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Mini Biographies of Scots and Scots Descendants (P)
John Patrick


Portrait and Biographical Record of Macoupin Co, ILL 1891

John Patrick, who is engaged in farming on section 27, Bunker Hill Township, and is numbered among the early settlers of the county of 1840, was born on the 14th of July in, 1822, in Ayershire, Scotland, about nineteen miles from the home of Robert Burns.

His father and his grandfather were both named John Patrick and both were natives of Ayershire. The latter was a carpenter and mechanic and died at his home in Scotland, at the age of ninety-five years. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church and a prominent man in the community where he made his home. He married a Scotch lady of the Lowlands and she too reached an advanced age.

John Patrick, the father of our subject, grew to man hood in Ayershire, and learned the trade of a silk weaver, which be followed in his native land. After he had attained to mature years he married, in Ayershire, Miss Margaret Stirat, daughter of James Stirat, who was a dyke-builder and died in Dairi (Dalry), Scotland, where he spent his entire life. He attained to the ripe old age of ninety-five years. He was never sick a day in his life, but passed away quietly and peacefully, the flame of life growing dimmer and dimmer until at last it flickered and went out. Through his business operations he acquired quite a fortune. Both he and his wife were members of the Presbyterian Church.

For some years after their marriage, John Patrick and his wife, the parents of our subject, resided in Ayershire. There all their children were born unto them, and in 1839, their son James came to the United States, locating in New Jersey, where he embarked in business as a silk manufacturer. Two years later the parents and their remaining seven children crossed the broad Atlantic on a vessel which sailed from Liverpool and after a long and tedious voyage reached New York, from whence they traveled to Pittsburg by way of the railroad and canal, then down the Ohio and up the Mississippi River to St. Louis, Mo.

Continuing onward to Alton, Illinois, the family there spent the winter, while the father and sons came into Macoupin County, and bought land on section 27, Bunker Hill Township, where they rented a log cabin. In this home the family were installed the following spring and John Patrick and his wife resided upon that farm until they departed this life. The husband’s death occurred at the age of seventy-eight years and his wife died in her eighty-third year. True to the faith in which they had been reared they were life-long members of the Presbyterian Church.

Under the parental roof our subject spent his boyhood days and with his parents came to America. In his native land be had learned the trade of a blacksmith which he has followed in pursuit of fortune through many years. His residence in this community covers half a century and few are the intervals when he has been absent from his home.

In 1849, he crossed the plains to California, attracted by the discovery of gold. Leaving home in the month of May, he forded the Missouri River at St. Joe, and thence followed the trail to the Pacific slope, landing at Johnson’s Ranch on Bear River, on the west side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, where for a time he engaged in mining.

Later he went to Sacramento, Cal., and subsequently went into the Nevada mining country, where for two and a half years, near Nevada City, he engaged in digging for the precious metal. With the gold dust - which he had secured he started for his home in 1853, traveling by way of the Isthmus of Panama and New York City, whence he returned to Illinois. Meanwhile the gold fields of Australia were attracting attention and before his return in 1852, he visited those mines where he worked for nearly one year.

Mr. Patrick has been twice married. In this county he wedded Janet Longwill, who was also a native of Ayershlre, and came to America with her parents during her girlhood. She and their only child died at their home in 1849, with the cholera, during her husband’s absence in California. The marriage of Mr. Patrick and Miss Sarah A. David was celebrated in Bunker Hill Township, in 1854.

The lady was born in Parke County, Indiana, and with her family came to Illinois about 1850. She died at her home in this township in 1887, when sixty years of age and her death was sincerely mourned by many friends, as well as her immediate family. She was a faithful member of the Christian Church and was held in universal esteem. Seven children were born unto Mr. and Mrs. Patrick, one of whom died in infancy.

John married Josie Stehline, who resides in Topeka, Kan., where he is engaged in blacksmithing; James is a blacksmith of Denver, Colo.; William, who wedded Althea Carter, follows the same business in Oklahoma City; Lizzie is the wife of William Chappel, a farmer, residing in Holdon, Mo.; Belle is the wife of O.F. Stehline, a hardware merchant of Arkansas City, Kan.; and May is the widow of F. Seigel Bumann, who died, leaving one child, Sarah G. His death occurred July 28, 1889, since which time Mrs. Buman has made her home with her father.

On his return from California, Mr. Patrick established a smithy in Bunker Hill and engaged at work at his trade for more than thirty years with excellent success. He is an efficient workman, received a liberal patronage and became one of the prosperous business men of the community.

Deciding to retire to more private life, he begun the improvement of his farm which he had purchased some time previous. He now owns two hundred and eight acres of valuable land, the greater part of which is under a high state of cultivation and he is numbered among the substantial and highly respected farmers of the community.

Thanks to Jensen Crystal for sending in this account.


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