March 11, 1939 C. E. Patton, Dean of Merchants, is taken by Death Proprietor of Local Store Nearly 50 years and in many activities.
Death came to Carroll E. Patton at his home on West Grand Prairie Street at 8:55 p.m. Saturday March 11.
He was nearly 82 years of age. Mr. Patton suffered a succession of light paralytic strokes over a period of several days and then the stroke which proved fatal while in bed and after retirement Wednesday night. Though possibly conscious when his serious condition first became known early Thursday morning he was unable to speak and he lingered to the end in that condition. Much of the time it was apparent he was in a complete coma and he was in a coma at his passing.
Mrs. Manford E. Cox, of Springfield, Mrs. Lyle E. Burridge, of Newton and Mrs. Clarence M. Phillips, of Palestine, his three daughters, were at his beside in his final hours.
Mr. Patton's death was sudden although he had been an invalid for a large part of the past 25 years and in the last few years he felt the pressure of infirmities to an extent that his expectancy was speculative.
The light paralytic shocks that led to the end began the early part of the week but were so gentle their grave significance was not at first realized. The "creeping" nature of the affliction caused mild numbness of the left hand and later systemic disturbances that puzzled him. He spoke of his discomfort but sat up late Wednesday night reading and visiting with callers. It was believed the fatal stroke came early Thursday morning.
"Carl" Patton was a Palestine merchant for almost half a century. At the time of his retirement a little more than a year ago he was the oldest local business man in age and from point of service.
His store was as well known to the community as the honesty and integrity of the proprietor, an institution of Main street which had been one of the locality's busiest market spots.
"Carl" Patton conducted business under his own name in three different store rooms, first in a structure just north of the Loesch Drug Store and in two buildings on the site where the Winters Grocery is located.
Here he occupied a frame building for many years, replacing it with a modern brick building. William Alexander was his partner when he began his business career in a day when there were no paper sacks and when kerosene lamps were depended upon for light, when candles were still burned by many families and when powder and shot were sold for muzzle loading guns.
Severe illness many years ago made it appear that "Carl" Patton"s days on earth were limited. At one time in his early fifties it was believed death was but hours away. His remarkable recovery as followed by an equally remarkable life tenure for 25 or more years longer during which time he suffered much as he strove to carry on the business of "C. E. Patton."
Several years ago his pace at store management began to slow down until finally he left the management in other hands. It was operated without his attention for some time before he sold it.
Mrs. Patton, his wife, died in 1936, leaving her husband in the old home alone through his own preference, a home he had built early in their married life from timber felled in the woods by his brother, John and himself and hauled to the sawmill for conversion into lumber.
In later years additions were made to the original residence building. The house is on part of the ground formerly composing the home property of his father who in the early sixties built the house known now as the home of the Patton Sisters and which at that time was one of three or four outstanding residences of the community. That entire square belonged to the old Dr. Patton estate.
Of Dr. Patton's large family, six boys and six girls, only two now are living, Emily and May. Both are in the calm winter of life, living together in a center of rich traditions linked intimately to local history, in a dwelling which years ago was one of the community's chief centers of social life, surrounded by stout fencing and flanked south and east along the streets with hitching posts and ranges where so often there were tied the teams of merry young people at a church social, or some other gathering or where stood the horses of persons seeking a doctor's care. There are no male Pattons now in this vicinity.
Besides the two sisters the immediate survivors are the three daughters already mentioned.
Funeral services for the last of the local male Pattons, Carroll E., were held at the Presbyterian Church Monday afternoon under the ministry of Rev. C. J. Grimes. The body was placed at the wife's side.
Obituary: Carroll Ebenezer Patton
Carroll Ebenezer Patton, son of Dr. Ebenezer Leith Patton and Eliza Ann Patton, was born in Palestine, Illinois, April 9, 1857 and died in Palestine March 11, 1939 at the age of 81 years, 11 months and two days.
His father, Dr. Patton, was one of the community's earlier physicians, coming to Palestine from Jonesboro, Tenn., where in early manhood he was united in marriage to Eliza Ann Wilson. She was born in Palestine in 1817.
Dr. and Mrs. Patton were the parents of 12 children. Carroll, next to the youngest, was born in a house which stood where the Lucy McGahey home is located and just east of property, later known as the George Dickinson home site, his mother's birthplace.
About the time of the civil war Dr. Patton moved with his family into a new home on the northwest corner of that same street intersection and which is known today as the home of the Patton sisters. It was here Carroll Patton lived through most of his youth and where he grew to manhood.
On December 15, 1881, Carroll E. Patton and Miss Martha Ann Gould were united in marriage at the home of Cullen Patton in Robinson, Illinois. Rev. Samuel A. Lagrange performed the ceremony. The wife died May 31, 1936.
To this union were born four daughters, one of whom, Esther Leith, died in infancy. The surviving children are: mrs. Manford E. Cox, Springfield, Ill., Mrs. Clarence M. Phillips, Palestine, Ill., and Mrs. Lyle E. Burridge, Newton, Ill.
Other more immediate survivors include two sisters, Emily Jaretta Patton and Hannah May Patton, both of Palestine. There are six grandchildren.
The deceased was a merchant for nearly half a century. His first business venture was in partnership with William Alexander in January 1889. Their store occupied a corner site where the Johnson Service station now is located. Upon dissolution of the partnership Mr. Patton continued business in his own name and was personally active in management until several years ago when infirmities compelled him to remain almost constantly at home. The business was sold January 1938 on the threshold of its Golden Anniversary and with the definite retirement of Palestine's oldest merchant.