PATTERSON, John G. 1831-1878

PATTERSON, QUIGGLE, BOWERS, MCCANN

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 9/16/2012 at 22:00:35

Fatal Railroad Accident

Hon. John G. Patterson, a prominent attorney and citizen of Charles City, was almost instantly killed near Spencer, on the Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, on Tuesday of last week. He had been acting as right of way agent for the company, in the extension of the road west from Algona, and the particulars of the accident which cost him his life are thus given in the Charles City Intelligencer:

He left here Monday noon, and arrived at Spencer that night. The next noon he started west on the construction train, accompanied by Frank Merrill, a director of the road, and one of the assistant superintendents. They were in a box car, the third one behind the engine. It was partially filled with heavy ties. When about fifteen miles west of Spencer, and within four of his destination, some accident happened to the car in front, throwing it from the track. The car in which, Mr. Patterson and his friends were riding was thrown from the track and turned over upon its side. A number of the ties were shifted. Just how the fatal accident to Mr. Patterson happened, neither of his companions can exactly tell.

When taken from the car he was found to be badly cut about the head. There was a bad cut on the forehead, just at the edge of the hair, and another on the back of the head, at the base of the brain, and a slight cut on the upper lip. He did not appear much injured, and was perfectly rational. He remarked to Mr. Merrill: "That was a close call, but I guess I am all right." In a few minutes he began to wander in his talk, and showed signs of drowsiness, and in twenty minutes was dead.

The deceased was one of the most prominent of the lawyers of Northern Iowa, and had a wide reputation in the State both as attorney and politician. He was a member of the State Senate for eight years, and was a prominent candidate for attorney-general before the Republican State convention in 1872. He stood very high as a man and neighbor, and enjoyed the cordial confidence and respect of all who knew him.

[Iowa State Reporter, Wednesday, November 06, 1878, Waterloo, Iowa]
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See the biography (link below) for information regarding his wives.

A Biographical Sketch of John Patterson
 

Floyd Obituaries maintained by LaVern Velau.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen