WILLIAM PATTERSON, farmer and stock raiser of Cecil township, was born in May, 1837, in North Strabane township, Washington Co., Penn. He is a son of Ezra Patterson, whose parents came to North Strabane township many years ago. Ezra Patterson was born in eastern Pennsylvania, and coming west with his parents when a young man, continued to reside on the farm in North Strabane township, this county. He was married to Nancy Horner, and settled on the old homestead, becoming a successful agriculturist. In political opinion he was an earnest supporter of the Whig and Republican parties. He and his wife were formerly members of the Seceder Church, afterward uniting with the U.P. Church at Pigeon Creek, in which he was an elder. They were the parents of the following children: Margaret (wife of Josiah Kerr, of North Strabane township), William, Joseph (living in Virginia) and David (residing in Illinois) (twins), Lizzie ( Mrs. L. Dagg, deceased in 1881), Sarah (married to Peter Dow, of Illinois), James (living on the old farm) and Anna (wife of William Murray, of Bentleyville, this county). The father of this family died in December, 1863, and was followed by his wife in January, 1892, when in her eighty-second year. William Patterson was reared on the home place, and educated in the schools of North Strabane township, this county. In August, 1860, he was married to Jennie Speer, a native of Chartiers township. She is the daughter of Robert Speer, and the granddaughter of James and Catherine (Latta) Speer, early settlers of Peters township, where their son, Robert, was born and reared. The latter followed farming in connection with the business of a carder and fuller. He was married to Nancy Harsha, daughter of Thomas and Jane (Hutchinson) Harsha, early settlers of Chartiers township, where the daughter was born, and where the young people resided for some time after their marriage. In 1851 they moved to North Strabane township, this county. Mr. Speer was an active politician, and in religion he and his wife were formerly members of the Cross Roads U. P. Church, afterward uniting with the U.P. Church in North Strabane township, this county. He died in 1853, and Mrs. Speer is now residing in Canonsburg, Penn. They had seven children, namely: Thomas (deceased in October, 1861), Jennie (wife of William Patterson), James (residing in Canonsburg, enlisted in the Eighty-fifth P.V.I., served three years and was twice wounded), Robert (enlisted, at Chartiers township, in the One Hundred and Fortieth P.V.I. for three years, or during the war: he was wounded and died while home on a furlough), Stewart (who settled in Missouri in 1865, died in 1869), Alexander ( living in Canonsburg, Penn.), and Catherine (Mrs. Joseph Templeton, of North Strabane township). William and Jennie (Speer) Patterson resided in North Strabane township until 1874, when he bought the present home in Cecil township, containing fifty-two acres of well cultivated land. Mr. Patterson is an ardent worker in the Prohibition party, and in religious connection he and his wife are members of the U. P. Church at Venice, this county. The following children have been born to them: Robert Latta (deceased in 1881, in his nineteenth year), Eva Jane (married in 1884 to William Moore, now living at Bulger, Penn.; she has three children), John Stewart (a mason), Anna Balph (married in 1888 to William Carlisle, living at Hickory; they have one child), William Dow (a driller), James Boyd (a blacksmith at Venice), Walter, David and Mary, the latter four being yet at home.

Text taken from page 1334 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed January 1997 by Jack McNatt of Valrico, FL as part of the Beers Project. Published January 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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