By Kirk Walstedt
George Patillo was born in Detroit, Michigan, on August 12, 1836. His parents, Andrew and Elizabeth Patillo, were both born and raised in Perthshire, Scotland, in the late 1700s. After their marriage, they traveled to New York on a sailing ship.
The journey took three months because of several severe storms that repeatedly forced the ship back to Scotland. From New York, they traveled by boat from the Hudson River through the Erie Canal into Lake Ontario and onward to Detroit. Andrew worked as a sawyer for a few years before moving his family to 100 acres he had purchased on the shores of Lake St. Clair in Maidstone Township, not far from the current Village of Puce.
Andrew cleared the heavily wooded land, built a home for his family, and became the owner of several lake scows that hauled lumber to Detroit, a successful business he owned and managed for over 30 years.
Before 1854, the Puce community, known locally as the Scotch Settlement, held religious services in Andrew’s and Elizabeth’s home. In 1854, the entire community collaborated to build the first St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. Decades later, when a new church was needed to accommodate more worshippers, it was Andrew’s descendants who donated the land for the new structure.
In addition to his farming and business ventures, Andrew was also prominent in local affairs, serving on Maidstone Township’s Municipal Council for a total of 10 years from 1852 to 1862, seven of those years as its Reeve, aka Mayor. Andrew passed away in 1875 and Elizabeth in 1878.
George was the third and youngest child of Andrew and Elizabeth. He managed the family farming operation for several years for his father and took full control and ownership after his father’s death. Family records show that “in 1864 he constructed a fine brick residence, comfortably fitted with the most modern conveniences of the day.” This home remains owned and occupied by the Patillo family today.
In 1867, George married Victoria Grant, daughter of Captain Duncan Grant, a well-known and respected gentleman farmer from Maidstone Township. George and Victoria had three children: George D., Charles A., and Emma, who married Henry Arnald, also a prominent resident of Maidstone Township at that time.
In addition to the original 100-acre homestead, George owned an extra 150 acres and was heavily involved in cheese production, securing a steady market within Essex County. Like his father before him, George also participated in local politics, having served several years as a school trustee.
It is said that while chatting with friends, George often recounted many entertaining incidents from pioneer life that were worth recording. One such story from the early 1870s, which has survived over time, concerns the confusion surrounding the name of the community.
When the post office first opened, there was a gentleman in the area who was amorously taken with Catherine Patillo, George’s sister. To win her favour, this young suitor placed a sign on the post office that read PATILLO. The name stuck, and between 1874 and 1893, Puce was also known as Patillo. However, a fair amount of confusion persisted over the years due to having two different names for the community—one at the post office and another at the railroad station. This led to the dropping of the name Patillo, and the small community has been known as Puce ever since.
George continued to be a valued member of the Township until his passing in 1914 at 78 years of age. Victoria was 80 years old when she passed away in 1923.
The Commemorative Biographical Record of Essex County, Maidstone Township An Historical Review and the Walstedt Historical Archives were valuable resources in the writing of this article.
About Kirk Walstedt
Kirk is a 4th generation Lakeshore resident, born and raised on the family farm in the former Maidstone Township. He is an historian, archeologist, author, retired lawyer and the current Deputy Mayor of Lakeshore.
