David I. Patten
Encyclopedia
David Ivy Patten was a building contractor
and a Democratic
member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
from Catahoula Parish in the northeastern portion of his state. He served from 1964-1972.
In his first legislative term, Patten succeeded William S. Peck, Jr.
, of Sicily Island
and represented only Catahoula Parish. He was reelected to a second term in 1968 from a revised district which combined Catahoula and neighboring Concordia parishes. The incumbent
from Concordia Parish, Fred L. Schiele, did not seek a second term but later served as sheriff
of his parish.
Patten's interest focused on rural
development. In 1972, in the newly-numbered District 21, Patten was unseated by State Senator
J.C. "Sonny" Gilbert of Sicily Island, a brother-in-law of William Peck, who ran that year for the House, rather than the Senate. Patten attempted a comeback in the Catahoula-Concordia district in 1975 in the first-ever nonpartisan blanket primary held in Louisiana and had the support of the Catahoula Parish sheriff
. Gilbert did not seek reelection to the House. Patten lost in the official general election
, 57-43 percent, to Democrat Dan Richey
, then of Ferriday
in Concordia Parish. Another candidate was the Democrat Troyce Guice
, then of Ferriday, who had run unsuccessfully for the United States Senate
in 1966 and again in 1996. Both Gilbert and Richey switched their affiliation to Republican
after their legislative tenure.
Patten ran again for the Louisiana State Senate
in the 1979 primary but failed to secure a general election berth. The winner once again was Dan Richey, who defeated the Democratic National Committeewoman Mary Lou Winters of Columbia
, the seat of Caldwell Parish
, in the general election. Eliminated in the primary was state Representative Neal Lane "Lanny" Johnson of St. Joseph
in Tensas Parish
. On October 19, 1991, Patten ran again for the state Senate from District 32. He received 8,684 votes (20.4 percent) and lost to fellow Democrat Steve D. Thompson, who polled 26,840 (63 percent). A third candidate polled the remaining 16.6 percent.
Patten was one of ten children born to Ivy Edward Patten (1896–1961) and the former Mattie Harrell (1900–1979). He was married to the former Carolyn McCauley. He was a member of Meyers Bend Pentecostal Church in Jonesville
in Catahoula Parish.
Services were held at the Sandy Lake Pentecostal Church in Jonesville. Patten is interred at Oak Grove Cemetery
near Rhinehart, an unincorporated community in Catahoula Parish.
General contractor
A general contractor is responsible for the day-to-day oversight of a construction site, management of vendors and trades, and communication of information to involved parties throughout the course of a building project.-Description:...
and a Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
from Catahoula Parish in the northeastern portion of his state. He served from 1964-1972.
In his first legislative term, Patten succeeded William S. Peck, Jr.
William S. Peck, Jr.
William Smith Peck, Jr. , was a businessmanfrom Sicily Island in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana, who served as a Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1956–1964, during the administrations of Governors Earl Kemp Long and Jimmie Davis. His father, William S...
, of Sicily Island
Sicily Island, Louisiana
Sicily Island is a village in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 453 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Sicily Island is located at ....
and represented only Catahoula Parish. He was reelected to a second term in 1968 from a revised district which combined Catahoula and neighboring Concordia parishes. The incumbent
Incumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
from Concordia Parish, Fred L. Schiele, did not seek a second term but later served as sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
of his parish.
Patten's interest focused on rural
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
development. In 1972, in the newly-numbered District 21, Patten was unseated by State Senator
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
J.C. "Sonny" Gilbert of Sicily Island, a brother-in-law of William Peck, who ran that year for the House, rather than the Senate. Patten attempted a comeback in the Catahoula-Concordia district in 1975 in the first-ever nonpartisan blanket primary held in Louisiana and had the support of the Catahoula Parish sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
. Gilbert did not seek reelection to the House. Patten lost in the official general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
, 57-43 percent, to Democrat Dan Richey
Dan Richey
Daniel Wesley "Dan" Richey is a Baton Rouge-based political consultant for "pro-family" candidates and organizations, including Louisiana Family Forum. From 1997 to 2004, Richey served under appointment of Republican Governor Murphy J...
, then of Ferriday
Ferriday, Louisiana
Ferriday is a town in Concordia Parish in northeastern Louisiana, United States. The population, which is three-fourths African American, was 3,723 at the 2000 census....
in Concordia Parish. Another candidate was the Democrat Troyce Guice
Troyce Guice
Troyce Eual Guice was a prominent businessman in northeastern Louisiana who twice ran for the United States Senate in campaigns thirty years apart, 1966 and 1996. A conservative Democrat, Guice later, as a Mississippi voter, became a donor to the Republican Party...
, then of Ferriday, who had run unsuccessfully for the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in 1966 and again in 1996. Both Gilbert and Richey switched their affiliation to Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
after their legislative tenure.
Patten ran again for the Louisiana State Senate
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
in the 1979 primary but failed to secure a general election berth. The winner once again was Dan Richey, who defeated the Democratic National Committeewoman Mary Lou Winters of Columbia
Columbia, Louisiana
Columbia is a town in and the parish seat of Caldwell Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 477 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Columbia is located at ....
, the seat of Caldwell Parish
Caldwell Parish, Louisiana
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 10,560 people, 3,941 households, and 2,817 families residing in the parish. The population density was 20 people per square mile . There were 5,035 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile...
, in the general election. Eliminated in the primary was state Representative Neal Lane "Lanny" Johnson of St. Joseph
St. Joseph, Louisiana
St. Joseph is a town in and the parish seat of Tensas Parish in northeastern Louisiana, United States. The population was 1,340 at the 2000 census. The town is 69 percent African American. St. Joseph is the entry community to Lake Bruin State Park located on Lake Bruin, a relatively clear oxbow...
in Tensas Parish
Tensas Parish, Louisiana
Tensas Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The seat of the parish is St. Joseph. In 2010, the population of Tensas Parish was 5,252; it is the least-populous of all sixty-four parishes....
. On October 19, 1991, Patten ran again for the state Senate from District 32. He received 8,684 votes (20.4 percent) and lost to fellow Democrat Steve D. Thompson, who polled 26,840 (63 percent). A third candidate polled the remaining 16.6 percent.
Patten was one of ten children born to Ivy Edward Patten (1896–1961) and the former Mattie Harrell (1900–1979). He was married to the former Carolyn McCauley. He was a member of Meyers Bend Pentecostal Church in Jonesville
Jonesville, Louisiana
Jonesville is a town in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana, at the confluence of the Ouachita, Tensas, and Little rivers. The three rivers become the Black River at Jonesville though the "Black" is primarily the continuation of the Ouachita River. A new bridge has been built over the Black River...
in Catahoula Parish.
Services were held at the Sandy Lake Pentecostal Church in Jonesville. Patten is interred at Oak Grove Cemetery
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
near Rhinehart, an unincorporated community in Catahoula Parish.