Patton Family Collection of Photographs and Negatives

Finding aid prepared by Sue Luftschein.

The Huntington Library January 16, 2007

1151 Oxford Road

San Marino, CA

91108

Phone: 626-405-2180

Email: jwatts@huntington.org

Overview of the Collection

Repository: The Huntington Library

1151 Oxford Road

San Marino, CA

91108

Phone: 626-405-2180

Email: jwatts@huntington.org

Collector: Patton family

Title: Patton Family Collection of Negatives and Photographs

Dates: 1885-1945

Dates: (bulk 1895-1907)

Quantity: 16 boxes, 7.73 linear feet

Abstract: The Patton Family Collection consists of 156 glass plate negatives, 218 film negatives, 875 photographs, and a negative book, 1885-1945 (bulk 1895-1907), created and/or collected by members of the Patton family and friends. The collection provides an intimate look into the private lives of one of Southern California's prominent families around the turn of the twentieth century.

Identification: photCL 282

Language of Material: English

Biographical Note

In 1844, Benjamin D. Wilson, second Mayor of Los Angeles, married Ramona Yorba, daughter of Bernardo Yorba, a well-known land owner during California's Mexican period. After Ramona's death, Wilson married Margaret S. Hereford in 1853. He was the father of one son and three daughters. Mariona Wilson married James DeBarth Shorb (1842-1896) and Ruth Wilson married George Smith Patton (1856-1927) (one-time District Attorney of Los Angeles and the first Mayor of San Marino) on December 10, 1884. Ruth and George sired two children, George Smith Patton, Jr. (1885-1945) or "Georgie" and Anne Wilson Patton (1887-1971) or "Nita." George Smith Patton, Jr., General in the United States Army, became famous in World War II as "Old Blood and Guts."

Patton and his family resided at Lake Vineyard, apparently built by Benjamin Wilson on 128 acres in the heart of present-day San Marino. This house, Lake Vineyard I, was torn down in 1910 to make way for a larger house, Lake Vineyard II, which was the site of planning sessions for the incorporation of present-day San Marino.

Ann Wilson, Ruth Wilson Patton's sister, lived with the Patton family at Lake Vineyard and may have been the photographer for the images in the first four boxes of the collection, and was the photographer and creator of the photograph album in Box 5.

The Patton and Banning Families, both prominent in the history of Southern California, shared a close relationship; Benjamin Wilson and Phineas Banning (founder of the Port of Los Angeles and of Wilmington, California) were business partners. George S. Patton, Jr., married Beatrice Banning Ayer.

Scope and Contents

The Patton Family Collection consists of 156 glass plate negatives, 218 film negatives, 875 photographs, and a negative book, 1885-1945 (bulk 1895-1907), created and/or collected by members of the Patton family and friends. The collection provides an intimate look into the private lives of one of Southern California's prominent families around the turn of the twentieth century.

Boxes 1 and 2 contain copy prints of glass plate negatives taken by Ann Wilson, sister of Ruth Wilson Patton, and printed in her darkroom on the family's Lake Vineyard property. These photographs depict members of the Patton family and friends of the family; interiors of both of the Lake Vineyard houses in San Marino, California (Lake Vineyard I and II); views of the Lake Vineyard property; and photographs of the Patton family and friends on Santa Catalina Island and views of Catalina. Box 3 contains photographs of the Banning residence in Wilmington, California, along with images of the Patton and Banning families at family celebrations; and photographs (many created by studio photographers) of members of the Patton family, including George S. Patton, Jr.; Anne Wilson Patton; Ruth Wilson Patton; and George Smith Patton, Sr. Box 4 contains snapshots taken by an unidentified individual of (presumably) Patton family friends at various resort locations in California, including Catalina and Mount Tamalpais, as well as photographs of the Patton family at Lake Vineyard. Box 5 contains a photograph album created by Ann Wilson that contains images of members of both the Patton and Shorb families.

In addition to the images created by Ann Wilson, the collection includes photographs created by Joseph Harrison Lamson, Frank G. Schumacher, George Steckel, and James D. Westervelt.

Many photographs have annotations on the verso added in 1976 by Hancock Banning.

Arrangement

The collection is generally arranged by photographer and subject. Copy prints of Ann Wilson's glass plate negatives form the first part of the collection, followed by copy prints of photographs taken by an unidentified individual. Box 5 houses a photograph album created by Ann Wilson.

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