William Burns Paterson Explained

William Burns Paterson
President of Alabama State University
Term Start:1878
Term End:1915
Predecessor:George N. Card
Successor:John William Beverly
Birth Date:9 February 1850
Birth Place:Tullibody, Clackmannanshire, Scotland
Death Place:Montgomery
Spouse:Margaret Bingham

William Burns Paterson was an educator and horticulturist.[1] He is chiefly known as an educational provider, being involved in establishing Alabama State University.[2] He was a Democrat, a Presbyterian, and a charter member of the Alabama State horticultural society.

Early life

William was born in 1850[3] (some sources 1849), at Tullibody, Clackmannanshire, Scotland, son of John and Janet (Burns) Paterson, of Tullibody. His father was a Balman (sometimes called a "ball man" or "pot still man")[4] to trade at Glenochil Distillery. He is also recorded as having worked as a gardener[5] at Tullibody House.[6] He died when William was still young.[7] He was a lineal descendant of John, brother the poet Robert Burns. He had three years in the elementary schools of Scotland. In youth he was employed on the estate of Lord Abercrombie, located near Tullibody, and here he acquired that great love for flowers which played so important a part in his life. He was impressed by David Livingstone and considered working in Africa himself.[8] Tickets out of Scotland were expensive; he made it to America, in 1867, by working on the voyage as a deck-hand on a freight ship bound for New York.[9] Around 1869 he came to America, landing in New York; and after various experiences through the north and middle west, he drifted south to do construction work on a railroad being built out of Selma. He often walked long distances to find work.[10] He was variously employed: as a driver on the Erie Canal, in the Washington Navy Yard, on an Alabama railroad and on the Black Warrior River working as a dredger.[11]

Educational provider

In early 1870 he opened a school for negroes near the McFadden plantation in the vicinity of Greensboro. From 1871 to 1879 he conducted Tullibody Academy[12] for negroes at Greensboro, named after his home village. In the latter year he moved to Marion, where he became president of the Lincoln Normal University for Colored Students.[13] Here he remained several years, at the same time agitating in favour of State support. He finally succeeded in 1889, in securing an appropriation and also legislative authorization for relocation. Montgomery was selected, despite opposition from several including Booker T. Washington, and Mr. Paterson opened the school in the Beulah Baptist church under the name of State Normal School for Colored Students.[14] He successfully presided over this institution as long as he lived. He overcame opposition to his plans, and vindicated his position in favour of public support.

Horticulture

In 1890 he opened up a floral establishment, known as Rosemont Gardens, which grew from a 16 x 50 foot greenhouse to an area of about five acres.

Personal life

Married: June 5, 1879, at Selma, to Margaret Bingham, daughter of Newton R. and Annie (Bingham) Flack. Mrs. Paterson, a teacher, was a graduate of Oberlin college and a native of Canfield, Ohio, she was of Irish descent.

Children:

He died of heart failure at 10 a.m. 16 March 1915, at Montgomery.[16] Paterson had no regrets about his career. He wished his epitaph to be, " 'He taught Negroes fifty years.' " Paterson was only five years away from this goal when he died.[17]

Legacy

Alabama State University Founder's Day is celebrated on William Burns Paterson's birthday on 9 February.[18] It has been remembered every year since 1901.[19] The Bluebells of Scotland which was Paterson's favourite song was regularly sung.[20] [21] The university has a "Spirit of Tullibody Award" to honour the brave and forward-thinking spirit of Paterson by making civil contributions.[22] Paterson was honoured by George Reid in the Scottish Parliament on 11 September 2002 emphasising his dealings with the Ku Klux Klan.[23] One of Paterson's favourite poems was "What I Live For"[24] by George Linnaeus Banks.[25] Some of his correspondence with Booker T. Washington has been published.[26] Photographs of him still exist; one is found in a book by Charles William Dabney.[27] Paterson himself compiled a list of around 1000 of the graduates and their occupations.[28] Paterson Elementary School closed in 2009.[29]

References

  1. Book: The Gardeners' chronicle : a weekly illustrated journal of horticulture and allied subjects. 1874. Gardeners Chronicle. London. 211. 10 July 2017.
  2. Web site: History of Alabama State University. Levi Watkins Learning Center. 10 July 2017.
  3. Book: Owen. Thomas McAdory. Owen. Marie Bankhead. History of Alabama and dictionary of Alabama biography. 1921. The S. J. Clarke publishing company. Chicago. 1325. 10 July 2017.
  4. Book: A Dictionary of Occupational Terms Based on the Classification of Occupations used in the Census of Population, 1921. 1927. Ministry of Labour. 228. 3 March 2018. 454 - Distillers and Stillmen.
  5. News: Bakonyi . Rajmund . Tracing the descendants of Tullibody's famous son . 8 February 2019 . Alloa and Hillfoots Advertiser . 6 February 2019.
  6. Web site: Tullibody House . 2019-02-08 . . Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland.
  7. News: Burns. Ashleigh. William Burns Paterson, born in Tullibody in 1849, helped to champion education in Alabama. 5 July 2017. Alloa & Hillfoots Advertiser. 17 April 2016.
  8. Sherer. Robert G.. William Burns Paterson: "Pioneer as well as Apostle of Negro Education in Alabama. The Alabama Historical Quarterly. 1930. 36. 2: summer 1974. 21–50. 10 July 2017.
  9. Web site: William Burns Paterson. Tullibody History Group. 10 July 2017.
  10. Book: Obituary. 1915. The Florists' Review. Chicago. 52. 10 July 2017.
  11. News: Forsyth. Valerie. Walk in the Past: The Tullibody educator who took on the Ku Klux Klan. 24 May 2018. Alloa and Hillfoots Advertiser. 23 May 2018.
  12. Book: C.L.A.S.S. Public Relation Committee. Class Dispatch - Spring 2016. 2 March 2016 . Alabama State University. 9–10. 2nd. 10 July 2017.
  13. Web site: Alabama State University, A Time Line. Levi Watkins Learning Center. 10 July 2017.
  14. Web site: Brooks. F. Erik. Alabama State University (ASU). Encyclopedia of Alabama. 10 September 2017.
  15. News: William Burns Paterson Died Of Heart Attack At Capitol . 17 May 2019 . The Tuscaloosa News . Dr Miraculous . October 18, 1954.
  16. Book: The Florists' exchange : a weekly medium of interchange for florists, nurserymen, seedsmen and the trade in general. 1888. A.T. De la Mare Ptg. and Pub. Co.. New York, N.Y.. 669. v.39 1915. 3 March 2018.
  17. Sherer. Robert G.. William Burns Paterson: "Pioneer as well as Apostle of Negro Education in Alabama. The Alabama Historical Quarterly. 1930. 36. 2: summer 1974. 49. 10 July 2017.
  18. News: Harney . Erin . 'From Marion to Montgomery' sheds new light on the founding, history of Alabama State University . 29 May 2021 . Alabama NewsCenter . 26 February 2021.
  19. Web site: Dr William Burns Paterson. Old Tullibody. Angel Fire. 10 July 2017.
  20. News: Alabama State celebrates founders for 150th anniversary . 29 May 2021 . The Associated Press . 19 May 2019.
  21. Web site: The Bluebells of Scotland . YouTube.
  22. Web site: The 2019 Spirit Awards . Alabama State University . 9 February 2019.
  23. Web site: Meeting Of The Parliament Wednesday 11 September 2002 (Afternoon). Her Majesty‟s Stationery Office. 10 July 2017.
  24. Book: Andrews. William. North country poets : poems and biographies of natives or residents of Northumberland, Cumberland, Westmoreland, Durham, Lancashire and Yorkshire ... : (modern section). 1888. Simpkin. London. 49. Vol 1. 3 March 2018.
  25. News: Moore. Deborah Hayes. Roasted and toasted: Foundation honors 'citizen servant'. 3 March 2018. Montgomery Advertiser. 28 February 2015.
  26. Book: Booker T. Washington Papers Volume 3: 1889-95. Assistant Editors, Stuart B. Kaufman and Raymond W. Smock. April 1974. University of Illinois Press, 1974. 9780252004100. 3 March 2018.
  27. Book: Dabney. Charles William. Universal education in the South, by Charles William Dabney .... 1936. The University of North Carolina Press. Chapel Hill. 434–435. Vol 2. 3 March 2018.
  28. Book: Dabney. Charles William. Universal education in the South, by Charles William Dabney .... 1936. The University of North Carolina Press. Chapel Hill. 439–443. Vol 2. 3 March 2018.
  29. Web site: W. B. Paterson Elementary School . Abandoned Alabama . 10 November 2020 . 29 May 2021.