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Patterson, Richard C., Jr. Papers

Dates: 1904-1966

Ambassador to Yugoslavia, 1944-1948; Ambassador to Guatemala, 1948-1951; Minister to Switzerland, 1951-1953

The Richard C. Patterson, Jr. Papers consists of correspondence, newspaper clippings, memoranda, itineraries, press releases, publications, and other materials related to Richard C. Patterson, Jr.’s life and work at various diplomatic posts and in private industry.

[Administrative Information | Biographical Note | Collection Description | Series Descriptions | Folder Title List]

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Size: 9 linear feet, 7 linear inches.
Access: Open.
Copyright: The donor gave to the U.S. government the copyrights in this material and in any other material received by the U.S. government and maintained in a depository administered by the National Archives and Records Administration. Documents created by U.S. government officials in the course of their official duties are in the public domain. Copyright interest in other documents presumably belongs to the creators of those documents, or their heirs.
Processed by: Dennis E. Bilger (1974); Tammy K. Williams (2026).

[Administrative Information | Biographical Note | Collection Description | Series Descriptions | Folder Title List]

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Richard Cunningham Patterson, Jr. was born on January 29, 1886 in Omaha, Nebraska. He attended the University of Nebraska and graduated from Columbia University in 1912. He served in World War I in the American Expeditionary Forces and served as the Administrative Officer for the American Commission to Negotiate Peace at the end of the war. He married Shelley M. Rodes on May 31, 1924. From 1927 to 1932, he served as Commissioner of Correction for New York City. From 1932 to 1936, he was Executive Vice President and a Director of the National Broadcasting Company. In 1938, he worked for the Department of Commerce in several positions until 1939. From 1940 to 1944, he served as the Chairman of the Board of the Radio-Keith-Orpheum Corporation. President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed him Ambassador to Yugoslavia, a position he held from 1944 until 1947. He served as Ambassador of Guatemala from 1948 to 1951. He served as Minister to Switzerland from 1951-1953. In 1954, Mayor of New York City Robert Wagner appointed Patterson chairman of the Mayor’s Reception Committee. He later served as the Commissioner of Public Events and chief of protocol for the city. He died on September 30, 1966 in New York City, New York.

[Administrative Information | Biographical Note | Collection Description | Series Descriptions | Folder Title List]

COLLECTION DESCRIPTION

The Richard C. Patterson, Jr. Papers consist of correspondence, newspaper clippings, memoranda, itineraries, press releases, publications, and other materials related to Richard C. Patterson, Jr.’s life and work at various diplomatic posts and in private industry.

The Richard C. Patterson, Jr. Papers consist of four series. The first series, the Yugoslavia File, contains correspondence, telegrams, notes, newspaper clippings, speeches and speech drafts, invitations, publications, and other materials related to the service of Richard C. Patterson, Jr. as United States Ambassador to Yugoslavia. Topics present in this series include the end of World War II in Europe and issues around occupation and reconstruction; the presidential election in 1944 and the Democratic National Committee; correspondence with other United States ambassadors in Europe regarding State Department affairs; Tito and Communist control of Yugoslavia after World War II; and a draft of a book that Patterson considered publishing regarding his time in Yugoslavia. There is correspondence with King Peter of Yugoslavia, some of which post-dates Patterson’s service as Ambassador.

The second series, the Guatemala File, contains correspondence, newspaper clippings, memoranda, itineraries, press releases, publications, and other materials related to Richard C. Patterson’s service as United States Ambassador to Guatemala. Topics included in these materials include a visit to Guatemala by aviator Jacqueline Cochran; concerns about perceived Communist tendencies in the government of President Juan Jose Arevalo; personal matters; and visits to Guatemala by friends and other government officials, including Major General Harry Vaughan, one of President Harry S. Truman’s military aides. Major General Vaughan was the subject of investigation by Congress into influence peddling in Washington, D. C., and his trip to Guatemala was alleged to be a payoff from the United Fruit Company.

The third series, the Switzerland File, contains correspondence, newspaper clippings, publications, memoranda, speeches, press releases, and other materials related to the service of Richard C. Patterson, Jr. as United States Minister to Switzerland. Topics addressed in this series include tariffs around the watch industry; personal matters; staffing of the home of the ambassador and legation in Switzerland; information regarding development and work at Patterson’s farm property in New York State; correspondence with Floyd Odlum (spouse of Jacqueline Cochran); Prince Henri of Liechtenstein; correspondence and memoranda of conversation with King Peter of Yugoslavia from 1952; a copy of Patterson’s will of 1942; correspondence with other United States ambassadors and ambassadors from other countries; and correspondence related to Margaret Truman’s visit to Switzerland in 1952.

The fourth series, the General File, contains correspondence, memoranda, reports, charts, newspaper clippings, publications, speeches, programs, and other materials related to Richard C. Patterson, Jr.’s personal and business activities. Topics included in this series include management engineers Robert Heller & Associates; Alben Barkley; Pierre C. Cartier; correspondence with his parents regarding his service in World War I and the Paris Peace Conference; consulting work done by Mr. Patterson with Sigmund Eisner Company; Democratic Party politics; the American Legion; New York City politics; minor issues at his various diplomatic posts; speeches given by Mr. Patterson over the course of his life; and personal matters.

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SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

Container Nos.

  

Series

1-4

   YUGOSLAVIA FILE, 1944-1953
Correspondence, telegrams, notes, newspaper clippings, speeches and speech drafts, invitations, publications, and other materials related to the service of Richard C. Patterson, Jr. as United States Ambassador to Yugoslavia. Arranged alphabetically by folder title.
5-6   GUATEMALA FILE, 1948-1951
Correspondence, newspaper clippings, memoranda, itineraries, press releases, publications, and other materials related to the service of Richard C. Patterson, Jr. as United States Ambassador to Guatemala. Arranged alphabetically by folder title.
7-11   SWITZERLAND FILE, 1942-1953
Correspondence, newspaper clippings, publications, memoranda, speeches, press releases, and other materials related to the service of Richard C. Patterson, Jr. and United States Minister to Switzerland. Arranged alphabetically by folder title.
12-22   GENERAL FILE, ca. 1904-1966
Correspondence, memoranda, reports, charts, newspaper clippings, publications, speeches, programs, and other materials related to Richard C. Patterson, Jr.’s personal and business activities. Arranged alphabetically by folder title.

 

[ Top of the page | Administrative Information | Biographical Note | Collection Description | Series Descriptions | Folder Title List ]

 

FOLDER TITLE LIST

YUGOSLOVIA FILE, 1944-1953

Box 1

  • A-B
  • Acheson, Dean – Correspondence re Resignation as Ambassador
  • American Interests, 1946
  • Appointment as Ambassador
  • Appointment as Ambassador, 1944
  • "Behind the Iron Curtain in Yugoslavia" – Book Outline and Drafts
  • "Behind the Iron Curtain in Yugoslavia" – Book Correspondence, 1946-1948 [1 of 2]
  • "Behind the Iron Curtain in Yugoslavia" – Book Correspondence, 1946-1948 [2 of 2]
  • Clippings - Personal
  • Correspondence with William Fraleigh
  • D-E

Box 2

  • Embassy Correspondence, 1946 [1 of 2]
  • Embassy Correspondence, 1946 [2 of 2]
  • Embassy Correspondence, 1947-1948
  • F-G
  • Grand Cross of the Royal Order
  • Gurley Paper
  • H
  • I-J
  • Invitations
  • K-L

Box 3

  • King Peter – Correspondence, 1947-1953
  • Letters of Congratulation, September 1944
  • Letters of Congratulation, October-December 1944
  • M
  • N
  • O
  • P
  • Poland – Stanton Griffis
  • R
  • Receipts and Disbursements, 1945-1946
  • Reference Material on Yugoslavia - Clippings
  • Reference Material on Yugoslavia - Miscellaneous

Box 4

  • Richard C. Patterson, Jr. – Personal
  • S
  • Sanders, Gladys [1 of 2]
  • Sanders, Gladys [2 of 2]
  • Speech File, 1946
  • State Department – Correspondence, 1946-1951
  • T
  • Trial of Archbishop Stepinac
  • U-V
  • W-Y

GUATEMALA FILE, 1948-1951

Box 5

  • Air Mission
  • Amoebic Dysentery
  • American Interest
  • Appointment
  • Arevalo, President Juan Jose
  • Belize Case
  • Biffle, Leslie
  • Chadbourne, William
  • Cochran Trip
  • Congratulatory Letters on Appointment, September-November 1948
  • Correspondence, 1947-1950
  • Crisis
  • Cuba
  • Flood
  • Hale, General Willis H.
  • Inventory
  • Mara, Colonel Cornelius
  • Notes for Articles
  • Olympic Games

Box 6

  • Patterson, Martha Belle
  • Roberts, Alfred
  • Salary
  • State Department
  • Statistics
  • “Thank Yous” from Richard C. Patterson, Jr.
  • Truman, Harry S.
  • Vasques Boat
  • Vaughan, Harry H.
  • Visits – Correspondence re, 1949-1951

SWITZERLAND FILE, 1951-1953

Box 7

  • A
  • Agreement Between the United States, France, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland Regarding German Property in Switzerland
  • American Legation, 1952
  • American Legation – Correspondence Regarding Resignation of Richard C. Patterson, Jr., 1953
  • American-Swiss Friendship Dinner – Waldorf-Astoria, New York City, November 25, 1952
  • B
  • Blevins, Merrill M.
  • Broadcast – CBS Television, November 24, 1952
  • Ca-Ch
  • Chalet Gifferhorn Gstaad – Correspondence Regarding, 1951-1952
  • Cl-Cu
  • Congratulatory Correspondence
  • Da-Di
  • Do-Du

Box 8

  • E
  • F
  • Fisher, Joel E.
  • G
  • Graziadei, Ercola
  • H
  • Hatch, Waldo
  • I
  • J
  • K
  • Krock-Erwin Associates, Inc.
  • L

Box 9

  • M
  • Map of Switzerland
  • Miscellaneous Materials re Switzerland
  • N
  • Newspaper Clippings Regarding Resignation of Richard C. Patterson, Jr.
  • O
  • P
  • Pamphlets
  • Patterson, Richard C., Jr. - Personal
  • Patterson, Richard C., Jr. - Publicity
  • Patterson, Richard C., Jr. - Travel Authorization
  • Correspondence - Ra-Ri
  • Correspondence - Ro-Ry

Box 10

  • Sa-Sp
  • Speech Material [1 of 3]
  • Speech Material [2 of 3]
  • Speech Material [3 of 3]
  • St-Sy
  • State Department
  • Swiss Letters, 1953
  • Swiss Shipments

Box 11

  • T
  • U-V
  • Union Bank of Switzerland - Personal Account of Richard C. Patterson, Jr.
  • XYZ

GENERAL FILE, 1918-1966

Box 12

  • A
  • American Commission to Negotiate Peace – Correspondence, 1918-1920
  • American Commission to Negotiate Peace – Organization Chart, April 1, 1919
  • Ba-Be
  • Bi-By
  • Bowling Green Rock Asphalt Company
  • Ca-Ce
  • Ch-Cl
  • China – Miscellaneous
  • Co-Cz
  • Columbia University
  • Commerce, Department of [1 of 3]
  • Commerce, Department of [2 of 3]

Box 13

  • Commerce, Department of [3 of 3]
  • Community Development Trust Program
  • Cross References
  • D
  • E
  • Eisner, Sigmund and Company, Inc.
  • F
  • Field, Robert M.
  • G
  • Gifts
  • Groves, Wallace

Box 14

  • Ha-Hi
  • Hagenbuch Judgement, 1919-1929
  • Harriman, W. Averell
  • Harry S. Truman Library, 1953
  • Harvard Business School - Letters of Comment, 1940
  • Harvard Business School - Preparation of Speech
  • Hatch, L. Boyd
  • Heller, Robert
  • Ho-Hu
  • Hopkins, John Jay
  • House, Colonel E. M.
  • Hu, Dr. Shih
  • I-J
  • International Filmbook Corporation - J. Lessing and William Rosewald
  • Johnson, Martin and Asa
  • Johnson, Wayne

Box 15

  • K-L
  • Lark, Charles T.
  • Laughlin, Edward
  • Logan, M.M.
  • Ma-Me
  • McKee, Joseph V.
  • Mi-My
  • Middle West Portland Cement Company (Union Portland Cement Company)
  • Molleson, Deane C.
  • N-O
  • National Broadcasting Company, 1932-1936 [1 of 2]

Box 16

  • National Broadcasting Company, 1932-1936 [2 of 2]
  • Nebraska, University of - Commencement Address, 1940
  • Nebraska, University of - Honorary Degree - Correspondence, 1938-1940
  • New York City – Candidate for Mayor – Correspondence, 1932-1934
  • New York City – Commissioner of Corrections – Correspondence, 1925-1936
  • New York City – Commissioner of Public Events – Correspondence, 1966
  • New York City – Inaugural Ceremonies, 1953-1954
  • New York City – Mayor’s Reception Committee, 1954
  • New York City – Military Intelligence Reserve Report – “Defense of New York City” – Correspondence, 1930-1938
  • New York City – Military Intelligence Reserve Thesis on “Radio in Time of War” – Correspondence, 1934-1950
  • New York Guard
  • New York Times article, January 21, 1940
  • New York Times article, Letter of Comment
  • New York Young Democratic Club, 1924-1954

Box 17

  • New York Young Democratic Club - Dinner, May 18, 1942 [1 of 2]
  • New York Young Democratic Club - Dinner, May 18, 1942 [2 of 2]
  • Odlum, Floyd
  • P
  • Patterson, Martha Belle
  • Patterson, Richard C., Jr. – Personal – Army Records
  • Patterson, Richard C., Jr. – Personal – Awards and Medals – American Legion Founders
  • Patterson, Richard C., Jr. – Personal – Distinguished Service Medal, 1930-1940
  • Patterson, Richard C., Jr. – Personal – Order of Washington
  • Patterson, Richard C., Jr. – Personal – Who’s Who
  • Patterson, Richard C., Jr. – Personal – Biography
  • Patterson, Richard C., Jr. – Personal – Clubs – Correspondence, 1954-1957
  • Patterson, Richard C., Jr. – Personal – Correspondence, General, 1927-1959 [1 of 7]

Box 18

  • Patterson, Richard C., Jr. – Personal – Correspondence, General, 1927-1959 [2 of 7]
  • Patterson, Richard C., Jr. – Personal – Correspondence, General, 1927-1959 [3 of 7]
  • Patterson, Richard C., Jr. – Personal – Correspondence, General, 1927-1959 [4 of 7]
  • Patterson, Richard C., Jr. – Personal – Correspondence, General, 1927-1959 [5 of 7]
  • Patterson, Richard C., Jr. – Personal – Correspondence, General, 1927-1959 [6 of 7]
  • Patterson, Richard C., Jr. – Personal – Correspondence, General, 1927-1959 [7 of 7]
  • Patterson, Richard C., Jr. – Personal – Correspondence, Dinner, May 18, 1942
  • Patterson, Richard C., Jr. – Personal - Genealogy
  • R
  • R. K. O. Corporation – Congratulatory Letters

Box 19

  • R. K. O. Corporation – George Schaefer, 1939-1941
  • Robinson, Duncan
  • Romulo, General Carlos P.
  • Roosevelt, Franklin D.
  • Roper, Daniel C.
  • Rosenblum, David
  • S
  • Speeches, ca. 1904-1929
  • Speeches, 1930-1935
  • Speeches, 1938
  • Speeches, 1939-1941

Box 20

  • Speeches, 1942 [1 of 3]
  • Speeches, 1942 [2 of 3]
  • Speeches, 1942 [3 of 3]
  • Speeches, 1943
  • Speeches, 1946-1948
  • Speeches, 1949-1950
  • Speeches, 1951

Box 21

  • Speeches, 1952-1953
  • Speeches, 1954
  • Speeches, 1955-1959
  • State Department - Correspondence, 1945-1955
  • State Department - Post Considerations - Canada, 1943-1947
  • Stevenson, Adlai E.
  • T
  • Treasury Department - War Finance Committee for New York State, 1943-1945
  • Treasury Department - War Savings Staff - General, 1941-1943
  • Treasury Department - War Savings Staff - Congratulatory Letters, 1941

Box 22

  • Treasury Department - War Savings Staff - Resignation, 1943
  • Truman, Harry S.
  • U-Z
  • Wagner, Robert S.
  • Wagner Committee, 1944
  • Wei, Tao Ming
  • Weinberg, Sidney
  • Weisl, Ed
  • Wood Oil - SS Lisholt
  • "Working Directors" - Miscellaneous Data, 1939-1941
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