Patton’s Run cemetery was located in the backyard of a private home when I was there in Nov 1992. It was completely overgrown in weeds and brush. Most of the headstones had fallen over and damaged like a pile of rubble. You cannot see it, even if you were standing 10 feet away.

The only way I found it was by asking a lifelong resident if there were any cemeteries with Pattons in the area. He was willing to ride in the car and show me where the cemetery was located. He came with me, directing me to the location and then he spoke to the homeowners, introduced me and they agreed to show me the graves. I was allowed to copy the information from the stones. The transcripts I have provided are the complete copies of every inscription from every stone there after pulling weeds, moving brush and lifting the headstones to obtain every legible mark from every stone. From the looks of the terrible condition the broken and fallen headstones were in, I would not be surprised if the headstones have since been removed and disposed, thus hiding the existence of the cemetery. It was barely a pile of overgrown rocks 15 years ago. I have never seen a record or reference for this cemetery.

DIRECTIONS:

Going north on Ohio Highway 7, which parallels the west side of the Ohio River (also called “The Ohio River scenic highway”)…. Patton’s Run is located north of Martin’s Ferry and north of Interstate 70. If you blink, you will miss it. There used to be a tiny sign for Patton’s Run. Take the exit for Patton’s Run Road (which is also shown on the map as Township Highway 469). If you reach Yorkville, you went too far north.

Going west on Patton’s Run Road (Township Hwy 469) it was just a short distance to the house on the right (North) side of the road. It seemed less than a mile or so from Highway 7 but I can’t remember. There were only a few homes in there. The driveway was slightly uphill and on the right side of the house. The graves were at the very far back part of their yard, but completely obscured from view by overgrowth. It may not be there anymore…. At least the headstones. I suspect the graves would remain even if the stones were removed. Only a lifelong resident older than 30 might know about it.

Google maps are one of the few that still show Patton’s Run Road and you can also look at the location by satellite but the image does not get close enough to see any detail.

Grave #1
Ann White and a second stone marker with the initials A. W.
6-11-1822
81 years, 5 months, 47 days.
(Comment: I know the number of days is longer than a month, but this is how it was engraved.)

Grave #2
Robert Patton
9-10-1804
1-31-1864

Grave #3
Mary Ann Patton (some damage on middle name. It may have been Anne.)
8-10-180? (the last number on her birthdate was missing from damage)
5-16-1831

Grave #4
John Patton
3-30-1861
(Considering the damage, I am not sure if that was a birth or death date. Probably the latter.)

Grave #5
E & M Patton
1-20-1836
5-20-1840

(On this one, I had the impression that these were either two infants or stillborns that had died on the two separate dates, or it was a set of twins who died together 4 years later.)

At the time, what few buildings they had in the area along the river were boarded up. I went west on that Patton's run road a short distance and asked a resident walking along the road about any cemeteries that might have Patton's buried there. He led me a short distance down Patton's run. It did not seem far but it has been a while. I would say 2-5 miles or less from the intersection at highway 7. There was a house on the right (north side) of Patton's run that had an upward incline to the driveway... the house was yellow at the time (I think)... but I would imagine any of the older residents living along that road would probably be able to help unless it has been turned into a parking lot. The resident who was guiding me, went to the house and asked the residents if I could see the graves and introduced me when they agreed.

The graves were at the far rear of the backyard. Maybe 1/2 to 1 acre yard and the graves were around a couple hundred feet back and completely concealed by weeds and brush. It was in extremely bad shape, nearly all stones were fallen over and left in a heap of disrepair like a junk pile. I would not be surprised if someone has since removed the gravestones to conceal the existence of the cemetery by now, but it is there, even if the stones are gone. I could only find 5 graves. It was a very small area but it is possible it may have had a couple graves without headstones. Hard to tell.

There are a couple small hidden family cemeteries near my home in Collin County, TX which I'm sure no one has seen. They are very rural on a rarely used dirt road and covered with poison ivy and locked access. One of these days we'll either have to ask the adjacent resident about them or use binoculars to get the info.

If anyone finds the graves or info on Silas Black and his family in West Alexander (Donegal twp), Washington county, PA or any Pattons or Fraziers in the nearby counties, let me know. I have looked for these for a long time. The Pattons kept running back and forth between Monroe, OH, Wheeling, Moundsville and Washington county, PA so they have been very difficult to keep track of. I was lucky to find some of their graves in Moundsville... but both of my great great grandmothers are still missing. ---- Midge [Midge56@aol.com]