Henry Patillo

Background

Henry Patillo was born in 1726 in Balermic, Angus, Scotland. He was the son of George and Jane Pattillo. He had two brothers, George and William, and several sisters whose names are unknown. At the age of nine, accompanied by an elder brother, he emigrated to Virginia and found employment as a merchant's clerk.

Education

Henry Patillo was a good classical scholar, Hampden-Sidney College conferred the degree of A. M. upon him in 1787, and engaged in teaching along with his pastoral duties.

Career

Henry Patillo began to devote himself to teaching and study. Experiencing conversion, he felt called to the ministry, and in 1751 put himself under the instruction of Rev. Samuel Davies, who was then at Hanover, Virginia. On September 28, 1757, he was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Hanover, and on July 12, 1758, he was ordained at Cumberland. Until October 1762 he was in charge of the churches of Willis Creek, Byrd, and Buck Island, and for two years or more, beginning May 1763, he supplied the churches of Cumberland, Harris Creek, and Deep Creek. In October 1765 he removed to North Carolina, serving first, 1764 to 1774, at Hawkfields, Eno, and Little River, and later as pastor of the congregations at Nutbush and Grassy Creek, made up largely of emigrants from Virginia, who gave him 300 acres of land on condition that he would remain with them for the rest of his life. He was one of the early members of the Orange Presbytery and when the Synod of the Carolinas was organized, acted as presiding officer. He also made the religious guidance of the negroes one of his special concerns.

In political as well as ecclesiastical affairs Henry Patillo took a prominent part. When, in 1768, Governor Tryon's forces were called upon to put down the "Regulators" who were causing disorder in the state, Patillo and Rev. George Micklejohn, rector of St. Matthew's Church, Hillsboro, were appointed to preach to the troops. They also joined in a pastoral letter, having as its text the first two verses of the thirteenth chapter of Romans. Patillo was a delegate to the provincial congress of North Carolina in 1775, and when the congress resolved itself into a committee of the whole to consider joining the confederation of united colonies, was unanimously chosen chairman. He is described by one in whose father's home he was a frequent visitor as "of large frame and considerably more than ordinary flesh his features were rather large and coarse, though his face easily lighted up with a smile of goodwill. It seemed natural for him to say droll things; and he would frequently keep a whole company convulsed, apparently without being conscious he was doing it".

As a preacher Henry Patillo spoke with a loud voice and much earnestness, the attention of his audience being held by the original matter of his discourse. In 1788 he published Sermons. I. On the Divisions among Christians: II. On the Necessity of Regeneration to Future Happiness: III. The Scripture Doctrine of Election: IV. Extract of a Letter from Mr. Whitefield to Mr. Wesley: V. An Address to the Deists. He was also the author of A Geographical Catechism (1796), reprinted in 1909 with a biographical sketch. He died in Dinwiddie County, Virginia, while on a missionary journey in 1801.

Achievements

• Henry Patillo was a distinguished Presbyterian clergyman. He devoted his life to service in church.

Works

More photos

• book

  • Geographical catechism

    (Pattillo's Geographical catechism. This book, "Geographic...)

Personality

Henry Patillo was an eminently devout man. He was a large man with coarse features but with a commanding voice, impressive delivery, and usually a cheerful demeanor.

Connections

In 1755 Henry Patillo married Mary Anderson.

Father:

George Patillo

Mother:

Jane Patillo

Spouse:

Mary Anderson Patillo

Brother:

William Patillo

Brother:

George Patillo