Fitzpatrick was born in Moama in the Riverina region of New South Wales, but his family moved to Windsor in 1869.
He was a compositor on the former Melbourne Punch at 18 and subsequently worked on papers in Gunnedah, Narrabri, Walgett and Parramatta and Goulburn.
In 1907, he won the state seat of Orange as a Liberal and held it until 1930,[5] except for the period of proportional representation between 1920 and 1927, when he was one of the members for Bathurst.
[6] He joined Holman's Nationalist government as Secretary for Mines from November 1916 and Colonial Treasurer from October 1918 until its defeat by John Storey Labor Party in April 1920.
[1] Fitzpatrick died in the Sydney suburb of Roseville, New South Wales on 7 August 1932(1932-08-07) (aged 70), survived by a son and daughter.