Kenneth Cartwright Patty (December 2, 1891 – March 27, 1967) was a Virginia lawyer who served as the 27th

Attorney General of Virginia The attorney general of Virginia is an elected constitutional position that holds an Executive (government), executive office in the government of Virginia. Attorneys general are elected for a four-year term in the year following a United State ...

. Patty was an assistant attorney general before Governor Thomas Stanley appointed him after the resignation of his boss, J. Lindsay Almond.

Early life and education

Kenneth Cartwright Patty was born in

Parrottsville, Tennessee Parrottsville is a town in Cocke County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 263 at the 2010 census. Geography Parrottsville is located in northeastern Cocke County. U.S. Route 321, a four-lane highway, passes south of the town, leadin ...

, to Minnie (née Bushong) and William Monroe Petty. His father worked at Harned's Chapel. He had at least three sisters and two other brothers, including Graydon Patty who became a minister. At an early age, he moved to

Tazewell County, Virginia Tazewell County () is a county located in the southwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 40,429. Its county seat is Tazewell. Tazewell County is part of the Bluefield, WV-VA Micropoli ...

. He attended a year and a half at Washington and Lee Law School before serving in

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. He didn't finish college, but passed the bar.

Career

Patty took up private practice as a lawyer and served as a mayor of

Bluefield, Virginia Bluefield is a town in Tazewell County, Virginia, Tazewell County, Virginia, United States, located along the Bluestone River. The population was 5,096 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. It is part of the Bluefield, West Virginia, Bl ...

. In 1937, Patty joined the attorney general's office. He worked there as assistant attorney general and chief assistant to several attorney generals until his death, except for leaving for private practice for three years in 1951. For four months, from August 28, 1957, to January 11, 1958, Patty served as

. He succeed J. Lindsay Almond, member of the Democratic political organization led by Senator Harry F. Byrd, who stepped down to run for Governor during the Massive Resistance crisis in Virginia. Patty's tenure at the position ended after the election of

Albertis Harrison Albertis Sydney Harrison Jr. (January 11, 1907 – January 23, 1995) was an American politician and jurist. A member of the Democratic Party associated with Virginia's Byrd Organization, he served as the 59th governor of Virginia from 1962 to ...

. Patty had an office at the state library building in

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, a city in the United States * Richmond, London, a town in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town ...

Personal life

Patty married Ruth Lacy, daughter of Virginia state senator James T. Lacy. They had one daughter, Mrs. Robert W. McClintock. He had diabetes. Patty entered a hospital in Richmond for tests on March 16, 1967. He died days later on March 27. He was buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Patty, Kenneth Cartwright 1891 births 1967 deaths People from Cocke County, Tennessee Lawyers from Richmond, Virginia Mayors of places in Virginia Virginia attorneys general Virginia Democrats Virginia lawyers 20th-century American lawyers