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John Patterson
History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys,
embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder,
in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania...
Edited by F. Ellis and A. N. Hungerford.
Published in Philadelphia by Everts, Peck & Richards, 1886
Pages 738-740
CHAPTER IX.
John Patterson.
By A. L.
Guss
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.
John Patterson is of Irish extraction. His paternal great-grandfather emigrated
from Ireland to America
about the year 1740, and settled in Bucks County, Pa. With him came six sons,
each of whom was given a
farm on the banks of the Delaware, this land being part of the original tract
purchased by him. Mr.
Patterson spent the remainder of his life in Bucks County, which was also the
home of his son John, who
was united in marriage to Sarah Wilson. Their children were John, Andrew,
James, and two daughters,
Mary (Mrs. John Means) and Ann (Mrs. Jamison). John, of this number, was born
in October, 1763, in
Bucks County, and removing to Juniata County in 1790, settled as a merchant at
Academia, in Beale
township, where he pursued until his death, in October 1836, a successful
business career. John Patterson
and his business partner were the pioneers in the use of arks for the
transportation of merchandise and
produce down the North Branch of the Susquehanna River. He married Isabella
Lyon, whose grandfather,
John Lyon, emigrated from Ireland about the year 1760, and settled in the
present Juniata County. His son
James married a Miss Martin and engaged in farming pursuits in Mifflin County.
Among their children was
Isabella, before mentioned, wife of John Patterson, whose son, John, the subject
of this sketch, was born on
the 26th of March, 1809, at Academia, Juniata County, where the early years of
his life were passed. After
ordinary opportunities at the public school a year was spent at the academy at
Mifflintown, and an
additional year at the New London Cross-Roads Academy, in Chester County,
Pa. On the completion of his
studies he engaged as manager for his father in his mercantile enterprises, the
latter being at that time much
absorbed in his various landed interests and the erection of buildings upon his
farms. He remained thus
employed until 1836, and the embarked in buisness as proprietor. In 1842 he
began a brief career as a
farmer. In 1846 he superintended the construction of a tannery at Peru Mills,
Lack township, which
enterprise he afterward managed under the firm-name of Wiliam H. Patterson &
Co. Subsequently, having
spent two years in Milwaukee, Wis., he returned in 1851 to Juniata County, and
with his brother resumed
the business of a tanner. In 1858 his brother-in-law, William Van Dyck, became
his partner, and continued
so until the beginning of the late war. In 1874, having abandoned the tannery, he
continued farming and
milling, in which he is still engaged. John Patterson was, on the 6th of October,
1836, married to Ellen,
daughter of William Van Dyck, of Mercersburg, Pa. Their children are Isabella,
born July 4, 1837, and
married to David D. Stone; James J., born June 22, 1838, married to Elizabeth
Jack; Ellen, born November
27, 1837, wife of James Patton, who died August 20, 1873; Mary L., born
January 27, 1841, who died June
3, 1867; William Henry, born August 12, 1842, who died November 4, 1847;
Robert H., born March 12,
1844; Charles W., born July 25, 1845, married to Blanche Stone, of Norfolk, Va.;
Adelia Forrest, born
October 25, 1846; Clara, born August 25, 1848, wife of William A. McDowell;
Lillie, born August 2, 1851,
wife of Thomas P. Carson; Annie D., born July 21, 1855, who died September
29, 1874. Mrs. Patterson's
death occurred October 13, 1865. Mr. Patterson has been either a Whig or
Republican in politics, but beside
holding the office of justice of the peace, in which he is now serving his third
term, has not been especially
interested in matters of a political nature. His religious associations are with the
Peru Presbyterian Church,
of which he is a member and was a former trustee.
The graphics on this website are not in the public domain.
© 2006 by Michael Milliken
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