The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-02-14
KEY WEST WOMEN
BY MYRTLE coGGRovE
MISS Eta PATTERSON
and HER HOME
Their Homes and Gardens

the advent of lighthouses was
a bane 10 sailing vessels, it was
unquestiOnably, a boon to Key
West Not only were the rich
cargoes SalVaged and brought
here for sale, but many a man
cast ashore remained TO found a
family and establish himself
among the leading citiz ems. 1t
was so with Alexander Patterson
of Stonnington, Conn. S,nipwreck-
ed while aboard a navy vessel
engaged in Gulf survey work off
Key West, he became SO impress
ed with the possibilities of the
place that when he went north,
he not only returned with his
wife and three children, but it is
said nc was responsible for per-
suading two of has close friends
TO visit the island. The result of
this visit went down in the an
mails of history, for Alexander
PattersOn's friends were none
other than Messrs. Simonton and
Whitehead who became owners
of the island The earliest rec
ords tell us that John w. Simon
ton in 1922 purchased the island
known as Cayo Hueso from its
original owner, Juan Pablo Salas,
for $4,000. Later, he sold one
quarter of his interest to MessrS.
John Warner and John Mountain
and two other quarters to Mes
sers. John Fleming and John
Whitehead. Trouble arose when
it was learned that Salas had
made a conditional sale to John
Strong, who later transferred his
claim to John GedGes, but this
matter was settled by compro-
mise. 1t is either a remarkable
coincidence or else the name of
John was extremely popular at
that period, for it will be noted
that all of the eight purchasers
bore the same baptismal name
Miss Eta Patterson, grand
daughter of Alexander Patterson.
is in possession of a number of
the original copies of the early
deeds. The earliest of these dated
October l, 1923, states that John
Simontou transferred one-quar-
ter Of what was then known as
ThOmpsOn's Island to John Flem-
ing for $500. Especially interest
ing is a cancelled check dated
May 8. 1929, made payable to
John w. Simonton for $3.50 and
issued by John Whitehead. =.
Another document is a copy of an
act Incorporating the CITY of Key
West This was passed February
10, 1888. Alexander Patterson
erected a pretCntiOus home at
what is now known as 522 Caro-
line street. He was active in civic
affairs and accomplished much
towards the development and pro-
greSs of the community. Long
before a church was established.
it is said he was instrumental in
having non-denom,national serv-
ices held in the court house in
Jackson Square. He served as
representative in the State Legis-
lature l844-45. Patterson Ave
nue. near Raymond Lords resi-
dcnce was named for him. Dig
nified. courtly Judge George
Bovine Patterson. son of Alexan-
der and r~Lher of Miss Eta. was
one of the leading admiralty
lawyers of the state. He was u. S.
District Attorney under four
presidents and served 8 years as
post master. When fire in 1886
destroyed the major portion of
the city. Judge Patterson obtain
ed permission to quarter many
OF the homeless IN the Army Bar
racks. Among them were the
PatterSons who remained until
the present structure could be
built on the original site. Also
in Miss PatterSon'S possession is a
page from THE Graphic News"
showing views of Key West be-
fore and after the fire; also the
ruins of the Patterson home.
From this it is learned that Key
West had a population of $4,000
at that time Among the inter
esting furnishings of Miss Patter-
sons home is a mantel in the Ii
brary that her father had made
from a tamarind tree under
which she played as a child. ..
Miss Patterson attended school at
St Mary'S Hall; Burlington, N. ].
She received an excellent mu-
steal education. having studied
voice culture for five years in
New York under the best of
teachers. after completing her
training under Madame Lena