Morris Patterson was an American merchant and philanthropist.
Background
Morris Patterson was born on October 26, 1809 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, United States. He was the eldest son of John and Rachel (Cauffman) Patterson. The father died in 1819, leaving a family of seven children, and the mother opened a grocery store in order to support herself and the family.
Career
Morris Patterson worked in the store until 1830, when he went into the grocery business for himself. Shortly before this time he had begun to operate a retail coal wharf and in time he decided to engage in coal mining on his own account. He became a pioneer in the development of the anthracite coal trade of Pennsylvania. His coal was brought to Philadelphia in his own boats on the Schuylkill Canal and from there was shipped to other Eastern cities. In Schuylkill County he built up a large trade in groceries with Pottsville and the mining region, shipping the goods in his canal boats when they returned to the mines. He also engaged in transalleghany trade, sending his goods across the mountains in wagon trains. When the Pennsylvania Railroad was first projected he was one of the canvassers for stock subscriptions and was himself an original stockholder. On January 1, 1840, he turned his retail grocery business over to his younger brothers and formed a partnership with Benjamin S. Janney, Jr. , under the firm name of Morris Patterson & Company, to conduct a wholesale grocery business. This partnership continued until January 1, 1857, when it was dissolved.
In 1845 Morris Patterson had become associated with Joseph Bailey in the manufacture of plate iron at the Pine Rolling Mill near Douglassville, Pennsylvania. A few years later he also became associated with Charles L. Bailey in the construction of the Central Rolling Mill at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, which was completed in 1852. He was connected with this concern as a silent partner until it was sold in 1866, at which time he retired from all business activities. Patterson was very active in church affairs and was ruling elder of the West Spruce Street Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, the erection of which he largely financed, from 1856 until his death. He also served as a member of the Presbytery of Philadelphia.
In a quiet and unostentatious way Morris Patterson did a great deal of good with the fortune which he had accumulated. In addition to his other business activities he served as one of the directors of the Western National Bank and of the Montgomery Iron Company. He was also a member of the Presbyterian Board of Education and a trustee of Lafayette College to which he was a generous contributor. He died suddenly in Philadelphia on Octobert 23, 1878.
Achievements
Connections
On April 8, 1846, Morris Patterson was married to Mary Storm. They had three children.