Lyman E. Patten
And
Genevieve (Davies) Murray Patten
By Frances Harrington
Lyman E. Patten was born in 1837 in Cayuga Co., New York. He was living in Rockford, Illinois as a single farmer when he mustered into the Union Army at Springfield, Illinois on 12 September 1862. He was part the 12th Illinois Calvary, Company A. During the Civil War, he fought in battles at Virginia, Maryland, and Gettysburg to name a few. He mustered out at the end of the war on 29 May 1866 in Houston, Tx.
After the Civil War, Lyman moved to Muskegon, Michigan where he worked in sawmills for Ryerson & Morris and C J Hamilton as a foreman and boom hand. In 1872, he married Genevieve (Davies) Murray, a prominent Muskegon widowed teacher and daughter of Joshua Davies, President of Davies Iron Works. Genevieve had 2 children from her previous marriage, Guy and Rowe Murray and two children with Lyman, Jesse Belle and Earl Patten. They made their home at 59 Hughart Street (now 8th Street) in Muskegon.
In 1890, the Hackley Public Library was being built and applications for employment were being taken. Several men applied for the position of library janitor and it was awarded to Lyman on 15 October 1890, six weeks before the opening. He was 53 years old when he started the job. In the summer, his workday started at 6:30 a.m. and in the winter he started at 5:30 a.m. so he would have extra time to shovel the walks. His workdays often didn’t end until 9 p.m. because he was a very conscientious employee. He worked 7 days a week, 365 days a year except for the small vacation he took once a year. He earned approximately $45 a month. During his employment at the library, he was appointed “special police”, possibly to control disruptive children on library property. For several years around Memorial Day, as part of the Phil Kearney Post No. 7, GAR (Grand Army of the Republic), he went to various schools in Muskegon speaking about his experiences in the Civil War to help encourage patriotism among the young people here.
Lyman applied for his Civil War pension in 1892 but didn’t receive it until 1897. It was for $8 per month with back pay dating from his application date making it about $480 (about $13,320 in today’s money). A nice little chunk of cash!
Lyman and Genevieve were a well-respected couple in Muskegon. In 1903, forty-four of the couple’s friends and family surprised them with a grand celebration for their Silver wedding anniversary.
Genevieve was born 13 November 1845 in Kenosha, Wisconsin. She moved to Muskegon with her parents in 1857. After her education in Muskegon, Genevieve graduated from college at Galesburg, Illinois. She returned to Muskegon and taught school in a country school house in Ravenna and later at Central School in the city. She married William Murray, a painter, in 1867 and they had 2 children. He died within 6 years of their marriage. She returned to teaching until she married Lyman Patten. Genevieve died on 12 November 1909, one day before her 64th birthday.
As Lyman got older, the janitorial work at the library (especially the shoveling) was getting to be too much for him. After working at the library for 20 years, he retired on 24 October 1910 at the age of 73 earning approximately $60 week. When he retired, he donated to the library a 24-foot 6-star Confederate flag (a Civil War souvenir) that had been given to him by Chauncey Davis, Muskegon’s first mayor. The current where abouts of the flag is unknown. After retiring, he moved to Kentucky to live with his daughter Jesse Belle (Mrs. Ralph Banks) hoping to improve his health. He died there less than a year later on 22 September 1911. His body was returned to Muskegon where he is buried next to his wife Genevieve at Evergreen Cemetery.
