Page 35: CHARLES, JOSEPH FORM PARTNERSHIP
Dad and Uncle Joe formed Paterno Bros. as a partnership for building and construction. This did not last long. After Dad married Mother [23 Dec 1906], a divorcee and Protestant, the familial Catholic affinity with Paterno kinfolk became strained. No longer was he invited to dinner parties at homes of brothers and sisters. This brought hard feelings between brother Charles and Joseph.
At the time Dad was determined to create his Castle overlooking the Hudson River. Most of his money was invested in the Paterno Bros. partnership. He had to get cash out of the firm for building the Castle. A borrowing arrangement was agreed to which satisfied Uncle Joe.
Surprisingly, the next morning Uncle Joe told Dad that after talking it over with Jewel [Jule Wittkower Paterno 1885-1961], his wife, that he did not want to lend partnership money for Dad’s purpose. Dad felt that this reneged on the deal, and implicitly because of religious differences.
Naturally he was upset and withdrew from Paterno Bros. to form his own Paterno Construction Co.
***
Early in Dad’s construction career his morning habit at 11 o’clock was to go to a nearby bar for a shot of bourbon. This continued for several years until one day while walking there he felt a tap on his shoulder. When he turned around no one was there. He strongly believe that God had tapped his shoulder, and was so impressed that he turned back to his office and never resumed this bad habit.
Page 36: Dad was primarily a wine drinker. I remember when as a boy of four I was allowed a small glass of wine at Sunday dinner. Dad’s favorite was a light red wine. He never really drank hard liquor after that shoulder tapping experience.
There was a beautiful little garden-type Italian restaurant in Greenwich Village known as Enrico & Paglieri on West 11th Street. One night when Dad was a bit depressed, Helen and I decided to take him there to dinner and give him enough whiskey sours to get him a bit tipsy and so help him forget his problems. Dad had a strong constitution. All the drinking and wine we had at dinner had Helen and me so tipsy that, much to our embarrassment, it was Dad who drove us home.
(Photo) Caption: Minnie Minton Middaugh taken while attending Alfred University at Alfred Centre, N.Y. at the after of 15 years.
Page 37: (Portrait of Minnie Minton Middaugh Paterno) Caption: A pastel of Mother by the French artist Mrs. A. Lenique. This hung in the Music Room at the Castle.
NEXT: CHAPTER V • PATERNO BUSINESS THRIVES
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