HON. JOHN PATTON On the pages of Detroit's history the name and record of Hon. John Patton stands prominently forth. He was mayor of the city at a time when his progressive spirit and civic pride left a deep impress on the side of advancement and improvement. He held many public offices, the duties of which were discharged with promptness and capability, and thus he aided in guiding the destiny of the developing city and laying broad and deep the foundation upon which has been built the great metropolitan center that has made "Dynamic Detroit" the fourth city of the Union. Mr. Patton was born in County Down, Ireland, in 1822. His parents, however, were natives of Scotland and thus it was that he came to know both the Scotch and the Irish dialect, and his attachment for the land of his ancestors was particularly manifest in his love of Scotch literature However, he was but eight years of ago when his parents crossed the Atlantic to the new world, settling at Albany, New York, where John Patton was reared to manhood and attended school. He was possessed of an observing eye and retentive memory and learned many lessons outside of the schoolroom as well as in poring over his books. He early developed a fondness for literature and this was manifest throughout his life. When a young man he memorized long passages from Burns and from Shakespeare and on the day prior to his death he repeated extensive quotations from the Bard of Avon. When seventeen years of age John Patton entered upon an apprenticeship at the trade of carriage-making, which he followed in Albany until 1843 and then came to Detroit, where he was employed by others for about two years, embarking in business on his own account in 1815. In the great fire of 1948 his factory was destroyed and he erected a new plant at the corner of Woodbridge and Brush streets, where his business prospered from the beginning. He continued his activity in that field of business for many years, his enterprise growing with Detroit's development. Mr. Patton was also very active in the public life of the community and from the beginning of his residence in Detroit was associated with many Interests and projected which were of great value to the growing city. He become a member of the volunteer fire department, joining Lafayette Company No. 4, and capably filled every position in the company. Home years later, while serving as mayor of the city, he was instrumental in having the old volunteer fire department superseded by a paid fire department and introduced the first steam engine as a part of the fire-fighting equipment. In 1848 he was chosen to represent the third ward on the board of aldermen and occupied that position for two years. He was again elected in 1852, and it was in that year he was made chief engineer of the volunteer fire department, while in 1853 he became its president and continued to serve until 1857. Mr. Patton was elected in that year mayor of Detroit, serving through 1858 and 1850, and he was classed with the "reform mayors" of the city. He did much that was of distinct value to Detroit while serving as its chief executive. He introduced a number of public improvements that were badly needed, being Instrumental In having the first street- paving done, while many sidewalks wore built during his administration and other works of public improvement carried on. It is also to his efforts that Detroit owes the present city hall and he was instrumental in having the council pass the first street railway charter in 1859. He was always opposed to municipal ownership of street railways on the ground that they would inevitably be turned into a political machine. After retiring from the office of mayor he concentrated his efforts upon business affairs solely for several years but was again called to public position in 1884, when elected county auditor, filling the office until 1869. On the expiration of his term in that position he was elected sheriff. In 1880 he was chosen justice of the peace and filled the position for twelve years, his opinions being at all times based upon the equity in the ease and characterized by the utmost fairness and impartiality. The last official position which he held was that of United States consul at Amherstburg, Ontario, in which capacity he served from 1893 until 1897. His political allegiance was always given to the democratic party and he had firm belief in its principles. In the year in which be embarked in business on his own account Mr. Patton also established a home of his own through his marriage on the 3d of March, 1845, to Miss Eliza Anderson of New York, and for fifty-four years they traveled life's journey happily together, their mutual love and confidence increasing as the years passed. They lived to celebrate their golden wedding and then about a year later the wife passed away. Mr. Patton greatly mourned her death, which occurred October 10, 1899, and survived her for little more than a year, his demise occurring November 15, 1900. The children of this marriage were five in number, namely: William, now deceased; Walter, who Is in business in South Africa; Mrs. John McLean and Mrs. E. B. Gay of Detroit; and John Patton of Chicago. Mr. Patton was always a public-spirited citizen and filled every public position to which he was called with marked ability and good judgment He was a charming conversationalist and his talent as a reader made his company especially pleasant to his many friends. When he passed away Mr. Maybury, then mayor of the city, said of him: "I knew Mr. Patton as familiarly as our separation In years would make possible. I knew him as the friend of my father, who entertained for him a very warm friendship. Mr. Patton was essentially a student of life in all its relations. He was a delightful conversationalist, and always some apt quotation would come out that would fit the subject exactly. At the banquet table he was an apt and ready speaker and altogether was a charming man." When death called him the mayor and all the living ex-mayors of the city acted as honorary pallbearers and many there were who bore testimony to his upright life, hie valuable contribution to the city's business and civic development and to his high standards of manhood. The City of Detroit 1701 - 1922 Vol. 3 edited by Clarence Monroe Burton, William Stocking, Gordon K. Miller