Josiah B Patterson

PATTERSON

Posted By: County Coordinator (email)
Date: 4/12/2010 at 13:00:58

Josiah B Patterson, proprietor of a well appointed and well stocked grocery store in Boone, conducted under the name of Patterson Grocery Company, has for more than a half century been identifed with business and public inerests in this section of the state. He arrived in the county in 1856, locating at Belle Point, in the northeastern corner of Douglas township, upon a farm which his father had purhased in 1854. Since that time the family name has figured in connection with events of public importance and with the material development of the community.
Josiah B Patterson was born in Morgan county, Ohio, August 28, 1842, a son of William and Sarah (Cadwallader) Patterson. The father's birth occurred in Harrison county, Ohio November 20, 1819. He was a son of Jeremiah Patterson, of North Carolina, and a grandson of Captain William Patterson, who was a Scotchman by parentage, although born in the north of Ireland. He became a sea captain, devoting his entire life to that calling. Jeremiah Patterson made farming his life work. He removed from North Carolina to Ohio and his death occurred in the latter state. His son, William Patterson, born and reared in Harrison county, Ohio brought his famiy to Iowa in 1856 and settled upon a far which he had previously purchased in 1854. With characteristic energy he began the development and cultivation of his land, which he converted into richly tilled fields, making his home there on until his death. He was reared in the faith of the Society of Friends but afterward joined the Methodist Episcopal church. His wife was a native of Belmont county, Ohio, born Feruary 27, 1821, and her death occurred in Boone county, July 12, 1906. She was a daughter of David Cadwallader, a native of North Carolina, although his father was a native of Wales and the founder of the family in the new world. It was in Morgan county, Ohio in October 1841, that William Patterson and Sarah Cadwallader were united in marriage. They became the parents of four children, of whom Josiah B and two sisters are yet living, these being: Mrs Rachel Reichenbach, the wife of Frederick Reichenbach, a resident of Colfax township, and Mrs Edith Johnson a widow, also residing in Colfax township. The other sister was Mrs Sarah Voutrees, who was the wife of George Voutrees and who died in December 1910.
Josiah B Patterson spent the first fourteen years of his life in his native state and then accompanied his parents to Iowa. His educational opportunities were somewhat limited, but his training at farm labor was not meager. At the time of the Civil war, however, he put aside all business interests and personal considerations in order to respond to the country's call for aid, enlisting on August 11, 1862, as a member of Company D, Thirty-second Iowa Infantry, with which he remained until mustered out on August 24, 1865. He participated in a number of hotly contested engagements, but was never wounded, although he was often in the thickest of the fight.
When the war was over Mr Patterson returned to Boone county and resumed farming, in which he engaged until 1888. He was then appointed deputy sheriff under Samuel Zenor, and the following year was elected to the office of sheirff, in which position he served for two terms, or four years, retiring from that postion on January 1, 1894. He was again called to public office in 1897 when appointed postmaster of Boonesboro, in which position he continued until 1902. In January of the latter year he was again made depty sheirff and continued in that postition for five years. Since September 1908 he has been intersted in the grocery trade and has divided his attention between his commcercial and agricultural interests, for he still supervises his farm. He has an attractive store in which he carries a large and well selected line of staple and fancy groceries, and his cuccess has placed him with the leading merchants of the city.
In March 1862, Mr Patterson was united in marriage when but nineteen and half years of age, to Miss Mary Hull, who was born in Licking county, Ohio and when eight years of age came to Boone county with her father's family. This was the year 1852. She was a daughter of Uriah and Rachel (Sigler) Hull, residents of Licking county, Ohio where they resided until coming west to Iowa. The mother died in 1875 and her father passed way in 1888, when nearly ninety years of age. Their daughter, Mrs Patterson as called to her final rest November 27, 1907, and her death was deeply regretted by many frineds as welll as by her immediate family . By her marriage she had become the mother of seven children, all of whom survive. Charles H is operating the home farm near Luther, Boone county. Mrs Elizabeth Jenkins is living in Denver, Colorado Emma is at home, Wilkie C is a jeweler of Aurora, Illinois, Webb is engaged in the grocery business in Boonesboro. Ssarah and Gertrude are at home, and the latter is employed in the Boone postoffice.
Politically Mr Patterson has always been a stalwart republican.He has filled nearly all of the township and other local offices and the record which he has made as a public officer is a creditable one, being charaterized at all times by promptness, fideltiy and loyalty socially he is connected with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and the Knights of Pythias. He is also a member of J G Miller Post, No 69 G A R and is a true and loyal to his country today as when he followed the old flag upon the battlefields of the south.The success which had come to him in a business way is the direct and merited reward of his own labors. Starting out in life with little capital, he has worked his way upward, and his energy and enterprise place him among the substantial citizens of his adopted county.

1914 Boone County History Book