Person:Nancy Black (12)

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Notes

"William Black and his Descendants"

NANCY BLACK was born in Augusta County, Virginia, December 1, 1789. She was but four years old when her parents moved to Clark County, Kentucky. She married Robert Patton, probably in Kentucky. They lived in Morgan County, Alabama, ten miles east of Summerville, for some time. They went to Texas in the fall of 1840, where they settled on land on Sandy Creek, six miles west of their son William, in Lamar County. According to local history, the village of Pattonville, Lamar County, Texas, was founded by Robert Patton and his two sons, William and Andrew. They settled with their families, and a host of slaves, coming from near Muscle Shoals, Alabama. In the "Life of Davey Crockett" is the following: "in the fall of 1835 he started from Tennessee, near Muscle Shoals, with his nephew William Patton and two others for Texas by way of Ark." According to tradition he camped on land that is now in Lamar County. Davey Crockett's second wife was Elizabeth Patton, sister of Robert Patton. In 1843 the Pattons owned 8000 acres of land in Lamar County. Robert Patton died in 1857. His wife, Nancy died in 1858.

55 Andrew Black Patton 56 William Black Patton 57 Sarah W. Black Patton

A letter to George Black from his sister Nancy and her husband Robert Patton.

Lamar County, Texas 21 June 1842

To Maj. Geo. Black,

Sir, _______ have had our health generally, since we arrived in this country. Thanks be to God for his mercies to us, and his many preservations on our long trip. We are, all that are here, well pleased. Andrew is in Alabama yet, and so is John S. Brooks. They have written us that they will come here this fall. We have a beautiful country; good land, and good range. Beautiful Prairies, but badly watered. As for springs and mills: Tho' I think not worse than Ky. was, at the 1st settling of it. And this country is not much, if any, inferior to Ky. in soil. This is much leveller and better summer and winter range than Ky. ever was, and I must think our land is equal to that of Ky. This is my 3rd year of experience in this country, and I find it to be a better country for wheat than I looked for: tho' it is a great place for vegetation and all that we have tried yet. We have about 50 acres in cultivation this year. 15 of this in cotton. We count on one bale, or the like, to the acre. This is the best season, here, so far, that I have yet seen. The 2 first being rather dry. They talk of 2000 Wt. to the acre, this year, tho' I think that is too much. Tho' crops look well at this time, and if the season continues, we will, for our chance, (as our farms here are new,) make great crops. There is a great improvement in this part, in these 3 years. We were on the outside, at the 1st., and had to go 18 miles to mill, and that mill just started that fall that we got here. Now we have 3 mills in 6 miles, 1 in 22, and the others 2 in 4 miles. We have 2 tanyards now in 20 miles of us. Our county seat is not fixed yet, tho' they have gotten the center of the county. It is about 6 miles of us. I am well pleased with my place. I have 2000 acres of land in this tract. I bought it after I went there. I gave 371, cts. per acre, I am on the edge of the Prairie, and near 2 my land is prairie, and as rich as I could wish it. Wm. is here in 7 miles of us, Direct your letter to Fort Towson, Arkansas.

Robt. & Nancy Patton

A letter to George Black (11) from his sister Nancy (15) and her husband Robt. Patton.

Lamar County, Texas Feb. 23, 1843

Dear Bro. & Liz:

My health, arid Nancy's has been good, since in Texas, as this is our 3rd year of our experience in our new country, we must say that we are well pleased. As for land and range, it can't be beat, Water is scarse, tho' improved some in settling already. There are parts of this country that are well watered, tho' not so fertile, and more broken and rocky. Here is a smooth level, rich country, and no rock to be found only in places. Hardly enough to wall our well in. I have 2000 acres of land, that I live on, that I don't think there could be one wagon load of rock got on it. Tho' in 4 miles, there is plenty. Heart could not desire a more beautiful or better place, about one half timberland, the balance prairie. Stock improves faster here, than in any part of the world that I ever saw. Yet I raised last year a fine crop of corn, wheat, and as much cotton as we can save. We have not gotten done picking cotton yet. We made 2000 Wt. to the acre. I must say there is no better farming country than this, and if any of our friends wish to look for a new country, I would recommend this, in preference to any that I have yet seen for farm, and range. Now is the time for people to come and get homes here, and satisfying homes too, for the soil is from 1 to 5 feet, lies well for farming, and with all this (the land) may be had now from $1.50 cts. to $.50 cts. per acre, which time can not last long is a country of so good Society as this has. We have nearly all sorts of preaching here, Methodists, Baptists, Campbellites, and our laws are similar to your own. Our enemies are chiefly Indians, tho' they (or these) are no warriors. I see no more danger here, than there was in Ala. The Spaniards have never interrupted any part of the country. The indians have stolen horses, and 2 children, since we have been here. But they did this to make money. The children were gotten in a short time. They were sent in for market. Our people kill a great many more of the indians, than they do of our folks. Thus they must steal. They now profess to be at peace. They have not stolen any last year, and are on the frontiers regular. Corn, 25 cts., Pork $3. , cows and calves $10. , cotton $1.50. Money is very scarse, and everything is low. I am going to send my cotton to Orleans, myself and Major Chun. Fulton goes with it. I must say that I am doing very well here. We have about 8000 acres of 1st rate land here. & ________ you must direct your letter to Ft. Towson, and pay 25 cts on it also, Miller's P.O. is Lamar County, Texas.

Robt. & Nancy Patton

1. ↑ Raymond Finley Hughes and Howard Clift Black. William Black and his Descendents A Genealogy of the Descendents of William Black of Augusta County, VA and la. (Unpublished. Copyrighted 1973 by Hughes).