George S. Patton (attorney)

George S. Patton
circa 1916
Los Angeles County District Attorney
In office
1886–1887
Preceded by George M. Holton
Succeeded by J. R. Dupuy
Mayor of San Marino, California
In office
April 15, 1913 – April 16, 1922
Preceded by Position created
Succeeded by William L. Valentine
In office
October 11, 1922 – August 13, 1924
Preceded by William L. Valentine
Succeeded by Richard H. Lacy
Personal details
Born George William Patton
(1856-09-30)September 30, 1856
Charleston, West Virginia
(then Virginia)
Died June 10, 1927(1927-06-10) (aged 70)
San Marino, California
Resting place San Gabriel Cemetery, San Gabriel, California
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Ruth Wilson (1861–1928),
m. 1884
Relations Benjamin Davis Wilson (father-in-law)
Children George S. Patton, Jr. (1885–1945)
Anne Wilson Patton (1887–1971)
Alma mater Virginia Military Institute
Occupation Attorney
Orange grower
Winemaker
Real estate developer
Politician

George Smith Patton (born George William Patton; September 30, 1856 – June 10, 1927) was a California attorney, businessman and political figure. He was the son of George S. Patton Sr., a Confederate colonel during the American Civil War, and the father of George Smith Patton Jr., the general who commanded the Seventh United States Army and Third United States Army during World War II.

Early life

George Smith Patton was born George William Patton in Charleston, West Virginia (then Virginia), on September 30, 1856. He was the son of George S. Patton, Sr. and Susan Thornton Glassell.[1]

The senior Patton served in the Confederate States Army and attained the rank of Colonel as commander of the 22nd Virginia Infantry Regiment.[2] By some accounts, he had been recommended for advancement to Brigadier General, but was killed at the Battle of Opequon (Third Battle of Winchester) before the promotion was acted on.[3] His brother Waller T. Patton, George William Patton's uncle, was a lieutenant colonel in the Confederate Army, and commanded the 7th Virginia Infantry until he was wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg and died several weeks later.[4][5]

George William Patton later changed his name to George Smith Patton to honor his father. The younger George Smith Patton graduated from Virginia Military Institute, studied law in Lexington, Virginia, and became an attorney.[6]

Career

In 1877 the younger George Smith Patton moved to Los Angeles County, California. According to some sources, he was appointed the first City Attorney of Pasadena, though his name does not appear in Pasadena's official listing as having held the position.[7]

In 1884 Patton married Ruth Wilson, the daughter of Benjamin Davis Wilson, a wealthy landowner, businessman and political figure, and Margaret Hereford Wilson. George S. Patton and Ruth Patton were the parents of two children, General George Smith Patton Jr. (1885–1945) and Anne Wilson Patton (1887–1971). The Patton family lived at Lake Vineyard, a large landholding in San Gabriel, California, where they grew oranges, operated a winery, and raised other crops.[8][9]

A member of the Democratic Party, Patton served as Los Angeles County District Attorney from 1886 to 1887.[10] In 1894 Patton was an unsuccessful candidate for the United States House of Representatives.[11]

Patton was a longtime friend and neighbor of businessman Henry E. Huntington. Beginning in 1902, Patton worked as an executive for Huntington's real estate development company, which was responsible for construction and settlement in much of the San Gabriel Valley, and extended throughout southern California.[12]

In 1913 the city of San Marino was incorporated separately from San Gabriel, and Patton was elected the first Mayor. He served from April 1913 to April 1922, and again from October 1922 to August 1924.[13]

Patton was the 1916 Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator from California.[14] Running as a conservative opposed to women's suffrage and other reforms, he lost the general election to Governor Hiram Johnson, a progressive Republican.[15][16][17]

Death and burial

Patton died at his Lake Vineyard home in San Marino on June 10, 1927.[18] He was buried at San Gabriel Cemetery in San Gabriel, California.[19]

References

  1. ↑ John Steven McGroarty, Los Angeles from the Mountains to the Sea, Volume 2, pages 391-392
  2. ↑ Earle Rice, George S. Patton, 2009, page 24
  3. ↑ Terry Lowry, 22nd Virginia Infantry, 1988, page 75
  4. ↑ Michael Keane, Patton: Blood, Guts, and Prayer, 2012, page 84
  5. ↑ The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Notes and Queries, Volume 27, January 1919, page 75
  6. ↑ James Miller Guinn, A History of California and an Extended History of Los Angeles, Volume 3, 1915, page 509
  7. ↑ Pasadena Bar Association, Pasadena Lawyer, Volume 1, 1963, page 6
  8. ↑ Steven J. Zaloga, George S. Patton, 2011, page 6
  9. ↑ Alexandre Holinski, California's Gold Rush Days, 2006, page 116
  10. ↑ Los Angeles County District Attorney, Biography, George S. Patton, retrieved June 30, 2014
  11. ↑ Minneapolis Journal, The Journal Almanac and Political Handbook for 1896, 1896, page 354
  12. ↑ William B. Friedricks, Henry E. Huntington and the Creation of Southern California, 1992, pages 58-59
  13. ↑ City of San Marino, Mayors of San Marino 1913 - Present, 2014, page 1
  14. ↑ "George S. Patton: candidate for U.S. Senate". Berkeley Daily Gazette. (California). (advertisement). October 21, 1916. p. 4.
  15. ↑ Alden Hatch, General George Patton: Old Blood and Guts, 2006, page 63
  16. ↑ Dodd, Mead and Company (New York), The New International Year Book, 1917, page 108
  17. ↑ Charles D. Willard, California Outlook magazine, Woman's Inherent Right to the Ballot: An Answer to George S. Patton's Argument Against Equal Suffrage, October 7, 1911, page 7
  18. ↑ Nellie Van de Grift Sanchez, California and Californians, Volume 4, 1930, page 302
  19. ↑ San Gabriel Cemetery Association, Burial Record, George Smith Patton (1856-1927), retrieved July 1, 2014
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