Patton, Elbert Earl, Jr., The Honorable, 2000 May 03

This is an Oral History interview conducted by Marilyn Somers with Elbert Earl Patton Jr. on May 3, 2000. Mr. Patton was born in Garden Hills, GA and lived there until he graduated from North Fulton High School. While he lived there, his father attended Georgia Tech at night for twelve years, earning a degree in Primary and Electrical Engineering. Mr. Patton very much enjoyed growing up in the close-knit community of Buckhead, calling himself a “Buckhead Boy”. He was involved in a variety of activities in high school, including football and the school play, before he graduated at the age of sixteen. America became engaged in World War II around the time of his graduation, so Mr. Patton enlisted in the Navy, where was trained to be a Naval Aviator and served until 1946. Before he returned to Georgia Tech, Mr. Patton met his future wife at a swim club and helped his father pursue his passion of gardening. Mr. Patton started fresh at Georgia Tech again and studied year-round, earning an Industrial Management degree in three years. He was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity and stayed active with activities around campus. Mr. Patton married his wife during his senior year and they both commuted to their respective colleges in Atlanta. He kept busy with a job as a travel agent, traveling to Washington D.C. and New York City. Through the Alumni Association, Mr. Patton took a job with Procter and Gamble and worked there until the Korean War happened and he joined the Air Force. While overseas, Mr. Patton took on a special mission where he trained French troops before their official involvement in the war. After the war, Mr. Patton became involved in business and eventually started his own manufacturing representative business, called Patton Associates. His family became very involved in the community during this time and Mr. Patton began changing his career. He started a bank with some of his college friends and started building Marriot Hotels around the region. Then he decided to run for State Senator and served for two years. Mr. Patton believes strongly in a two-party system so he coordinated the very first Republican Primary Election in the state of Georgia. Though he lost, this helped to set the path for a strong Republican Party in the future. After his political career, Mr. Patton and his wife stayed involved in the community on and off campus, including Atlanta History Center and Legislative Action Group. None of his children ended up going to Georgia Tech, but they all work in the Business field today. Mr. Patton currently has six granddaughters and is still working in the hotel business.