Frank Ethbert Paterson (abt. 1881 - 1954)

Born about 1881 in North Dakota

Ancestors

Died 3 Jan 1954 at about age 73 in Huntington, Cabell County, West Virginia

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Biography

Frank is born in about 1881 in Pembina County, North Dakota. He is the son of Archibald Paterson (1849-1919) and Mary Elliot (c1851<1888). Both parents were born in Oxford County, Canada West (which becomes the Province of Ontario, Canada in 1867). His parents, sometime after 1878, head for a farm in the United States – Traill County in North Dakota, which is on the border with Minnesota. This is where the family is found in the US census of 1880, the year before Frank was probably born.

Two unanswered questions (1) why is Frank born in Pembina County, which is just south of the Canadian border, if the farm was in Traill County? And (2) where does the middle name “Ethbert” come from? Frank has a nephew, Everett Ethbert Paterson (1895-1965), who has the same middle name. Often, these middle names are clues as to a person’s ancestory and in this case – this is just a guess – it may say something about Mary Elliot’s origins.

Frank’s mother dies when he is quite young and his father leaves the farm in North Dakota and re-marries in 1888. The marriage record (in Ontario, Canada) indicates that Archibald was living in Austin, Pennsylvania at the time. Presumably this is where Frank Ethbert spent some of his younger years.

In the 1900 US census, the 19-year old Frank is living with his brother Ernest E. Paterson (1874-1955) in Hamilton Township, Mount Jewett, McKean County, Pennsylvania. Both Frank and Ernest are plumbers. Mount Jewett is about 160 kilometres straight south of Buffalo.

Presumably Frank stays somewhere in Pennslyvania for a while and then drifts south looking for work. Whatever the story, he ends up in Clarksburgh, West Virginia in 1909 where he marries Ila Blanche Hurst (1886-1976). Clarksburgh is about 170 kilometres south of Pittsburgh. One link here that has not led to anything is the fact that Frank’s brother, Fredrick Charles Paterson (1878-1935), was living in West Virginia for a time – he had a son born there in 1903. Perhaps the two brothers travelled together?

Ila Blanche – she went by the name Blanche – was born on June 10, 1886 in Doddridge County, West Virginia. This is just to the west of Clarksburgh. Her parents were Christopher A. Hurst (1854-?) and Hannah Victoria Rowh (1861-1935), both of whom were also born in West Virginia.

In 1918 Frank signs his draft registration card and, from this, a better picture of him emerges. He is of medium height with a slender build, brown eyes and black hair. His occupation is a carbon black maker. Interesting as his brother, Ernest, spends most of his life in various US states working in carbon black factories.

In the 1920 census records, Frank and Blanche are still living in Clarskburgh and they now have two children: Virginia (8) and James F. (4). In the 1930 census record, the 49-year old Frank and the 43-year old Blanche are now living in Huntington, West Virginia. Huntington is several hundred kilometres to the southwest of Clarksburgh. The two children, Virginia (18) and James (14), are living with them.

In the 1940 census, Frank and Blanche are in Huntington with one child, James, still at home. Frank is shown as a sheet-metal worker on this census record.

Frank dies on January 3, 1954 in Huntington, West Virginia. The death record shows that the 73-year old Frank was still working as a sheet metal worker. Blanche lives on until 1976 and dies at the age of 90.

Frank and Blanche had two children

• Virginia Paterson (1911-?)

• James F. Paterson (c1916-?)

Can you add any information on Frank Paterson? Please help grow his WikiTree profile. Everything you see here is a collaborative work-in-progress.

Sources

[1] 1968 Paterson family tree:shows Frank as the 3rd child of Archibald Paterson & Mary Elliot. It shows his spouse, Blanch, and 2 children: Virginia & James.

[2] "West Virginia Births and Christenings, 1853-1928," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/X5TV-YBW : accessed 11 February 2015), Ila Blanche Hurst, 10 Jun 1886; citing Doddridge, West Virginia, reference ; FHL microfilm 838,202. The record shows an Ila Blanche Hurst born on 10 Jun 1886 in Doddridge, West Virginia. The parents are C. A. Hurst and H.V.

[3] "United States Census, 1900," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M3Q6-RN5 : accessed 12 February 2015), Ernest Patterson, Hamilton Township Mount Jewett borough, McKean, Pennsylvania, United States; citing sheet 1A, family 3, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,241,439. The record shows Ernest Patterson (sic) (26) living in Hamilton Township, Mount Jewett borough, McKean Co., Pennsylvania. It shows his birth date as Oct 1874 in New York [he was born in Ontario, Canada] and his father’s & mother’s birth place is Canada. He is a plummer (sic). His wife is Minnie (24, perhaps 26), born in July 1874 in Pennsylvania. It shows that they have been married 8 (? maybe 5) years, that Minnie had 2 children, only 1 of whom is still alive. Living with the couple is their 3-yr (?maybe 5) old son, Everett, who was born in Pennsylvania. Also living with them is Ernest’s brother, Frank (19) who was born in June 1880 in Dakota. Frank is also a plumber. In addition, Minnie’s sister, Isabel Everston (14) is living with the family and attending school.

[4] "West Virginia Marriages, 1780-1970," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FRDT-755 : accessed 8 February 2015), Frank Ethbert Paterson and Blanche Hurst, 17 Jun 1909; citing Harrison, West Virginia, v 18 p 398, county clerks, West Virginia; FHL microfilm 847,282. The record shows the 29-yr old Frank Ethbert Paterson marrying the 23-yr old Blanche Hurst in Harrison, West Virginia on 17 Jun 1909. Frank is shown to have been born in Pembina County, North Dakota in abt 1880. His father is shown as Archibald Paterson. Blanch was born in Doddridge County, West Virginia in abt 1886. Her parents are C.A. Hurst & Victoria Hurst.

[5] "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/K83B-PNK : accessed 8 February 2015), Frank Ethbert Paterson, 1917-1918; citing Harrison County no 1, West Virginia, United States, NARA microfilm publication M1509 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,992,485. The record shows that Frank Ethbert Paterson was born on 29 Jun 1880 in the United States. His occupation is a carbon black maker and he works for Liberty Carbon Co in (?) Langley. His nearest relative is Blanche Paterson in Clarksburg, West Virginia. He is of medium height with a slender build, brown eyes and black hair. The document was signed on Sept 9, 1918.

[6] "United States Census, 1920," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MNKX-KR1 : accessed 8 February 2015), Frank E Paterson, Clarksburg, Harrison, West Virginia, United States; citing sheet 18A, family 431, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,821,956. The record shows a 39-yr old Frank E. Paterson in Clarksburg who was born in abt 1881 in North Dakota. His father’s birthplace is shown as Canada; his mother’s as the United States [she was also born in Canada]. Living with Frank is his 33-yr old wife, Blance, who was born in West Virginia, and two children: Virginia (8) & James F. (4). Both children were born in West Virginia.

[7] "United States Census, 1930," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XMCV-K18 : accessed 14 February 2015), Frank E Patterson, Huntington, Cabell, West Virginia, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 0021, sheet 4A, family 82, line 21, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 2529; FHL microfilm 2,342,263. The record shows a 49-yr old Frank E. Patterson (sic) living in Huntington, West Virginia with his 43-yr old wife, Blanche, and his 18-yr old daughter, Virginia and his 14-yr old son, James. Everyone except Frank was born in West Virginia. Frank was born in North Dakota in 1881.

[8] "United States Census, 1940," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/K7HY-71P : accessed 8 February 2015), Frank Paterson, Ward 6, Huntington, Gideon Magisterial District, Cabell, West Virginia, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 6-41B, sheet 1B, family 19, NARA digital publication T627 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012), roll 4398. The census record a 59-yr old Frank Paterson in Huntington, West Virginia with his wife, the 53-yr old Blanche, and his son, the 24-yrs old James. Blanche and James were born in West Virginia; Frank was born in North Dakota in abt 1881. It shows that Frank is a sheet metal worker. He and Blanche each had 8 yrs of schooling.

[9] "West Virginia Deaths, 1804-1999," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NMDV-357 : accessed 8 February 2015), Frank Ethbert Paterson, 03 Jan 1954; citing Huntington, Cabell, West Virginia, County Records, v 9 169, county courthouses, West Virginia; FHL microfilm 559,884. The record shows that Frank Ethbert Paterson died on 03, Jan 1954 in Huntington, West Virginia. He was 73-yrs old and was born in 1881. His parents were Archibald Paterson & Mary Elliot. His occupation is shown as a sheet metal worker.

[10 ] "United States Social Security Death Index," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/JPFC-R4F : accessed 15 February 2015), Blanche Paterson, Nov 1976; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing). The record shows that Blanche Paterson died in Huntington, West Virginia in Nov. 1976. It shows her birth date as 10 June 1886.

Footnotes

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Fred Nix for creating Paterson-760 on 24 Sep 13. Click the Changes tab for the details on contributions by Fred and others.