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The Patton Family has a strong connection with Virginia Military Institute (VMI). General George S. Patton of World War II fame attended VMI (Class of 1907), as did his father, grandfather, and great uncles. See the Patton Family papers for additional information.
John Mercer Patton (1826-1898) was born on May 9, 1826 in Culpeper, Virginia. He graduated from VMI in 1846 and became a lawyer and judge. During the Civil War he was a Colonel in the 21st Virginia Infantry Regiment. He died in Ashland, Virginia on October 9, 1898.
George Smith Patton (1833-1864) was born on June 26, 1833 in Fredericksburg, Virginia and is the grandfather of George S. Patton, Jr. (VMI Class of 1907). He graduated from VMI in 1852 and then studied and practiced law in Charleston, West Virginia. During the Civil War he was Commander of the 22nd Virginia Infantry Regiment and was killed at the Battle of Winchester, Virginia in September 1864.
Waller Tazewell Patton (1835-1863) was born on July 15, 1835 in Fredericksburg, Virginia. He graduated from VMI in 1855 and then practiced law in Culpeper, Virginia. During the Civil War he served as a Colonel in the 7th Virginia Infantry Regiment. Patton was mortally wounded in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and died in the College Hospital on July 21, 1863.
William McFarland Patton (1845-1905) was born on August 22, 1845 in Richmond, Virginia. While at VMI, he took part in the Battle of New Market as a Cadet Sargent in Company B of the Corps of Cadets. Patton graduated from VMI in 1865 and then was a civil engineer and Professor of Engineering at VMI and Virginia Tech (then Virginia Polytechnic Institute).
George Smith Patton, Jr. (1856-1927) was born on September 30, 1856 in Charleston, West Virginia to George S. Patton (1833-1864) and Susan Thornton Glassell (1835-1883). Patton graduated VMI in 1877 and then taught at VMI for one year before studying law and becoming a prominent attorney in Los Angeles, California.
George Smith Patton (1885-1945) attended VMI for one year (1903-1904) as a member of the Class of 1907. He was appointed to the United States Military Academy in the spring of 1904 and entered West Point (New York) in June. While at VMI, Patton studied algebra, English, history, drawing, and Latin. He was also a left tackle on the "scrub" football team, which was a group that scrimmaged several times a week against the varsity team.