Miss Gypsie N. Patton

Miss Gypsie Nell Patton served as a staff member of the Newton Public Library for 25 years.[1] She was born in Kellogg, Iowa, in 1874, the daughter of Ira Lamar and Adelia (Powers) Patton, pioneer settlers of Rock Creek Township, Jasper County, Iowa.[2] She was graduated (as Nellie Patton) from Newton High School in 1891.[3] In 1895, she filled in as cashier at McFarland & Son’s dry goods store.[4] Miss Patton was a primary teacher in Iowa and Washington prior to 1904.[5] Later she studied two years at the University of Chicago and taught grade school at Tacoma, Washington from 1904 to 1914.[6] She took her library coursework at the University of Iowa.[7] When Miss Patton first joined the Newton library staff Mrs. Charlotte Bryant was librarian.[8] When Elizabeth King was named librarian in 1915, Miss Patton was named her assistant.[9] In January of 1922 she was appointed head librarian.[10] She continued as head librarian until October of 1939 when, at her own request, she was placed in charge of organizing the children’s department of the library.[11] She resigned from the city library staff in August 1940.[12] She was a member of the Iowa Library Association, the Business & Professional Women’s Club, and Chapter AO of P. E. O.[13] She was also a member of Newton Woman’s Club and attended the First Congregational Church.[14] Miss Patton left Newton the first of September to make her home in Seattle, Washington, with her sister, Mrs. E. B. Crane.[15] She died suddenly at Providence Hospital at Seattle, October 28, 1940, following a major surgical procedure for a stomach disorder from which she was reportedly recovering.[16] Miss Blanche R. Maytag, librarian, announced that the Newton Public Library would close for Miss Patton’s funeral services.[17] Miss Patton is buried with her family in Newton Union Cemetery.[18]

-Larry Ray Hurto

[1] The Newton Daily News, October 28, 1940.
[2] The Iowa Press Association’s Who’s Who in Iowa (Des Moines: Published by Iowa Press Association, 1940), p. 619; The Newton Daily News, October 28, 1940.
[3] The Newton Journal, June 17, 1891.
[4] Ibid., May 15, 1895.
[5] The Iowa Press Association’s Who’s Who in Iowa, p. 619.
[6] The Newton Daily News, October 28, 1940; The Iowa Press Association’s Who’s Who in Iowa, p. 619.
[7] Jasper County Record, Newton, Iowa, November 7, 1940, in [John C. Daehler, comp.,] Patton-Jasper family history, Jasper County Historical Society, Newton, Iowa.
[8] The Newton Daily News, October 28, 1940.
[9] Ibid.
[10] Ibid.
[11] Ibid.
[12] Ibid.
[13] The Iowa Press Association’s Who’s Who in Iowa, p. 619.
[14] Jasper County Record, November 7, 1940.
[15] The Newton Daily News, October 28, 1940; October 29, 1940.
[16] Ibid., October 28, 1940.
[17] Ibid., October 30, 1940.
[18] Jasper County Genealogical Society, comp., Jasper County, Iowa, Cemeteries: Newton Union Cemetery, Blocks 4, 5, 6, and 7 (Des Moines: Iowa Genealogical Society, 1994), p. 406.