Portrait and biographical album of Ingham and Livingston counties, Michigan, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties ... the governors of the state and of all the presidents of the United States.

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.

647

in the State where their first home was made on
coming to this country.
The immediate progenitor of our subject was
born on the old homestead in New York, and
reared to fairly understand the duties incident to
farm life. Ile was eighteen years of age when his
father died and soon after devoted himself to
learning tihe blacksmith's trade. When twenty-four
years old he removed to the Buckeye State, where
he secured a farm and about 1851 came to Flint,
this State, and entered three hundred and twenty
acres of land in Brada Township, Saginaw County.
Th'is lie cleared and improved as did le also several
other farms. In 1864 lie removed to Greenbusli,
Clinton County. Now, at the age of ty-eig ht
years, he lives with his children, having divided
his property among tlemn according to his own
ideas of riglt and equity.
Our subject's mother died in 1861 and Mr.
Patterson, Sr., married a second time, tihe union
being with Mrs. Jane Gillett. The first wife bolre
him fifteen children, of whom ten were reared to
years of manhood and womanhood. They are Selden J., George, our subject, Edward J., (Chauncy
Franklin, Maria, Mary J., Olivia and Elmira. The
eldest son servedl in the Third Michigan Cavalry
during the late war, while (George enlisted in an
()llio regimient: Edward J. served in Stockton's
regiment and also in the Sixth Regular Artillery.
The children were reared in the creed of the Baptist
Church. Our subject's mother was a daughter of
Selden Bennett, a farmer of Irish origin.
After reaching manhood Ransom F. Patterlson
came to Michigan with his father and settled in
the woods. Iis school days were very few, the
whole time 1passed in such an institution over text
books. comprising:at tlte most, only a few
weeks. Ile hlas acconiplished muchl, lowever, for
himself in an educational way, being of a quick
and assimilative nature. lie assisted his father in
clearing four farms in Saginaw County and at the
ag(e of fourteen was hired out and worked in an
hotel at 813 per month, living variously at Chesaning, St. Charles and Bay City. During the summers he assisted his father at home with the harvesting.
December 16, 1863, Mr. Patterson enlisted in

C6mpany G, Third Michigan Cavalry. He was
engaged in the first tight at Collierville, Tenn.,and
was distinguished for his readiness for duty. lie
served until March, 1865, when, while engaged in
building a bridge, he received a serious injury,
which has affected him ever since. He was discharged February, 1866, at San Antonio, Tex., and
his regiment disbanded at Jackson, Mich., in
March, after which he went to Greenbush, Clinton
County, and there remained for one year and a
half. lie then removed to Deer Creek and permnanently located, his residence being now at that
place. For the first four years after coming here
lie conducted his farming operations on shares.
lie now resides on section 7, and lie and his wife
own one hundred and sixty-three acres, of which
about one hundred acres have been cleared and
imlproved and bear a good class of buildings. He
is the owner also of another farm and of one hundred and twenty acres.
Mr. Patterson has been twice married. His first
marriage was May 31, 1866, at which time he
was united to Elizabeth Howe, who was born on
the farm where our subject now resides. She was
daughter of John and Eunice (,Jones) Howe, who
came to this State froml near Yonkers,:N. Y., in
1840 and settled in Deer Creek. Mrs. Howe was
born near Lockport, N. Y. She reared two children-Jaines and Elizabeth.
Mrs. Elizabeth Patterson died March 12, 874,
leaving one son whlose 1name is.John F. The
present wife was previous to her marriage a Miss
Eva Johnson, a daughter of Michael and Betllania
(Jones) Johnson, the father being a retired merchant at Linden. 1By thiis lmarriage our subject is
the parent of two children-Fred and Zada E.
(n another page of this volunme the reader will
lind a litthograllphic view of Ml r. Patterson's pleasant
home.
I )#ILLIAM H-. DECKE. To give a sketch of
the life story of a prominent business man
VV and an old soldier is a pleasant task, and we
are pleased to have so good a subject in the name