Carroll Moore Patterson (1832) and Lavina Elizabeth Cathey of Union Co, GA and Swain Co, NC

I (Marty Grant) am a 3rd Great Grandson of C. M. Patterson and Lavina Cathey Patterson.

Carroll Moore Patterson was born 7 Mar 1832 (per tombstone) in Macon Co, NC, apparently somewhere near the Toxaway River (present Transylvania Co, NC). He was most often listed as "C. M." on records, though occasionally listed as "Carroll". His middle name "Moore" was obviously in honor of his mother or her family (she was a Moore). I don't know of any probable source for the name "Carroll", except that it was a common surname in the area they lived. Perhaps there is a family connection.

C. M. Patterson was a son of Samuel Patterson and Jane Moore. This is proven by the 1850 census, and was also common family knowledge among some descendants.

Though born in Macon Co, NC, the family left that area very shortly after C. M. was born, and moved to nearby Union Co, GA before 1837.

C. M. Patterson was apparently home with his parents for the 1840 census in Union Co, GA, listed in the age 5-9 category (born ca 1830/35).

He was home with his parents for the 1850 census in Union Co, GA, listed as "Carroll Patterson", age 17 (born ca 1832/33), and born in NC.

I have not found C. M. Patterson on the 1860 census. He was not home with his parents, nor was he yet married. He would have been about 28 years old then, so could have been anywhere on his own. He was not listed in the Union Co, GA census for that year, though I suspect he was still living there.

For the Civil War, C. M. Patterson enlisted in the Confederate Army on 31 Aug 1861. He signed up with Company K, 23rd Regiment, Army of Tennessee as a Private. He enlisted under the name "C. M. Patterson". He was discharged on 13 Oct 1861.

C. M. Patterson married Lavina Elizabeth Cathey on 22 Dec 1861 in Union Co, GA. Lavina was born 29 Jul 1844 (per tombstone) in Union Co, GA (now Towns Co, GA), a daughter of William H. Cathey and Nancy Matilda Carter.

Apparently his first stint in the Army wasn't enough, for he joined again about 6 months after his marriage. He enlisted in Company B, 7th Battalion, North Carolina Cavalry on 5 Jul 1862 as a Private. He enlisted under the name "Carroll M. Patterson", resident of Towns Co, GA. He enlisted in Clay Co, NC (where he had lots of relatives).

Carroll (and his entire Company, I believe) was transferred on 3 Aug 1863 to Company F, 65th Regiment, North Carolina Troops.

He was present and accounted for through December 1863 when he apparently deserted. He took the Oath of Allegiance to the United States in Chattanooga, Tennessee on 22 Mar 1864.

My cousin Carroll Green told me that after taking the oath, C. M. Patterson joined the Union Army and served out west somewhere for the duration. When he got back home after the war, this caused a serious rift with his family, and especially his father who was a staunch Confederate. His father Samuel had been a Captain during the "Indian Wars" (1838), and was a Captain of his own "Union Invincibles" in Union Co, GA (home guard). Adding fuel to the rift was the fact that Carroll's brothers had also served in the Confederate cause, and one of them (Julius) had lost his life serving for the south. Apparently all of this was too much, and C. M. and his father never reconciled. I don't know if this was also true for his siblings, but he soon left the area, and I have no way of knowing if contact was maintained or not.

After the war was over (probably due in part to the family rift), C. M. and Lavina left Georgia and moved into what is now Swain County, North Carolina (then still part of Macon County). They were there before 1866 (based on the birth place of a child born that year). They moved to the Grassy Creek area, which is a branch of the Tennessee River west of present Bryson City. About half of this creek is now part of Fontana Lake.

C. M. and family were listed on the 1870 census in Macon Co, NC in Alarka Township. (This entire area became Swain County in 1871.). Coincidentally (or not) they were just 6 houses from the only other Patterson family in the county: A. L. Patterson (c1840), born in SC, relationship to them is unknown. I have not yet identified this family, but I suspect they are associated with the West Patterson family.

In 1871, Swain County was formed from Macon and Jackson County, including the section of Macon where the Pattersons resided.

C. M. and family were listed on the 1880 census in Swain County, in Charleston Township.

The 1890 census is lost for North Carolina, but C. M. Patterson and family probably were still in Swain Co, NC at that time.

C. M. and family were listed on the 1900 census in Swain County. Their married son Decatur Patterson was next door. They were in Nantahala Township.

C. M. and Lavina, and their unmarried son James were living with daughter Jennie Patterson Fox for the 1910 census in Swain County. They were in Nantahala Township, with many relatives nearby.

Carroll Moore Patterson died on 4 Jan 1914 (per tombstone) in Swain Co, NC. He was 81 years old. He was buried at the Sawyer Cemetery. I've been there a couple of times. His grave has his name as "C. M. Patterson".

Lavina Elizabeth Cathey Patterson died on 21 May 1917 (per tombstone, death certificate says 23 May 1917) in Swain Co, NC. She was 72 years old. She is buried beside C. M. at the Sawyer Cemetery in Swain County. Her name on the stone says "Mrs. C. M. Patterson".

Children

C. M. and Lavina Patterson had eight children, all of whom lived to adulthood. They are all proven by the various census records, and also by other records.

Julius Decatur Patterson was born 22 Jan 1863 (per tombstone) in Union Co, GA (or Towns Co, GA). He was home with his parents for the 1870 and 1880 census. He was apparently named for his uncle Julius Patterson who had been killed in the Civil War just a few months earlier, and also named for his uncle Joseph Decatur Patterson.

Decatur Patterson married Amanda Jenkins ca 1885/86 in Swain Co, NC. Amanda was born 21 Mar 1870 (per tombstone) in Tennessee. I'm not sure which county, but probably an eastern one. She was a child of Francis Marion Jenkins and Rutha Hyde (as proven by the 1880 census and her death certificate).

Decatur and Amanda were listed on the 1900 census in Swain County in Nantahala Township, next door to his parents.

Decatur and Amanda were listed on the 1910 census in Swain Co, NC, in Nantahala Township. Amanda's father was residing with them.

Julius Decatur Patterson died on 23 May 1917 (per death certificate) or on 22 Jun 1917 (per tombstone). I don't know which is correct, though death certificates are almost always filed within a short time of the event, whereas tombstones can be placed years later. He was 54 years old. He was buried at the Sawyer Cemetery near his parents.

I assume that Amanda was listed on the 1920 census in Swain County, but I haven't checked yet.

Amanda Jenkins Patterson died on 31 Jul 1928 (per death certificate and tombstone) in Swain Co, NC. She is buried at the Sawyer Cemetery in Swain County beside Decatur.

Nancy A. Patterson was born ca 1864/65 (per 1870 census) or 14 Apr 1866 (I don't know where I got this date from). She was born in Macon Co, NC (now Swain Co, NC). I'm not sure of the source, but I have her middle name as "Angeline". She was probably named "Nancy" after her grandmother Nancy M. Carter Cathey.

Nancy married William A. Revis ca 1886 in Swain Co, NC. I have no data on him.

Two of their children's births were recorded in Swain County delayed birth records, one in 1887, and the next in 1890. I have no record of them after that.

I didn't find them on the 1900 census in Swain County. I could have missed them, or perhaps they moved away.

William Homes Patterson was born September 1868 (per 1900 census) in Macon (now Swain) Co, NC. He was probably named after his grandfather William H. Cathey.

William married Mary Adeline Delozier on 29 Dec 1892 in Swain Co, NC. Their marriage record gave a lot of information. He was listed as "W. H. Patterson", age 24, son of "C. M. and L. E. Patterson", both living. She was listed as "M. A. Delozier" age 16, daughter of "J. R. and M. R. E. Delozier", father dead, mother living. They were married by C. C. Bryson, JP at home of M. R. E. Delozier in Nantahala Township. Witnesses were: T. M. Delozier, R. R. Ashe, and C. R. Ashe.

Mary Adeline Delozier was born April 1876 (per 1900 census) in Swain Co, NC, daughter of Jesse R. Delozier and Mary R. Emaline Sherrill.

William and Addie were listed on the 1900 census in Swain Co, NC in Nantahala Township.

They were listed on the 1910 census in Swain County in Nantahala Township. Addie's brother John Delozier was residing with them.

Rebecca M. Patterson was born ca 1870/71 in Macon (now Swain) Co, NC. She was probably named for her aunt Rebecca Cathey. Her (Rebecca M. Patterson) nickname was "Rindy", so I think her middle name must be Miranda or something similar.

She married Deley B. "Zack" Guffey on 11 Jul 1888 in Swain Co, NC. Their marriage record gives them as "Deley B. Guffey" age 22, son of "J. M. and P. E. Guffey", both living, and "Rebecca M. Patterson" age 17, daughter of "C. M. & Viney Patterson", both living. They were married by C. C. Bryson, JP in Nantahala Township. Witnesses were: H. C. Guffey and William Snider.

Zack Guffey was born ca 1865/66 in NC, son of Jason M. Guffey and Mary E. Smiley.

Zack and Rindy moved to Cherokee Co, NC after marriage. I have not checked the 1900 or later census records for them yet.

Zack Guffey died in Cherokee Co, NC on 22 Aug 1926. I don't know where he was buried.

Julie Lucinda Patterson was born 9 Apr 1873 (per Delayed Birth Certificate) in Swain Co, NC. Her birth record gives her full name, and lists her birth as in Bryson City, and gives her parents as "C. M. Patterson" and "Lavina E. Cathey". (Swain Co, NC Birth Records Book 7 page 205)

She married Nelson Thaddeus Green on 24 Mar 1889 in Swain Co, NC. Their marriage record gave them as "T. N. Green" age 21, son of William and Melvina Green, both living, and "Julie L. Patterson" age 15, daughter of "C. M. and Lovina E. Patterson", both living. They were married by C. C. Bryson, JP in Nantahala Township. Witnesses were: W. S. Green and J. W. Mashburn.

They were listed on the 1900 census in Swain Co, NC, in Nantahala Township. I don't have this record typed up yet.

Nelson Thaddeus Green died in Swain County on 20 Sep 1906. He was buried at the Judson Cemetery. His grave was moved to Lauada Cemetery when Judson was flooded by Fontana Lake.

Sometime after his death, Julie remarried to William Henry Green, who I think was nephew of her first husband. I'm not sure of their relationship to each other, but I think they were related.

Julie Lucinda Patterson Green died in Swain County on 14 Oct 1955 and is buried at Lauada Cemetery.

Lavina M. "Jennie" Patterson was born September 1878 (per 1900 census) in Swain Co, NC. She was listed as "Lavina M. Patterson" on the 1880 census, but as "Jennie" on all subsequent records that I've found.

Jennie married Marion Curtis Fox on 19 Oct 1901 in Cherokee Co, NC. They were married by J. T. Hayes, JP.

Curtis Fox was born ca 1881, probably in Cherokee Co, NC. I don't know who his parents were.

Curtis and Jennie were in Swain Co, NC for the 1910 census, with Jennie's parents residing with them.

Carroll Alonso Patterson was born 6 Mar 1880 in Swain Co, NC. He was named after his father, and after his uncle Alonzo Cathey.

Lon Patterson married Nora Cambey on 15 Jun 1907 in Swain Co, NC. See his own page for more information.

James Wesley Patterson was born 20 May 1881 (per tombstone) in Swain Co, NC. He never married.

He died on 17 Apr 1969 in Swain Co, NC. He is buried at the Sawyer Cemetery in Swain Co, NC near his parents.

Researcher List

1. Carroll Moore¹ Patterson (Pvt) , born 7 Mar 1832 in Macon Co, NC; died 4 Jan 1914 in Swain Co, NC, son of Samuel Patterson (Cpt) and Jane Moore . He married on 22 Dec 1861 in Union Co, GA Lavina Elizabeth Cathey , born 29 Jul 1844 in Union Co, GA; died 21 May 1917 in Swain Co, NC, daughter of William H Cathey and Nancy Matilda Carter .

Children of Carroll Moore Patterson (Pvt) and Lavina Elizabeth Cathey were as follows:

+ 2 i Julius Decater² Patterson , born 22 Jan 1863 in Union Co, GA; died 22 Jun 1917 in Swain Co, NC. He married Amanda Jenkins .

+ 3 ii Nancy Angeline² Patterson , born 14 Apr 1866 in Macon Co, NC. She married William A Revis .

+ 4 iii William Homes² Patterson , born Sep 1868 in Macon Co, NC. He married Mary Adeline Delozier .

+ 5 iv Rebecca Maranda "Rindy"² Patterson , born 1870/71 in Swain Co, NC; died in Cherokee Co, NC. She married Deley B "Zack" Guffey .

+ 6 v Julie Lucinda² Patterson , born 9 Apr 1873 in Swain Co, NC; died 14 Oct 1955 in Swain Co, NC. She married (1) Nelson Thaddeus Green ; (2) William Henry Green .

+ 7 vi Lavina M "Jenny"² Patterson , born Sep 1878 in Swain Co, NC. She married Marion Curtis Fox .

+ 8 vii Carroll Alonso "Lon"² Patterson , born 6 Mar 1880 in Swain Co, NC; died 9 Feb 1922 in Swain Co, NC. He married (1) Nora B Cambey ; (2) Hattie Thermudas Grant .

9 viii James Wesley² Patterson , born 20 May 1881 in Swain Co, NC; died 17 Apr 1969 in Swain Co, NC.