Zera S. Patterson, b. 7 Feb 1838

TUBBS, GRIFFIN, BATES, FLANDERS

Posted By: Donna Moldt Walker (email)
Date: 2/21/2004 at 12:02:54

Zera S. Patterson, the present Assessor of Maquoketa Township, is numbered among its prominent men, and is justly popular on account of his many excellent traits of character. Genial, companionable, and a good business man, he is familiarly known to most of the residents of this part of the county, where he has lived for many years. By trade he is a carpenter and joiner; also a horse-trainer, in which business he has been remarkably successful, and bears the reputation of an expert, making a specialty of training for the race course, and taking pride in bringing out the best points of the equine race.

A native of Ashtabula County, Ohio, our subject was born at Eagleville, Feb. 7, 1838, and there spent his boyhood and youth on his father's farm. He acquired his education in the district school, and when a youth of seventeen years accompanied his parents to the young State of Iowa, they making the trip overland with a team, crossing the "Father of Waters" on the 7th of November, 1855. Young Patterson remained under the parental roof until twenty-three years of age, then anxious for a better education entered the High School at Sidney were he was occupied with his studies until about the time of the beginning of the Civil War.

The next movement of our subject was to enlist as a Union soldier, July 10, 1861, in Company I, 2d Illinois Cavalry, being mustered in at Springfield, and his regiment assigned to the Army of the West. They soon received marching orders, and met the enemy in many of the important battles which followed, namely: Port Gibson, Champion Hill, Raymond, Jackson, Black River, and the siege of Vicksburg. Later they went into the western part of Louisiana, and were considerably engaged in skirmishing until the spring of 1864. The Red River expedition soon followed, and they engaged in battle at Sabin Cross-Roads and Pleasant Valley, and our subject was under fire most of the time until the 21st of May following. The war then having practically ended his regiment was sent to Baton Rouge, La., where he was mustered out Aug. 13, 1864. Then returning to Springfield, Ill., he received his honorable discharge, and soon afterward made his way to his old tramping grounds in this county.

Mr. Patterson now took up his abode at the old homestead, and engaged as a carpenter, which business he has followed much of the time since. This, however, has been varied with school-teaching, in which he has been engaged considerably for the last sixteen years. He became interested in fast horses, and purchased the famous trotter Derby, or Little Fraud, who had a record of 2:34, and was a valuable animal. Since that time Mr. Patterson has handled a great many trotters, both for himself and other parties. He has succeeded in accumulating a nice property, including a neat residence in the eastern part of town, which he put up himself, and which forms with its surroundings a very pleasant home.

On the 3d of August, 1878, our subject was married in Maquoketa to Miss Lucy, daughter of Sidney D. Tubbs, a native of Warren County, N.Y. Her paternal grandfather, Jeremiah Tubbs, was a farmer by occupation, and of English descent. Sidney D. Tubbs, her father, was a pioneer of Iowa Territory, coming to this county as early as 1843. He was largely engaged as a contractor and builder, and also carried on farming. He put up several mills in this vicinity, both for flour and lumber; and owned the Rockwell mills, which he operated until his death, in September, 1876. He purchased land which he improved, and built up a good homestead. He was a man of considerable note in his community, and in politics a decided Democrat.

The mother of Mrs. Patterson was in her girlhood Miss Amanda Griffin, who was born in Warren County, N.Y., Sept. 28, 1825, and was the daughter of Isaiah Griffin, also a native of Warren County, and born May 30, 1798. The maternal grandmother, who in her girlhood was Miss Lucy Bates, was a native of Vermont. They came to this county at an early day, and Grandfather Griffin thereafter carried on farming and died in 1862. The parental family included eight children, namely: Danvers (deceased), Delia, Sidney, Lucy, Emma (deceased), Charles, Eddie, and John G. Mrs. Patterson was born in South Fork Township, this county, Dec. 11, 1850, and received her education in the district schools of her native township. She remained under the home roof until her marriage, and by her union with our subject has become the mother of two children - Bertha and Lora.

Walter Patterson, the father of our subject, was born in Cortland County, N.Y., and was the son of James B. Patterson, a native of Ireland, who came to America when a young man, located in the county above mentioned, and later participated in the War of 1812. The latter was the son of John Patterson, also a native of Ireland, who emigrated to the United States in time to carry a musket in the Revolutionary War. He also located in the Empire State, where he spent his last days. Walter Patterson, like his father before him, carried on agriculture in New York State until 1853, then came to Iowa, and took up 200 acres of land on the Maquoketa bottom, where he lived and labored until 1871. He then sold out, returned East to his children, but spent his last days with his daughter in Omaha, Neb., dying in September, 1888, when seventy-eight years old. He was a man of decided views: and in politics, a Democrat.

Mrs. Sophia (Flanders) Patterson, the mother of our subject, was born in Cattaraugus County, N.Y., and was the daughter of Ezekiel Flanders, a native of New Hampshire, who emigrated to the Empire State, and followed farming until his death. Mrs. Patterson received an excellent education, and taught school for a number of years. Her death took place in May, 1876, when she was sixty years of age. The parental household included ten children: Alzina, the eldest, and the next child, an infant unnamed, died young; Zera S., our subject, was the third of the family. The others were Amanda (deceased); Ellen; Lydia and Walter (deceased), Alice, Amelia, and Alveretta.

Mr. Patterson, like his father before him, is decidedly Democratic in his political views, and has been quite prominent in his party in this section; frequently being sent as a delegate to the various conventions. He has served on the Petit Jury, and occupied the offices of Assessor and Road Supervisor. Socially, he belongs to the G.A.R. at Maquoketa.

The mother of Mrs. Patterson is still living, and makes her home with her daughter.

("Portrait and Biographical Album of Jackson County, Iowa", originally published in 1889, by the Chapman Brothers, of Chicago, Illinois)