Brothers Named East and West

About 30 years ago I remember my dad taking us to visit my grandpa Patterson's sister, Nellie Patterson Mason in north GA. My grandpa had already died a few years before that in 1975. Aunt Nellie was in her 70's already, but her mind was still sharp.

Being that I was always interested in family stories, and that my name is Wesley, Aunt Nellie was reminded of a pair of brothers she remembered visiting on occasion as a child. They were her 2nd cousins, although at the time she didn't remember exactly how they were related. But what stood out to her, and to me too, was the fact these brothers were called "East" and "West".

I'm sure that conversation was also in the context of her daddy, Elijah Patterson. "Lije" as he was called, had a twin named "Lishe". Lije and Lishe also had four more brothers named Lumpkin, Lewis, Alonzo and Bunyan. Plus, one of their six sisters was called "Jeff".

Over the years many a chuckle escaped my breath when these names were remembered. Being a city boy I was not accustomed to hearing names like this. But as the years went by I became more interested in finding out who these brothers were. East and West. I assumed they were Pattersons, but I couldn't remember. I assumed they were my cousins too, but I wasn't sure. So the fond memory slowly became a mystery that had to be unraveled.

About 8 or 10 years ago, while updating one of my Patterson branches with further details, I tripped across a record that indicated one of my cousins named John E. Patterson, was actually John East Patterson. So I began to dig further. I found another record that indicated his younger brother James, was actually James W. Patterson.

I dug more.

Then I found it. James W. was actually James Wesley Patterson, and he was called "West" Patterson. His older brother John East Patterson was actually called "East". I found them!

East and West Patterson were born in 1861 and 1870 respectively, in Fannin Co GA. They and their other siblings were children of George Washington Patterson and Margaret Ownbey. George was the son of John Patterson Jr and Sallie Hicks.

Aunt Nellie and I descend from John Jr's brother George Patterson, and his son William Harden "Bill" Patterson, and his son Lije Patterson, previously mentioned. So Lije and Lishe were 2nd cousins of East and West. That would make Aunt Nellie 2nd cousins once removed, which in turn would make me 2nd cousins thrice removed.

Mystery solved. But still a chuckle.

WP

John & Margaret Patterson cemetery

Last Revised: 27 December 2018

After my latest trip to north GA I have become 99% certain that my gggg-grandparents are buried at Bethlehem Baptist Church Cemetery in Lower Young Cane, GA, just west of Blairsville (Union Co).

Bethlehem Cemetery, south of Ivylog, west of Blairsville, GA

I will never be able to prove it, for certain. But a considerable amount of evidence has come to light in regards to the locations of their children's farms during the 1830's and 40's, and where John and Margaret lived in relation to them during that time.

John and Margaret (J&M) did not own their own farm, by the way. So that effectively removes a family cemetery from the equation.

In 1840, the last census on which John was recorded, they were living next to Isabella Price. But Isabella wasn't even buried in a family cemetery, as she was later buried at Bethlehem Cemetery also. All of these family lots (Amos, George, Joseph, plus Isabella) in Lower Young Cane were within a mile or two of Bethlehem, and a couple were within a half mile. In fact, the lot which was the furthest away was Isabella's lot, but she was later buried at Bethlehem. Isabella was not a daughter of John and Margaret, but she was apparently close to them.

My g-gf was Elijah Patterson (1871-1957). He is buried at Bethlehem Cemetery (BC).

His parents were Bill and Betty Patterson (Wm H. Patterson, 1832-1883, and Elizabeth Akins Patterson, 1836-1914). Both Bill and Betty are buried at BC - next to Isabella Price.

Bill's father was George Patterson (1800-1860)... I now know that George died in 1860 sometime between July when the census was taken, and December when his widow Sophia wrote a letter to her family regarding his death. He was buried a couple miles north next to his wife Rebecca Chastain Patterson, who had died during the mid to late 1840's when they lived on a lot in Ivy Log. George later lived very close to BC, and I found out this week via telephone that George attended Bethlehem Church. Logically, he chose to be buried next to his wife, and therefore he is not at BC.

My gggg-gf was John Patterson (1762/65-1840's), father of George. John and his wife Margaret, are the first generation of Pattersons whom I do NOT know where they are buried. Bethlehem Church was established in 1848. Usually, churches were established by like-minded people in a growing locale, and quite often established near a cemetery already in use by the community or one of the families. I now know that John could have been born as early as 1762 and no later than 1765. I believe it was around 1762/63 time frame.

BC has at least 30 unmarked graves (field stones with no markings on them) in the heart of the cemetery. And the main Patterson (and Price and Gray) rows are located all around these unmarked graves at the entrance to the cemetery. White folk began moving into the area in the late 1820's and early 1830's, so none of these graves would likely pre-date 1830.

Where were John and Margaret Patterson buried? Where was their oldest son Joseph B. Patterson (1789-1860) buried? Where was Joseph's daughter, Peggy, and her husband, Gravet E. Foster, buried?

Turner - Patterson Reunion

Each year on the 3rd Sunday of October there is a reunion in north Ga at a church attended by many Pattersons and Turners who are "very related", shall we say. Many Turner-Patterson marriages occurred over the years.

I am working with Stan Turner and now also a Roger Turner to see if I (we) can determine where their ancestor (John Patterson Jr - married Sarah "Sallie" Hicks) is buried. John Jr died in Union Co Ga in 1854. In 1850, his mother, Margaret Black Patterson, was living with him. However, she was also recorded with her oldest son, Joseph B Patterson, that same year.

Joseph and John Jr lived several miles apart I think, and the modern county border b/w Union and Fannin counties ran b/w their farms. Where did they live exactly? Where did their parents live, more importantly to me. I descend from George Patterson, younger brother of Joseph and John Jr. I believe there to be one or more family cemeteries on their farms that I would like to one day find.

Wes