Colonel Robert Patterson
Encyclopedia
Colonel Robert Patterson (1753–1827) was a soldier and settler who helped found the cities of Lexington
, Kentucky
, and Cincinnati
, Ohio
, then moved to Dayton
, Ohio.
Born in Pennsylvania
, Patterson emigrated to Kentucky
in 1775. He served in the Kentucky militia in the western theater
of the American Revolutionary War
. He took part in George Rogers Clark
's celebrated Illinois campaign in 1778, and fought in many other actions during the war. He was a captain of the Fayette County
militia in the Battle of Blue Licks
, the last major battle of the war in the west. He was, along with Daniel Boone
, one of the few senior officers to survive that disastrous battle.
In 1786 he was severely injured in Logan's Raid
in the Northwest Indian War
. Patterson moved north from Kentucky into the Northwest Territory
in 1788, and was one of the three founders of Cincinnati, a river port
along the north side of the Ohio River
across from Kentucky
.
Patterson then moved to Dayton, Ohio
, in 1802 and continued his military service as a quartermaster
during the War of 1812
. Patterson's farm, Rubicon, was located two miles south of Dayton where he and his wife Elizabeth (Lindsay) raised eight children. Their land is currently part of the University of Dayton
and stretched from there west to the Old soldiers' home
(presently the Dayton VA Medical Center).
One of Patterson's grandchildren, John H. Patterson
, became a prominent Dayton citizen and founded the National Cash Register Company (now NCR Corporation)
in 1884.
Patterson's home, known as the Patterson Homestead
, is now a historic house
museum operated by Dayton History
.
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, and Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, then moved to Dayton
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
, Ohio.
Born in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, Patterson emigrated to Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
in 1775. He served in the Kentucky militia in the western theater
Western theater of the American Revolutionary War
The Western theater of the American Revolutionary War was the area of conflict west of the Appalachian Mountains, the region which became the Northwest Territory of the United States as well as the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Missouri...
of the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. He took part in George Rogers Clark
George Rogers Clark
George Rogers Clark was a soldier from Virginia and the highest ranking American military officer on the northwestern frontier during the American Revolutionary War. He served as leader of the Kentucky militia throughout much of the war...
's celebrated Illinois campaign in 1778, and fought in many other actions during the war. He was a captain of the Fayette County
Fayette County, Kentucky
Fayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The population was 295,083 in the 2010 Census. Its territory, population and government are coextensive with the city of Lexington, which also serves as county seat....
militia in the Battle of Blue Licks
Battle of Blue Licks
The Battle of Blue Licks, fought on August 19, 1782, was one of the last battles of the American Revolutionary War. The battle occurred ten months after Lord Cornwallis's famous surrender at Yorktown, which had effectively ended the war in the east...
, the last major battle of the war in the west. He was, along with Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone was an American pioneer, explorer, and frontiersman whose frontier exploits mad']'e him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. Boone is most famous for his exploration and settlement of what is now the Commonwealth of Kentucky, which was then beyond the western borders of...
, one of the few senior officers to survive that disastrous battle.
In 1786 he was severely injured in Logan's Raid
Logan's Raid
Logan's Raid was a military expedition early in the Northwest Indian War. In the fall of 1786, under orders from George Rogers Clark, General Benjamin Logan led a force of Federal soldiers and mounted Kentucky militia against several Shawnee towns in the Ohio Country along the Mad River, protected...
in the Northwest Indian War
Northwest Indian War
The Northwest Indian War , also known as Little Turtle's War and by various other names, was a war fought between the United States and a confederation of numerous American Indian tribes for control of the Northwest Territory...
. Patterson moved north from Kentucky into the Northwest Territory
Northwest Territory
The Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, more commonly known as the Northwest Territory, was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 13, 1787, until March 1, 1803, when the southeastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Ohio...
in 1788, and was one of the three founders of Cincinnati, a river port
Port
A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
along the north side of the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
across from Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
.
Patterson then moved to Dayton, Ohio
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
, in 1802 and continued his military service as a quartermaster
Quartermaster
Quartermaster refers to two different military occupations depending on if the assigned unit is land based or naval.In land armies, especially US units, it is a term referring to either an individual soldier or a unit who specializes in distributing supplies and provisions to troops. The senior...
during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. Patterson's farm, Rubicon, was located two miles south of Dayton where he and his wife Elizabeth (Lindsay) raised eight children. Their land is currently part of the University of Dayton
University of Dayton
The University of Dayton is a private Roman Catholic university operated by the Society of Mary located in Dayton, Ohio...
and stretched from there west to the Old soldiers' home
Old soldiers' home
An old soldiers' home is a military veteran's retirement home, nursing home, or hospital, or sometimes even an institution for the care of the widows and orphans of a nation's soldiers, sailors, and marines, etc.-United States:...
(presently the Dayton VA Medical Center).
One of Patterson's grandchildren, John H. Patterson
John Henry Patterson (NCR owner)
John Henry Patterson was an industrialist and founder of the National Cash Register Company. He was a businessperson and salesperson.-Early years:Patterson was born in 1844 on the family farm near Dayton, Ohio...
, became a prominent Dayton citizen and founded the National Cash Register Company (now NCR Corporation)
NCR Corporation
NCR Corporation is an American technology company specializing in kiosk products for the retail, financial, travel, healthcare, food service, entertainment, gaming and public sector industries. Its main products are self-service kiosks, point-of-sale terminals, automated teller machines, check...
in 1884.
Patterson's home, known as the Patterson Homestead
Patterson Homestead
The Patterson Homestead is a historic house museum located at 1815 Brown Street in Dayton, Ohio, USA. It was built in 1816 by American Revolutionary War veteran Colonel Robert Patterson....
, is now a historic house
Historic house
A historic house can be a stately home, the birthplace of a famous person, or a house with an interesting history or architecture.- Background :...
museum operated by Dayton History
Dayton History
Dayton History is an organization located in Dayton, Ohio, USA, formed in 2005 by the merger of the Montgomery County Historical Society and Dayton's Carillon Historical Park....
.