Clay Co., KS AHGP-Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington, Clay and Riley Counties-James Patterson
Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington, Clay and Riley Counties Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1890
JAMES PATTERSON is conspicuous among
the Scotch residents of Clay County, who
having left the laud of the thistle and the gorse, have fought the battle of life in a
foreign land among strangers, with no less courage
than their ancestors displayed when struggling for
freedom against the tyranny and oppression of a
relentless foe. Coming to Kansas in 1875, Mr.
Patterson has since that time been an important
factor in the life of Clay County, both socially and
politically. He and his family live happily in a
pleasant country residence, surrounded by all that
tends to make existence a pleasure. Some of their
children have left the parental roof, but others yet
remain to brighten the declining days of the father
and mother.
The boyhood days of our subject were quietly
and industriously passed in Ayrshire, Scotland,
where he was born March 26, 1832. His mother,
who had been in her youth Margaret Bryce, died in
Scotland in May, 1833, when her son, James, was
yet an infant. The father, John Patterson, was a
second time married, Isabelle Miller becoming his
wife. In the summer of 1847, the family decided
to emigrate to America. Embarking from the port
of Glasgow on the sailing ship "Vermont," they
were on the ocean seven weeks and three days, and
anchored in New York Harbor, August 4, of that
year. James Patterson was at that time a lad of
fifteen years, so he can recall vividly the scenes of
the voyage, as well as life in his lowland home.
The ancestors of the Patterson family, as far back
as their lineage can be traced, were members of the
Presbyterian Church and natives of Scotland.
John Patterson later in life united with that branch
of the church which is known as the Free Church
of the Presbyterian Society.
After landing in New York City, the family
proceeded to Troy, N. Y. where James began to
work as a farm laborer, continuing thus employed
until the fall of 1850, when he removed to Huron
County, Canada. There he was engaged about
eighteen months in clearing land from heavy timber,
the work being done for his brother, and on
its completion he was employed by another farmer
in Brantford Plains for four years. He prudently
saved all his earnings, and so was enabled to take
up 100 acres of Government land in the heavy
timber. This he improved and made his home for
a period of twenty years, transforming the dense
forest into a garden farm, with good buildings, and
orchard.
As soon as able, Mr. Patterson established a
home of his own, which, small and scantily furnished
at first, now illustrates the results of perseverance
and industry. However, without the aid
of his amiable and devoted wife, our subject would
doubtless have been less prosperous than he is.
He certainly regards that day as one of the most
fortunate in his existence when Miss Isabelle Watt
became his wife. The wedding ceremony was
celebrated Sept. 18, 1856, in Canada. Mrs. Patterson
is the daughter of George and Grace (Dean)
Watt, and has become the mother of a fine family
of children, recorded as follows: John W..
George, deceased; Grace, now the wife of Philip
Ross and a resident of Washington County, Kan.;
Margaret, deceased; Mary, Mrs. Thomas Marshall
of Washington County; Isabelle, who is the wife of
John Marshall and lives in Clifton, Washington
County; Ellen, Mrs. John R. Granger, a resident
of Washington County, Kan.; James A., Elizabeth,
now Mrs. William H. Funnell, of Washington
County Kan.; Jennie, Rosa, Martha L. and Jessie
A., are all yet under the home roof, and are bright,
well educated and refined. It is a pleasant sight
to witness so large a family living with one interest
and one aim before them, striving to rightly discharge
their duties to society and to each other.
They are warmly devoted to one another, and
grace any society which they enter.
After many years of happy wedded life, Mr. and
Mrs. Patterson saw prospects brightening in the
far West, as Kansas was then considered, and
finally determined to remove hither in April of the
year 1875. A few months prior to his removal he
bought 160 acres, which is comprised in his present
farm, and paid for it $1,000. He also about the
same time sold his improved land in Canada for
$3,500, thus gaining a good profit on the original
investment. The land which he purchased here
was unbroken, the only improvement consisting of
a well, which proved to be a good one, when
cleaned of the stones that had fallen into it. The
family were compelled to endure the many hardships
attendant upon life on the frontier. The
lumber for the erection of his large and comfortable
residence, and the barn, was shipped from
Ft. Madison, Iowa. He has gradually brought the
land under good cultivation, and has every reason
to feel proud of his financial success, having built
a good barn, corn-cribs, and a granary, with all
other outbuildings needed on a modern farm. He
has added eighty acres to his first purchase, also
purchasing 160 acres in Washington County, besides
a tract comprising the same amount of land
in Hayes Township, Clay County. He is the owner
of a house and lot in Clifton, so that he may be
justly called one of the chief landholders of Clay
County.
Worshiping with the Presbyterian Church in
Clifton, Mr. Patterson and his family contributed
liberally of their means and labor to assist in its
prosperity and upbuilding. He has been Elder of
the church in Clifton for about twelve years, and
gave considerable financial assistance in the erection
of the church edifice in that place. Politically
he votes with the Republican party, and held the
office of Justice of the Peace for one year. He has
been a member of the School Board for about two
years, and has always discharged his duties in connection
therewith, with his customary ability and to
the entire satisfaction of the citizens.