Martha Mozelle Patterson’s Cuban Mission

Martha Mozelle Patterson (my second great-aunt) was the first daughter but second child born to James William Patterson (1863-1933) and Jimmie Ella Smith (1868-1955). She was born on 18 January 1888 in Gadsden, Crockett, Tennessee.

Sometime between 1900 and 1910 the family moved from Tennessee to Oklahoma. I have not been able to locate them in the 1900 census for Tennessee where they lived until at least 1902. I found Martha on a ship manifest showing her returning to the United States from Havana, Cuba. She is listed as 17 years old and spent a year in Cuba as a missionary. I believed that James and Jimmie moved their family to Oklahoma some time in 1908. I do not think that Martha ever lived in Oklahoma with the rest of her family.

Martha Mozelle married, Edward Davis Young, a Methodist Minister on 4 February 1909 in Cienfuegos, Cuba. Edward was born on 17 June 1876 in Lake Providence, Louisiana. In the Messengers of the Cross in Latin America, a publication by Woman’s Missionary Service by the Church of Nazarene, Kansas City, Missouri, written by Amy N. Rinshaw it reads “He (Edward Davis Young) found there a charming young lady teaching in the mission school. She was raised in a Methodist home, and had enjoyed the advantages of Christian training and association. But her father’s home was next to the parsonage, and she was only too well acquainted with the problems and difficulties which pertain to ministerial life. So the young school teacher had made a solemn vow never, under any circumstance, to marry a preacher! Nevertheless, when the new pastor of the mission pressed his suit, she forgot her vow, because of course, he was different.” When Martha Mozelle married Edward she was 24 and he was 32.

Continuing from the Messengers of the Cross in Latin America by Amy N. Rinshaw where it reads “Soon after their marriage the young couple were obliged to return to the United States because Mrs.Davis was seriously ill with malarial fever. Ten long years were exiles in their native land, engaged in pastoral and school work in Missouri and Washington. But all the while their hearts were yearning over the missions in Cuba and in other Latin-American countries.”

I found Edward and Mozella on the 1910 Census living Washington State . The census gives us some information about the Davis family. He was a minister and she was a teacher. It also states that they had one child but none were listed and the box for how many children living is blank. I have not found any other type of record for this child.

From the Messengers of the Cross in Latin America by Amy N. Rinshaw it continues “At last, in 1918 an opportunity came to return to Cuba to engage in welfare work for a large sugar company. This they accepted as the Lord’s leading to get them back into mission work. Just before leaving for Cuba Rev. and Mrs. Davis joined the Church of Nazarene in El Dorado, Kansas. They returned the next year to attend the General Assembly of 1919 in Kansas City, where they were accepted by the Missionary Board as regular missionaries”.

• 

• 

To continue to learn about the mission’s of both Edward and Mozella from Messengers of the Cross in Latin America by Amy N. Rinshaw where it reads “Their expectations were, of course, to spend their lives in Cuba, but the Lord planned otherwise. They did remain on the island for two more years, but when they returned to the States in 1921, the Broad requested them to tarry for a time in El Paso, to take charge of the Mexican work in that city which Rev. S.D Athans had been conducting for a number of years. This they consented to do, but with some reluctance. However, soon after their arrival in El Paso, the Lord gave the missionaries a new vision of the possibilities and the importance of the new district to which they had been assigned, and with a vision, a great love for the people. They have remained in this boarder city from 1921 until the present time (1927), with the exception of one year, 1925, which they spent in Guatemala superintending the boys school at Coban. They were dearly loved by their pupils at Coban, and their presence and fellowship were a very great blessing to the missionaries at that station. But Mrs. Davis was not able to resist the malaria of the country. So they resigned their places as directors of the boys school and as pastors of the Coban Church. When they said “good-by” some of the boys followed them out of town and far up the mountain climb, then watched with tear-dimmed eyes until their beloved teachers vanished from their sight in the distance.”

The next time I found the Davis family in the United States they were living in Pasadena, California. They had two daughters and one son, Martha M born 17 December 1909 In Spokane, Washington, Jessie G born on 10 April 1914 in Coulee City, Washington and Edward P born on 19 March 1922 in El Paso, Texas.

They served in the El Paso area until 1945. This is all the information I have on the missions that Edward and Mozella served. Edward died on 5 February 1952 in Pasadena, California. Mozella passed away a couple of years later 16 August 1957 in Duarte, California.

At the end of the article in the Messengers of the Cross in Latin America it reads “Our sister adds her testimony; “After six years in Cuba, one in Guatemala, and five here, we can truly say, ‘these are our people.’ After five years of hard work, problem, battles and VICTORIES here in El Paso, I can think of no greater blessing than to be allowed to continue here. My own Christian experience has been deepened, my sympathies broadened, my faith increased, and my zeal inspired as I have worked among the Mexicans in El Paso. Their simple faith has taught me to trust the Lord for all my problems; to trust Him for the health and safety and the continued salvation of my three children while I give myself to the work.” Brother Davis also testifies: ” The Lord is blessing in a wonderful way the work down here. The calls for meetings are more than we can fill. The Mexicans are asking for bibles and tracts and are seeking the Lord at our alters as they never have before. Pray that we may be faithful and measure up to our opportunity.”

• 

• 

•