Robert W. Patten "Umbrella Man" photographs and cartoons, 1910-1911
Table of Contents
Overview of the Collection
- Title
- Robert W. Patten "Umbrella Man" photographs and cartoons
- Dates
- 1910-1911 (inclusive)19101911
- Quantity
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25 photographs and
postcards (1 folder) ; 3.5"x5"
1 glass plate negative : glass plate negative ; 5"x7" - Collection Number
- PH0868
- Summary
- Postcards with photographs and cartoons portraying Seattle's "Umbrella Man" Robert W. Patten, 1910
- Repository
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University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu - Access Restrictions
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Entire collection can be viewed on the Libraries’ Digital Collections website. Permission of Visual Materials Curator required to view originals. Contact Special Collections for more information.
- Languages
- English
Biographical Note
Robert W. Patten (1832-1913) arrived in Seattle in the 1890s sporting his invention and the source of his celebrity, the Umbrella Hat. Patten, with his bushy beard and hair, round smiling face, and signature headpiece, became a familiar sight on Seattle streets. He told tales of his adventure-filled life, including his adoption as a runaway child by Winnebago Indian Chief Big John, hunting with Kit Carson, and being selected by Lincoln during the Civil War to serve as Chief U.S. Scout. Patten worked in Seattle as a fix-it man and lived on a houseboat on Lake Union. Seattle's "Umbrella Man" died in 1913 at the age of 81.
Patten's signature umbrella hat inspired the cartoonist, John Ross "Dok" Hager to create a series of folksy cartoons, starting in 1909, that had the Umbrella man dispensing witty sayings on the front page of the newspaper. A flag coming out of his umbrella hat would have the weather forecast. Many of the cartoons referenced Seattle's image as a place where it rains all the time.
Content Description
Photographic and cartoon postcards portraying Seattle's "Umbrella Man" Robert W. Patten. The cartoons were drawn by John Ross "Dok" Hager, originally for publication as a regular feature on the Seattle Timesfront page, with captions dispensing folk wit and weather forecasts. All but one of the postcards are marked "Copyright, 1910 by Times Printing Company of Seattle."
Use of the Collection
Alternative Forms Available
View the digital version of the collection
Restrictions on Use
Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries for details.
Administrative Information
Acquisition Information
Source: Fairlook Antiques, January 2007, 12 cartoon postcards; March 2010, 6 cartoon postcards ; Allen Doyle, November 5, 2007, 1 glass plate negative; 2 photographic postcards transferred from Portrait collection, 2008; 1 photographic postcard and 4 cartoon postcards transferred from Seattle Postcard collection, 2008.
Processing Note
Processed by Nicolette Bromberg, 2010.
Part of collection accessioned as PH2009-002. Photographs transferred from Seattle Postcard collection 2008.
Bibliography
Patten, Robert W. (1832-1913), "Seattle's famed Umbrella Man" HistoryLink.org Essay 3149
Detailed Description of the Collection
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Photographs, 1910
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Description: Patten in front of house with umbrella and cane
Postcard. Written on back: Seattle, Apr. 28, 1916. My dear Miss Ober, Have you one of these, the original of our Weather Man? All good wishes, Edith Covey
Dates: circa 1910Container: Folder 1, Item 1 -
Description: Patten on Seattle street (or possibly on a dock) in front of an advertisement for the S.S. Ohio sailing to Nome, Alaska
The glass plate negative of this image contains more of the photograph than is printed on the postcard.
Dates: circa 1910Container: Box XGB1, Item 2a -
Description: Patten on Seattle street (or possibly on a dock) in front of an advertisement for the S.S. Ohio sailing to Nome, Alaska
Postcard print.
Dates: circa 1910Container: Folder 1, Item 2b
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"Dok" Hager cartoons, 1910
The cartoons portraying Seattle's "Umbrella Man," Robert W. Patten, were drawn by John Ross "Dok" Hager, originally for publication as a regular feature on the Seattle Timesfront page, with captions dispensing folk wit and weather forecasts.
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Dates: January 11, 1910Container: Folder 1, Item 3
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Description: "Lookin' for my affinity."Dates: January 31, 1910Container: Folder 1, Item 4
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Description: "Looks like Burns is goin' to have a wet one."Dates: February 7, 1910Container: Folder 1, Item 5
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Description: "I always did want to jine that hunt club."Dates: February 11, 1910Container: Folder 1, Item 6
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Description: "Hike out Ducky, and see if you kin find any land."Dates: February 26, 1910Container: Folder 1, Item 7
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Description: "Lord save me from another dry town."Dates: circa March 1910Container: Folder 1, Item 8
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Description: "Cheer Up! We all have our little troubles."
Written on the back of the postcard: The old "Umbrella Man" has been a source of a great deal of amusement to us this winter. Hope he will remind you of Seattle. We are having glorious weather - the spring flowers are all out. Hope you are enjoying yourself. Sincerely, A.C.
Dates: circa March 1910Container: Folder 1, Item 9 -
Description: "Feels like a cold wave's comin."Dates: circa May 1910Container: Folder 1, Item 10
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Description: "Speaking of figures, you should see my shape."Dates: circa June 1910Container: Folder 1, Item 11
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Description: "Be it ever so ugly, there's no face like your own."Dates: circa June 1910Container: Folder 1, Item 12
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Dates: circa June 1910Container: Folder 1, Item 13
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Description: "Drink like a fish--water only."Dates: circa July 1910Container: Folder 1, Item 14
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Description: "I am thinkin' of you."Dates: circa August 1910Container: Folder 1, Item 15
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Description: "Kiro Siwo Forbidden fruit is sweeter."Dates: 1910Container: Folder 1, Item 16
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Dates: 1910Container: Folder 1, Item 17
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Dates: 1910Container: Folder 1, Item 18
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Description: "The lid is on here."Dates: 1910Container: Folder 1, Item 19
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Description: "Accidents will happen."Dates: 1910Container: Folder 1, Item 20
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Description: "Say, let me tell you there's no straddlin' of the credit question at the Standard; they just fix it so us Seattle folks can git what we want and pay any old time! Great, eh?"
Postcard advertisment for Standard Furniture Company. Printed on verso: "The Umbrella Man," R.W. Patten, the Famous Weather Prophet of the Seattle Times.
Dates: 1910Container: Folder 1, Item 21 -
Dates: 1910Container: Folder 1, Item 22
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Description: "I'm goin' to take our champeen package of sunshine to my pal."
Postcard advertising space rates for theSeattle Timeswhich shows the Umbrella Man pulling a wagon containing a huge newspaper titled the "Eighth Annual Number of the Seattle Sunday Times.
Dates: 1910Container: Folder 1, Item 23 -
Description: "Why sure! Rubber all you want. That's what we're here for."
Postcard advertisement for Lowman & Hanford Company's new publicationThe Umbrella Mancontaining a collection of cartoons by Dok Hager.
Dates: 1911Container: Folder 1, Item 24
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Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Personal Names
- Patten, Robert W., 1832-1913--Photographs
Form or Genre Terms
- Postcards
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)
