Attended Class of 1888

Birth: 6 Nov 1867, Rowan County, North Carolina
Death: 17 Jan 1949, Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina

Parents:
Elam Alexander Patterson (1824-1887)
Christine Eve Smith Patterson (1837-1917)

Burial:
Greenlawn Cemetery
China Grove, Rowan County, North Carolina

Source: www.findagrave.com, #55090211, http://www.Ancestry.com

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The following is an excerpt from E. Janet Stroud’s manuscript on the history of Winecoff School. Courtesy of Historic Cabarrus Association, Inc.

Jennie Patterson was born in the seventies near Nileman’s Mill, Cabarrus County, the daughter of Alex and Christina Eve Smith Patterson. The Patterson estate, consisting of one thousands acres and adjoining the old Phifer place, was the home community of five generations of Pattersons.

Jennie received her education in private schools and the old Mont Amoena Seminary, Mt. Pleasant. She chose teaching as her life work.

Miss Patterson taught one winter at Winecoff in the early nineties. Today, one finds her teaching in the city schools of Charlotte where she has been for almost a half a century – her hair is snow white but she is still sweet, gentle and patient, her Primary pupils adore her.

We are happy to have the following letter from Miss Patterson herself;

1136 Queens Road
Charlotte, N.C.
August 26, 1940

Dear Miss Stroud:

I hasten to answer your letter which was awaiting me on my return from Montreat last night.

Yes, I taught at the Winecoff School about 45 years ago. It was winter when school began (a very severe winter it was). It seems to me there was snow on the ground most of the time. When school began someone confided to me that there had been trouble formerly in the school. But everything went on smoothly and at the end of three months, the winter term, they asked me to stay and teach a subscription school for one month, which I did.

The building was an old run-down one room building but we managed to keep comfortable sitting around an open fire place. The names of some of the families who sent to school to me were Winecoff, Litaker, Goodman, and Scott. There were others too.

I have never worked among people who were more loyal and appreciative. So my work in the Winecoff school was a joy.

I am still teaching and love my work.

Yours Truly,
Jennie Patterson.

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The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, NC), 18 Jan 1949, 12.

NOTED TEACHER OF CITY DIES
Rites for Miss Jennie Patterson, Retired, Will Be Conducted Today.

Funeral services for Miss Jennie Patterson, 82, retired teacher who for many years was a member of the faculty of Elizabeth school here and who died at her home at 1136 Queens road yesterday morning, will be held this afternoon at 2:30 o’clock at Harry and Bryant chapel.

Rev. Cecil Lawrence, assistant pastor of Myers Park Presbyterian church, of which Miss Patterson was a member, will officiate, and interment will be in China Grove cemetery. Serving as pallbearers will be D. Clyde Lisk, J. L. Choate, Jr., J. G. Patterson, S. k. Patterson, Dr. Fred Patterson, Blaine Kelly, Clarence Hall, A. G. Odell, James Brown, and George Edwards, nephews of Miss Patterson.

BORN IN ROWAN

Born November 7, 1867, in Rowan county, Miss Patterson was the daughter of the late Elam Alexander Patterson and Christine Eve Smith Patterson of Rowan county. She was educated at  Mont Amoena seminary at Mount Pleasant and for some time taught in the Mount Pleasant and Concord schools. Miss Patterson moved to Charlotte in 1900 and taught here until her retirement a few years ago. She was a member of the Battle of Charlotte chapter of the Daughters of the Americna Revolution.

Surviving Miss Patterson are one sister, Mrs. A. J. Crowell of Charlotte; and the following nieces and nephews, Mrs. Blaine Kelly and Mrs. Joe L. Choate, Jr., of Charlotte, Mrs. Clarence Hall of Kannapolis, Mrs. Berry Grant of Allentown, Pa., Mrs. George Lowe of Detroit, Mich., Mrs. Charles Wagner, Mrs. James Brown, and Mrs. A. G. Odell of Concord, Mrs. George Edwards of Rocky Mount, Junius G. Patterson of Gastonia, S. Kay Patterson of Concord, and Dr. Fred Patterson of Greensboro, and a number of grandnieces and grandnephews.