Hon. John Patterson 1821-1896

PATTERSON, DARBYSHIRE, STEWART

Posted By: Cheryl Locher Moonen (email)
Date: 3/23/2017 at 22:05:27

Burlington Hawk Eye, Burlington, IA, Wed., May 19, 1896, p. 3

PATTERSON.
Hon. John Patterson Died at 7:15 Last Night.
Identified With the Advancement of Burlington and, Des Moines County—Financier, Capitalist and Farmer—In Politics.

At a quarter past seven last evening, at his home six miles south of the city Hon. John Patterson breathed his last. For several days his life had hung in the balance in consequence of a most aggravated case of hernia and the weakness attending a critical surgical, operation necessary to relieve the same.

Mr. Patterson was intimately identified with the material interests of Burlington and Des Moines county. In county affairs he was known as a model agriculturist and stock breeder, his thousand of acres in the Skunk river bottom and lower sandridge being remarkable as well for his excellent management of them as for their fertility. His connection with the Des Moines County Agricultural society was another county interest he had near at heart. He was for years president of the society and sunk thousands of dollars of his own money in the laudable effort to make the annual exhibitions of stock and farm products fairly represent the resources and wealth of the county.

In city affairs Mr. Patterson's public spirit was equally displayed. He was from its inception vice president and director in the Merchants' National Bank, president of the Burlington Water Works company after the death of Judge Mason, and until the sale of the works to the Rand interest; director in the German-American Savings bank, and best know of all, perhaps, as the owner of the original South Hill Street Railway Co. He kept the line in operation for many years at a personal loss. He was largely interested in city real estate.

In political life the deceased was a liberal republican. He was elected by his party to a seat in the state senate, where he served with honor to himself.

Mr. Patterson was born in October, 1821, at Cumberland, Maryland, of Scotch parentage. He came to Iowa in 1839 and resided in this county ever since. He moved to his home south of the city in 1860 and devoted himself to agriculture, stock raising, quarrying, lime burning and the varied pursuits of which his large landed interest offered opportunity.

Mr. Patterson married Martha Darbyshire, and his widow, six sons and one daughter survive him. One sister, Mrs. Stewart, of Washington, Iowa, is also among the surviving relatives.

Announcement of the funeral will be made later.

Burlington Hawk Eye, Burlington, IA, Wed., May 20, 1896, p. 3