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George Patton
 Hymelus
Patton and his wife, Nancy (Woods) Patton, moved from Orange County, N.C. to the Upper Sequatchie Valley now the southern edge of Cumberland County, Tenn. between 1835 and 1840. His parents were thought to be Alexander and Levinia (Myrack) Patton. Alexander was in the War of 1812 with the 2nd Reg. of Orange County, N.C. Nancy was the daughter of Matthew and Peggy (Faucette) Woods, also of Orange County, N.C. Matthew was a captain from N.C. in the Revolutionary War.
Hymelus, who considered himself Cherokee Indian, and his oldest son, William or "Billy", moved to Mill Springs, Ky. a short time after they both enlisted in the Union Army in September 1861. According to Billy Patton's son, Jesse, this move was made for the safety of the women after a threat was made on the life of Jesse's mother. he also stated that they had been in Mill Springs only a few days when he heard the guns roar from the Battle of Mill Springs. Hymlus, who was fifty-six years old when he enlisted in September 1861, died at Cumberland Gap on August 10, 1862.
After the Civil War was over, William and Rebecca Jane (Scott) Patton moved to Fentress County and lived in the Wolf River and Forbus Areas. William was born in N.C. in the 18209 and died in 1919. His wife, Jane, was born in Tenn. on October 27, 1821 and died April 12, 1885. Their son, Jesse Patton, was born in 1851 and died in 1947. Jesse was a farmer and had some success drilling for oil on the Little South Fork where he then lived in Wayne County, Ky. He later lived and farmed for many years on the "Old Davey Delk Place" which is on the Middle Fork of Wolf River, usually called "Little Jack" Creek. Jesse and Melvina Jane (Crabtree) Patton were the parents of George W. Patton who was born June 10, 1894, near Mt. Pisgah, Ky. on the "Little South Fork".
Jesse permitted his son, George, to start learning the Oil Rig Drilling Trade as a boy of thirteen. The two of them were to handle the Drillers Helper's Job or 'Tool Dresser". Of course, as Jesses had planned, he turned the job over to his son on the second shift worked, telling him he would make a good "Tool Dresser", which he did. George went on to learn the Driller's Job and worked for some time in Kentucky, Tennessee, and for a short time in Lawrenceville, Illinois as a Driller. He also was a farmer and did various other types of work. What he probably did best, at least liked best was Square Dancing. In fact, when he was about sixty-five years of age, he finished second in the State of Tennessee "Buck & Wing" Dancing Competition at Nashville.
George married Edna Pearl (Green) Patton, January 16, 1916. Probably the most difficult task they faced was caring for and raising their thirteen children who were: Jennie, Melvin, Caster, Roxie, Ruby, John, Herbert, Glenn, Noble, Louise, Peggy, Lois and Douglas. Jennie, who married Ralph Cargile, died in 1954. They had three children: Wayne, Willard and Virginia. The other twelve Patton Children are still living in 1986. Details of the Military Service of six of George and Pearl's sons and five of their daughters' husbands may be found in The Warriors, by John Patton. A copy of this publication is in the Fentress County Library.
by Caster D. Patton
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