Biographical Sketch of

Thomas H. Patterson

Transcribed by Joan Benner for the Marquette Co WI Pages


Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Green Lake, Marquette and Waushara Counties, Wisconsin, 
published 1890 by Acme Publishing Co., Chicago, Pages 347 and 348

Thomas H. Patterson, one of the energetic and prosperous business men of 
Pine River, is the owner of one of the largest mills in Waushara County. 
As he is so widely and favorably known throughout the community we know 
that his biographical sketch will be of interest to the readers of this 
album. The history of his life is as follows:

He was born in the town of Milton, Saratoga County, New York, on the 5th 
of March, 1848, and is of Irish descent. His father, Thomas Patterson, 
was born near Belfast, Ireland, in the year 1800, and lived the life of 
a well-to-do farmer. He grew to manhood in his native country, coming to 
America at the age of twenty-five years. He first settled in Saratoga 
County, N. Y., where he became acquainted with and married Margaret 
Moorehead, who was born in Ireland in 1822. A famly of six sons and 
four daughters were born of their union: Charlotte, who was united in 
marriage with Horace F. Skinner, a farmer in the town of Mt. Morris, 
Waushara County; Eliza, who became the wife of John Clark, a farmer, 
who for ten years was county clerk of Waushara County: James enlisted 
in Company A, 16th Wisconsin Infantry for the late war and was killed at 
the battle of Shiloh, the first engagement in which he participated; 
Thomas H. was the next younger; Maggie married Amos Brownlow, a farmer 
of Mt. Morris Township; Agnes is the wife of La Fayette Soule of 
Kirksville, Missouri; John died in infancy; William resides on the old 
homestead in Mt. Morris Township; Charles married Lettie Wood and is 
living on a farm in the same town; George is an apprentice in the mill 
owned by our subject.

Thomas Patterson was but two years of age when he was brought by his 
parents to Waushara County. His father purchased 160 acres of wild land 
previous to the government survey and upon the farm which he there 
developed he made his home until his death in November 1880. His wife 
survived him until Feb. 7, 1883, when she too passed away. Both were 
members of the Presbyterian church. The mother of Mr. Patterson also 
left her home in Ireland, emigrating to America and spent her last days 
with her son in the town of Mt. Morris.

The boyhood and youth of our subject were spent on his father's farm. 
He receive dbut limited educational advantages, having to assist his 
father in the cultivation of his land and aid in the support of the 
family. While the black clouds of warfare were still overhanging the 
country, though only a youth of seventeen summers, Mr. Patterson 
volunteered his services and became a membe rof Company B, 49th 
Wisconsin Infantry, on the 30th of January, 1865. His company remained 
in camp at Madison for four weeks and was then transferred to Benton 
Barracks, St. Louis, Missouri. During the latter part of March it was 
sent to Port Daily, Rolla Missouri, where for six months it did guard 
duty. While there Mr. Patterson was taken sick and confined in the 
hospital for a short time, being removed to a hospital in St. Louis, 
where he was honorably discharged September 27, 1863.

Still in failing health he returned home and remained on the farm with 
his father for one year. He made his first business venture by purchasing 
200 acres of uncultivated land upon which he resided for seven years and 
by his industry and untiring efforts succeeded in placing fifty acres of 
that amount under cultivation. Disposing of that property he came to Pine 
River and purchased the flouring mill owned by McNeeley & Co., then in 
a very dilapidated condition. He has since added many improvements and 
has a fine mill, its capacity being the greatest of any in the county. 
By assiduity to his business and honorable dealings with his patrons 
his efforts have been rewarded with a marked degree of success and 
although several othe rparties have made efforts to establish the 
business on a paying basis he was the only successful one.

Politically Mr. Patterson is a stalwart Democrat and was an alternate 
delegate to the National Democratic Convention in Chicago that nominated 
Ex-President Cleveland. He was appointed Postmaster of Pine River but 
after holding that office two years, resigned. Socially, he is a member 
of Pine River Lodge, No. 207, A. F. & A. M. and has been a representative 
to the Grand Lodge in Milwaukee. He also belongs to Ed. Saxe Post, No. 
135, G. A. R., of Wautoma.

On the 10th of April, 1878, Mr. Patterson was united in marriage with
Miss Belle Metcalf, am estimable and cultured lady, who was born Feb. 
25, 1846, in Lake County, Ill., and is a daughter of Theopolis F. and 
Sabra (Palmeter) Metcalf, her father a native of the Emerald Isle, the 
mother of Herkimer County, N. Y. When her father was two years old he 
was brought to America by his parents, who settled on a farm in the 
Province of Ontario, Canada, near St. Thomas, and there Mr. Metcalf was 
reared to agricultural pursuit. At the age of nineteen, he went to 
Muskegon, Michigan, and became a partner in the lumber business of that 
city. In 1841, he removed to Lake County, Illinois, and purchased the 
farm on which he lived until 1849, when he sold out and moved to 
Winnebago County, Wis., subsequently becoming a citizen of the Town of 
Marion, Waushara County, where he and his wife still make their home. 
They have a family of three children: Delia C., born April 29, 1848, 
became the wife of T. W. Hamilton, a boot and shoe merchant of Berlin; 
Frank F., born May 22, 1855, wedded Mary Moriarty. Mrs. Patterson's 
education was completed in the Berlin High School, where she pursued a 
four years' course, lacking only one year of graduation. She taught her 
first school when sixteen years of age and with the exception of the 
four years spent in the High School taught for sixteen successive years. 
In 1874 and 1875 she was the Principal of the Pine River School. As an 
instructor she has but few equals in Waushara County, and it was with 
sincere regret on the part of many that she left the ranks of its 
successful teachers. One child graces the union of Mr. and Mrs. 
Patterson -- Fay M., born January 21, 1879.

In the social world this worthy couple are held in highest regard and 
in business circles few rank higher than our subject. he has made
his own way in the world, working upwards step by step until he is 
numbered among the prosperous citizens of the county and is proprietor 
of one of its leading industries. (A portrait accompanied this biography)   
 





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