John Patton
John Patton was born October 15, 1790, in Pleasant Valley, Huntington County, Pa.
In the month of June, 1808, he removed to Canton, Ohio, and there for a season pursued the occupation of a carpenter. From there, in 1809, he went to Wooster in company with a friend, who was engaged to build a small frame house for John Bever, on a lot adjoining the public square. On the arrival of Mr. Patton at Wooster, "the only white men," says he, "that we found were Benjamin Miller and his son, Abraham, who were engaged in a trafficking business with the Indians, and Matthew Reily and Jack Whitzel who were employed in excavating a mill site on Apple Creek, near Wooster, for Joseph Stibbs. Miller and another man, whose name I do not recollect, were building a log house. We all messed together in an Indian camp, enclosed with bark peeled from green trees, until Miller finished his house."
After the completion of Mr. Bever's house, Mr. Patton returned to Canton. The Secretary of the United States Treasury having directed the land office at Canton to be removed to Wooster, Mr. Patton was sent to the latter place, April 9, 1815, in charge of the office, in consequence of Colonel Sloane, the Receiver, being detained by sickness. In the fall of 1818 he was appointed postmaster of Wooster in place of Rev. Thomas G. Jones, which office has retained about 11 years. He was one of the Associate Judges of the Court of Common Pleas with John Nimmons and William Goodfellow, the latter receiving his commission from Governor Jeremiah Morrow, in 1827.
From Wooster he went to Massillon and engaged in business with Hiram and Michael Wellman; thence to Bolivar and Navarre, where his wife died about 1844. From Navarre he went to one of the Western States, where he lived with his daughter, Mrs. Winchester. He died but recently.
Mr. Patton was a man of intelligence, and in his earlier years was a sharp, ready political writer. He had good business habits, but was unfortunate in some of his transactions. He was a generous and benevolent man.
From History of Wayne County, Ohio, From the Days of the Pioneers and First Settlers to the Present Time, by Robert Douglass, 1878