Purcell Family of America

An association to help those trace the Purcell family line

The Perseverance Of Patten

Posted: 10 July 2009 at 9:05 p.m.

The idea for this issue’s PFofA Newsletter President’s Message came to me after reading a small autobiographicial book sent to me by our past editor Robert Purcell. It is entitled: “Peddler Comes to Bucks County” (PA)– Autobiography by Alfred B. Patton. Copyright: 1971. It is one of a handful of books having some tie-in to Purcells, Pursells, etc. I have received and this is the first one.

Preface

“Over the years, many pictures and relics have come into my possession. Having only one of each, it would be impossible to give them to my 50 descendants: 10 children, 29 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren. That is why I decided to put pictures in this book because they will all receive a copy which can be used for reference by future generations.”

The Early Years

“Just before the turn of the century, on Dec. 20, 1897, I was born at 19 Lower Mulberry Street, Danville, PA.” He goes on to detail his mother’s family being in the U.S. for a “long, long time.” Her lineage descends from the Boehms of Palatinate, Germany in 1683.

He mentions that his grandfather, Alfred B. Patton, was born in Eyers Grove, PA and was the son of a Scotch immigrant. He was married to Mary G. Pursell. After serving as a lieutenant in the Civil War, he lived in Danville. “His son, John Pursell Patton, was my father.” Author Alfred B. Patton was born in 1897.

“The 19th century had been one of the greatest centuries that people had ever seen, but it was nothing compared to the one that was coming up. In the 20th century I have lived to see the automobile, the airplane, the submarine, and many other things come into being. When I was a boy, I read about many of the wonders to come in the Tom Swift books. Everybody thought they were a bunch of rubbish. Even my father couldn’t understand why I enjoyed reading about Tom Swift and his automobile, Tom Swift and his airplane, Tom Swift and his submarine.

Many interesting things have happened to me; I would like to describe some of them. One of the first things that I remember happened in 1902 when we had a flood on the Susquehanna River. My mother and father sat me on a high chair before a window at the front of our house. Our house was built on a slope so the water would come up to the front room before it would get into the kitchen in the back. My job was to tell them when the water came up over the front step in the front of the house. Meanwhile they were busily taking the linens and other things out of the back door and up on the hill.

Music has been part of my life. Mother played the piano taught me what little I know about music. Memories of 1905 stick out when we lived near a family by the name of Fields a half block away. Their daughter Catherine invited me many times to listen to their Edison Gramaphone. This machine was equipped with a big horn and cylinder records such as Sousa’s Band, the Banjo players and many others. These machines were very expensive according to the standards of this era and few people could afford to buy them.

Patton’s working career began in 1909 as a ‘property boy’ gathering props for the old Danville, PA Opera House. One night in March 1909, Alfred indicates: “I caught a terrible cold with complications”, which led to cerebral spinal meningitis and typhoid fever, which would affect his health in early adulthood. In 1910, “the year after my crippling experience, I sold Larkin Products which included soaps, toilet lotions, etc. For every dollar’s worth sold, you received credit towards a prize of your choice.” With enough sales, Alfred won jig saw with a foot pedal for power. It was here he would develop his interest in puzzle and eventually toy making that would provide both a hobby and income the rest of his life.

“I was 14 in 1912, the year the Titanic sunk. Back then we didn’t have radios, so we depended on newspapers and telegraphy for information. (See page 16.)

“One of my first selling jobs that I had was in 1913 selling the Delineator Magazine. The magazine sold for 50 cents a year, or one dollar for three years and I got half the money.” He also sold household products door-to-door.

“I graduated from grammar school in 1914. I was 16 and half years old and of course, I was supposed to get a job. I wanted to go to high school but my father wouldn’t send me because he said he couldn’t afford to send me to college. He said the only thing to do was to learn a trade.

I took a job at the old Reading Iron Works in Danville working in the hot foundry from six at night till six the next morning. That was enough for me; I couldn’t even go back because I was just exhausted.

Over the next 10 years, Alfred would take many jobs in many different cities, including being an electrical apprentice in Reading in 1914, and then working in the family electrical business in 1917. In 1917 he met and married Sara Alice Harter. He would continue in his own electrical business from 1919-1923.

The Twenties 

In the fall of 1920 I voted for the first time for president of the United States and this was one time I did not lose my vote as Warren G. Harding became President of the United States in March 1921. My father was a staunch Republican and in the hot campaign of 1915 Wilson promised that he would keep us out of World War One. My father did not like any war as he had seen so much misery in his life time that he decided to vote Democratic for the first time. Wilson took office in 1916 and in 1917 declared war on Germany. As long as my father lived, he talked about the blunder he had made, trusting a man who said he would keep us out of war.” (This is kind of like the opposite of what transpired in the last administration.)

Professionally, Alfred worked ‘on the road’ selling electrical and plumbing supplies form 1924-1930.

The Thirties

“We sat down to Christmas dinner in 1930 and I was asked to say grace. My six children and my first wife were at the table during the grace I said: “God forgive me, but this will be the last time we will ever all be together.” Believe it or not, we have never all been together since. I have seen them all, over the years, and talked to them but never been together as we were on that Christmas in 1930.”

In 1931 he would give up his traveling distribution business. Realizing that divorce was in his future, Alfred Patton met Edna Wagner, who would later become his second wife. Alfred and Edna were married on March 24th, 1935 at the Old Bucks County Courthouse.

During the Depression life would prove difficult for Patton, working in many cases door-to-door selling magazine subscriptions. What really impressed me about this man was his perseverance to succeed where others had given up or failed. He did this time and time again. Perhaps the personal will is captured below.

“One day in March of 1932, I couldn’t take it any more. I had 42 cents in my pocket, so I decided to thumb my way to Harrisburg. All my mother had was a dollar which she gave me and I started out. A man picked me up along the way and after hearing my circumstances, gave me a dollar to get a room for a night. The next morning, a Saturday, I had to find a place to stay. I could get a room at a boarding house for five dollars a week. In the Depression, anyone making $25 a week was making a lot of money. The landlady wanted me to pay in advance but I told her: “I don’t get paid until next Friday: I’ll pay you then.”

Patton indicates: “Coming to Doylestown (PA) I only had one suit of clothes and coat that was ripped. At Christmas, he received a $20 gold piece from his second wife Edna, “with the understanding that I would buy a suit of clothes. Cashing the gold piece for two $10 bills, I put $5.00 more to them, making $25. Off we went to the clothing store in Frankford to look at suits and overcoats. After picking out what I wanted, I was told they came to $30. Answering “this is all I have. I must have a suit and overcoat. If you can’t do it for this amount, I will go someplace else.” The clerk hesitated for two minutes and then said, “If that’s all you have to spend, take them.” Patton knew what he had to do and didn’t hesitate to present his case.

Patton assembled a sales crew of as many as 26 men in 5 crews. He was making $75 per week, which he indicates: “was a lot of money at the time.” He even furthered his sales by accepting checks from customers who did not have money in the bank, but agreed to let him know when they did. (Not one check bounced!) This is persistence and perseverance!

“Visiting Herbert Hoover’s memorial reminded me of one of the last things he did as President of the United States. In March 1933 he closed the banks and when President Roosevelt took office, he kept them closed until they could be verified as stable.” (This was sort of prescient to today’s financial challenges.)

In 1937, Patton bought his first of many properties.

Taking a vacation in the late 30s, the Patton family stopped in New Mexico and went into a 10 cent store. “A man was there buying some rubber soles for his shoes. They had a 2% sales tax on anything you bought; the first time any state had a sales tax. When this man handed the clerk two dimes for the soles, she said she wanted 2 cents for tax.” The man said: ‘Lady, I don’t need any tacks, I’m going to glue them on.’

The Forties

Complimenting the family’s pub sales, and wife Edna’s Corset Shop, A.B Patton also created hand-made toys for The County Bazaar in Doylestown, PA. These were advertised in local newspapers in November 1943. Prices ranged from .49 for small games, to $5.75 for a four-wheel wagon (with seat.) Patton continued to make these toys through the early 1970s, which was a legacy for his family. (See photo on page 59.)

(I’m reminded of a man I met in Red Lodge, MT who, when he lost his engineering job in Louisiana, moved his family to Red Lodge to create a toy store. Today we have those toys for our ‘boys’ and Dad.)

The Fifties

“In 1954 bought my first organ.” Patton and his wife believed in music education and made sure all their four children played the organ, and eventually purchased one for each of their successive families. Alfred and Edna’s children included: Christine, Edward, Alfreda and Roberta.

Patton’s skill as a woodworker allowed him to create a custom-made display for Bucks County Realtor Magazine for the Pennsylvania Realtors’ Convention in 1952. His wife Edna meanwhile worked the booth.

“In 1957 we published the first Picturesque Bucks County Book sponsored by the Trevose Saving & Loan Association.. This would to a complete series of books statewide.

The Sixties

Patton created geographic maps, a first for the Real Estate industry.

December 7th, 1969 – Alfred B. Patton retires from the Bucks County Board of Realtors and is given a color television. (This was still a novelty at the time.)

The Seventies

“Over the years, my friend Charles J. Happ had advanced money to me and helped me make good purchases of property. One day I said, ‘Charley, how can I ever repay you?’ He answered simply, ‘Al, pass it on to someone else when the time comes.’ And this I have tried to do throughout my life.”

Geneology of the Patton Family – Listed on pages 93-96.

Ida Mae Haas, D.A.R. #138767 married John Pursell Patton from Danville, PA. (See photo on page 15.)

They had two children, Alfred Basset Patton, born December 20, 1897. He was named after his grandfather Lt. Alfred B. Patton and Susan Nelson Patton, born July 1906. “She is now Mrs. Preston Kelchner, and resided in Dublin, PA.

What struck me in reading about Alfred’s life was his tireless ‘perseverance’ in taking one job after another to support himself, and later his families. He would take what meager savings he accrued, and would invest them when possible, including building a real estate publishing business that appears to be the forerunner of Realtor’s multiple-listing service. He also invested in both having a home, as well as several small but rewarding commercial pieces of property. Ultimately, it was his publishing experience, and desire to leave a legacy, that he published his fascinating autobiography, which will become part of the Purcell Section at the Balch Library in Winchester, VA.

Example of Past Perseverance: Who was this man?

This man failed in his first attempt to become a state legislator. This man had a failed business. He failed in his first attempt become a congressman. Later he failed in his first bid for Vice President. Who was this man? None other than… Abraham Lincoln.

Examples of Contemporary Perseverance….

From President Obama’s Commencement Speech at the Naval Academy in May:

“It’s the perseverance of Elvin Vasquez, a Marine supply chief in Iraq (applause), who finally got into the Naval Academy on his third try—(applause) – who never gave up trying because he says: “there’s just something about being a Marine.”

May this word “perseverance” become part of your genealogy dictionary or skill set. Certainly, now that we have DNA, there is the technological ability to reach out to generations and relatives we never knew we had. Take for example the discovery that two William Purcell’s who worked together for nearly 30 years in Sacrament, never knew they were related…until a DNA test revealed that William Purcell of Sacramento and William Purcell of Bozeman, MT were cousins. (For more details, see DNA highlight section.)





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