During my recent research and reflection on the history of my paternal ancestry, I have made various connections between my own life and the lives of Patterson families from up to five generations ago. This process has been enlightening as I have delved into the origins of my lineage, uncovering the roots upon which I was raised and contemplating the strength of family and community in the past.
Throughout my young life, the collective lives and experiences of my ancestors have gradually instilled in me the value of family themes. These themes include the significance of hard work, education, selflessness, honor, religion, athletics, and community. The lineage of men who have influenced me includes my great-great-great grandfather William Andrew Patterson, his son Eusebius, his son Earl Victor, his son E.V. Jr., and ultimately my father Earl Victor Patterson III.
In my writing, I have decided to focus on the life of my late great-grandfather, E.V. Sr., who is affectionately referred to as “Pop”. To me, Pop symbolizes the connection between my distant past and the present. Moreover, his life exemplifies the family themes that have always been prominent in the Patterson family.
Pop was born in Alamance County, North Carolina, on December 15, 1890, to Eusebius (“Sebe”) and Etta Albright Patterson. He was the oldest of seven children – one full brother named W. H. Patterson and one full sister named Sarah Etta, who unfortunately died in infancy. Additionally, he had three half brothers and two half sisters: Dean Eusebius, William Wayne, Walter McAdoo, Irene, and Audrey. Pop’s mother passed away when he was eleven.
According to my grandfather, “PauPau,” Pop was raised on a small farm in Alamance. This farm was adjacent to the farms of his uncles, George Washington Patterson and John Sherman Lincoln Patterson. The close proximity of these farms and their interdependence created a tight-knit community for Pop’s upbringing.
In Alamance, Pop acquired valuable life lessons such as the importance of hard work, personal responsibility, and education during his adolescent and teen years. The three families in the area were responsible for constructing, raising, and producing almost everything necessary for daily living. They had various facilities like a blacksmith shop, sawmill, cabinet shop, and a unique water-powered gristmill on their property. Interestingly, it was this intricately built gristmill that the brothers utilized to generate a significant portion of their capital immediately after the Civil War, a period when obtaining money was challenging.
It seems that their “Patterson Bros. Carolina Favorite Flour” was the initial roller-processed flour made in North Carolina. Once processed, it was carried by wagon to Fayetteville and Wilmington. PauPau believes that the earnings from this venture were used to fund the acquisition and construction of several large buildings (three stories long) on the Court House Square in Graham, North Carolina. These valuable rental properties have remained profitable over the years until PauPau decided to sell them in the early 1980s.
The Patterson brothers had their own vegetable garden and raised cattle, hogs, and chickens for food. They also collected ice during the winter season. PauPau mentioned that they would break off big pieces of ice from the frozen “old mill pond” and store them in a large container filled with wheat chaff to last throughout the summer. This self-sufficient farming community was quite common in the early 1900s regionally.
Pop’s lessons in responsibility were not limited to the farm or mill; he also learned important values in the classroom. During his time at Friendship School, Pop honed his reading and writing skills, likely sparking a lifelong love for education. Additionally, he observed the rise of athletics at the school, which greatly influenced his formative years as an adult.
The history of this academy holds great significance in Pop’s life and my ancestry. With precursor schools as early as 1800, Friendship originated in the 1860s as a one room building in the Friendship Community of North Carolina. It is unclear when the school officially adopted the name “Friendship.” Pop’s father, Eusebius, attended this school along with three of his siblings.
Sebe’s father, William A. Patterson, played a role in the early stages of Friendship School in Alamance County. He was involved with Fairfield Public School (1882-85) and Friendship Graded School as a trustee before passing away in 1903. William’s enthusiasm for education, particularly at Friendship School, influenced future Patterson generations. Historical records of Friendship School frequently mention students, teachers, and supporters who share the Patterson surname.
At sixteen years old, Pop enrolled in Elon College in 1906, having presumably graduated from Friendship School. Since Elon was about 13 miles away from his home, he resided on campus with a friend. Two years later, Pop was chosen among baseball and tennis players to be part of a new track and field program at “The Greater University of North Carolina”.
According to an article from the Centennial Edition, Burlington (N.C.) Daily Times-News (May, 1949), Nate Cartmell, the two-time Olympic sprinter and recently appointed UNC track coach, selected his track prospects based on their build, legs, and ankles. Personally, I found this description amusing because I used to participate in track as a young boy. PauPau often attributed my modest achievements to “those knotty knees of your great-grandfather, Pop”.
In 1909, Pop began his education at UNC and also started his running career. He studied Education and stayed at the University until 1913 to complete his Masters. Alongside his academic pursuits, Pop developed a strong passion for Carolina athletics. He gained national recognition as a track star, setting numerous records and winning the South Atlantic Intercollegiate Athletic Association mile and two mile championships in 1912-13. Interestingly, one of his most memorable moments on the UNC track ended in defeat.
Carolina’s mile relay team, which included Pop and his brother, W.H., competed against The Carlisle Indians, led by Jim Thorpe, considered the greatest athlete ever. According to Pop, while on the final curve, he believed he was 15 yards ahead of the Indian runner. However, he made the mistake of looking back and ended up tripping in a small hole and falling down. This incident marked the end of Pop’s running career at UNC but remained a significant experience that he cherished throughout his life.
During the summer of 1913, Pop went to Europe with his track coach, Nate Cartmell. They sailed on the Steam Ship Numidian to Glasgow, England. For the following four months, Pop and Nate toured the very popular European track scene, participating in 25 meets in England, Scotland, and Germany. Pop had a decent amount of success in these races, earning multiple medals and occasionally making some money.
Legend has it that he won a significant race in Berlin, and the Kaiser personally awarded Pop with a silver sugar bowl. This cherished award is still displayed in my parents’ china cabinet. Filled with excitement, Pop dreamed of representing the United States in the 1916 Olympic games to be held in Berlin, Germany. However, his aspirations were shattered when The Great War began.
Years later, Pop looked back on his experience with a deep affection. He was particularly amazed by the beer in Germany, the picturesque countryside, and the passionate participation of the English in track and field. Among his memories, he vividly remembered a staggering crowd of 107,000 spectators at the Edinburgh meet, remarking that almost everyone among them placed bets on the runners.
After his first-class voyage home, Pop returned to Alamance and focused on Education again. He worked as a math teacher and principal at Friendship for two years, from 1915 to 1916. In the spring of 1916, Daniel Sapp from Lancaster, South Carolina was searching for a teacher for a local high school. He found Pop at Friendship School and convinced him to teach and coach at the school. Pop moved to Lancaster and taught Annie Laurie Sapp, Mr. Sapp’s daughter, among other students. They developed a close relationship and got married on September 22, 1916, in The Lancaster Methodist Church after a few months of courtship.
After their wedding, they moved to Burlington, North Carolina where Pop continued teaching and coaching. A year later, they relocated to Boston, Massachusetts. Pop took a higher paying job as a textile inspector but remained dedicated to teaching and coaching. He continued to coach the Friendship High School track team through mail and summer sessions. His coaching efforts led the team to achieve seven state titles in his eight years as the “long distance” coach.
Pop developed a strong interest in athletics, particularly baseball, and became a devoted fan of the Boston Braves. PauPau remembers that Pop had close relationships with several players, some of whom would occasionally join them for dinner. However, PauPau cannot recall their names. In 1919, when Annie was in Boston with Pop, she returned to Burlington for the birth of their only child, Earl V. Patterson Jr., also known as PauPau. Annie was determined that her child would not be born in the north, so she quickly traveled back home and returned after Earl’s birth. Pop and Annie then brought up their son in Boston for the following six years, occasionally taking trips to Nantucket Beach or Cape Cod for recreation, but primarily focusing on their hard work.
In 1925, Pop and Annie relocated to Burlington, North Carolina and resided with a relative. Pop secured a job at the C.P.K. Motor Company where he sold Buick automobiles for two years. Later, he purchased his own Starr dealership within the city. The economy was flourishing in the mid-twenties, leading to a successful business venture for Pop and Annie. They managed to acquire a pleasant home and expanded their dealership. Unfortunately, their stability was short-lived due to the onset of the economic downturn known as The Depression. The financial crisis greatly impacted the ability of individuals to afford automobiles. Unable to meet his loan obligations, Pop was compelled to liquidate his company, sell their newly acquired home, and ultimately declare bankruptcy.
During the Depression, the family moved frequently, whenever they found a more affordable place to live. PauPau has vivid memories of these times. He recalls seeing Pop every late afternoon, day after day, sitting quietly next to an old furnace in the back of the dealership’s garage, visibly shouldering the weight of past decisions and those yet to come. PauPau emphasizes the immense burden the Depression placed on people like his father, who were the “heads” of their families. Furthermore, he expresses his immense pride in and admiration for his father during those difficult times, as he “never said a word, never complained a bit, and never blamed anyone else”.
For the next decade, Pop worked as a salesman for the Chrysler dealership in Burlington, putting in long hours. Meanwhile, Annie continued to raise Earl. However, during this time, Pop experienced some of his most exciting moments to date. Pop and Annie witnessed Earl’s journey to the University of North Carolina and watched him excel as a track star at Chapel Hill. Earl participated in events like hurdles and high jump, even winning a conference championship in the latter. Around the time WWII commenced in 1941, Pop took on his final job for his half-brother, Dean Patterson (another alumni of Friendship School), working in construction.
At the time, the firm was one of the biggest construction companies in Burlington. Annie dedicated a lot of her time to volunteering at the Red Cross, where she performed tasks such as running information services and wrapping bandages. Pop and Biggy, after their retirement, spent the last two decades of their lives taking care of each other and enjoying leisure. These later years were marked by Carolina athletics, occasional visits from relatives, and family vacations to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
After completing his duties in the Army, Earl briefly came back home before teaming up with his uncle in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. They successfully established a road contracting company in southeast Louisiana. Earl got married to Frances Caroline Lenhard (“MaMa”) from Baton Rouge. They had two sons and a daughter: Earl V. Patterson III (my father), Troy Lenhard Patterson, and Caroline Ann “Sister” Patterson.
