Richard C. Patterson, Jr. scrapbooks
Call Number
Date
Creator
Extent
Language of Materials
Abstract
The collection holds twelve oversize scrapbooks, eleven of which consist almost entirely of clippings and which trace the career of Richard C. Patterson, Jr. from his appointment as New York City's Commissioner of Correction in 1927; through his positions in private industry and government in the 1930s-1940s and as ambassador to Yugoslavia, Guatemala and Switzerland in the 1940s-1950s; and to his tenure as New York's Commissioner of Public Events in the 1950s-1966. The first scrapbook of the collection holds a broader range of documents, principally from Patterson's early life and career, including documents related to his position as head of the administrative office for the American Commission to Negotiate Peace in France after World War I.
Biographical / Historical
Richard C. Patterson, Jr. was born January 29, 1886 in Omaha, Nebraska. He attended the University of Nebraska and worked in the mines of South Dakota before moving to the East Coast, where he graduated from Columbia University School of Mines with an engineering degree in 1912. In 1916-1919 he served in the U.S. military, first during General John J. Pershing's 1916 Mexican Expedition and then in France during World War I, rising to the rank of colonel. After the war, Patterson was the chief administrative officer for the American Commission to Negotiate Peace at Versailles and was a member of the committee that organized the American Legion in 1919.
Returning to the U.S. in 1920, Patterson joined the J.G. White Engineering Company and, shortly afterward, the E.I. duPont de Nemours Company, for which he worked in China. In 1924, he married Shelley McCutcheon Rodes, and they had one daughter. In 1927, Patterson was named New York City's Commissioner of Correction, a position he held until 1932. During his tenure as commissioner, Patterson oversaw the construction of the jail on Riker's Island and the establishment of formal training for prison guards, among other initiatives intended to improve New York's penal system. He resigned in 1932, returning to private industry as Executive Vice President of the National Broadcasting Company. He resigned from NBC in 1936, becoming Chairman of the Board of the Citizens Budget Commission in 1937.
In 1938, Patterson continued his career pattern of moving between private industry and governmental positions by joining President Franklin D. Roosevelt's administration in the Commerce Department as Assistant Secretary (1938-1939). After that brief stint, from 1939-1943 he was Chairman of Radio-Keith-Orpheum (RKO). In 1944, he returned to government as U.S. Ambassador to the Yugoslav government, first working with exiled King Peter in London and then with Marshal Tito after World War II. It was a contentious assignment at the dawn of the Cold War and Patterson resigned in 1947, becoming a director of General Aniline & Film Corporation. He returned yet again to government in 1948, named by President Harry Truman as U.S. Ambassador to Guatemala (1948-1950) and then Minister to Switzerland (1951-1953). He resigned from his ambassador post with the inauguration of the new, Republican Party administration under Eisenhower.
In January 1954, Patterson joined New York City Mayor Robert Wagner's administration as chair of the Reception Committee, a post known as New York's official "greeter" of dignitaries to the city. The post evolved over the next decade: in 1958, Patterson was appointed Commissioner of Commerce and Public Events with the merger of those roles and, when they were later split in 1962, Commissioner of Public Events. Patterson held the post until shortly before his death on September 30, 1966.
In addition to the above, Patterson held various directorships, trusteeships and advisory roles across a number of organizations, including the Temporary National Economic Commission (1938-39), New York State Chairman of the War Savings Staff (1941-43), president of the Traveller's Aid Society (1937-38), and several others. He was also a member of various clubs and organizations, including Augusta National Golf Club.
(The above note was based primarily on documents in the collection.)
Arrangement
The scrapbooks are in their originally numbered sequence, numbered 1-12. Other than the first scrapbook, which spans from about 1879 to the 1960s, the scrapbooks are in chronological order.
Scope and Contents
The collection holds twelve oversize scrapbooks, eleven of which consist almost entirely of clippings and which trace the career of Richard C. Patterson, Jr. from his appointment as New York City's Commissioner of Correction in 1927; through his positions in private industry and government in the 1930s-1940s and as ambassador to Yugoslavia, Guatemala and Switzerland in the 1940s-1950s; and to his tenure as New York's Commissioner of Public Events in the 1950s-1966. The first scrapbook of the collection holds a broader range of documents, principally from Patterson's early life and career, including documents related to his position as head of the administrative office for the American Commission to Negotiate Peace in France after World War I.
Subjects
Access Restrictions
Materials in this collection may be stored offsite. For more information on making arrangements to consult them, please visit www.nyhistory.org/library/visit.
Use Restrictions
Taking images of documents from the library collections for reference purposes by using hand-held cameras and in accordance with the library's photography guidelines is encouraged. As an alternative, patrons may request up to 20 images per day from staff. Application to use images from this collection for publication should be made in writing to: Department of Rights and Reproductions, The New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024-5194, rightsandrepro@nyhistory.org. Phone: (212) 873-3400 ext. 282.
Copyrights and other proprietary rights may subsist in individuals and entities other than the New-York Historical Society, in which case the patron is responsible for securing permission from those parties. For fuller information about rights and reproductions from N-YHS visit: https://www.nyhistory.org/about/rights-reproductions
Preferred Citation
The collection should be cited as: Richard Patterson scrapbooks, MS 3184, New-York Historical Society.
Location of Materials
Immediate Source of Acquisition
As of April 2022, the acquisition source has not been determined, but was likely a gift from Patterson's wife or other relation sometime after his death in 1966.
About this Guide
Processing Information
The scrapbooks were inventoried and a finding aid prepared in April 2022 by archivist Larry Weimer.
Repository
View Inventory
Scrapbook #1, 1879-1961, inclusive
Scope and Contents
This volume is unique in the collection in that it holds many document types in addition to clippings, such as photographs, certificates, and ephemera (programs, business/calling cards, membership cards), and, although it tends to emphasize subject matter from Patterson's early life and career, it touches on various aspects of his career into the 1960s. Some notable items/subjects in this volume are:
* An 1887 advertisement for Patterson's father's Omaha real estate business.
* Clippings and other documents related to Patterson's high school and college career, especially in relation to his participation in athletic programs.
* Documents related to the American Commission to Negotiate Peace at Versailles, including Patterson's 1919 diplomatic passport as an official courier, layout of the conference seating, organization chart of the U.S. delegation (with Patterson as head of the Administrative Office), etc.
* Clippings related to the formation of the American Legion in France in 1919.
* Documents in Chinese related to his work and travel there in 1920-21.
* Clippings concerning Patterson's wedding (1924), New York City prisons from 1933-37 (i.e., the years just after Patterson's tenure as Commissioner of Correction as his impact and legacy was assessed), etc.
* A print of a 1961 drawing of Robert Moses ("Many Hatted Moses" by Harold Riegelman) inscribed "To Dick Patterson" and signed by Moses.
Scrapbook #2. August 1927-November 1929, 1927-1929, inclusive
Scope and Contents
This volume relates primarily to Patterson's tenure as Commissioner of Correction.
Scrapbook #3. November 1929-July 1931, 1929-1931, 1960, inclusive
Scope and Contents
This volume relates primarily to Patterson's tenure as Commissioner of Correction. Inserted in the volume is a 1960 certificate, in Spanish, from the president of Nicaragua, Luis Somoza, to Shelley Rodes Patterson, Jr.
Scrapbook #4. March 1931-May 1937, 1931-1937, inclusive
Scope and Contents
This volume relates primarily to Patterson's final years as Commissioner of Correction, his move to NBC and other career matters, and his chairmanship of the Citizens Budget Committee.
Scrapbook #5. June 1937-December 1947, 1937-1947, inclusive
Scope and Contents
This volume relates primarily to Patterson's final year with the Citizens Budget Committee, his brief time as Assistant Secretary of Commerce, his move to RKO, wartime activities on the homefront, and his contentious work as ambassador to Yugoslavia.
Scrapbook #6. January 1948-June 1951, 1948-1951, inclusive
Scope and Contents
This volume relates primarily to Patterson's tenure as ambassador to Guatemala (many clippings in Spanish) and as minister to Switzerland.
Scrapbook #7. June 1951-December 1952, 1951-1952, inclusive
Scope and Contents
This volume relates primarily to Patterson's tenure as minister to Switzerland, with many clippings in German and French.
Scrapbook #8. December 1953-October 1954, 1953-1954, inclusive
Scope and Contents
This volume relates primarily to Patterson's role as New York City's official "greeter," which evolves into the position of Commissioner of Public Events (and of Commerce for a time). The clippings center on the visits of various dignitaries, celebrities and others to the city and major public events in New York.
Scrapbook #9. September 1954-January 1957, 1954-1957, inclusive
Scope and Contents
This volume continues the clippings related primarily to Patterson's role as New York City's Commissioner of Public Events (and of Commerce for a time). The clippings center on the visits of various dignitaries, celebrities and others to the city and major public events in New York.
Scrapbook #10. January 1957-November 1960, 1957-1960, inclusive
Scope and Contents
This volume continues the clippings related primarily to Patterson's role as New York City's Commissioner of Public Events (and of Commerce for a time). The clippings center on the visits of various dignitaries, celebrities and others to the city and major public events in New York.
Scrapbook #11. January 1961-June 1964, 1958, 1961-1964, inclusive
Scope and Contents
This volume continues the clippings related primarily to Patterson's role as New York City's Commissioner of Public Events (and of Commerce for a time). The clippings center on the visits of various dignitaries, celebrities and others to the city and major public events in New York. Inserted in the album is a 1958 certificate and an undated oversize photograph of Patterson standing outside the Guggenheim Museum.
Scrapbook #12. December 1964-January 1966, 1958, 1962, 1964-1966, inclusive
Scope and Contents
This volume concludes the clippings related primarily to Patterson's role as New York City's Commissioner of Public Events. The clippings center on the visits of various dignitaries, celebrities and others to the city and major public events in New York. Inserted in the album are the 1958 and 1962 certificates appointing him Commissioner of Commerce and Public Events and Commissioner of Public Events, respectively.