Person:James Patten (10)

"Our subject was born in Cherry Valley, Illinois, September 2, 1865, a son of James and Jane (Coyer) Patten. The former was of Scotch descent and the latter of French descent, the father being born in the old country. He was a medical student and a pioneer doctor of Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, his work being mostly among the Indians. Our subject was but an infant when his parents moved from the place of his birth to Crawford county, Wisconsin, where the father cleared the hardwood timber from quite a large tract of land and developed a farm. At the age of fifteen years he began work as a raftsman on the Mississippi, and subsequently entered the office of the "Crawford County Journal," and at the age of seventeen years was given full charge of the office. Although deprived of the privilege of attending the public schools after the age of thirteen years, Mr. Patten pursued evening studies and this, together with his office experience, the best of all schools, gave him a practical business education.

In 1883, Mr. Patten came to Dakota, and during the following two years he started the "Canova Courier," of Minor county, and later the "Winfred Ledger." In 1885, he entered the Madison State Normal, and in connection with the pursuit of his studies he did considerable work for the "Madison Sentinel," and later he again secured work with the "Winfred Ledger." The times were very hard at this time, and we next find our subject at Salem, in 1887, with his bicycle and ten dollars. He contracted for the "McCook County News," as has been stated, paid his ten dollars for room rent and began business. In 1890, he made his first payment and also bought the lot and building he now owns. May 9, 1898, he entered Troop B, Rough Riders, as a sergeant, and for a time experienced camp life in Chickamauga. Politically, our subject is a Republican, as voiced in the columns of his paper. Socially, he affiliates with the Masonic fraternity, having completed the degrees to the Mystic Shrine; has been a member of the Grand Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, for six years; also a member of the Knights of Pythias, of which he is chancellor commander; and the Ancient Order of United Workmen, which he was instrumental in organizing in this county.

Mrs. Patten, who bore the maiden name of Miss Katie B. Mosier, came to Dakota in the year 1878, and completed her education in the Madison State Normal. She was united in matrimony to the subject of our sketch in 1891, and their wedded life has been blessed by the advent of a little daughter, Bew, who is now eighteen months of age.

1.   http://files.usgwarchives.net/sd/biography/memor99/patten.txt
2.   "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography, including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & Co., Chicago, 1899. Pages 909-910