OUR TOWN
Have you watched the new NBC comedy series, “Newlyweds”? It stars reallife married couple Téa Leoni and Tim Daly. The series is about a later-in-life love story where Leoni plays a free-spirited middle school teacher who is set up on a blind date with a philosophy professor, played by Daly.
The two decide to get married six weeks later.
Did you know Leoni’s great-grandfather, Green Davis “G. D.” Patterson, served on Taylor’s Board of Commissioners from 19211926? He served as chairman of the board (mayor) from 1922-1925.
Leoni’s grandfather, Virgil Patterson, was born in Taylor and graduated as valedictorian in 1920. That was when our high school was located in a three-story brick building on Eighth Street. He went on to become a major force in the development of Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch near Amarillo, becoming president in 1967.
Virgil married Florry Roberts of Sulphur Springs, Texas. They had two children, Emily Ann, who was adopted, and Tom. Emily Ann married Anthony Pantaleoni and they had a daughter, Elizabeth Téa Pantaleoni, better known today as Tea Leoni.
The actress appeared on the PBS genealogy series “Finding Your Roots” in 2017 to learn about her mother’s biological family.
Leoni’s previous husband is actor David Duchovny, famous for his role on “The X-Files.” Her sister-in-law is Tyne Daly from the popular 1980s television series, “Cagney and Lacey.”
You may remember Leoni’s great-uncle, Elmer “Hank” Patterson, from his recurring role as Mr. Ziffel from the CBS comedy series “Green Acres” (1965–71) and “Petticoat Junction” (1963–70). He also played stableman Hank Miller on the TV series “Gunsmoke,” and is credited with a long list of appearances on other TV shows and movies.
Leoni’s great-Uncle Hank is reported to have attended school in Taylor through the eighth grade.
I have always been fascinated by the number of highly successful people from Taylor, many of them becoming famous far beyond our city limits. I have known for quite some time that Hank Patterson was from my hometown, but only recently while researching a detail about the “Green Acres” actor did I find out Leoni has roots here as well.
According to a 1978 Taylor Daily Press article by Alma Lee Holman, G. D. and Molly Patterson moved their family to Taylor from Alabama during the 1890s. They spent their first night in Taylor with cousins, a family named Hooper, in a small house on a hilltop west of town.
Once settled into their new hometown, Taylor phone books list addresses for the G. D. Patterson family on Sixth and Lexington streets. They soon started G. D. Patterson and Sons Real Estate and Insurance Company.
Mayor Patterson also served as secretary-treasurer of the Taylor National Farm Loan Association.
I’m sure many of you will also remember Leoni’s great-uncle and -aunt, Claude and Lois Patterson. They are the family that built the majestic white two-story house that stood for many years on the former hilltop site of the Hooper’s home.
Lois was a teacher at Northside Elementary School.
Claude and Lois had long admired the hilltop pasture and small home where the Hoopers had lived. They bought the property in 1932 and used lumber from the original house to build a second small home on the site.
During a vacation to Mount Vernon, Virginia, the Pattersons became so impressed with former President George Washington’s home that they designed a smaller copy of the mansion to be built on the site.
This new, two-story white home was constructed around the smaller one-story structure. It was said that the robin’s-egg blue walls of the original home remained behind the paneling of the new house.
Mrs. Holman reported in the 1978 article, “A tall vase in one corner of the living room holds peacock feathers. The vase was a gift from Miss Mary Moody, sister of the former Governor Dan Moody. According to Miss Moody, her parents always kept such feathers in the vase in their home.”
This new, larger white house is the one that many Taylor residents will remember seeing on the hilltop west of town while traveling on Carlos G. Parker Boulevard between U.S. 79 and FM 973. It was destroyed by fire in February 2025.
To learn more about the Patterson Family, look for my recent guest appearance on the city of Taylor podcast, “Off the Agenda.”
Join me here in a couple of weeks as we take a look at another amazing tale from Taylor. Until then, make it a great week and be proud of where you’re from.
Crow is a longtime Taylor resident and retired from the Taylor Independent School District after 40 years of service. For a topic or a suggestion, reach out to Crow via emily.treadway@ granitemediapartners. com.
