In 1855, his father, William, a stonemason, moved to Jackson County, Ohio, where he was engaged in the iron business.

[3] Patterson entered the store of Means & Co. as storekeeper, which position he held until the spring of 1878, when he engaged in general merchandising with W. L.

[3] In 1880, Patterson located to Ashland, Kentucky, and entered the wholesale and retail grocery business in partnership with Col. Frank Coles; fifteen months later Mr. Patterson sold out and engaged in leasing land in Carter County, Kentucky, at which he continued about a year, and then joined the firm of Damarine & Co., of Portsmouth, Ohio.

[5] The Maysville Democrat newspaper, The Evening Bulletin, ran several items on the job search and retention of the Republican mayor.

As the regional Post Office Inspector, operating from Louisville, Patterson investigated robberies, burglaries, and fraud.