Creator: Patton, Frank Caldwell, 1896-1980.
Collection number: 5402
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Abstract: Frank Caldwell Patton, Republican of Morganton, Burke County, N.C., was born in 1896. He served as Assistant United States District Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, 1921-1931. In 1932, Patton was appointed to a one-year term as United States District Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina by President Herbert Hoover. He also ran unsuccessfully for United States Senate in 1936, United States House in 1938, and governor of North Carolina in 1944. Patton practiced law in Morganton, N.C., campaigned for national and local Republican Party candidates, and was active in many local causes. He died in 1980. The papers of Frank Caldwell Patton include correspondence with prominent politicians including Jesse Helms, Sam Ervin, and Charles Jonas; letters from business associates; speeches made by Patton; scrapbooks containing photographs of Patton at Trinity College and as a soldier during World War I, family photographs, and newspaper clippings documenting a variety of public and personal accomplishments; ephemera from several Republican National Conventions; and other materials.
Repository: Southern Historical Collection
Collection Highlights: Folder 5 contains materials from Jesse Helms’s Senate Campaign (1972-1974), including legal documentation of a racism complaint against Jesse Helms. Preston Forrester of North Carolina wrote to Helms on 31 May 1972 , asking him to clarify accusations of him being a racist, and leaving his church because of African Americans joining the congregation – accusations allegedly made by his Democratic Senate opponent, Nick Galifianakis. Also included is a letter of reply Helms wrote on 12 June 1972, denying these accusations. There is also a signed, notarized statement from Mr. Forrester, describing the conversation he had with Congressman Galifianakis.