Updated this post on May 7, 2023. I actually rewrote and added quite a lot.
My Grandfather, Jasper Patterson, was born on this day (12 March) in 1872, 152 years ago. He was born in San Marcos, Hays County, Texas, USA.
His parents lived in Missouri for the 1870 Federal Census. Although not Slave owners, they were apparently Southern sympathizers and moved to Texas for less hassle. My Dad told me something about the family hiding out in the hills during the Civil War. He wasn't too specific or sure of the details. Jasper's Dad, Greenup Bird Patterson, could read and write and was a well-to-do farmer based on the value listed in the 1860 & 1870 censuses. Real Property, $3,000, and Personal Property, $1,000, were listed in the latter.
In 1894 Katie Tadlock marries Jasper.
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| Jasper and Katie Tadlock Patterson, probably taken in 1894 for their wedding photo. |
In the 1900 census, Jasper is a Farmer living next door to his parents and probably working their farm. He and Katie have two children, Greenup Bird II (named after his grandfather) b 1895 and Maggie, b 1897. According to his obituary, the family moved to Greer County, Oklahoma Territory, in 1901. "Shortly after that, he had a blacksmith shop in Granite."
In the 1910 census, he is listed as a Blacksmith with his own business. They now have five children, Green, Maggie, Florence, b 1900; Melvin, b 1904; and William C, known to me as Uncle Carter, b 1905. Uncle Kenneth was born in December 1910, the first of the Patterson children to be born in the new State of Oklahoma.
Katie gave birth to Jasper Junior in early March 1913. Eight days later, Katie Dies. According to a transcription of her Death Certificate, she died of Cancer. However, my dad said Jasper hated the Doctor because he wasn't careful enough, and she died of Childbed fever. Sad to say, Junior died on March 29, 1913.
Jasper apparently married Frances (unknown maiden name) Patterson shortly after Katie died. Jasper needed a wife to care for his five children. I haven't found any record of the marriage, though. However, she died in November 1914, and he never married again.
In the 1920 Census, Jasper is apparently sharing a home with his son Greenup and his wife, their son (I list him as Greenup III since Jasper's Dad was Greenup), as well as Jasper's three youngest sons, ages 15, 14, and 9 Yrs.
Jasper was living with his sister, Maggie, and her family in the 1930 census. He is still a blacksmith, working in an Iron Foundry. In 1932, Melvin wrote a letter to Uncle G.B.'s family and gave them this information about his dad. "Papa is at Uncle Jeff's in Texas. Uncle Jeff died a few days after he got there. He is going to spend the winter there as Uncle Jeff's wife asked him to." He is still there in the 1940 census with no occupation listed but is probably helping out on the ranch.
His son, John Kenneth Patterson, took care of him somewhat in his old age. By the time I got to meet him in 1949, he was in a care home in Altus, OK. Fairly close to where Uncle Kenneth and his family were living in the Granite area. He apparently had some type of dementia because he didn't remember my dad. Here are some snapshots from our meeting. Well, the blogger system doesn't like my photos for insertion. I'll have to add them to a Facebook post. Finally got them added in May 2023.
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| Back Row: Ora Mae Taylor, Jo Ann, Kenneth, Jasper, Melvin Patterson; and Florence Patterson Pendergraft. Front Row: cousins Carol and Geraldine (Gerry) Patterson |
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| Melvin, Jasper, and Kenneth, aka Pete, Patterson |
Jasper died on 29 August 1953. I remember my dad getting the phone call. It was the first time I ever saw him cry.
This took me a lot longer to create than I thought. So, I'm now a day late in posting this.
