Patton Township was called in honor of Col. John Patton, a revolutionary officer (who resided at now Centre Furnace) and was erected while the territory was in Mifflin County, as early as 1794. The Gray and Hartsock families were the earliest settlers, who came in 1788 from Frederick county, Maryland. Iron mining was begun at an early day in this township, affording supply of ore for Centre Furnace. Scotia mines are located in this township, which is still rich in iron ore. The first settlers of Patton were Methodists, which is the prevailing creed yet. The Bellefonte and Buffalo Run railroad to Bellefonte, and Lewisburg & Tyrone railroad to Tyrone are the outlets of the ore products. Quite a busy hamlet known as Scotia has sprung up in this township through the mining operations of Carnegie Brothers of Pittsburg.
(SOURCE: Eleventh Census of the Population of the United States Published by Boroughs and Townships, in Connection with a Business Directory of the Same, Bellefonte, Pa., 1890.)
PATTON TOWNSHIP CENSUS RECORDS
1850--453 1860--664 1870--721 1880--761 1890--1,045 1900--924 1910--907 1920--498 1930--442 1940--790 1950--1,289 1960--2,401 1970--4,394 1980--7,409 1990--9,971 2000--11,420
(SOURCE: U.S. Census of Population, Bureau of the Census, U.S. Department of Commerce.)
TOWNS & VILLAGES
Villages and towns in Patton Township include Woodycrest, Park Forest, Scotia, Benore, Boogersville, Pleasant Hill, Booksburg, Marysville, Paradise, Buffalo Run and Matternville. For a discussion of these, see Paul M. Dubbs, Where to Go and Place-Names of Centre County, 1961.
TAX ASSESSMENT RECORDS
Tax assessment records for Patton Township from 1801 forward can be found in the basement of the Centre County Library and Historical Museum in Bellefonte. Persons wishing to use these records must first sign the Guest Researcher register in the Pennsylvania Room.