The Information Age and the Blues – Patton Draft Card

Originally written as an article for Living Blues Magazine, this post discusses Charlie Patton, and researching the blues.

When Charlie Patton was at the height of his popularity, and traveling the Delta playing show after show, he most certainly never imagined that a thing called “the internet” would play a part in his life decades later.  However, that is precisely the case – and it’s not just with Charlie Patton.

As mentioned in previous issues of Living Blues, Robert Johnson census records have been found, Blind lemon Jefferson’s draft card was found, and document after document seems to be turning up.  After all, this is the Information Age.  Large amounts of local, state, and national documents are being digitized, archived into databases, and made available through the Internet.  What once required travel to small town courthouses can now be done in front of a keyboard thousands of miles away.  Census records, Military records, Draft cards, Birth and Death certificates, Wedding certificates and more can all be found online.  So how does this impact the blues?

The history of the blues, especially pre-war Delta/country blues, is mostly an oral history.   Interviews have been conducted with witnesses, wives, husbands, brothers, neighbors, old bosses, and more.  However, without documentation, these stories are just that – stories.  Without documentation to back up witnesses’ statements, those statements are hard to prove.    Take Charlie Patton as an example.  According to the research of Gayle Dean Wardlow, there were several witnesses claiming Charlie died in several different ways, and on several different dates, and in several different towns.  Did he drink himself to death, as one claims?   Was he murdered as another claims?  The truth, or at least a large portion of it, can be found on his death certificate.  Including location, cause of death, and more, the document is what makes the history.  Even though documents can contain false information, these documents are far more reliable than the fading memory of a witness or friend.

Patton WWI Draft Card (click to enlarge)

Using Charlie Patton as an example, one can go onto sites such as Ancestry.com, or simply use search engines such as Google to find precious documents.     For instance, in a matter of a few short weeks I was able to turn up several Patton Census records, including the 1900 record as him as a young boy, as well as a 1930 Census record showing him and Bertha Lee living in Arkansas.  Even though the dates and information in the 1930 Census record raise more questions than they answer, it is still an important discovery.  Also found was a Patton marriage certificate, as well as Patton’s draft card – possibly showing the only known signature of Charlie Patton himself.

With databases becoming more frequently digitized and made available online, it is becoming increasingly easier for researchers – and for that matter, fans – to uncover documents about blues musicians from decades ago.  This means that moving forward, it is more likely to see an influx of documents turn up as research becomes easier, and more comfortable.   As more and more users demand access to this type of data, more and more data seems to turn up.  As technology becomes increasingly cheaper, it seems more and more local governments are also digitizing their databases as well.  Gone will be the days of “specialized” researchers, or certain researchers claiming rights to document discoveries and the like.   Soon, the days of owning your own “collection” of documents will come to screeching halt.   For instance, anyone with an Internet connection, a computer, and a little effort can find the documents shown in this article, amongst others.

The growth of the Internet and the availability of data is enormous.  As far as the blues is concerned, this type of growth could help tremendously.  Finding records on a bluesman – such as Blind Blake for example – that have never been discovered will become increasingly easier over time.  For instance, to find Death Records via the Internet only requires a name, and possibly a state.  No longer do you need to know the county of death, the year of death, the cause, etc (though this information always helps).   You can simply go to a site like Ancestry.com, and search for Charlie Patton, and see what turns up.

1930 Census- Charley Patton (click to enlarge)

Sure, there will always be documents sought after that may not exist.  It is quite possible there isn’t a birth record for a lot of pre-war bluesman.  By law, Mississippi did not require birth or death records until November 1912.  There were also courthouse fires and such that make some records sporadic at best.   Census records have issues as well.  The length is took to collect census information along with the mobility of the traveling bluesman (and possibly the family) could lead to multiple entries for one person or family, or incorrect information.   Some Census records, such as an abundance of the 1920 collection, seem to have gotten slightly blurred when digitized.   However, cross referencing these documents with each other, as well as with the traditional research done by those like Steve Lavere, Gayle Dean Wardlow and others, one can really start to dissect the lives of some of the famous bluesmen.    For example, Gayle Dean Wardlow went about proving his theory that Joe Holmes was in fact King Solomon Hill by talking to locals, including a postman.  Digging up the Draft Card for Joe Holmes could have aided in that proof – with documentation.

Of course, there will always be mystique and intrigue surrounding the lives of these musicians.  Not all questions can be answered with documents (especially government documents), and it is quite likely that most “blues mysteries” will remain mysteries.  More questions will arise with the discovery of these documents, and perhaps even more mystery.  However, it sure is fascinating that so much of this information is becoming easily available to those of us that desire it.

I wonder what old Charlie would think.

[NOTE: A lot of these documents mentioned and displayed can be found on the internet on other sites.  For instance, The Blind Man's Blues Forum has a copy of the Charlie Patton Draft Card, and other sites have displayed these documents as well.]