For
Muscatine County Iowa
1911
| Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1911 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Volume II, Biographical, 1911, page 67
JAMES S. PATTEN. James S. Patten, who has lived retired in Muscatine for the past twenty-three years, has been a resident of this city for six decades and was for a number of years successfully engaged in business as a lumber dealer. His birth occurred in Mounty Gilead, Marion county, Ohio, on the 25th of January, 1826, his parents being Thomas and Elizabeth ( Porter ) Patten, who were natives of Scotland and Pennsylvania respectively. The father, who was reared on a farm in Scotland, emigrated to the United States in early manhood and took up his abode in Pennsylvania. He was married in Philadelphia and went with his bride to Marion county, Ohio, where he entered land and took up the occupation of farming. During the war of 1812 he served as an officer, loyally defending the interests of his adopted country. He lived to attain the ripe old age of eighty-four years, passing away in Marion county, Ohio, in the faith of the Presbyterian church, of which his wife was also a member. The latter survived him and was eighty-six years of age when called to her final rest. They were the parents of ten children, six sons and four daughters, as follows : Elizabeth, the deceased wife of Elijah Ricketts; Joseph, who passed away; Mary, who gave her hand in Marriage to John Longstreth; Tamsen, who is deceased; James S., of this review; Thomas and William, who are likewise passed away; John, a resident of Mount Gilead, Ohio; Robert, deceased; and Jennie, who is the widow of Zell Owen and makes her home in Florida.James S. Patten was reared to manhood on his father's farm in Ohio and obtained his education in the old-fashioned subscription school, while subsequently he continued his studies in the district schools and later entered Iberia College at Iberia, Ohio. He next followed the profession of teaching for one year, imparting clearly and readily to others the knowledge that he had acquired. In the spring of 1850 he came to Muscatine, Iowa and began the manufacture of sash and doors, conducting an enterprise of that character for five years. On the expiration of that period he embarked in the lumber business and successfully carried on his interests in this connection for a number of years. In 1887, however, he put aside active business cares and has since lived in honorable retirement, his competence being sufficient to supply him with all of the comforts and many of the luxuries of life. He owns a handsome residence at No. 406 Iowa avenue and has long been numbered among the most substantial and respected citizens of Muscatine.
On the 5th of May, 1853, Mr. Patten was united in marriage to Miss Sarah A. Neidig, a native of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and a daughter of Isaac and Susan ( Miller ) Neidig, who were likewise born in the Keystone state, the latter passing away there. Isaac Neidig came to Iowa in 1850 and was for a number of years actively engaged in business as a lumber dealer and grocery merchant of Muscatine. His demise here occurred when he was about eighty-five years of age. Unto him and his wife were born four daughters and a son, namely : Sarah A., Mary, Elizabeth, Susan and Samuel. Mr. and Mrs. Patten became the parents of three children. Ellsworth Clay, now deceased, was engaged in the lumber business in Des Moines at the time of his death, which occurred when he was but twenty-four years of age. May Villa, who keeps house for her father, preached in the Methodist church for a number of years. Henry Milton, a resident of Des Moines, is engaged in business as a money loaner. He wedded Mabel Jackson, a sister of Judge D. V. Jackson, and is the father of one son, John Sinclair Patten. Mrs. Sarah A. Patten was called to her final rest on the 5th of November, 1902, when seventy years of age, passing away in the faith of the Methodist church.
In politics Mr. Patten is a stanch republican and for one term he ably represented the third ward in the city council. The cause in education has ever found in him a warm friend and for seventeen years he did effective service in its behalf as a member of the school board. His religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Methodist church, while fraternally he is identified with the Masons, belonging to Iowa Lodge No. 2, A. F. & A. M.; Washington Chapter, No. 4, R. A. M.; and De Molay Commandery, No.1, K. T. He has reached the venerable age of eighty-five years and in the evening of life can look back upon a well spent, useful and honorable career.
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