Vitals
born-7/1773-4 Inverny Argylstire Scotland
died-1830 Cumberland Co NC
father-John "Scotland" "Statesman" Graham
mother- Elizabeth "Betsy" Smylie
siblings-
married- Daniel Patterson
children-Archibald 1784, Margaret P Graham, Isabella P Keahey 1785/6, Elizabeth P Keahey 1788, Alexander, Mary P Gillis 1795, Daniel, John 1798, Malcom 1800, Annie P Bethune 1805, George McDuffy Patterson 1807
per Janet Bavaro's records:
After married "buffalo" they lived at TurnpikeBridge and later at the "Buffalo Mill" located on Buffalo Creek about 1785, one of the smaller tributaries of the Lumber River, in what was then Cumberland, noe Hoke County. He owned several thousand acres of land on both sides of the creek from its head to its junction into the Lumber River (Drowning Creek). He also had the 21st painted house in the area. It was painted red so was called the Red House. Buf Can sold the red house in 183? to Archibald McMillan who was soon called "Red House Archie". It was still standing in 1969. Buffalo Daniel got his name because he lived on Buffalo Creek. He helped organize Bethel Pres. Church. Built a mill on the creek, raised stock and had the first sawmill - very primitive. This little mill was famous in its day, since Buffalo was a never failing stream, it was always in condition to grind. It is said there were two sets of mill stones, yet the power never failed no matter how dry the season. In time of drought, people from a long distance, especially from the "flat woods" in Robeson Co, came to get their corn ground at the "Buffalo Mill". Patterson also installed a little saw mill and cut lumber from the magnificent pines then so abundant in his neighborhood. People came from as far away as Center Curch near Maxton, to get get lumber. In later years the saw mill was abandoned and the McLeans built a similar mill on the Buffalo, near its mouth. While Patterson's was still in operation, Lauchlin McNeill also ran a mill farther down stream.
Tradition has it from those who did not admire "Buffalo" Patterson that Patterson long desired to monopolize the mill business and so to this end tried to buy McNeill's mill. When the latter refused to sell it is claimed that Patterson would let loose the water from his pond unbeknown to McNeill. The result of this unexpected deluge from above stream would prove disastrous to McNeill's dam, and his mill will be out of commission. After a time growing discouraged with his losses he sold out to Patterson who gave the McNeill mill to his oldest son, Archibald Patterson, from whom it passed into the hands of his daughter, Eliza, who married Neill Sinclair. The mill remained in the Sinclairs for many years, was burned during Sherman's Raid then rebuilt. Quite recently it passed into possession of Newton Leslie, a decendent of "Buffalo" Patterson.
About a quarter of a mile west of Buffalo Mill on the little stream now called "Gin Branch", there was erected a little cotton gin which was contemporary with the Patterson mill and saw mill. This was built by Col Roderick Gillis who married Mary daughter of Daniel and Margaret Patterson. It is said that Col Gillis built his gin with no other tool than a common club axe.
Came to Cumbrland Co in 1776-8 when her niece Euphelia Graham was only 10-12 years old. One record says she came as a child in 1765. Margaret is buried in the Patterson graveyard between the old mill and Gillis's gin and Gen Branch. her grave was covered with flat rocks brought from the thune place now known as "Sanatorium". It may still be seen unchanged by the years.
So sleep many of her kin and at least three of her children and possibly more: Archie Patterson, Mary P Gillis, and Eliza Patterson Keahey. Her sons save Archie and Alex, went to AL to live and it is where they died. Her husband when old and blind also went to AL 1837. He died there and is buried in Hatchet Creek cemetery on local AL 7 but no trace of Pattersons nor is either one a Presbyterian Cem now.
Margaret and her husband were among the founders of the old Bethel Church. For a time this infant congregation met at the grove on a hillside a few hundred yards to the east of the mill and not far from a spring at the edge, Buffalo swam. Another meeting place for the congregation before the final location at the present site was a place called Green Hill- not far from the present railroad station Timberland on lands afterwards owned by Blacksmith Murdock McLeod.
Margaret is the young woman who showed much heroism in the closing days of the American Revolution. When a bloody internecine warfare raged up and down the valley of Lumber Valley.
