County Donegal, Ireland, was the site of the
former house known as "Springfield". Built by Henry
Patton, Jr. some time after 1688 on land which had
been awarded to him for military service rendered
to William of Orange, it is located directly south
of Fanad Head, west of Portsalom and east of Mulroy
Bay. The estate at one time adjoined that of "Croghan,"
home of Henry Patton, Sr. and, before him, the home
of his parents, William and Margaret Patton, who
are known to have resided there as early as 1626.
Henry Patton, Jr., married Sarah Lynn. Two of their
children would leave a lasting heritage to American
history: James and Elizabeth. The latter married
John Preston.
Colonel James Patton is reputed to have brought
the first Thorough-bred to America in 1730; Bulle
Rock. He was sired by the Darley Arabian
out of a natural Arabian mare. His half-brother
was Flying Childers, the most renowned horse on
the English turf in his day. Another half-brother
was Bartlett's Childers.
On August 26, 1738, Colonel Patton, with his
wife, Mary Osborne, and two daughters, Mary and
Margaret, arrived in Virginia aboard the
"Walpoole." Accompanying them were John and
Elizabeth Patton Preston, along with their four
children: Letitia, Margaret, William and Ann.
They settled in Augusta County, near Staunton,
where Colonel Patton became the most influential
man on the frontier prior to his tragic death
in the Draper's Meadows massacre on July 30,1755.
His nephew, Colonel William Preston became
the first County-Lieutenant of Fincastle County
in 1772. Two years later, in 1774, he was in
command of the garrisoned forts on the frontier
during the Point Pleasant campaign under command
of his cousin, Colonel Andrew Lewis (see D3197
Public Record Office of Northern Ireland).
On the eve of the Civil War in America, Patton's
great-great-grandson, John Buchanan Floyd,
served as Secretary of War in President Buchanan's
cabinet, resigning on December 29, 1860 to become
a brigadier general in the Confederate army. At
the same time, Elizabeth Patton Preston's
great-great-grandson, John Cabell Breckinridge,
was Vice-President of the United States. He also
resigned to become a brigadier general in the
Confederate Army and, in 1865, Secretary of War
of the Confederacy. In April of 1861, William
Ballard Preston, a great-grandson of Elizabeth
Patton, introduced the resolution for Virginia
to seceed from the Union.
Little is known of Bulle Rock's descendants
except for entries in the Journal of Philip Vickers
Fithian. In August of 1775, he tells of acquiring
a "neat-carriaged, black Horse of four Years."
Under date of January 8, 1776, he describes stabling
this horse at Captain John Lewis' at Warm Springs,
Virginia, and gived [gave?] his name as Bulle Rock. This
animal was a namesake and possibly a direct
descendant of the original stallion brought to
America in 1730 by Colonel Patton, a cousin of
Captain Lewis.
Bartlett's Childers, half-brother of Bulle
Rock, has left a legacy to American racing. In
1973, Childers' 17th great-grandson won the
triple crown: the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness
and the Belmont. His name was Secretariat. In
1977, Childer's 20th great-grandson - Seattle
Slew - not only duplicted this feat but became
the first horse in history to do so unbeaten in
any earlier race.
This sworn statement is being filed in the
Public Record Office of Northern Ireland for
the purpose of preserving valuable historical
information beneficial to both Ireland and the
United States.
Patricia Buton, Historical
Consultant
America's Frontier, Ltd.
Bolar, Virginia 24414
Witnesses:
Gladys Schutter Date: July 6, 1977
Lawrence M. [Loftis?] Subscribed and sworn to
before me this 6th day
of July, 1977.
Margaret S. Ruebelmann
Notary Public
Oakland County, Mich. [Michigan?]
My commision expires 8-6-80
