Bucks County PA Archives Biographies.....Patton, William A., Rev
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joe Patterson, Patricia Bastik & Susan Walters Dec 2009

Source: History of Bucks County, Pennsylvania; edited by 
J.H. Battle; A. Warner & Co.; 1887
Doylestown M-Z


REVEREND WILLIAM A. PATTON pastor of Presbyterian church, 
Doylestown, was born in St. John's, New Brunswick, March 17, 
1847, and is a son of Richard and Fannie (McClure) Patton, 
both natives of Ireland.  His parents immigrated to New 
Brunswick about 1839.  His father was born near Londonderry, 
and was a descendant of the Pattons of Grandholme, Scotland. 
 The elder Patton's grandmother, Marjory Stewart, was a 
daughter of the Earl of Donegal.  The parents of our subject 
came from New Brunswick to Philadelphia in the spring of 
1847, and there his father engaged in building, which 
occupation he followed up to the time of his death, which 
occurred in March, 1883.  His mother is still living (1887) 
and resides in Philadelphia.  They were the parents of ten 
children, six of whom still survive: Margaret, wife of James 
E. Cummnigs, of Roxboro, Pa.; Mary, wife of Conrad Norbury, 
of Roxboro; William A., Sarah, wife of Adam McKnight; 
Richard H., mechanical engineer and proprietor of the 
Fidelity machine works at Manayunk, Pa., and Fannie M.   Our 
subject was only six weeks old when his parents moved to 
Philadelphia, and he remained with them until he was 21.  He 
was educated in the schools of Philadelphia, and was for 
some time under special training to become an architect.  
When he was in his 23rd year he felt that he had a call to 
the gospel ministry and took up a seven years' course for 
the same, which ended in the Union theological seminary of 
New York, whence he graduated in May, 1877, for the 
Presbyterian ministry.  His first charge was in Wellington, 
Sumner county, Kansas, whither he went with the expectation 
of making it his permanent home, but owing to failing health 
he was obliged to return to Philadelphia, and while 
recuperating received and accepted a call from the Roxboro 
Presbyterian church in Philadelphia and was ordained and 
installed by the Presbytery of Philadelphia north, October 
22, 1878.  He was the pastor of that church until April, 
1881, when he was called to Doylestown and was installed 
here on May 3, 1881, and has since been its pastor.  When 
Mr. Patton took charge of this church the membership 
numbered 377 and it now (1887) numbers 614.   Mr. Patton had 
made a host of friends since coming to Doylestown and has 
won the confidence of all whom he has met.  He was married 
first in 1868 to Dorothy Yarnall, of Philadelphia, who died 
in August, 1872.  They had two children:  Zeta and Wilbur F. 
Preston.  He was married again May 1, 1879, to Mary E., 
daughter of Anthony P. and Mary Tripple, of Philadelphia.  
They are the parents of three children:  Bessie, Richard H. 
and George.  Mr. Patton is an active member of the "American 
Association for the Advancement of Science," and of the 
Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, beside being connected 
with the order of the Sons of Veterans and the Masonic 
fraternity.