Week 1 – I’d Like To Meet

It's certainly no secret that I'm addicted to genealogy, so I'm excited to be taking part in the 52 Ancestors in 52 weeks challenge.

When I discovered that I was descended from a Revolutionary Patriot, my first thought was to join the Daughters of the American Revolution. In order to do so, you must provide documentation, in the way of official records, for each generation from you, back to your patriot. From myself through my great-grandparents, I had all the birth and/or death certificates and marriage records. My patriot and his son, from whom I descend, were already proven. That just left one generation between me and a certificate of membership to hang on my wall - My great-great grandparents William Anthony Patton and his wife, Sarah Williamson. I was able to find information, the way of written record, that provided birth and death dates and places for William, but information on his wife was elusive. It took several years before I was finally able to piece her life together.

Sarah Williamson Patton Wait was my great-great grandmother. She was born 16 August 1835 in Pennsylvania (probably Pittsburgh). Her parents were Thomas Williamson and Margaret Shillito, both Pennsylvania natives. She married William Anthony Patton shortly before her 16th birthday, in late 1850. In the short span of seven years, she gave birth to three children: Henrietta Anthony Patton, born in October 1851; David Williamson Patton (my great-grandfather), born 2 July 1854; and Margaret Matilda Patton, born 17 September 1856. Her husband's family had been involved in the iron manufacturing business for many years, and William followed that same path. On 9 July 1856, William was killed in Detroit, Michigan, when a large panel of iron fell on him, killing him instantly. Sarah was left with three small children. Then, on 17 October of that same year, her baby, Margaret Matilda died.

After the death of her husband and small daughter, Sarah disappeared from records. Her two living children were easily located. Both were living in the homes of two of their father's sisters in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. Henrietta resided with their aunt Amelia Patton Wallace; David was living with their aunt Rachel Patton Gwin. Unable to locate Sarah, I assumed that she must have also died shortly thereafter. In Union Dale Cemetery, in Pittsburgh, is a headstone with only the names "William Patton" and "Sarah Patton" - no dates. Since I knew the family was living in Pittsburgh, I also assumed this must be my great-great-grandparents. Being a novice at genealogy at the time, I learned a most valuable lesson - never assume anything.

As I trace young Henrietta and David through their lives, there were gaps in census records related to them, but eventually I stumbled across them in the home of a Sarah Wait, and her two children, living Kansas City, Kansas, in 1880. I focused my research on Sarah Wait and what I found out put all the pieces of my puzzle together. In the 1870 census, I discovered Sarah Wait and in her household were two children, David and Henrietta Wait. Both were the same ages as David and Henrietta Patton. As it turns out, Sarah, the widow Patton, married Albert Wait on 28 January 1861, in Wheeling, Ohio County, West Virginia. They had three more children together. Then, history repeated itself. Her husband and another young daughter died within a seven-year period. What a horrific coincidence! In the time span from her second marriage in 1861 until 1870, she was, once again alone, with now four small children. Her parents and siblings had moved to Wheeling, West Virginia where Sarah had joined them, shortly after William's death. The family surname was indexed as Wilkemson, which took some patience to locate them. Then, for whatever reason, by 1880 she had left her parents and siblings behind and had relocated to Kansas City, Kansas, with her children in tow.

The next year, in 1881, Sarah died. She is buried on a hill in the Woodlawn Cemetery in Kansas City. A few years ago, I had the opportunity to visit her. Her stone is one of the largest there. It makes me think she or her children had the means with which to purchase one so grand, but how did they obtain it? Why did she leave her family and head west? What was the trip like, with two teenagers and two little ones (anyone watch 1883)?

I'd like to meet Sarah and have her answer these questions. I can't imagine how much courage it must have taken. I have often thought of what her life must have been like. There was so much lost and heartache in such a short period of time. I'd like to know what traits I might have inherited from her.