Marty and Karla Grant

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Carroll Alonso “Lon” Patterson (1876-1922) and Hattie Grant (1879-1953) and Nora Camby (1888-aft 1950) of Swain Co, NC

[Patterson Home] - [Table of Contents] - Carroll Alonso Patterson

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The author (Marty Grant) is a Great Great Grandson of Lon Patterson and Hattie Grant, with whom he had a relationship but wasn’t married to.

Carroll Alonso Patterson was born 6 Mar 1876 per his World War I Draft Registration. His death certificate (dated 9 Feb 1922) lists him as age 45 years, 11 months and 3 days which works out to the same birthdate. However, his 1880 census entry lists him as 4 months old, born in February. I would normally think this one would be the most accurate as it was likely his mother or father who provided the information, so they should know. Then again perhaps someone else gave the information and was wrong about it. Since we have two sources for the 6 Mar 1876 date, I’m going to use that one instead.

He was undoubtedly named “Carroll” after his father, Carroll Moore Patterson. His middle name of Alonso (or Alonzo) may have been for his uncle Alonzo Cathey (c1860-?) who may have died as a young man just before Lon Patterson was born, thus the namesake.

My Great Grandfather Marvin R. Grant told me his father was “Lonso” so that was the name he knew him by. Others in his immediate family called him “Lon.”

Carroll A. Patterson is a proven son of Carroll Moore Patterson (1832-1914) and Lavina Elizabeth Cathey (1844-1917). The proof is Lon being with them on the 1880 census, listed as “son.” Also, Lon’s death certificate lists his father as “Carroll Patterson” and his mother as “Lavina Cathey.”

As noted, Lon was home with his parents for the 1880 census in Swain Co., NC in Charleston Township.

1880 Census, Swain Co., NC, Charleston Township, House 3, Family 3

Lon was not home with his parents for the 1900 census. I have not been able to find him on that census anywhere in Swain County or elsewhere.

He would have been 20-23 years old then, so perhaps was living with another family as a hired laborer and wasn’t enumerated with them for the census. There could be other reasons he was missed. He might have been living in a logging camp that got missed completely. I mention that because there were many of those in Swain County at the time.

I did multiple exhaustive searches for him in 1900 but came up empty each time. He could be listed somewhere with his name badly mangled so as not to be recognizable, or just missed entirely.

Lon Patterson had a relationship with his neighbor Hattie Thermudas Grant in 1901 that resulted in a child born out of wedlock (Marvin R. Grant, born 13 Jan 1902).

Hattie was born 18 Oct 1879 in Swain Co., NC a daughter of John Patton Grant and Darthula Jane Evans.

No one in the family knows what kind of relationship they had. All we know is that Marvin Grant was born in 1902, and Lon and Hattie didn’t marry. Marvin, as required by law, took his mother’s surname, so he’s a Grant, though would have been a Patterson if they’d married.

I’ve found no court records or other official paperwork that proves that Lon Patterson is Marvin Grant’s biological father. However, Marvin thought so, and told me himself in a letter dated 1984.

Marvin’s grandparents moved the family from Swain Co., NC to Union Co., GA around 1906, thus Marvin wasn’t raised around his Patterson relatives.

Marvin’s son Garland (my grandfather) told me that Marvin and Lon only met once. It was around 1918 or so when Marvin was a teen. He was working as a laborer on a big project (either a road, or some TVA project, noone remembers for sure) and was either in Swain or Graham County and wound up on the same job with Lon Patterson. Marvin introduced himself to him and they had a brief, cordial, conversation. That, as far as we know, is the only time they ever met.

On 15 Jun 1907, Lon Patterson married Nora B. Cambey in Swain Co, NC. Their marriage record showed both as residents of Swain County, “Lon” age 25, and Nora age 19. They were married at Chris Cambey's home (her father).

Nora B. Cambey was born April 1888 (per 1900 census) in Swain Co, NC, daughter of Christopher Isaac Cambey and Mary Jane Jenkins.

She was with her parents on the 1900 census in Swain, “Nora B.” born April 1888, age 12, born NC.

I was unable to find Lon and Nora on the 1910 census. I did find an entry that might be him, but there are some issues with it, first of all, Nora isn’t with him, and he’s listed as a widower!

1910 Census, Swain Co., NC Forneys Creek Township, House 422, Family 428

The name is correct. The age, 32, puts this person born ca 1877/78 which works. I think this has to be our Lon Patterson. This shows he was a carpenter, perhaps in a saw mill, boarding with the John R. L. Cole family of which he’s not related as far as I can tell. It is notable that Mr. Cole’s step mother (Texas Hutchins) was a niece of Hattie Grant, so that’s a connection which suggests this is indeed our Lon Patterson, as he would likely be acquainted with the same people.

If that is our Lon Patterson in 1910, and I think it has to be, then where was Nora and their daughter Willa Bell who was born in 1909? Nora’s parents were listed in Swain in 1910, also in Forney Creek Township, but not near Lon Patterson’s entry. Nora was not listed with them nor elsewhere as far as I could find.

**** Swain Co., NC Deeds to check out:

DB 35-314 J. E. T. Welch to C. A. Patterson 1911.

DB 39-430 1914, James Patterson to C. A. Patterson. ****

DB 39-277 C. A. Patterson & Wife to W. H. Patterson et al 1913.

DB 39-277 C. A. Patterson & wife to J. C. Delozier 1913.

DB 41-226 Corben J. Decker to C. A. Patterson et al. 1915.****

DB 42-395 Walter Camby to C. A. Patterson 1916.

DB 43-172 C. A. Patterson & wife to W. D. McHan & wife 1923

DB 46-150 1918 C. A. & Wife to S. R. Patterson

DB 49-55 Elizabeth C. Mason to C. A. Patterson 1920.

They were back together for the 1920 census in Swain County in Forney Creek Township. They were three households from her parents. Lon’s occupation was listed as Saw Miller which works with his 1910 entry as a carpenter. He was listed as owning the farm he lived on.

1920 Census, Swain Co., NC, Forney Creek Township (Part of Bushnell Voting Precinct), House 200, Family 202

Carroll Alonso Patterson died on 9 Feb 1922 in Bryson City, Swain Co., NC. His death certificate reported his cause of death as “Calea Cistntion and Mitral Regurgitation” which, though badly spelled, describes a fatal heart condition caused by a leaky valve. He was only 42.

Lon Patterson is buried near his parents at the Sawyer Cemetery in Swain County. His grave is marked by a very small stone the size of a brick that reads “Lon Patterson” with no dates.

On 10 Sep 1923, J. R. Morgan obtained a marriage license in Swain Co., NC to marry widow Nora Patterson. He was 37, she was 35. They were married the same day by O. P. Williams, Baptist Minister. Witnesses to the marriage were J. O. Barlow, E. T. Welch, D. G. Fisher? and J. Bushnell.

Jacob Robert Morgan was born 8 Nov 1883 in Graham Co., NC, a son of William Riley Morgan and Mary C. Slaughter. J. R. had been previously married to Bonnie Rose (1891-1923) with whom he had several children.

They are listed on the 1930 census in Swain Co., NC, in Bryson City.

1930 Census, Swain Co., NC, Charleston Township, Bryson Town, House 158, Family 160

I was unable to find them on the 1940 census. He was in Forsyth Co., NC by 1943, but I didn’t find them there for the 1940 census.

Jacob and Nora divorced at some point because by 1943 he married a third time, to Daisy White in Winston-Salem, Forsyth Co., NC. They returned to Swain Co., NC sometime after marriage and were there for the 1950 census. He died in Swain on 15 Nov 1954. His death certificate listed him as a widower, so Daisy apparently died between 1950 and 1954. I didn’t find a death record for her.

By the 1950 census, Nora Camby Patterson Morgan had moved to Florida and was residing with her daughter Willa B. Rexrode in Miami.

1950 Census, Dade Co., FL, Miami, ED 69-4, Sheet 74, House 156

* Willa listed with Cerebal Palsy.

* Willa listed as having resided in Asheville, Buncombe Co., NC 1 year prior.

Willa was back in NC that same year, perhaps Nora returned with her at that time.

There is a “Nora Bell Morgan” who died in Dade Co., FL in June 1960. That could be our Nora if she remained in Florida. The record in question is an index entry and contains no details.

If that is her dying in Miami, she was taken home to Swain Co., NC and buried by first husband Lon Patterson at the Sawyer Cemetery. She has a small brick marker same as his, simply marked “Nora Patterson.”

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Children

Carroll Alonso Patterson and wife Nora Camby had only one child, a daughter, Willa Bell Patterson (1909-1968). Lon and Hattie Grant had a son together, Marvin Grant (1902-1992). I don’t think Marvin and Willa Bell knew each other, and perhaps weren’t even aware of the other.

In what can only be considered a remarkable coincidence, Willa’s son Charles Rexrode wound up residing with Marvin’s granddaughter Brenda Phillips Presley and family in Graham Co., NC for a time. They were completely unaware of their connection.

Marvin Roosevelt Grant (1902-1992) married Lilly Bell Gilbert in Union Co., GA. They resided there, and in Cherokee Co., NC, Graham Co., NC and Cobb Co., GA. See their page for more information.

Willa Bell Patterson was born 4 Apr 1909 in Swain Co., NC. She was listed with her parents on the 1920 census, “Willie Belle” age 11.

By 1930 she was living in Asheville, in Buncombe Co., NC, in a large household. Her entry was “Willa Belle Patterson,” lodger, age 23, single, occupation Trained Nurse, General Practice.

She went north and met and married Charles Kenneth Rexrode (1908-1943), ca 1930-35. He was born in Washington Co., PA, a son of Rev. Lafayette Rexrode and Susanna C. (—).

They are on the 1940 census in Washington, DC.

1940 Census, Washington, DC, Block No 3, 1817 R. Street NW, House 139

* One year college.

** Four years college.

They moved to Miami, FL by 1942. They were listed on a City Directory there that year. Chas K. Rexrode, wife Willabelle P., he was a manager of Seaplane Base, Embry-Riddle School of Aviation.

Charles enlisted in the US Army Air Force as a Lieutenant. His plane apparently went down on 24 Mar 1943 in the vicinity of French Guiana in the North Atlantic Ocean. His body wasn’t recovered. His name in inscribed on a memorial at East Coast Memorial in Manhattan, NY, as “Rexrode Charles K. 1 LT, 71 Sq 20 Ferry Gp - Florida”

Willa adopted a son ca 1946, who she named after late husband. They are listed on the 1950 census in Miami. Willa’s mother is with them.

1950 Census, Dade Co., FL, Miami, ED 69-4, Sheet 74, House 156

* Willa listed with Cerebal Palsy.

* Willa listed as having resided in Asheville, Buncombe Co., NC 1 year prior.

She must have moved to Asheville, NC that same year because she’s listed there on the 1950 City Directory as “Willa P. Rexrode (Wd Chas K.), day nursery 160 Beaverdam Rd.”

Willa died on 8 Jan 1968 in Graham Co., NC. She’s buried at the Sawyer Cemetery near her parents. She has a simple brick marker that’s inscribed “Willabell Rexrode” with no dates.

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For Family Group Sheet and other notes see my database pages for Carroll Alonso Patterson and Nora Camby and Hattie Grant.

Revised: October 11, 2026

Copyright © 1996-2026 Marvin A. Grant, Jr. All Rights Reserved.

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