Patterson family explained

The Patterson family is a prominent family from North Carolina that was involved in politics and business for several generations, serving in the state and national level and founding successful companies, including the American Machine and Foundry Company.

History

The Patterson family is a branch of the Lenoir family first made famous by Gen. William Lenoir, an American Revolutionary War officer and prominent statesman in late 18th-century and early 19th-century North Carolina. Both the City of Lenoir, North Carolina and Lenoir County, North Carolina are named for him. Lenoir City, Tennessee is jointly named for him and for his son, William Ballard Lenoir.^[1] A granddaughter of Gen. Lenoir, Phoebe Caroline Jones, married North Carolina politician Samuel F. Patterson, and began this branch of the prominent Patterson family. Their son, Rufus Lenoir Patterson, was mayor of Salem, North Carolina and sired Rufus Lenoir Patterson Jr., who founded American Machine and Foundry and served as a vice president of the American Tobacco Company. He moved to New York City in the 1890s where his children married into prominent New York society families. Rufus Jr.'s grandson, Herbert Parsons Patterson, served as president of the Chase Manhattan Bank.^[2]

Members

• William Lenoir (1751–1839) m. Ann Ballard (1751–1833)
  • Mary Lenoir Gordon (1772–1859) m. (1) 1790: Charles Gordon (1756–1799); (2) 1802: William Davenport (1770–1859)
    • William Ballard Lenoir (1775–1852) m. 1802: Elizabeth Avery (1781–1855) (daughter of Waightstill Avery)
      • Isaac Thomas Lenoir (1807–1875) m. Mary Caroline Hogg (1812–1877) (daughter of Samuel E. Hogg)
      • Waightstill Avery Lenoir (1815–1884) m. Isabella Jane Hume (1828–1857)
  • Ann Lenoir (1778–1838) m. Edmund Jones (1771–1844)
    • Phoebe Caroline Jones (1806–1869) m. Samuel Finley Patterson (1799–1874)
      • Rufus Lenoir Patterson (1830–1879) m. (1) 1852: Marie Louise Morehead (1830–1862) (daughter of Gov. John Motley Morehead);^[3] (2) 1864: Mary Elizabeth Fries (1844–1927)
        • Caroline Finley Patterson (1856–1931), m. (1) 1883: Albert Lucian Coble (1918);^[3] (2) 1925: George Leander Frazier
        • Jesse Lindsay Patterson (1858–1922), m. Lucy Bramlette Patterson
        • Latitia Walker Patterson (1860–1884), m. Francis Henry Fries
        • Francis Fries Patterson (1865–1933), m. 1895: Ethel Mary Thomas
        • Samuel Finley Patterson (1867–1926), m. (div. 1901) Bessie Alexander; (2) 1914: Nancy Pearson
        • Andrew Henry Patterson (1870–1928), m. 1897: Eleanor Spurrier Alexander (daughter of Eben Alexander)
        • Rufus Lenoir Patterson Jr. (1872–1943),^[4] m. Margaret Warren Morehead
          • Morehead Patterson (1897–1962)^[5] m. (1) 1921 (div. 1929): Elsie Parsons (1901–1966) (daughter of Herbert Parsons and Elsie Clews Parsons);^{[6] [7]} (2) 1945: Helen Isabelle Mitchell (1909–1955);^[8] (3) 1956: Margaret Morgan Tilt (1903–1996)
            • Rufus Lenoir Patterson III (1922–1944) m. 1942: Mae Gouverneur Cadwalader^[9]
              • Rufus Lenoir Patterson IV (1944–1964)
            • Herbert Parsons Patterson (1925–1985)^[2] m. (1) 1949:^[10] Louise Sargent Oakey McVeigh (1925–1968);^[11] (2) 1970: Patricia Shepard Norris (ex-wife of Bruce A. Norris)^[12] He was a member of the Racquet and Tennis Club and the Lenox Club.^[10]
              • Katheryn Clews Patterson, m. 1979: Thomas L. Kempner Jr. (b. 1953)^{[13] [14]}
          • Lucy Lathrop Patterson (1900–1977),^[15] m. 1919: Casimir de Rham (1896–1968)^[16]
            • Casimir De Rham (1924–2011) m. 1945: Elizabeth Evarts (1926–2008)
            • David Patterson de Rham (1931–1995) m. Rachael Thompson (1933–2016)
        • John Legerwood Patterson (1874–1935), m. Margaret Newman (daughter of William Truslow Newman)
        • Edmond Vogler Patterson (1878–1934), m. 1907: Helene Trimble^[17]
      • Samuel Legerwood Patterson (1850–1918) m. 1873: Mary Sophia Senseman (1849–1909)
  • Thomas Lenoir (1780–1861) m. 1807: Selena Louisa Avery (1788–1864) (daughter of Waightstill Avery)
  • Martha "Patsy" Lenoir (1792–1823) m. Israel Pickens (1780–1827)
    • Julia A. Pickens (1815–1898) m. C. S. Howe
    • Israel Leonidas Pickens (1820–1888) m. Eliza Ann Nelson (1825–1850)

Morehead-Patterson Bell Tower

In the 1920s, Rufus L. Patterson Jr. and his college classmate and fraternity brother, John Motley Morehead III (who was also a first cousin of his wife),^[18] funded the $100,000 construction cost of the Morehead-Patterson Bell Tower, a bell tower designed by McKim, Mead & White and located on the campus of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It was initially built to commemorate the NC State alumni that fell during World War I.^[19] The Tower was dedicated in November 1931.^[20]

See also

• Gilded Age
• Lenoir Cotton Mill

Notes and References

1. Book: Gannett, Henry. The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. 1905. U.S. Government Printing Office. 185.
2. News: Blair . William G. . H.P. PATTERSON, BANKER, IS DEAD . 1 June 2023 . . 31 January 1985.
3. Web site: Patterson, Rufus Lenoir . www.ncpedia.org . . 1 June 2023.
4. News: R. L. PATTERSON, 70, INVENTOR, IS DEAD; Chairman of American Machine and Foundry Co., Formed to Make Tobacco Devices AIDED U.S. IN FORMER WAR Doubled New Plant's Size to Make Munitions--Many Firms Use His inventions . 1 June 2023 . . 12 April 1943.
5. News: Morehead Patterson, 64, Dies; Chairman of American Machine; Inventor and Diplomat Guided Expansion of A.M.F. Into a 500-Million Giant . 1 June 2023 . . 6 August 1962.
6. News: Times . Special to The New York . MISS ELSIE PARSONS MARRIED IN LENOX; Society Throng at Her Wedding to Morehead Patterson of New York in Trinity Church. LOUISE DELANO A BRIDE Washington Girl Weds Col. Sherwood A. Cheney, U.S.A., in Stockbridge--200 at Reception. . 1 June 2023 . . 11 September 1921.
7. News: MRS.E.P. PATTERSON BECOMES A BRIDE; Marriage Unites Daughter of Mrs. Herbert Parsons to J. D. Kennedy of This City. HE IS COLUMBIA GRADUATE Justice Kernochan Performs Ceremony in New York Home of Her Grandmother. . 2 June 2023 . . 29 June 1934.
8. News: MRS. H.M. CLARK WED; Becomes Bride in Washington of Morehead Patterson . 1 June 2023 . . 30 June 1945.
9. News: TIMES . Special to THE NEW YORK . MAE CADWALADER BECOMES A BRIDE; Fort Washington, Pa., Girl Is Married in Whitemarsh to Rufus L. Patterson 3d HAS ELEVEN ATTENDANTS: Miss Minnie Cadwalader Maid of HonorL J. J. Higginson Serves as Best Man . 1 June 2023 . . 12 July 1942.
10. News: Mrs. Louise Oakey McVelgh Is Married At River Club to Herbert P. Patterson . 2 June 2023 . . 31 July 1949.
11. News: MRS. RUFUS PATTERSON . 1 June 2023 . . 5 August 1968.
12. News: Mrs. Norris, H.P. Patterson Married Here . 2 June 2023 . . 1 May 1970.
13. News: Katheryn C. Patterson, Lawyer, Fiancee of Thomas Kempner Jr. . 24 May 2023 . . 23 July 1978.
14. News: Katheryn Clews Patterson Wed To Thomas Lenox Kempner Jr. . 24 May 2023 . . 27 May 1979.
15. News: LUCY DE RHAM . 1 June 2023 . . 25 February 1977.
16. News: Casimir de Rham, 71, Dies; Ex-Partner in Brokerage . 1 June 2023 . . 3 March 1968.
17. Book: Powell. William S.. Dictionary of North Carolina Biography. 1994. V. University of North Carolina Press. Chapel Hill, NC. 35–36. 0-8078-2100-4.
18. News: Times . Special to The New York . John Motley Morehead Is Dead; Gave North Carolina Millions; Union Carbide Executive, 94, Donated Rye City Hall On War Industries Panel . 1 June 2023 . . 8 January 1965.
19. Web site: Morehead-Patterson Bell Tower, UNC (Chapel Hill). Comemortative Landscapes. 19 March 2010 . 2 February 2016.
20. News: Times . Special to The New York . BELL TOWER DEDICATED.; Gift of Morehead and Patterson Received at North Carolina University. . 1 June 2023 . . 27 November 1931.