Patten Family Papers, 1895-1986

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Patten Family
Title
Patten Family Papers
Dates
1895-1986 (inclusive)
Quantity
2.3 linear feet
Collection Number
2339
Summary
The Patten Family Papers consists of correspondence; biographical materials; case files; printed materials; school notes and artwork; memorabilia; and photographs. The earlier documents, 1895-1900 primarily pertain to F.E.W. Patten and George Y. Patten. The documents between 1900 and the 1920s generally pertain to George Y. Patten and his first marriage to Eleanor Ferris and their daughter Margaret. The later documents from the 1920s to 1986 refer mainly to George and his second wife, Frances Smith Patten. Letters from Frances Patten while she was in the Middle East as an American Field Staff agent are extensive. George Y. Patten's professional correspondence pertain to such topics as the Montana Automobile Association, the West Gallatin Highway into Yellowstone National Park, and the establishment of a Lewis and Clark Memorial. Printed materials include pamphlets and news clippings on art, Montana history and international travel. School Notes and Records relates entirely to Margaret Patten's secondary school work and shows her interest and endeavors in visual art. Memorabilia refers to Margaret Patten's scrapbook and items collected by Frances Patten. Photographs refer mainly to Frances Smith Patten's Extension Service work and to her marriage to George Y. Patten.
Repository
Montana State University Library, Merrill G. Burlingame Special Collections
Montana State University-Bozeman Library
Merrill G Burlingame Special Collections
P.O. Box 173320
Bozeman, MT
59717-3320
Telephone: 4069944242
Fax: 4069942851
Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research.

Languages
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

The Patten Family members highlighted in this collection are: Francis England Wall (F.E.W.) Patten (1823-1898); his son George Yager Patten (1876-1951); George's first wife, Eleanor Ferris Patten (d. 1943); their daughter, Margaret Patten (1903- ? ); George's second wife, Sarah Frances Smith Patten (1899-1986).

Born in Missouri, F.E.W. Patten settled in Virginia City, Montana as a merchant in 1863, served in the fourth Montana Territorial Legislature, and until his death in 1898, sold real estate and insurance in Butte. F.E.W. married Mary Amelia Armstrong. Their son, George Y. Patten, was born at Virginia City in 1876 and attended public schools in Butte. After 1893, he worked as a court stenographer and studied law. In 1900, rather than going to law school, George took the bar exam and passed with highest honors. He built up a private practice dealing primarily with corporate law, working closely with the law firm of Cotter and McHatton, and became widely recognized as an expert in mining, water rights, and public policy laws. In 1901, he married Eleanor Ferris (? - 1943), daughter of Colonel Edward and Margaret Eastman Ferris. George and Eleanor had three children, Margaret (1903 - ?), Mary (1905 - ?), and Eleanor Jr. (1913 - ?). George married Sarah Frances Smith in 1945. Frances was born in 1899 in Durham, Kansas. She completed her B.A. in home economics at Kansas State University in 1922, and her M.A. in adult education at Columbia University in 1938. She worked for Kansas State College for the Extension Division from 1925 to 1927. She continued her Extension Service work in Flathead County, Montana until 1929. Frances Patten taught for the Department of Home Economics at Montana State College, Bozeman between 1946 and 1964. She spent the last 7 years of her teaching career doing extension work in the Middle East. George Y. Patten died in Bozeman in 1951. Frances Patten died in Bozeman in 1986.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Patten Family Papers contain: correspondence; biographical materials; case files; printed materials; school notes and artwork; memorabilia; and photographs. Series are arranged according to document type and files are generally arranged chronologically within each series. The earlier documents, 1895-1900 primarily pertain to F.E.W. Patten and George Y. Patten. The documents between 1900 and the 1920s generally pertain to George Y. Patten and his first marriage to Eleanor Ferris and their daughter Margaret. The later documents from the 1920s to 1986 refer mainly to George and his second wife, Frances Smith Patten. Correspondence contains the personal correspondence of F.E.W. and Mary Patten, and George and Frances Patten. Letters from Frances Patten while she was in the Middle East as an American Field Staff agent are extensive. George Y. Patten's professional correspondence is organized within his case files and pertain to such topics as the Montana Automobile Association, the West Gallatin Highway into Yellowstone National Park, and the establishment of a Lewis and Clark Memorial. Correspondents in these files include Senator Burton K. Wheeler, Horace Albright, and Oscar O. Mueller. Biographical Materials holds news clippings, George Y. Patten's early scrapbook, and Eleanor Ferris Patten's description of her childhood in the American West. Subject Files have been divided into two subseries: One contains Frances Smith Patten's case files, the other contains portions of George Y. Patten's legal case files. Printed materials include pamphlets and news clippings on art, Montana history and international travel. School Notes and Records relates entirely to Margaret Patten's secondary school work and shows her interest and endeavors in visual art. Memorabilia refers to Margaret Patten's scrapbook and items collected by Frances Patten. Photographs refer mainly to Frances Smith Patten's Extension Service work and to her marriage to George Y. Patten. Earlier photographs of the Patten family are found in George Y. Patten's and Margaret Patten's scrapbooks and are filed in the Biographical Materials and Memorabilia series respectively.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Series 1 Correspondence, 1895-1961

Series 2 Biographical Materials, 1910-1948

Series 3 Subject Files, 1925-1936

Subseries 1 Frances Smith Patten's Extension Service Case Files, 1925-1929

Subseries 2 George Y. Patten's Legal Case Files, 1925-1946

Series 4 Financial Records, 1898-1906

Series 5 Printed Materials, 1921-1986

Series 6 School Notes and Records, 1915-1926

Series 7 Memorabilia, 1911-1940

Series 8 Photographs, 1900-1946

Acquisition Information

Personal and professional papers and memorabilia created or collected by members of the Patten family were donated to Special Collections on September 29, 1995 by Linda Peavy and Ursula Smith of Middletown Springs, Vermont.

Processing Note

This collection was processed 2009 April 17

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

1:  Correspondence, 1895-1961Return to Top

Correspondence contains incoming and outgoing letters from members of the Patten family and are arranged chronologically. Early correspondence, prior to 1900, refer to F.E.W. Patten's life and death. The later correspondence contains Frances Patten's letters to Julia Martin, George Y. Patten's cousin, and describe Frances' experiences in the Middle East as an American Field Staff agent, 1956-1964. The majority of George Y. Patten's correspondence are integral to his legal work and are arranged within his case files in the Subject Files series.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
1 1-4
1895-1908
1 5-12
1939, 1955-1961

2:  Biographical Materials, 1892-1910Return to Top

Biographical Materials contains newspaper clippings, George Patten's scrapbook of his family life at the turn of the century, and a short pioneering account by Eleanor Ferris Patten telling of her early childhood in the American West. George Y. Patten's scrapbook contains both news clippings and photographs from 1892-1910. All other photographs are in Series 8, Photographs.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
1 13
News clippings on Frances Patten
1 14
News clippings on George Y. Patten
1 15
Scrapbook complied by George Y. Patten
1 16
Pioneering account written by Eleanor Ferris Patten

3:  Subject Files, 1925-1946Return to Top

Subject files contain Frances Smith Patten's extension work case files from 1925 to 1929 and portions of George Y. Patten's legal case files from the 1920s to 1949. The Subject Files series has been divided into two subseries according to creator. Subseries 1 contains Frances Patten's case files, and Subseries 2 contains George Y. Patten's files.

Container(s) Description Dates
1: Frances Smith Patten's Extension Case Files
Frances Smith Patten's Extension Work files are the yearly reports she wrote documenting her work in either Kansas or Flathead County, Montana. They contain information on 4-H clubs, women's/girls' clubs, home economics displays at fairs, women's camps, and clothing design and costs. Photographs have been removed from the files, assigned numbers 7 through 84, and have been placed in Series 8, Photographs. Each removal number has been labeled on its original case file page.
1925-1929
Box Folder
1 17
Kansas State College--Extension Division Annual Report
1925
1 18
Kansas State College--Extension Division Annual Report
1926
1 19
Montana Extension Service, Flathead County Annual Report
1927
1 20
Montana Extension Service, Flathead County Annual Report
1928
1 21
Montana Extension Service, Flathead County Annual Report
1929
2: George Y. Patten's Case Files
Portions of George Y. Patten's legal case files have been separated according to both document type and subject and have been arranged within each subject category chronologically. Files 1-31 refer to his work regarding Montana's highways; files 32-36 contain; files pertaining to the Montana Automobile Association and refer to gasoline taxes and federal funds for road construction, files 37-43 refer to the establishment of a Lewis and Clark Memorial and its proposed location at Bozeman, Montana. File 44, Patten's correspondence with Oscar O. Mueller, involves questions on Montana history. The files 1-31 pertaining to Montana's highways has been subdivided according to specific highways or projects. Files 1-18 refer almost solely to the construction and up keep of the West Gallatin Highway into Yellowstone National Park. Files 19-22 generally contain information on the Bridger Canyon Highway, and files 23-31 generally hold information on Highway 10 and other miscellaneous road projects. There is some overlap in subject materials.
1925-1946
Box Folder
2 1
Correspondence with Yellowstone Superintendent, Horace Albright
1925 May-1928 July
2 2
Correspondence with Yellowstone Superintendent, H. Albright
1928 October-1929 June
2 3
Correspondence with C. M. & St. P. Railway Co.
1927 March-1928 November
2 4
Correspondence with C. M. & St. P. Railway Co.
1930 May-1931 April
2 5
Correspondence with Forest Service
1925 October-1930 June
2 6
Correspondence with Congressman Scott Leavitt
1925
2 7
Correspondence with State of Montana Highway Commission
1926 March-1928 May
2 8
Correspondence with Yellowstone Superintendent, Edmund B. Rogers
1946 March-1949 July
2 9
Correspondence with Yellowstone Superintendent Roger W. Toll
1930 June-1933 December
2 10
Correspondence with Senator Thomas J. Walsh
1925-1926
2 11
Conference Memorandum: H. Albright & Bozeman Chamber of Commerce
1925 June 11
2 12
Memorandum, Re: West Gallatin & Gallatin Soldier Station & West Yellowstone Road
1925
2 13
Location Survey Report of West Gallatin Project, Big Horn Pass Section
1927
2 14
Expenditures: West Gallatin Road
1921-1924
2 15
Committee on West Gallatin Road Petition & Notes, Re: Expenditures
1926 March
2 16
Yellowstone Comparative Travel Figures
1929-1933
2 17
Press Releases: Yellowstone Park Travel
1930-1931, 1933
2 18
Map: "Proposed Adjustments in Boundaries of Yellowstone National Park"
2 19
Correspondence with Good Roads Committee Members. Correspondence with State of Montana Highway Commission
1932 March 20, 1928 July-1929 December
2 21
Correspondence with Senator J.W. Speer
1932 March
2 22
News clippings Re: Bridger Canyon Road
1932
2 23
Correspondence with Director of National Park Service, Horace Albright
1930 April-1931 February
2 24
Correspondence with Chamber of Commerce, Re: Highway Constructions
1929 September-December
2 25
Correspondence with State of Montana Highway Commission
1929 August-1933 November
2 26
Joint County Committee Gallatin County Petitions, Re: Bill no. 31
1929
2 27
Leaflet: "The State Highway Treasury Anticipation Debenture Act of 1931"
2 28
Memorandum on County Roads
circa 1933
2 29
News clippings, Re: Gallatin County Development Association
1932 April
2 30
Right of Way Map, Rocky Canyon & Map of Gallatin County, Montana
1946
2 31
Correspondence with Montana Automobile Association
1928 February-March 1930
2 32
Correspondence with Montana Automobile Association, Re: Amendments to Revised Codes of Montana 1921
1928 November-1929 January
2 33
Montana Automobile Association: Annual Meeting Minutes & reports
1927 November-January 1930
2 34
Montana Automobile Association: Notices to Directors
1929 April-February 1930
2 35
Montana Automobile Association: Financial Reports
1929 January-February 1930
2 36
Montana Automobile Association: Audit & Leaflets
1929
2 37
Correspondence with Judge Callaway, Re: Lewis & Clark Memorial
1926
2 38
Correspondence with Senator Burton K. Wheeler, Re: Lewis & Clark Memorial
1928 February-1930 May
2 39
Council Joint Memorial Congressional Petitions
1870s
2 40
Resolution, Re: Lewis & Clark Memorial
1925
2 41
Lewis & Clark Memorial Monument Suggestions by George D. Pease
2 42
Propositions, Re: Locating Lewis & Clark Memorial in Bozeman, Montana
2 43
News clippings, Re: Lewis & Clark Memorial
1926
2 44
Misc. Correspondence with Oscar O. Mueller
1930
2 45
"Standards for Title Opinions"
2 46
"The World Court"

4:  Financial Records, 1898-1906Return to Top

Financial Records contains George Y. Patten's early family and business financial registers.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
3 1
Expenditure Listings
1988-1989
3 2
Household and Business Ledger

5:  Printed Materials, 1921-1986Return to Top

Printed materials include published works and documents collected by Margaret and Frances Smith Patten. Pamphlets refer to art, art exhibitions, Montana history, and Extension Service work. News clippings from the 1970s focus on Frances Patten's continued interest in world travel, and Montana life and communities. Printed materials are arranged chronologically.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
3 3
Pamphlets from New York Art Exhibits
1921
3 4
"A Century of Progress Exhibition of Paintings and Sculpture, June 1 to November 1, 1933"
3 5
Misc. Clippings & Pamphlets 1933 World's Fair Art Exhibition
1933
3 6
Finnish Home Economics Pamphlets
1937, 1939
3 7
Recital Program, Montana State College
1949 September 19
3 8
"American University Field Staff" Reports for Southwest Asia
1956, 1957
3 9
Misc. Pamphlets & Travel Brochures
3 10
"Job Corps Conservation Centers Program" Booklet
1964
3 11
Frances Patten's News clippings on Early Montana
3 12
Frances Patten's News clippings on Travel
1970
3 13
Frances Patten's News clippings on Travel
1970-1973
3 14
Frances Patten's News clippings, Misc.
1970s
3 15
Wardrobe Guide Sheet

6:  School Notes and Records, 1915-1926Return to Top

School Notes are arranged chronologically and contain Margaret Patten's secondary and post-school work. Her written works and 1920-1921 school annual are in box 4. Her artwork, found in box 5, contains art exercises in pencil, ink, watercolor, and acrylic. Finished works are found in Box 5, file 2.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
4 1
Report on National Parks
1915
4 2
Report on Washington Irving
1915
4 3
Report on Harriet Beecher Stowe
1915
4 4
Report on Sir Launfal
1916
4 5
Art History Notebook
circa 1915
4 6
Annual of the Cathedral School of St. Mary's
1920-1921
4 7
English Notebook
1921
4 8
History of Art Notebook
circa 1921
4 9
Superficial Anatomy Notebook
4 10
Project on Lamps and Candles
1926
5 1
Pencil Sketches
5 2
Paintings & Design Work: Watercolor & Acrylic
5 3
Perspective Notes & Exercises
5 4
Perspective Drawings: Ink & Pencil
5 5
Junior Year, Design Sketchbook: Ink
5 6
Junior Year, Paintings: Watercolor
5 7
Pattern/Design Work: Acrylic & Pencil
5 8
Watercolor Portrait by Jena Easkman
5 9
Magazine Clippings
1923-1924

7:  Memorabilia, 1911-1940Return to Top

Memorabilia contains objects, some photos and documents collected by either Margaret or Frances Patten. Margaret Patten's scrapbook dates from 1911-1920 and relates her interests and social activities during this time. Frances Patten's memorabilia are limited and contain primarily placecards from and invitations to social gatherings.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
6 1
Margaret Patten's Scrapbook
1911-1920
6 2
Frances Patten's Place Cards & Invitations
6 3
Frances Patten's Misc. Notations & Fragments

8:  Photographs, 1900-1946Return to Top

All photographs are printed in black and white, and the majority pertain to Frances Patten's work as a home economics instructor for Extension Services and for the Department of Home Economics at Montana State College. Photos in folders 8-12 were removed from the case files in Series 3, subseries 1, and bear the same number indicated on the pages from which they were removed. Frances Patten's marriage to George Y. Patten and subsequent family life is also documented. Missing are any photos of her work in the Middle East. Photographs which were glued to scrapbook pages, and which could not be removed without damage remain in George Y. Patten's scrapbook in box 1, file 15, and in Margaret Patten's scrapbook in Box 6, file 1.

Photos are arranged chronologically.
Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
6 4
Eleanor F. Patten's niece, #1
circa 1900
6 5
"Cary," #2
circa 1921
6 6
George Y. Patten, #3
circa 1922
6 7
Margaret Patten's School Photos, #4-6
6 8
Frances Smith Patten's Extension Work Photos, #7
1925
6 9
Francis Smith Patten's Extension Work Photos, #8-12
1926
6 10
#13-27
1927
6 11
#28-62
1928
6 12
#63-84
1929
6 13
Picture Postcards: New York, #85-86
6 14
George & Frances Patten's Wedding Photos, #87-89
1946
6 15
Family Photos, #90-97
circa 1940s
6 16
Frances Patten's MSC Home Economics Department Photos, #98-111
1946
6 17
Professional Copies of Photos at Glacier Park, #112-114

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Americans-Middle East-Correspondence
  • Home economics extension work-Kansas
  • Home economics extension work-Middle East
  • Home economics extension work-Montana
  • Home economics extension workers
  • Lawyers-Montana
  • Practice of law-Montana
  • Roads-Montana

Personal Names

  • Albright, Horace M. (Horace Marden), 1890-1987-Correspondence
  • Mueller, Oscar O., 1877-1964-Correspondence
  • Patten, Eleanor Ferris, d. 1943
  • Patten, F. E. W. (Francis England Wall), 1823-1898
  • Patten, Frances Smith, 1899-1986
  • Patten, George Y. (George Yager), 1876-1951
  • Patten, Margaret, b. 1903
  • Patten, Mary
  • Wheeler, Burton K. (Burton Kendall), 1882-1975-Correspondence

Corporate Names

  • Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804-1806)
  • Montana Automobile Association
  • Montana Extension Service in Agriculture and Home Economics

Family Names

  • Patton family

Geographical Names

  • West Gallatin Highway
  • Yellowstone National Park

Form or Genre Terms

  • Case files
  • Family papers-Montana
  • Photographs
  • School notebooks-Montana
  • Scrapbooks--Montana