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Historical records matching William Patterson, Sr.
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About William Patterson, Sr.
THERE IS SUBSTANTIAL DOUBT THAT THIS PERSON'S MOTHER IS HANNAH (PEEBLES) MERRIMOON PATTERSON, as alleged, and this doubt is based only on this William Patterson's documented testimony that his mother was Elizabeth Peoples of County Donegal, Ireland.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: William Patterson (born November 1, 1752, in Fanad, County Donegal, Ireland ; died July 7, 1835, in Baltimore, Baltimore County, Maryland) was a businessman, a gun-runner during the American Revolution, and a founder of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. His many business dealings included shipping, banking, and the Baltimore Water Company. He was reputed to be the second-wealthiest man in Maryland, after Charles Carroll of Carrollton.
In the autobiographical section of his will, William denotes that he was sent to Philadelphia at age fourteen, arriving in April 1766, whereupon he was placed in the counting-house of Mr Samuel Jackson.
In 1827, he donated the first five acres of land that became Baltimore's Patterson Park.
Patterson was married to Dorcas Spear (1761–1814), a member of the respected Spear-Smith family. Together, they were the parents of thirteen children, including:
Elizabeth Patterson (1785–1879), who married Jérôme Bonaparte, brother of Napoleon Bonaparte.
Robert Patterson (1781–1822), who married Marianne Caton, the maternal granddaughter of Carroll, after Robert's death she married Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley, brother of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington.
Edward Patterson (1789–1865), who married Sidney Smith (1794–1879), daughter of Maj. Gen. Samuel Smith. Edward served in the War of 1812 as aide-de-camp to Isaac McKim and was the maternal grandfather of Sidney Turner Swan Dyer (1858–1933) who married Elisha Dyer III, son and grandson of Rhode Island governors, Elisha Dyer Jr. and Elisha Dyer.
Patterson was known to be a strict father who was very controlling of his children's lives, dictating which sons would go into his business or into a career of his choosing, and he fiercely believed that a woman's role was to be a devoted daughter and wife, in charge of the kitchen and the nursery. This belief alienated his daughter Elizabeth, whose intelligence and ambition were often criticized by her father who could not understand why she wanted to be more than simply a Baltimore wife and mother. He was a philanderer who had many affairs during his marriage, especially with his housekeepers; one of his mistresses was in the house when his wife Dorcas died, and another gave birth to his illegitimate daughter. Throughout his life, his need to control women led to rifts within the family, including alienating both his daughter and his sister-in-law Nancy Spear for their political and social interests.
Patterson died a millionaire in 1835 in Baltimore, Maryland. In his will, he left the overwhelming majority of his estate to his sons and grandson and used the document as a final way to humiliate his daughter and control his sister-in-law. He wrote, "The conduct of my daughter Betsey has through life been so disobedient that in no instance has she every consulted my opinions or feelings; indeed, she has caused me more anxiety and trouble than all my other children put together, and her folly and misconduct have occasioned me a train of expense that first and last has cost me much money," and left her only a few properties, all of which totaled approximately $10,000--a far cry from the amounts left to his sons. He left an annual allowance to Nancy Spear predicated upon her agreement to never again attend congressional sessions in Washington, D.C. The will was published in the Baltimore Sun, most likely arranged by Patterson before he died. The will violated the prenuptial agreement Elizabeth Patterson and Jerome Bonaparte signed in 1803, in which Patterson would bequeath a share to Elizabeth that was equal to that of his other children. Although Elizabeth Patterson initially contested the will, she ultimately dropped all legal challenges when she learned that her aunt and trusted confidante Nancy Spear sold Elizabeth's letters to her brothers to be used against her in court and in public opinion. The will also freed Patterson's slaves when they reached the age of 30 and left part of his estate to his illegitimate daughter and her mother.
https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=135727551
- Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Mar 25 2023, 21:55:11 UTC
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William Patterson, Sr.'s Timeline
| 1752 |
November 1, 1752
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Fanad, Donegal, Ireland
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| 1781 |
July 16, 1781
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Baltimore, Maryland, United States
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August 5, 1781
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North Carolina, United States
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| 1785 |
February 6, 1785
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Baltimore, Maryland, United States
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| 1786 |
December 6, 1786
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Baltimore, MD, United States
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| 1789 |
1789
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| 1800 |
November 6, 1800
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Balto., Md
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| 1816 |
1816
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Baltimore, Maryland, United States
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| 1835 |
July 7, 1835
Age 82
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Baltimore, Maryland, United States
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