Abraham Patterson co-founded Geneva College Theological
Seminary; Northwood, Logan Co, OH 

Abraham Patterson was born near Belfast, County Down,
Ireland, in 1767. He and Martha Gourley were married in
Ireland. They had 14 children five of whom died in Ireland
and Scotland. Three are known to be buried in the graveyard
at Colinchie, Ireland. The stone Reads, "Erected by Abraham
Patterson of Bally McReely --- A.D. 1798. Here lieth the
remains of his children, viz. Robert, Mary and William." The
inscription above was verified by J. Milligan Wylie, D.D. a
grandson of the first Robert Wylie, while traveling in
Ireland, visited this cemetary in 1898 and read the
inscription above. 

In Ireland, Abraham Patterson had been a Merchant. Later, he
served as a captain during the Irish Rebellion against
Catholic domination. A price was offered on his head, with
the result that he was forced to flee to Scotland. There he
remained for a time and then secured a pass and with his
wife and nine children came to the United States in
September, 1818. The sailing vessel upon which this family
crossed the Atlantic took 14 weeks to make the journey. 

The Abraham Patterson Family settled in Mercer County,
Pennsylvania, remaining there for eleven and a half years.
There on March 31,1819, Eliza Jane Patterson was born. Eliza
received her name by the following story. It seems that the
oldest Patterson child, Eliza, had married one Graham and
settled near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In order to visit her
parents because she was homesick, she walked to their home
in Mercer County, Pennsylvania. On the way she caught cold
and upon arrival she remarked,"I have brought death."
Shortly thereafter, she died. The new baby her mother had
just borne was named Eliza for this deceased sister, and
Jane for the other sister buried in Ireland. In Aprox March
of 1830 they moved to Huntsville, Ohio, Abraham and 2 sons
bought 500 acres of military land,which they divided
equally; he was an ardent beliver in the doctrines of the
reformed Presbytarian church, and the first one of the
denomination in that comunity, he helped build the first
church, and attended church Synod at Pittsburgh on
horseback. He died in 1855 aged 89 years,his wife having
died three years Previously aged 80 years. His Son David was
one of the Sons that bought Military land near Huntsville,
Ohio.