John was born in Aughnish, County Donegal, Ireland, son of James Patterson and Catherine "Kitty" Grier. In 1877 he married Jeanie Patterson King, daughter of neighbouring farmer David King and his first wife Mary Jane Patterson.
The young couple settled at 20 Marlborough Terrace, Derry, where John was a bookkeeper. They soon started a family of their own. Sadly, in 1884 following the birth of their fifth child, Jeanie passed away.
A decade earlier Jeanie's brother, William King, had immigrated to Montreal where he opened a successful furniture store, Wm King & Co. In 1880 William married Agnes McMaster Russell.
In 1886 widower John Patterson also immigrated to Montreal to be the bookkeeper for his brother-in-law and hopefully to find a new mother for his children.
Unfortunately, William King and his youngest daughter both suffered from asthma. They visited Socorro, New Mexico, for their health just months before John's arrival. Maud died in America; her father soon after his return to Montreal.
In June 1887 John married Marion Reid Russell, a first cousin of William's widow Agnes. The newlyweds sailed to Ireland that September, returning with four of his five children. But his sister Janet, unable to have children, refused to give up Fannie, John's youngest girl.
In 1888 John became a partner in the Renaud, King & Patterson Furniture Store, the largest in Montreal at the time.
Marion was a wonderful mother and soon had two children of her own, Isabella Russell and Thomas Russell, named for her parents.
In September 1894 John returned once more to County Donegal with his daughter Katie (my grandmother) to pick up Fannie. Janet still wanted to keep the girl so John and another brother-in-law took Fannie from the Back Lane Presbyterian church that Sunday, written up as a family "kidnapping" in the local paper. (The photo was taken in Derry just before the three Pattersons sailed back to Montreal.)
On both return voyages, John purposely chose to dock at New York City instead of Canada so his children could see the Statue of Liberty.
Sadly John died just two years later after asking his eldest daughter, Jane, to help Marion (age 35) keep the family together. (Jane took her father quite literally and did not marry until age 32, to a distant relative of her stepmother's,)
The young couple settled at 20 Marlborough Terrace, Derry, where John was a bookkeeper. They soon started a family of their own. Sadly, in 1884 following the birth of their fifth child, Jeanie passed away.
A decade earlier Jeanie's brother, William King, had immigrated to Montreal where he opened a successful furniture store, Wm King & Co. In 1880 William married Agnes McMaster Russell.
In 1886 widower John Patterson also immigrated to Montreal to be the bookkeeper for his brother-in-law and hopefully to find a new mother for his children.
Unfortunately, William King and his youngest daughter both suffered from asthma. They visited Socorro, New Mexico, for their health just months before John's arrival. Maud died in America; her father soon after his return to Montreal.
In June 1887 John married Marion Reid Russell, a first cousin of William's widow Agnes. The newlyweds sailed to Ireland that September, returning with four of his five children. But his sister Janet, unable to have children, refused to give up Fannie, John's youngest girl.
In 1888 John became a partner in the Renaud, King & Patterson Furniture Store, the largest in Montreal at the time.
Marion was a wonderful mother and soon had two children of her own, Isabella Russell and Thomas Russell, named for her parents.
In September 1894 John returned once more to County Donegal with his daughter Katie (my grandmother) to pick up Fannie. Janet still wanted to keep the girl so John and another brother-in-law took Fannie from the Back Lane Presbyterian church that Sunday, written up as a family "kidnapping" in the local paper. (The photo was taken in Derry just before the three Pattersons sailed back to Montreal.)
On both return voyages, John purposely chose to dock at New York City instead of Canada so his children could see the Statue of Liberty.
Sadly John died just two years later after asking his eldest daughter, Jane, to help Marion (age 35) keep the family together. (Jane took her father quite literally and did not marry until age 32, to a distant relative of her stepmother's,)
John was born in Aughnish, County Donegal, Ireland, son of James Patterson and Catherine "Kitty" Grier. In 1877 he married Jeanie Patterson King, daughter of neighbouring farmer David King and his first wife Mary Jane Patterson.
The young couple settled at 20 Marlborough Terrace, Derry, where John was a bookkeeper. They soon started a family of their own. Sadly, in 1884 following the birth of their fifth child, Jeanie passed away.
A decade earlier Jeanie's brother, William King, had immigrated to Montreal where he opened a successful furniture store, Wm King & Co. In 1880 William married Agnes McMaster Russell.
In 1886 widower John Patterson also immigrated to Montreal to be the bookkeeper for his brother-in-law and hopefully to find a new mother for his children.
Unfortunately, William King and his youngest daughter both suffered from asthma. They visited Socorro, New Mexico, for their health just months before John's arrival. Maud died in America; her father soon after his return to Montreal.
In June 1887 John married Marion Reid Russell, a first cousin of William's widow Agnes. The newlyweds sailed to Ireland that September, returning with four of his five children. But his sister Janet, unable to have children, refused to give up Fannie, John's youngest girl.
In 1888 John became a partner in the Renaud, King & Patterson Furniture Store, the largest in Montreal at the time.
Marion was a wonderful mother and soon had two children of her own, Isabella Russell and Thomas Russell, named for her parents.
In September 1894 John returned once more to County Donegal with his daughter Katie (my grandmother) to pick up Fannie. Janet still wanted to keep the girl so John and another brother-in-law took Fannie from the Back Lane Presbyterian church that Sunday, written up as a family "kidnapping" in the local paper. (The photo was taken in Derry just before the three Pattersons sailed back to Montreal.)
On both return voyages, John purposely chose to dock at New York City instead of Canada so his children could see the Statue of Liberty.
Sadly John died just two years later after asking his eldest daughter, Jane, to help Marion (age 35) keep the family together. (Jane took her father quite literally and did not marry until age 32, to a distant relative of her stepmother's,)
The young couple settled at 20 Marlborough Terrace, Derry, where John was a bookkeeper. They soon started a family of their own. Sadly, in 1884 following the birth of their fifth child, Jeanie passed away.
A decade earlier Jeanie's brother, William King, had immigrated to Montreal where he opened a successful furniture store, Wm King & Co. In 1880 William married Agnes McMaster Russell.
In 1886 widower John Patterson also immigrated to Montreal to be the bookkeeper for his brother-in-law and hopefully to find a new mother for his children.
Unfortunately, William King and his youngest daughter both suffered from asthma. They visited Socorro, New Mexico, for their health just months before John's arrival. Maud died in America; her father soon after his return to Montreal.
In June 1887 John married Marion Reid Russell, a first cousin of William's widow Agnes. The newlyweds sailed to Ireland that September, returning with four of his five children. But his sister Janet, unable to have children, refused to give up Fannie, John's youngest girl.
In 1888 John became a partner in the Renaud, King & Patterson Furniture Store, the largest in Montreal at the time.
Marion was a wonderful mother and soon had two children of her own, Isabella Russell and Thomas Russell, named for her parents.
In September 1894 John returned once more to County Donegal with his daughter Katie (my grandmother) to pick up Fannie. Janet still wanted to keep the girl so John and another brother-in-law took Fannie from the Back Lane Presbyterian church that Sunday, written up as a family "kidnapping" in the local paper. (The photo was taken in Derry just before the three Pattersons sailed back to Montreal.)
On both return voyages, John purposely chose to dock at New York City instead of Canada so his children could see the Statue of Liberty.
Sadly John died just two years later after asking his eldest daughter, Jane, to help Marion (age 35) keep the family together. (Jane took her father quite literally and did not marry until age 32, to a distant relative of her stepmother's,)
Inscription
In Memory of
JOHN PATTERSON
born Donegal Ireland
August 20, 1853
died Montreal
April 8, 1896
And His Wife
MARION REID RUSSELL
born Glasgow, Scotland
July 10, 1860 - Nov 8, 1945
PATTERSON
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