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Ellis E. Patterson

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Ellis E. Patterson
Patterson c. 1938
33rd Lieutenant Governor of California
In office
January 2, 1939 – January 4, 1943
GovernorCulbert Olson
Preceded byGeorge J. Hatfield
Succeeded byFrederick F. Houser
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 16th district
In office
January 3, 1945 – January 3, 1947
Preceded byWill Rogers Jr.
Succeeded byDonald L. Jackson
Member of the California State Assembly
from the 35th district
In office
January 2, 1933 – January 2, 1939
Preceded byRoy Bishop
Succeeded byFrederick Weybret
Personal details
Born
Ellis Ellwood Patterson

(1897-11-28)November 28, 1897
Yuba City, California, U.S.
DiedAugust 25, 1985(1985-08-25) (aged 87)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Political partyRepublican (before 1937)
Democratic (after 1937)
Spouse(s)
Helen Hjelte
​
​
(m. 1928; died 1982)​

Mildred Faw
​
(m. 1983)​
Children
  • Ellis Jr.
  • Jane
  • Robert
Education
ProfessionAttorney, politician
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Navy
 United States Merchant Marine
Years of service1918
RankSeaman
Battles/warsWorld War I

Ellis Ellwood Patterson (November 28, 1897 – August 25, 1985) was an American attorney and politician who served as the 33rd lieutenant governor of California from 1939 to 1943. He previously served in the California State Assembly from 1933 to 1939, and later in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1945 to 1947.

Early life and career

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Born in Yuba City, California, Patterson attended public schools and graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with an A.B. in 1921. He served as a seaman in the United States Navy during World War I[1] and later in the United States Merchant Marine. He taught school in Colusa County, California from 1922 to 1924.[2]

From 1923 to 1932, Patterson served as the district superintendent of schools for South Monterey County, California. He also studied law at Stanford University and the University of California from 1931 to 1936. He was admitted to the bar in 1937 and commenced law practice in Sacramento and Los Angeles.[3]

Political career

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Public Works Director Frank W. Clark (left), Lieutenant Governor Ellis E. Patterson (center), and State Highway Engineer Charles H. Purcell take the first train over the Bay Bridge, January 14, 1939

Patterson served as a member of the California State Assembly for the 35th district from 1931 to 1939.[4] In 1936, after being defeated in the primaries in his second re-election bid, Patterson waged a write-in campaign and won the election.[3] Originally elected as a Republican, Patterson switched his party affiliation to Democratic after becoming enamored with President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal.[3]

After gaining publicity for his write-in Assembly campaign, Patterson was elected Lieutenant Governor of California in 1938,[5] serving from 1939 to 1943. He was defeated for reelection in 1942.[6] In 1940, he was an unsuccessful candidate for United States Senate, losing the Democratic primary to incumbent Republican Hiram Johnson.[7]

During the 1940 Democratic Party presidential primaries in California, Patterson headed a slate pledged to himself for president.[8] They opposed incumbent Franklin D. Roosevelt on the grounds he was focusing too much on foreign affairs and not enough on domestic unemployment.[9] Among the Patterson slate's candidates were State Assemblymen Ralph C. Dills and Paul A. Richie, journalists Carey McWilliams and Frank Scully, labor leaders Germain Bulcke and Herbert Sorrell, Los Angeles County SRA director Sam Houston Allen,[1] and Los Angeles Board of Education member Fay E. Allen. The Patterson slate lost to Roosevelt's by a margin of fifteen to one.[10]

Congress

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Patterson was elected as a Democrat to the 79th United States Congress in 1944. In 1946, he did not seek reelection for his House seat, but instead ran once again unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate, losing the Democratic primary to his predecessor in the House, Will Rogers Jr.[11]

Patterson was an unsuccessful candidate for election to the 81st United States Congress in 1948, running as a Democratic supporter of Progressive Henry A. Wallace for President. He won the nomination of the Independent Progressive Party through California's cross-filing system, but lost the general election to incumbent Republican Donald L. Jackson. In 1949, Patterson ran for mayor of Los Angeles, coming in third place with 14% of the vote.[12] Afterward, he resumed the practice of law.

Personal life and death

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Patterson married Helen Hjelte in 1928, with whom he had three children.[13] They were married until her death in 1982,[14] after which he took a second wife, Mildred.[3]

Patterson was active in the American Legion,[1] serving as commander of the Colusa County post.[2]

Patterson resided in Los Angeles from 1938 until he died of cancer there on August 25, 1985.[3]

Electoral results

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United States House of Representatives elections, 1944[15]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ellis E. Patterson 105,835 54.1
Republican Jesse Randolph Kellems 89,700 45.9
Total votes 195,535 100.0
Turnout  
Democratic hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 1946[16]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Donald L. Jackson 78,264 53.9
Democratic Harold Harby 45,951 31.7
Democratic Ellis E. Patterson (inc.) (write-in) 20,945 14.4
Total votes 145,160 100.0
Turnout  
Republican gain from Democratic
United States House of Representatives elections, 1948[17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Donald L. Jackson (inc.) 121,198 57
Democratic Ellis E. Patterson 91,268 43
Total votes 212,466 100
Turnout  
Republican hold

References

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  1. ^ a b c Thurman, V. E. (1940). Who's Who in the New Deal (California edition). Los Angeles: New Deal Historical Society. pp. 20, 34. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
  2. ^ a b "California Blue Book, 1942". California State Printing Office. p. 6. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Ex-Lt. Gov. Ellis E. Patterson, 87, Dies of Cancer". Los Angeles Times. 28 August 1985. Retrieved 20 October 2012.
  4. ^ "Join California - Ellis E. Patterson". joincalifornia.com.
  5. ^ Compiled by Frank C. Jordan, Secretary of State. State of California. Statement of Vote. General Election November 8, 1938. p. 5.
  6. ^ Compiled by Paul Peek, Secretary of State. State of California. Statement of Vote. General Election November 3, 1942. p. 5.
  7. ^ "CA US Senate – D Primary, 1940". OurCampaigns.com. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  8. ^ "Notice Lists 5 Slates For May 7 Vote". Santa Barbara News-Press. Santa Barbara. 9 April 1940. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
  9. ^ Burke, Robert E. (1953). Olson's New Deal for California. Berkeley: University of California Press. pp. 141–142. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
  10. ^ Peek, Paul. Statement of Vote at Presidential Primary Election held on May 7, 1940 in the State of California. Sacramento: California State Printing Office. pp. 4–5, 40–41. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
  11. ^ "Our Campaigns - D Primary". OurCampaigns. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
  12. ^ "Los Angeles Mayor - Primary". Our Campaigns.
  13. ^ "California Blue Book, 1946". California State Printing Office. p. 23. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
  14. ^ "Funeral Announcements". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles. 3 September 1982. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
  15. ^ 1944 election results
  16. ^ 1946 election results
  17. ^ 1948 election results
[edit]
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 16th congressional district
January 3, 1945 – January 3, 1947 		Succeeded by

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

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