Mary Jane Patton Letter

Below is a transcription of the letter written by Mary Jane Patton, daughter of Elizabeth Jamison and James R. Patton, to an unknown cousin on April 24, 1891 from Clarksville, Pike County, Missouri. The letter was given to Jamison researcher Helen Yager Mumm by Paul Jamison ca 1969-70. (To view the actual letter click on the icon.)

"Dear Cousin,

I hastened to reply to your letter as soon as I could hear anything.  Mother is very poorly.  My health is no better.  First your Grandma did not have Dr. Banty address but she will send it in her letter.  She will write soon.  [A]s for the ones the children of James Jamison married, Uncle John married Polly Gillian (I think this is right), Adam married married Nancy Sherwood.

Elizebh married J.R. Patton
Joseph married Kate Jamison
Sams first wife Betsy Bradly
Second wife was Caroline Sherwood
James married Esther Brown
Aunt Jane married Peter Carr of Wis-

We know nothing of the Holidays.  We know not if John Jamison is related or not unless he is one of the family of Joseph Jamison my grandfathers Uncle who lived years ago in Baltimore & was engaged in the powder business he was very wealthy)  [I]f you can; will you send us the advertisement that you saw in the paper or tell us the date & name of the paper & wherewe can find it[.  W]e think perhaps that we can trace the relationship[.  S]end us the paper or tell us where we can get it.

Captain Jamison name is James Carson Jamison he is first cousin of my mother & your grandfather.  My grandfather came here from North Carolina in the year 1820 his forefathers were from Irland[.  L]et us hear from you soon as you can & if there is any money for us I trust we may get it for we need it badly [.  Y]our grandmother is very poor indeed & your mother ought to come just as soon as she possibly can.  She said when she heard from you all she feels as if she was ready to fly away[.  Y]ou don't know how she appreciated your letter.  I must close[.  M]other & I send our very best to you & yours.  I remain your loving cousin

Mary J. Patton

Mother says for you write as soon as you can."

The significance of this letter is that so far it is the only document that ties the John Jamison of North Carolina, the family that would move to Missouri in 1820, with the Jamison families of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It does this in the sentence: "We know not if John Jamison is related or not unless he is one of the family of Joseph Jamison my grandfathers Uncle who lived years ago in Baltimore & was engaged in the powder business he was very wealthy)". The Joseph Jamison Mary Jane was talking about, was the son of Samuel Jamison and Catharine Cowden. He married Ann Jackson on April 17, 1794, at First Baptist Church, Baltimore, Maryland.1 In Matchett's Baltimore Director for 1833 his Baltimore Gun-Powder Manufacturing Company was advertised.2 Mary Jane Patton identified Joseph as her "grandfather's Uncle" which he would indeed be if her great-grandfather, John Jamison, was also a son of Samuel and Catharine (Cowden) Jamison.

[This letter, and the research on Joseph Jamison was provided by Troy Mayne, Madison, WI]


1 "Rev. Lewis Richards Register, 1784-1869", Maryland Historical Society

2 Matchett's Baltimore Director, 1833