BIO: William Elmer PATCHIN, Clearfield County, PA
 
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From Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania,
and Representative Citizens, by Roland D. Swoope, Jr.,
Chicago: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, 1911, pages 469 & 470.
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  WILLIAM ELMER PATCHIN is a well known and prominent citizen of Burnside 
township, where he is engaged in farming, lumbering and is also in the livery 
business.  He was born at Patchinville, this county, October 22, 1856, a son of 
Jackson and Mary (Mahaffey) Patchin.  The Patchin family is one of the old and 
representative families of Clearfield county, and was founded here by John W. 
Patchin, who was born in 1789, at Sabbath Day Point, Warren county, N. Y., where 
he married Elizabeth Wright.  He was early engaged in lumbering and had a slide 
for logs on the side of Black Mountain, above Lake George.  In 1835 he came to 
Clearfield county, purchasing 10,000 acres of timber land along the Susquehanna 
river.  He was one of the first to engage in rafting lumber down the Susquehanna 
river to the distant markets.  In 1847 he brought his family to this county and 
they resided first at Curwensville, later removing to the locality now known as 
Patchinville, which place was named in his honor.  In 1848 he admitted his sons 
to partnership in his large lumbering enterprises, and the business was 
conducted under the firm name of John Patchin & Sons.  This pioneer and founder 
of the family here died December 21, 1863, at the age of 74 years.  His widow 
died in 1860.  They left seven children.
  Jackson Patchin, son of John and father of the subject of this sketch, was 
born at Sabbath Day Point, N. Y., in April, 1830.  He came to Clearfield county 
in 1844, at the age of 14 and was engaged in clerking for his father.  In 1853 
he was admitted as a partner into the firm of John Patchin & Sons, and after his 
father's death, he and his brother Aaron continued the business.  Aaron, as his 
father's chief adviser and assistant, had inherited most of the latter's estate 
but he later adjusted all claims satisfactorily with his brothers and sisters.  
The estate now includes 8,000 acres of land.
  Jackson Patchin married, January 1, 1856, Mary Mahaffey, a daughter of John 
and Elen (Byers) Mahaffey, of which union there were two children, namely:  
William Elmer, our direct subject; and Frank E., who is associated in business 
with his brother.
  William Elmer Patchin after attending school in his boyhood went to work at 
farming and lumbering with his father, with whom he continued until reaching the 
age of 24 years.  He then engaged in the livery business at Burnside, in which 
he has since continued, without, however, relinquishing his other occupations.  
He also deals largely in horses and cattle and other live stock.  He has been 
prosperous in his various enterprises and is now one of the substantial citizens 
of his township.  He belongs to the Masonic order, being a member of Blue Lodge 
No. 314 at Clearfield.  In politics he is a Republican and has served two terms 
on the school board and also two terms as councilman of Burnside.
  Mr. Patchin was married, January 28, 1890, to Emma Conner, a daughter of John 
C. and Emily (McClure) Conner.  Her father was born in 1831 in Indiana county, 
Pa., and died at Burnside, February 13, 1909.  He was engaged in mercantile 
business in his native county and afterwards in Clearfield county, coming to 
Burnside in 1868.  He was also a member of the large lumber firm of Hopkins, 
Irvin & Conner, operating at Rock Haven, whose wealth and commercial interests 
were practically wiped out by the great Johnstown flood, whereby Mr. Conner lost 
most of his fortune.  He died on the day that he had been elected to the office 
of auditor.  His first wife was Emily Widowson and after her death he married 
Emily V. McClure, a daughter of Stansbury McClure.  To each marriage three 
children were born:  to the first Nettie (Mrs. A. K. Wray), Jennie (Mrs. Elwood 
Henderson), and John B., who is postmaster at Burnside.  The children of the 
second marriage were William M., Harry C. and Emma A. (Mrs. W. E. Patchin).
  The children of our subject and wife are:  Don, an electrician, residing at 
home; Lynn, also at home; Herbert, Joseph, Mary, who died in infancy, and Harry, 
who also died in infancy.  The eldest, Don, is now eighteen years old.  Mrs. 
Patchin is a member of the Methodist Protestant church of Burnside.