About 1760, animated with the hope of more rapidly improving his worldly condition, Patrick Jack joined the great tide of emigration to the Southern colonies, and shortly after his arrival in North Carolina purchased a tract of land between Grant and Second Creeks, in the Cathey settlement (now Thyatira) in Rowan county.  After remaining there for about two years, he sold his land and moved to the adjoining county of Mecklenburg.  Here, by strict economy and industry, he was “blest in his basket and his store,” and enabled to make more enlarged possessions.  This improvement in his pecuniary condition and prosperity may be inferred from the fact that in 1775, and a few years subsequently, he and his eldest son, Capt.  James Jack, who, about this time united in business with his father, became the owners of some of the finest lots, or rather blocks, in Charlotte.  Among the valuable lots they are recorded as owning, may be briefly named:  No. 25, the present Irwin corner; No. 26, the Parks lot; No. 27, the whole space, or double block, from the Irwin corner to the Court House lot; No. 29, the space from the Parks lot to the corner embracing the Brown property; and several lots on Trade street, opposite the First Presbyterian Church.  On one of these last named lots (the old Elms property, on the corner next to the Court House) Patrick Jack and his son Capt.  James Jack, resided when the delegates from the militia districts of the county assembled, on the 19th and 20th of May, 1775, and kept a public house of entertainment.  Here Patrick Jack, on suitable occasions, was accustomed to “crack” many an Irish joke, to the infinite delight of his numerous visitors; and by his ready wit, genial good humor and pleasantry, greatly contributed to the reputation of his house, and inculcated his own patriotic principles.  The house soon became the favorite place of resort for the students of the collegiate institute known as “Queen’s Museum,” and of other ardent spirits of the town and country, to discuss the political issues of that exciting period, all foreboding the approach of a mighty revolution.

Patrick Jack had four sons, James, John, Samuel and Robert, and five daughters, Charity, Jane, Mary, Margaret and Lillis, named in the order of their ages.  Capt.  James Jack, the eldest son, married Margaret Houston, on the 20th of November, 1766.  The Houston family came South nearly at the same time with the Alexanders, Polks, Pattons, Caldwells, Wallaces, Wilsons, Clarkes, Rosses, Pattersons, Browns, and many others, and settled mostly in the eastern part of Mecklenburg county (now Cabarrus), and in neighborhoods convenient to the old established Presbyterian churches of the country, under whose guidance civil and religious freedom have ever found ardent and unwavering defenders.  The late Archibald Houston, who served Cabarrus county faithfully in several important positions, and died in 1843, was one of this worthy family.