Helen Reeves Patterson was born on 20 October 1872 in Brush Creek District, Washington Co., TN.
1 She married
Alvis Craig on 21 March 1899 in "Vineland" farm, Washington Co., TN. She died on 11 December 1960 in Orange Co., FL,
Note from Willie Reeves Hardin Bivins (via Tracy DeVault):
Helen was a graduate of Tennessee Wesleyan College, a very loving and talented lady. She was Mother's first cousin, and Mother called her Helen. She was Dad's half aunt, 22 years older, so he called her Aunt Helen. I didn't see her often, but I knew her well. She taught me some of the finer points of sewing when I was about 16. I think of her now and feel guilty about my unfinished inside seams! I have a lovely little handkerchief which she made and sent me with a note of apology for the handwork, "The eyes of 80 are not what they used to be."
During the time her son was in Hawaii, Aunt Helen lived with them and made beautiful sea shell jewelry, which she sold and gave as gifts. I have a collection of the pieces she gave to me and my mother. However, the "things" from her that I cherish most are her priceless letters, recounting tender stories and memories of our early relatives in East Tennessee. Information about this family is from Elizabeth Craig.
Note from Cecil Susan (Patterson) Goodhew on March 9, 1985 (via Tracy DeVault):
Aunt Helen had wonderful times in Hawaii when Ronald and Louise Craig were there. Louise was the one who took such loving care of Aunt Helen during the years she was paralyzed and bed-fast from a stroke. Aunt Helen lived for about three years after she had the severe strokes.
Part of a letter written by Helen Reeves (Patterson) Craig after a visit to Tennessee in the spring of 1955, with Tracy DeVault's notes inserted (via Tracy DeVault):
We went to Elizabethton via the old Happy Valley home of the Taylor governors (1). I had visited here with Aunt Rhoda (2), their sister, when I was a girl. Governor Alf was then living there -- he was elected later on -- but Bob, the one then in office was also visiting at the old home. When the two brothers were electioneering together, driving horse and buggy much of the time, they were "fighting" the "Battle of the Roses" as they termed it. A perfectly amicable battle it was and they had the time of their lives. Taking turns on the platform they would bless each other out then when they went to their room at night would have fun talking it over. Once when they were called upon to make balcony speeches, Bob got to the balcony first and made Alf's speech. So Alf had to improvise. When the boys first started out from their mother's home to begin their electioneering the mother (3), who was sister of Tennessee's great orator (4), mentioned in Tenn. History, waved them off and cried, "Hurrah for Taylor."
We returned home via Milligan College (5), another place I used to visit as a girl. Milligan was a boys' school and a visiting girl did not lack for attention!
A trip out two miles from the city (Tuesday) to the old John Reeves (6) farm where I have so many times visited the family of my Uncle John. Many, many times when he came to our home -- my mother was his sister and next in age in the family of six -- I would go home perched behind on the pony he rode. This was one of my greatest joys as a child. I was the eldest child of the family of nieces and nephews and I would follow him after I passed the age where he would carry me making the rounds to the barn, etc. He had, in my early childhood, a beard on his chin. Once when he was taking a nap and I played near him, I braided in two braids and tied each with a red, narrow strip of cloth. When he awakened, he was in a great hurry to attend to some business in Johnson City, so he snatched his hat, mounted his horse and went to town. He met a prominent lawyer of the street who said, "John, what on earth have you done with your beard?" He grabbed at his chin and said, "It is that child++" The place belongs to strangers now but as we drove past the wide beautiful lawn and I noted the change which had been made with the house, I saw that the front door still had long narrow panes of glass along the sides and over the front. I said, "I just have to go in and see if the panes are still the frosted kind I used to think were so beautiful. I know the woman who was in the yard wondered about the car load of guests which came up the driveway, but when I told her that I had known the place when it was built 80 years ago, she invited me to come and see the front door as I said I wished to do. Sure enough, of the four panes at the top of the door, three were left of frosted ones I so well remembered. I told the girls who were with me that those old panes of glass were the highlight of my visit so far. It just brought back my childhood more than anything could have done. I even remembered the design as if I had seen it the day before. A little further we visited Uncle John's youngest son (7) whom I had not seen since he was grown. He is about 62 years old. And he paid me what I thought was a high compliment. He was the very image of his father and I said, "Uncle John." He said, "Why it is Helen!"
Learning the address of Kate (Jennings) (8) we set out to see her in Bristol. It was a 30 mile drive but such a beautiful and interesting one. We went past the old DeVault home (9) on the Watauga River where my grandmother (10) lived as a girl and where she was born, also the Will DeVault (11) home where I have spent many happy girlhood hours. I had visited the Grandmother home several times but it was across the river and as the cousins who lived there in my day were young men, they did most of the crossing.
We returned to Johnson City by a different route toward the end of the trip in order that I might see another part of the country which I used to know and enjoy, this time by Austin Springs. Several times I have gone there in the summer and camped with Uncle Jim's (12) family for a month. The old hotel (13) was no longer in use in my day, even, and is now cleared away entirely. Near here I saw the only part of old road (14) which I had traveled many times on horseback, our principal mode of travel at that time.
Friday. Out in the country to Uncle Jim's old home (15) -- almost my second one -- to the old home of my grandparents and the cemetery (16) where most all of my people are buried. I brought away a picture of the very largest lily of the valley bed I ever saw. It was as large as a big room and in full bloom. Cemetery in good condition, which is not usual in a country one.
Then on across the country to my old home (17) where there have been very great changes. The house has been changed by having now a long front porch instead of the portico we used to have, with many potted flowers on it and flowers everywhere. No sign of flowers anywhere nor a sign of the beautiful garden which was my father's delight. Only the old boxwoods I helped my father plant are there and they have grown to mammoth size. On we went past the old spring where we used to get our drinking water and to which I have made a thousand trips and more to carry the milk to strain night and morning, to get milk and butter for the meals, then take my turn at carrying the three gallon jar of sour cream to the house for churning. The distance was nearly a quarter of a mile, maybe not that far, but the distance was certainly great, much too great for one to carry a three gallon stone jar of cream on one's hip all the way.
On past the first home (18) of my grandparents where they had lived for years in a very large brick house on a very large farm with their brother and sister (19), the property being jointly owned and where each year there was a new baby, the sisters alternating. Finally Uncle Willie (20) bought out his brother's interest in the house and they divided the farm. Years later (21) my grandfather gave his land to my mother and her sister and they built their family homes. We went past the one in which my aunt (22) and family had lived. It was not changed in the least unless to be more beautiful, except two of the six maples they set out in the spacious front yard are missing. The ones remaining are huge.
On down the valley we went so I could see some of the old farm homes where I used to visit with my mother to "spend the day." Next across the ridge one and a half miles away where I attended Sunday School and church -- the latter only once a month as it was circuit rider days. We walked across fields and woods to reach the church. I imagine it would not be so easy now as then to take that walk through the winter winds and summer sunshine but it was fun then and about the only outside interest we had except when we would go to town to shop. One bit of shopping we were spared. It was never necessary to shop for shoes if someone else was going. Shoes were bought by number. Of course they hurt when we first wore them and for a long time often. We just "broke" them. No doubt many a bunion followed this breaking, but if our number was 5, we bought and wore a number 5!
They even took me several miles further to see the old home of our family doctor, who besides his many calls over the years, some social, many in his medical capacity, made two very hasty calls to see me. The first on June 18, 1900 (23) and two years later on June 28 (24), each time leaving with me a precious little bundle of love I had never seen before.
Notes (Tracy DeVault):
1) Robert Love Taylor (31 Jul 1850 - 31 Mar 1912), served as Governor of Tennessee from 1887 - 1891, and again from 1897 - 1899; served as United States Senator from Tennessee from 1907 until his death. Alfred Alexander "Alf" Taylor (6 Aug 1848 - 25 Nov 1931), served as Governor of Tennessee from 1921 - 1923; served three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1889 - 1895.
2) Rhoda Emma (Taylor) Reeves (28 Mar 1855 - 21 Nov 1943), daughter of Nathanial Green Taylor and Emmaline "Emma" Haynes; sister to Robert Love Taylor and Alfred Alexander "Alf" Taylor.
3) Emmaline "Emma" (Haynes) Taylor (2 Apr 1822 - 16 Nov 1890), daughter of David Haynes and Rhoda Ann Taylor.
4) Landon Carter Haynes (2 Dec 1816 - 17 Feb 1875), son of David Haynes and Rhoda Ann Taylor.
5) Milligan College is a Christian Liberal Arts College founded in 1866 and located in the mountains of East Tennessee a few miles from downtown Johnson City. It appears to have been originally founded as a coed institution and remains so today. I have not found a reference suggesting that it was ever an all-male institution.
6) John DeVault Reeves (25 Mar 1839 - 2 Jun 1915), son of Peter Miller Reeves and Matilda "Mattie" DeVault.
7) John DeVault Reeves, Jr. (7 Jan 1893 - 2 Apr 1972), son of John DeVault Reeves and Rhoda Emma Taylor.
8) Elizabeth Kathleen "Kate" (Jennings) Boy (15 Mar 1891 - 23 Mar 1985), daughter of John Henry Jennings and Adelaide Elizabeth "Lizzie or Addie" Reeves.
9) Valentine Davault home (aka DeVault Mansion) located on Degrassee Lane, Johnson City, Tennessee.
10) Matilda "Mattie" (DeVault) Reeves (19 Dec 1814 - 1 Jul 1896), daughter of Valentine "Felty" Davault and Susannah "Susan" Range.
11) I think Helen is talking about the William Valentine DeVault (21 Nov 1846 - 12 Sep 1916) home. This home was built around 1856 by William's father, Jacob DeVault. William Valentine DeVault inherited the home and lands in 1878. This time frame seems to agree with Helen's age when she was a girl. I have looked for this home for some time. I think it is now gone but I think it was near where Helen seemed to be traveling when she mentioned it.
12) James Miller Reeves (10 Jul 1845 - 25 Oct 1927), son of Peter Miller Reeves and Matilda "Mattie" DeVault.
13) I'm sure Helen is talking about the Austin Springs Hotel. It operated from 1897 to 1905.
14) Helen is talking about the Great Stage Road that passed by the Valentine Davault house (DeVault Mansion House), crossed the Watauga River at DeVault's Ford and then proceeded on to Jonesborough.
15) Helen is talking about the Sinking Spring farm. The house, still standing, is located at the corner of Knob Creek Road and Xanadu Court.
16) Peter Miller Reeves Cemetery (aka Carr-Reeves Cemetery).
17) I think the farm that Helen is referring to was called "Vineland." In 1838, Helen's maternal grandfather, Peter Miller Reeves, and Peter's brother, William Pouder Reeves, purchased a 400 acre tract of land. They built a large house and both families lived there for a while. The farm became known as "Wheatland." In 1846, Peter Miller Reeves bought a farm and home from the Richard Carr estate. Peter moved his family to this farm. It became known as the Sinking Spring farm, see Footnote 15. At one point the brothers decided to divide up their interest in the Wheatland Farm. The method of dividing up the farm became a point of major contention and was eventually decided by the Tennessee Supreme Court. Each brother got half the farm. Peter Miller Reeves gave his 200 acres to his daughters, Susan (Reeves) Patterson and Elizabeth (Reeves) Jennings. I am assuming that they each got 100 acres. I think the Pattersons called their 100-acre farm, "Vineland." Helen was born on the Sinking Spring farm but grew up on the Vineland farm.
18) "Wheatland" was located near the intersection of Knob Creek Road and Carroll Creek Road.
19) William Pouder Reeves (15 Dec 1803 - 20 Aug 1885), son of Edward Prothero Reeves and Mary Miller and his wife, Mary Catherine "Polly" DeVault (7 Feb 1808 - 12 Nov 1894), daughter of Valentine "Felty" Davault and Susannah "Susan" Range.
20) William Pouder Reeves (15 Dec 1803 - 20 Aug 1885), son of Edward Prothero Reeves and Mary Miller.
21) My information is that the land transfer to his daughters happened fairly quickly after title passed to Peter Miller Reeves.
22) Adelaide Elizabeth "Addie or Lizzie" (Reeves) Jennings (13 Jun 1852 - 5 Apr 1896), daughter of Peter Miller Reeves and Matilda "Mattie" DeVault.
23) Birth date of Helen's daughter, Adelaide Blanch Craig (18 Jun 1900 - 3 Jan 1960), daughter of Alvis Craig and Helen Reeves Patterson.
24) Birth date of Helen's son, Ronald Wesley Craig (28 Jun 1902 - Mar 1967). She was buried in December 1960 in Cedar Grove Cemetery, Athens, McMinn Co., TN, Findagrave #26875993.