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John M. Patton

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For other people with the same name, see John Patton (disambiguation).
John Mercer Patton
Portrait of John Mercer Patton
Acting Governor of Virginia
In office
20 March 1841 – 31 March 1841
Preceded byThomas W. Gilmer
Succeeded byJohn Rutherfoord
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Virginia's 13th district
In office
March 4, 1833 – April 7, 1838
Preceded byJoseph Chinn
Succeeded byLinn Banks
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Virginia's 11th district
In office
November 25, 1830 – March 3, 1833
Preceded byPhilip P. Barbour
Succeeded byAndrew Stevenson
Personal details
BornAugust 10, 1797
Fredericksburg, Virginia
DiedOctober 29, 1858(1858-10-29) (aged 61)
Richmond, Virginia
Political partyDemocratic
RelationsGeorge S. Patton, Sr. (son)
Waller T. Patton (son)
George S. Patton, Jr. (greatgrandson)

John Mercer Patton (August 10, 1797 – October 29, 1858) was a nineteenth-century politician and lawyer from Virginia. Patton served in the United States House of Representatives representing two different Virginia Districts, and was the acting governor of Virginia for twelve days in 1841.

Biography

Patton was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia to Robert Patton, a Scottish immigrant, and Ann Gordon Mercer, daughter of General Hugh Mercer.[1] Patton attended Princeton University and graduated from the medical department at the University of Pennsylvania in 1818. He went on to study law and was admitted to the bar, commencing practice in Fredericksburg.

Patton was elected a Jacksonian and Democrat to the United States House of Representatives originally to fill a vacancy in 1830, serving until 1838. There, he served as chairman of the Committee on Territories from 1835 to 1839.[2] After leaving Congress, Patton was appointed the senior councilor of the Virginia Council of State and therefore the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia.[1] Following the resignation of Governor Thomas W. Gilmer in 1841, Patton served as Acting Governor of Virginia for twelve days, until the end of his term on March 31, 1841.

Grave at Shockoe Hill Cemetery

Patton returned to the private practice of law, including work on a revision of the Code of Virginia.[1] He continued to practice law until his death in Richmond, Virginia on October 29, 1858. He was interred at Shockoe Hill Cemetery.

Patton was the father of Confederate officers George S. Patton, Sr. and Waller T. Patton and the great-grandfather of WWII general George S. Patton Jr.

References

  1. ^ a b c Tyler, Lyon Gardiner (1915). Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography; Volume 2. Lewis Historical Publishing Company. p. 53.
  2. ^ "PATTON, John Mercer, (1797 - 1858)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Virginia's 11th congressional district
November 25, 1830 – March 3, 1833 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Virginia's 13th congressional district
March 4, 1833 – April 7, 1838 (obsolete district) 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Acting Governor of Virginia
March 20, 1841 – March 31, 1841 		Succeeded by
John Rutherfoord
Acting Governor
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