Portrait & Biographical Record of Montgomery, Parke and Fountain County, Indiana.
Chicago: Chapman Brothers, 1893 p 344 - Volney Patton - In the present sketch is recorded
briefly the history of a member of one of the oldest families of Fountain County whose
name has always stood for uprightness and virtue. Of the good old Virginia native stock,
his ancestors came to this county when it was almost a wilderness and took a foremost part
in making of it the prosperous farming community of today. Volney Patton was born in
Fountain County July 24, 1851, the son of William and Deborah Kepner Patton. Thomas
Patton, the grandfather of Volney was born in VA and moved at an early date to Parke
County Indiana and a later date to Fountain County when his son William was but 2 1/2
years old. Thomas Patton entered land from the government at $1.25 per acre and spent the
remainder of his life in this county of which he was a respected and influential citizen.
He accumulated a large amount of land. William Patton was born in Sugar Creek Twp, Parke
County. He spent his life in farming and was successful in all senses of the word, being
am an well known and well liked by all who knew him. To William and Deborah Patton 8
children were born: Volney; Sarah who married Albert Hershberger, now deceased and is now
living in California; Nancy the wife of Dr. Petit of Veedersburg; Edward, now postmaster
of Veedersburg; Morton, a farmer of Wabash Twp; Francis and Thomas, deceased and one child
who died in infancy. William Patton (picture of William) made most of the improvements on
the farm on which his son Volney now lives which adjoins the old Patton homestead, with
its sturdy brick house, which has always been occupied by the Pattons. He died in 1906
and his wife died September 1872. Volney Patton had no educational advantages in his
youth, but by a liberal course of reading has made himself a well-informed man. He was
married in 1873 to Hattie Fisher, a daughter of CC Fisher, a well-known carpenter of
Covington, Indiana. She taught 5 terms in the country schools in the vicinity of
Covington before her marriage and her work in that respect was a force for good in the
lives of many of the younger citizens of that locality. To this marriage were born 4
children, Francis, deceased; Fannie, the wife of marion Foxworthy, now an Indian agent in
North Dakota formerly in the civil service at Washington; Katie, the wife of Butler LaBaw
of California and Madge, deceased. Mr. Patton is the owner of 173 acres of land in a high
state of cultivation, part of that which was entered by his grandfather. On this he
engages in mixed farming, raising many cattle and hogs, as well as grain crops and has
been quite successful, having gained much knowledge of profitable farming from his
lifelong experience. He and his wife are living in prosperity and quietness in the midst
of their well-tilled acres, and enjoy the confidence, respect and friendship of all who
know them well.