Brooks-Muscogee-Thomas County GaArchives Biographies.....Patterson, James M. 1853 - living in 1913 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 21, 2004, 2:15 pm Author: William Harden p. 879-881 JAMES M. PATTERSON. For nearly a score of years a resident of Brooks county, James M. Patterson has during that time been associated with the development and advancement of its agricultural resources, his farming property being located in Dixie district. A son of the late John W. Patterson, he was born in 1853, in Muscogee county, Georgia. His grandfather, John Patterson, was born, it is supposed, in North Carolina, and was of Scotch-Irish parentage. Soon after assuming the duties and responsibilities of a married man he migrated to Georgia, becoming an early settler of Burke county. In 1835 he moved to Muscogee county, Georgia, and having bought a tract of land near Boxspring was there engaged as a tiller of the soil during the remainder of his life. He married Sarah Wright, who was likewise of Scotch-Irish ancestry, and of their union seven children were born, as follows: Robert, Daniel, John W., Ruth, Margaret, Cornelia, and Catherine. True to the religious faith in which they were so strictly reared, both of the parents were communicants of the Presbyterian church. John W. Patterson first opened his eyes to the light of this world in 1825, his birth occurring in Burke county, Georgia. When he was ten years old he accompanied the family to Muscogee county, which was his home for many years. In 1856 he came with his own family, and with that of his father-in-law, James McMurray, to Thomas county. Buying a tract of unimproved land lying three miles east of Boston, he erected a double log house in the timber, and immediately began the pioneer labor of clearing and improving a homestead. Five years later his work was interrupted by the breaking out of the war between the states. Hastening to the support of the Confederacy, he enlisted, in 1861, in the organization known as the Dixie Boys, a company which was attached to the Fifty-seventh Georgia Volunteer Infantry. Serving under Generals Johnston and Hood, he was with his regiment in all of its battles, including its many engagements on Georgia's soil against Sherman's forces, and in the battles at Franklin and Nashville, Tennessee. After the latter fiercely fought battle, his regiment was ordered to Virginia to join Lee's army, and had got as far as North Carolina when Lee surrendered. The Fifty-seventh Regiment then surrendered, and Mr. Patterson, with his comrades, returned to Georgia. Resuming his former occupation, he continued the improvements already initiated on his farm until 1870, when he sold out, although he continued a resident of Thomas county many years thereafter. In 1893 he moved to Brooks county, where, three years later, in 1896, his death occurred. The maiden name of the wife of John W. Patterson was Cornelia McMurray. She was born in Muscogee county, Georgia, and was there brought up and married. Her father, James McMurray, was born in North Carolina, of Scotch-Irish parents. As a young man he came to Georgia, living first in Burke county, then in Muscogee county, from there coming, in 1856, as mentioned in the preceding paragraph, to Thomas county, buying land three miles east of Boston, and there living until his death, at the age of four score years. Mrs. Cornelia Patterson died at the early age of thirty-eight years, leaving five sons and two daughters, all of whom are now living, as follows: Harriet, James M., Robert C., Theodora M., Lila, John B., and Ernest E. She was a faithful and valued member of the Presbyterian church, to which her husband also belonged, and in which he served for several years as an elder. But three years old when his parents settled in Brooks county, James M. Patterson here acquired a practical common school education. Early initiated into the secrets of good farming, he proved a faithful worker and remained with his parents until attaining his majority. He subsequently tried clerking for awhile, but on his marriage again turned his attention to farming, being located near Boston, Thomas county, until 1893. Since that time Mr. Patterson has been a resident of Brooks county, and has been busily employed in cultivating and improving his farming property. In 1883 Mr. Patterson was united in marriage with Georgia Watkins, a native of Whitley county, Kentucky. Her father, Clark Watkins, came from Kentucky to Georgia in 1870, settling first in Colquitt county, from there coming, in 1884, to Thomas county, where he spent the remainder of his life. He was of honored ancestry, his mother, whose maiden name was Buchanan, having been a kinswoman of President James Buchanan. Mr. and Mrs. Patterson have nine children, namely: Edith I.; Cornelia, Eunice, Ruby, Deborah, Robert C., Frank, Edwin, and Georgia. Both Mr. and Mrs. Patterson are worthy members of the Presbyterian church and have reared their children in the same religious faith. Mr. Patterson is active in denominational work and for twenty years has served as an elder in the church. He is a Democrat in politics, and for a number of years has been secretary and treasurer of the West Side Farmers' Club. Additional Comments: From: A HISTORY OF SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA BY WILLIAM HARDEN VOLUME II ILLUSTRATED THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY CHICAGO AND NEW YORK 1913 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/brooks/bios/gbs385patterso.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/ File size: 5.8 Kb