees appointed were James
Patton, John Christian, and John Buch-