George Washington Patten

1853-1863

George Washington Patten, son of George Patten, born October 26, 1828, in Chester County, Pennsylvania and Mary Nelson, born March 8, 1832, in Mt. Vernon, Jefferson, Illinois.

His parents, as teenagers, had joined the LDS Church and were in the midst of the persecutions of the Saints in Missouri and Illinois.  They, with their families, were driven from their homes at the time of the exodus from Nauvoo and crossed the plains, arriving in the Salt Lake Valley in the summer of 1850, settling in Mountainville, (now Alpine, Utah).  It was here that his father met and married Mary Jane Nelson.  To this union were born eight children. George Washington Patten being the second child, born on January 12, 1853 in Alpine, Utah.  His family later moved and settled in various places in and around Payson, Utah.

So far little has been learned about the early childhood of George Washington Patten, but it is believed that most of his time was spent in Payson, Utah.  It was here that he met Lillian Sophia Beckstead who had come from Annabelle, Utah, in 1870 to live with her sister Sarah.  Their friendship grew and they were married on July 24, 1871, she at the age of 15, and he at 18.  Lillian was the daughter of Sidney Marcus Beckstead and Ann Sophia Rollins who were also pioneers in the exodus from Nauvoo. 

The Pattens moved to various locations trying to make a living and settle down.  They found it difficult because of a shortage of water, and soil conditions.  They had many experiences with the Indians..  One one occasion, George had to go to Payson overnight, leaving Lillian with three small children alone.  Early in the evening a crowd of Indians passed the house, and Lillian knew they were drunk.  She was very frightened.  Barring the doors and windows, she prepared to spend the night alone.  Later a knock was heard at the door.  She asked who was there and Chief Santaquin answered, saying some of the Indians had been to Payson and returned drunk and that it would be safer for her to bring the children over to his house and stay all night.   She took the children and spent the night at Chief Santaquin’s home.  He was very good to them while they lived in Thistle Valley. 

In 1890 George decided to move to Mexico.  Their family consisted of ten children, two of which were married.  With very little means to travel he managed to trade a race horse for a wagon and mule team and they started on their long journey with other members of the family.  They had many experiences on this journey, because of traveling conditions, roads and lack of food.  At Lee’s Ferry, the teams, wagons and children were taken over in a large boat run by cable.  In crossing some of the rivers some of the things were lost in quicksand.  They finally arrived in Colonia Dublan on January 10, 1891.  They were on the road two months with their teams and wagons.

They lived in Mexico 21 years before returning to Payson to live.  At first their life in Mexico was very rugged.  When they arrived they were in very poor circumstances, living mostly on corn bread, beans and molasses, using sweetened water on their mush.  Beef was five cents per pound, but money was hard to get and there were things that could not be bought, even if one had the money.

George bought an ox team and his boys would plow with it and go into the mountains for wood.  He served as Deputy Sheriff for a number of years.

It was a terrible struggle for many years but finally the farm was well equipped with machinery and good horses.  The family raised hay, oats, barley, wheat, and cane, making their own molasses—from 400 to 500 gallons at a time.  We had a good orchard and garden, raising our own peanuts.

George died on February 22, 1896, after being kicked by a horse, causing acute Brights Disease.  Lillian was left with nine children and one more was born four months after her husband died.  She had many problems during the ensuing years as one can imagine with such a large family.  But the entire family worked together.  One by one the children were married, and sad events took place on occasions when a dear one was taken away.  Lillian passed December 1, 1916 at Payson, Utah.

Mary Jane McClellan, daughter, and Thelma Patten Allen, granddaughter

Stalwarts South of the Border Nelle Spilsbury Hatch page 517