Sergeant Thomas Patton 28th Regiment of Foot

You?ll need to rely on church records to have any chance of tracing these families.

The parish that Thomas Patton b c 1782 came from was almost certainly Kilbarron. The one that Thomas (jnr) and James came from was Drumhome. Both are near Ballyshannon.

You don?t say what denomination the various Pattons were. Do you know? I?ll assume they were Church of Ireland. Kilbarron?s records start in 1785, so that might just be too late to pick up Thomas?s baptism. However if his wife was also Church of Ireland and originated in that same parish you might find their marriage. The marriage records cover 1785 ? 1801 and then 1815 ? 48. The intervening records are lost. No other denomination has any records for that parish in the late 1700s and early 1800s.

For Drumhome, the following records exist: Baptisms, 1719-20, 1739-48, 1764, 1783-1873; marriages, 1691-1718, 1764 and 1783-1869; burials, 1696-1715, 1764 and 1783-1873; confirmation list, 1853.

So that looks quite promising for Thomas & James, assuming they were COI.

Kilbarron?s records are apparently on the rootsireland site, but only from 1814 onwards. Drumhome?s start in 1719 and appear to be on the site. You need a subscription to view them. Alternatively there are copies in PRONI (the public record office) in Belfast and in the RCB library in Dublin, both of which are free to view.

The Church of Scotland is Presbyterian. So it might be worth checking Presbyterian records in Ireland too, where they exist.

Presbyterians in Ireland don?t use the parish system and so which church you attend is not dictated by geography, and is not necessarily the nearest to where you live. However for the parish of Drumhome, the only Presbyterian church listed in PRONI?s catalogue is Donegal 1^st, whose records start in 1824. Unfortunately they don?t appear to be on-line anywhere yet. There?s a copy in PRONI (the public record office) in Belfast. But a personal visit is required to access them.

I had a look at the 1901 census for Co Donegal. There were 362 Pattons. 210 were RC, 102 Church of Ireland and 35 Presbyterian.

Ahoghill Antrim

Thanks for the prompt  response and valuable information relative to my search. I have no information concerning their denominations but in later years James was married in accordance with the rights of the Church of Scotland. I think it safe to assume that I might have success searching the Church of Ireland records. 

Thank you once again

Ahoghill Antrim

Thanks once again for the guidance.

I am searching for information on Thomas' brother, James.  Perhaps he is my great-great grandfather.  I am told (and through some research, have determined) that my great grandfather, Thomas James Patton was born on December 27, 1844 in County Donegal (perhaps in Ballyshannon).  I understand that his father was James Patton and his mother was Anne Patton (nee Flood).  The date of birth of James (shown above) is consistent with the birth of Thomas James (perhaps his son) in 1844.

I am also searching for his wife who's maiden name was Anne Jane Keys. I am told she is also from County Donegal.  Her birthdate is April 14, 1854.  Her parents were possibly George Keys and Jane Keys.  I have limited information on her.

Both migrated to the USA in 1868 (Thomas) and 1870 (Anne Jane) met in the USA, married in 1882 and started a family in Philadelphia, PA

My name is Thomas George Patton.  Any help/direction would be most appreciated