Patton family

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.