My first millionaire!

[Karamazov]

I’ve been following up a hunch and it’s paid off with the discovery of a previously unknown brother of my 2g grandma. No records at all for him in Ireland but I’ve managed to track him through assorted city directories and censuses in Hoboken, New Jersey from 1868 to his death there in 1924.
Key facts: he usually goes by John M Patterson, born Feb 1844 in Ballyshannon, Co Donegal. Three censuses give year of immigration to USA as 1860 or 1862, and he says he was naturalised 1885. He married Mary V Soran circa 1878-1880, presumably in NJ. They didn’t have any children. She died before him on 15 Apr 1921.
He starts off as a saddler/harnessmaker in 1868 (earliest city directory entry I’ve found so far), graduates to trunks and leather goods, employing others. In the 1920 US census he is recorded as a merchant, general store. But this still came as a big surprise: bottom story in column 5:
https://fultonhistory.com/highlighte...stHlPage=false

Apparently, that’s the equivalent of $2.97 million today!

Infuriatingly, although Ancestry has a record set New Jersey, Wills and Probate Records, 1739-1991, there are no probate records at all for 1924. (When Patterson, didn’t work, I tried Smith and got zero results.)

Any suggestions as to where to go next re the will? I’m also looking to fill in the gaps - I haven’t managed to find his immigration, marriage or naturalisation or any other newspaper reports other than the one above. I wonder if it made the newspapers back in Ireland?
Any help/suggestions appreciated.

Christine

[Frazzled]

Just wanted to say congratulations!

Will have a look at Irish newspapers

[ozgirl]

This is all I have managed to find so far, on FamilySearch - a Surrogates docket. He is the first one on the page, no. 60197. I think it says that the executor of the will is another John Patterson. Could this be a nephew?

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61...701&cc=2018330

[cbcarolyn]

No wealth came to you then! I have a millionaire too, from gold and he went on to invest in businesses in Canada where he settled, but by the time of his death most of it had gone, I guess due to the depression.

Can't help on records no experience of either.

Are all the records on Ancestry indexed?

[Frazzled]

Hobokan Advertiser 3 May 1879 reports the wedding of John to Mary Soran. Will send you the clip.

[Karamazov]

This is all I have managed to find so far, on FamilySearch - a Surrogates docket. He is the first one on the page, no. 60197. I think it says that the executor of the will is another John Patterson. Could this be a nephew?

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61...701&cc=2018330

Ooh, good find, well done - that’s definitely him as probate date is the same as date mentioned in the newspaper report.
As for the John Patterson, executor - John M Patterson had a brother George Patterson, who had a son John born in 1886, who is with the family in the 1901 Ireland census, but no sign of him in 1911. And now, 3 hints have suddenly just popped up for him -
1920 https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bi...ntPageIsStart=
1930 https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bi...ntPageIsStart=
1940 https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bi...ntPageIsStart=

I had an early start today so my bed is calling me unusually early tonight - will start unpicking them tomorrow.

Thanks,
Christine

[Karamazov]

Hobokan Advertiser 3 May 1879 reports the wedding of John to Mary Soran. Will send you the clip.

Another great find - thanks.

Christine

[Karamazov]

Hobokan Advertiser 3 May 1879 reports the wedding of John to Mary Soran. Will send you the clip.

Here’s what Caroline (Frazzled) found:

FA272631-A865-4D9C-9D8C-F9B78CD6646A.png

Interesting about Busch - John M Patterson’s address in a couple of city directories around this time is Busch’s Hotel in Hoboken.

Christine

[Darksecretz]

Aww that's lovely Christine, I know that my Lydall/Foulds were quite rich, but not quite sure by how much, I know that the Foulds Family Foundation still helps out families I believe in Connecticut.

[Karamazov]

I haven’t yet looked at the census record hints I posted in #6 above as I prefer to work forwards from what I do know.
I’ve found nephew John - also a harnessmaker - returning to 221 Washington St, Hoboken (his uncle’s business address) as a non immigrant alien. He says he has lived in Hoboken previously for 3 years.
https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bi...=successSource

scroll through to the next image for further details of him - line 28.
So still need to find that earlier immigration record for him, plus see if he is in city directories, 1910 census, poss WW1 draft, naturalisation etc before seeing if those hints hold up. For info - his exact date of birth in Cloughbally, Ballyshannon was 22 Jan 1886.

Going to leave this again for a while as the cricket is on, so if anyone is in the mood for further searching, feel free...

Christine

[Tilly Mint]

Is this your chap.....lots of info.

John Patterson - 254 Washington - Express

1860: Hoboken Ward 1, John Patterson 38, policeman, $500, Mary Patterson 34 Mary Patterson 7 William Patterson 2 Anne Patterson 15, William Patterson 121866: Patterson, John M (J. M. Patterson & co.) home 103 Bloomfield Hoboken
1870: John Patterson 39, express, $1,000, Mary Patterson 33, Mary Patterson 16, Willie Patterson 12, Gussie Patterson 4
1874: Ad Eccentic Stevens Institute: J. M. Patterson's Express - baggage Delivered to all rail Roads and Steamboats, parcels sent to all points in the United States also furniture and pianos removed - office 254 Washington street Hoboken
1877: John M Patterson 345 Garden Hoboken Hoboken, New Jersey, USA Occupation: Express Publication Title: Jersey City, New Jersey, City Directory, 1877
1880: 254 Washington street, John Patterson 49, expressman, born NJ, Mary Patterson 45, William Patterson 22, son, expressman, Augusta Patterson 14 Wm. E. Patterson 32, brother, expressman

1883: J. K. Patterson's Hoboken and New York Express, No. 254 Washington Street. The express business of Mr. Patterson is a source of great convenience to the merchants and citizens of Hoboken. To him is intrusted the conveyance of all valuable express matter between New York and Hoboken, and during the many years Mr. Patterson has conducted this business he has always given satisfaction to all parties concerned. Several wagons and a large force of assistants are employed, and the offices are located at No. 296 Canal Street, No. 119 West Broadway, No. 117 John Street, and at the Ferry Building foot of Barclay Street, New York, and at No. 126 Washington Street, Hoboken. Merchandise is called f or and delivered promptly, and charges are mostly made according to the weigJohn Patterson - 254 Washington - Express

1860: Hoboken Ward 1, John Patterson 38, policeman, $500, Mary Patterson 34 Mary Patterson 7 William Patterson 2 Anne Patterson 15, William Patterson 121866: Patterson, John M (J. M. Patterson & co.) home 103 Bloomfield Hoboken
1870: John Patterson 39, express, $1,000, Mary Patterson 33, Mary Patterson 16, Willie Patterson 12, Gussie Patterson 4
1874: Ad Eccentic Stevens Institute: J. M. Patterson's Express - baggage Delivered to all rail Roads and Steamboats, parcels sent to all points in the United States also furniture and pianos removed - office 254 Washington street Hoboken
1877: John M Patterson 345 Garden Hoboken Hoboken, New Jersey, USA Occupation: Express Publication Title: Jersey City, New Jersey, City Directory, 1877
1880: 254 Washington street, John Patterson 49, expressman, born NJ, Mary Patterson 45, William Patterson 22, son, expressman, Augusta Patterson 14 Wm. E. Patterson 32, brother, expressman

1883: J. K. Patterson's Hoboken and New York Express, No. 254 Washington Street. The express business of Mr. Patterson is a source of great convenience to the merchants and citizens of Hoboken. To him is intrusted the conveyance of all valuable express matter between New York and Hoboken, and during the many years Mr. Patterson has conducted this business he has always given satisfaction to all parties concerned. Several wagons and a large force of assistants are employed, and the offices are located at No. 296 Canal Street, No. 119 West Broadway, No. 117 John Street, and at the Ferry Building foot of Barclay Street, New York, and at No. 126 Washington Street, Hoboken. Merchandise is called f or and delivered promptly, and charges are mostly made according to the weight and size of the goods handled. Mr. Patterson has long resided in Hoboken, and is highly esteemed as a man of business and a public-spirited citizen. He is also agent for the Central Railroad of New Jersey, and the Philadelphia and Long Branch division of the same. Baggage is checked direct from the house to its destination, and tickets sold to all points on this line.
Industries of New Jersey: Hudson, Passaic and Bergen counties, 1883
1891:

J. M. PATTERSON'S Hoboken and New York Express, Furniture and Piano Moving and Boxing. Office, 254 Washington St., Hoboken, N. J. NEW YORK OFFICES : At Ferry, foot of Barclay Street.

1900: Bloomfield st, John Patterson 69, express, Emily Patterson 55, wife1900: 924 Washington street, William Patterson 41, express, Elizabeth Patterson 37, John Patterson 18, express, Walter Patterson 5

1910: 916 Washington st, William Patterson 52, manager, express wage earner, rent, Elizabeth Patterson 46, Walter Patterson 14, son, John M Patterson 27, son bookkeeper, express

[Tilly Mint]

Here's the link....struggled to get all the on here

http://www.maggieblanck.com/Hoboken/WashingtonSt.html

[Karamazov]

Is this your chap.....lots of info.

John Patterson - 254 Washington - Express

1860: Hoboken Ward 1, John Patterson 38, policeman, $500, Mary Patterson 34 Mary Patterson 7 William Patterson 2 Anne Patterson 15, William Patterson 121866: Patterson, John M (J. M. Patterson & co.) home 103 Bloomfield Hoboken
1870: John Patterson 39, express, $1,000, Mary Patterson 33, Mary Patterson 16, Willie Patterson 12, Gussie Patterson 4
1874: Ad Eccentic Stevens Institute: J. M. Patterson's Express - baggage Delivered to all rail Roads and Steamboats, parcels sent to all points in the United States also furniture and pianos removed - office 254 Washington street Hoboken
1877: John M Patterson 345 Garden Hoboken Hoboken, New Jersey, USA Occupation: Express Publication Title: Jersey City, New Jersey, City Directory, 1877
1880: 254 Washington street, John Patterson 49, expressman, born NJ, Mary Patterson 45, William Patterson 22, son, expressman, Augusta Patterson 14 Wm. E. Patterson 32, brother, expressman

1883: J. K. Patterson's Hoboken and New York Express, No. 254 Washington Street. The express business of Mr. Patterson is a source of great convenience to the merchants and citizens of Hoboken. To him is intrusted the conveyance of all valuable express matter between New York and Hoboken, and during the many years Mr. Patterson has conducted this business he has always given satisfaction to all parties concerned. Several wagons and a large force of assistants are employed, and the offices are located at No. 296 Canal Street, No. 119 West Broadway, No. 117 John Street, and at the Ferry Building foot of Barclay Street, New York, and at No. 126 Washington Street, Hoboken. Merchandise is called f or and delivered promptly, and charges are mostly made according to the weigJohn Patterson - 254 Washington - Express

1860: Hoboken Ward 1, John Patterson 38, policeman, $500, Mary Patterson 34 Mary Patterson 7 William Patterson 2 Anne Patterson 15, William Patterson 121866: Patterson, John M (J. M. Patterson & co.) home 103 Bloomfield Hoboken
1870: John Patterson 39, express, $1,000, Mary Patterson 33, Mary Patterson 16, Willie Patterson 12, Gussie Patterson 4
1874: Ad Eccentic Stevens Institute: J. M. Patterson's Express - baggage Delivered to all rail Roads and Steamboats, parcels sent to all points in the United States also furniture and pianos removed - office 254 Washington street Hoboken
1877: John M Patterson 345 Garden Hoboken Hoboken, New Jersey, USA Occupation: Express Publication Title: Jersey City, New Jersey, City Directory, 1877
1880: 254 Washington street, John Patterson 49, expressman, born NJ, Mary Patterson 45, William Patterson 22, son, expressman, Augusta Patterson 14 Wm. E. Patterson 32, brother, expressman

1883: J. K. Patterson's Hoboken and New York Express, No. 254 Washington Street. The express business of Mr. Patterson is a source of great convenience to the merchants and citizens of Hoboken. To him is intrusted the conveyance of all valuable express matter between New York and Hoboken, and during the many years Mr. Patterson has conducted this business he has always given satisfaction to all parties concerned. Several wagons and a large force of assistants are employed, and the offices are located at No. 296 Canal Street, No. 119 West Broadway, No. 117 John Street, and at the Ferry Building foot of Barclay Street, New York, and at No. 126 Washington Street, Hoboken. Merchandise is called f or and delivered promptly, and charges are mostly made according to the weight and size of the goods handled. Mr. Patterson has long resided in Hoboken, and is highly esteemed as a man of business and a public-spirited citizen. He is also agent for the Central Railroad of New Jersey, and the Philadelphia and Long Branch division of the same. Baggage is checked direct from the house to its destination, and tickets sold to all points on this line.
Industries of New Jersey: Hudson, Passaic and Bergen counties, 1883
1891:

J. M. PATTERSON'S Hoboken and New York Express, Furniture and Piano Moving and Boxing. Office, 254 Washington St., Hoboken, N. J. NEW YORK OFFICES : At Ferry, foot of Barclay Street.

1900: Bloomfield st, John Patterson 69, express, Emily Patterson 55, wife1900: 924 Washington street, William Patterson 41, express, Elizabeth Patterson 37, John Patterson 18, express, Walter Patterson 5

1910: 916 Washington st, William Patterson 52, manager, express wage earner, rent, Elizabeth Patterson 46, Walter Patterson 14, son, John M Patterson 27, son bookkeeper, express

Thanks, but no, mine was harnessmaker/saddler/leather goods as per original post. Home address from circa 1880 was 214 Hudson Street, with business address 221 Washington Street. I think I have more or less all the relevant city directory records for him, plus 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920 US censuses, plus 1885, 1895 and 1915 New Jersey state censuses. I now also know he married in 1879, thanks to Caroline’s find posts 5 and 8.

Christine.

[Karamazov]

Here's the link....struggled to get all the on here

http://www.maggieblanck.com/Hoboken/WashingtonSt.html

Gosh, that’s a real labour of love. I found a tab for Hudson Street and had a look at the photos she has posted which give an idea of what various stretches of it looked like back then, so thanks for the pointer.

Christine

[Karamazov]

I’ve found the nephew/executor John Patterson in 1910, when he is still single. By the time of the 1915 New Jersey he is married to Margaret E, with a son Richard J Patterson born (20) Feb 1913. Haven’t found a marriage.
Here in 1915:

https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=61558&h=194866&ssrc=pt&tid=38459508&pid=102212297540&usePUB=true

They are here in 1920:

https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=6061&h=18999397&ssrc=pt&tid=38459508&pid=102212297540&usePUB=true

However, the 1930 and 1940 US census hints I mentioned above are for a different Patterson family from County Cork who only emigrated to the US in 1927. In 1930, the son Richard is 17 and living in the household of his aunt, Sarah (Sadie) Byrne.

https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=6224&h=18538272&ssrc=pt&tid=38459508&pid=102212307984&usePUB=true

So I’m still looking for his parents John and Margaret in 1930 and 1940. Or have either/ both died?

I have found Margaret applying for a passport in 1919 to travel home to Ireland with Richard to visit her sick mother. I am still in the process of trying to pull out key information from the passport application but can anyone decipher her maiden name? (Scroll through as there are a couple of pages of images including a photo of her and Richard.)

https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=1174&h=548132&ssrc=pt&tid=38459508&pid=102212297540&usePUB=true

Christine

[GallowayLass]

I think the birthplace is Ballyhaunis. I can’t see where it says a maiden surname. Getting cross eyed this late LOL maybe somebody else can spot where the her maiden name is on the page?

[Karamazov]

I think the birthplace is Ballyhaunis. I can’t see where it says a maiden surname. Getting cross eyed this late LOL maybe somebody else can spot where the her maiden name is on the page?

I thought Ballyhaunis too.
Maiden name (well, her aged mother’s surname) is towards the bottom of the partially obscured letter from witness when you click through to image 20, but you can see the full letter on image 21. I think it may be Tarp(e)y or Tasp(e)y.

Christine

[ozgirl]

I thought it could be Jasper at first but on second looking I can see that the J is not the same as his J for Jersey, and now think that Tarpey is a possibility.

[ozgirl]

Margaret Tarpey married John Patterson in New Jersey in 1912.

https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bi...=successSource

[ozgirl]

I think John died in 1927 - left a will with Margaret as Executor (no 68369)

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61...101&cc=2018330


Looks like Margaret then had a breakdown of some kind - Michael Tarpey and Sarah Byrne (brother and sister?) were made Guardian for her and Richard. (nos 74135 and 74136) which explains why Richard is with The Byrnes in 1930.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61...801&cc=2018330