William Patterson (Maryland businessman)
William Patterson (1752–1835)[1][2] was a businessman, a gun-runner during the American Revolution, and a founder of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.[3] His many business dealings included shipping,[4] banking, and the Baltimore Water Company.[5]
| William Patterson | |
|---|---|
.jpg.webp) portrait by Thomas Sully | |
| Born | 1 November 1752  County Donegal |
| Died | 7 February 1835 (aged 82) Baltimore |
| Occupation | Businessperson, slave holder |
| Spouse(s) | Dorcas Spear |
| Children | Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte, Robert Patterson, Joseph Wilson Patterson |
Early life and career
Patterson was born in 1752 in Fanad, County Donegal, Ireland.[1]
He was a founder of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.[3] He was also a founder of the Merchants Exchange, the first president of the Bank of Maryland, and a founder of the Canton Company, a business established in 1828 by Patterson and Peter Cooper, most remembered for inventing and manufacturing the Tom Thumb steam locomotive.[6]
He was reputed to be the second-wealthiest man in Maryland, after Charles Carroll of Carrollton.[7]
Personal life
Patterson was married to Dorcas Spear (1761–1814).[8] Together, they were the parents of:
- Elizabeth Patterson (1785–1879), who married Jérôme Bonaparte, brother of Napoleon Bonaparte.[2]
- Robert Patterson (1781–1822), who married Marianne Caton, the maternal granddaughter of Carroll, after Robert's death she married Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley, brother of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington.
- Edward Patterson (1789–1865), who married Sidney Smith (1794–1879), daughter of Maj. Gen. Samuel Smith. Edward served in the War of 1812 as aide-de-camp to Isaac McKim and was the maternal grandfather of Sidney Turner Swan Dyer (1858–1933) who married Elisha Dyer III, son and grandson of Rhode Island governors, Elisha Dyer Jr. and Elisha Dyer.
Patterson died in 1835 in Baltimore, Maryland.
Philanthropy and legacy
In 1827, he donated the first five acres of land that became Baltimore's Patterson Park. The park, its namesake street (Patterson Park Avenue) and a high school to the east of it are named in his honor.
References
- Tim Almaguer (2006). Baltimore's Patterson Park. Arcadia. p. 11. ISBN 9780738543659.
- "To George Washington from William Patterson, 5 August 1790". National Archives.
- Stover, John F. (1987). History of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. ISBN 9781557530660.
- Baltimore: Past and Present. With Biographical Sketches of Its Representative Men. Baltimore: Richardson & Bennett. 1871. p. 401.
- Scharf, John Thomas (1881). History of Baltimore City and County, from the Earliest Period to the Present Day. Baltimore: L.H. Everts. p. 452.
- Bill Tamburrino (1977). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: Canton House" (PDF). Maryland Historical Trust. Retrieved March 1, 2016.
- Bond, Pamela (February 17, 2012). "Really and truly: a Baltimore femme fatale". Baltimore. Examiner.
- "Marriage References". Maryland State Archives. May 23, 2001. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
External links
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