John Patton was born March 1, 1822, in the county of County Down, Ireland, the son of James and Eliza Patton.[2] In 1830, John and his father emigrated to Albany, New York, and were joined by the rest of the family the next year. At 17, John Patton was apprenticed as a carriagesmith, and in 1843 moved to Detroit, where he worked for others at his trade.[2] Two years later, he went into business as a carriagemaker for himself. The fire of 1848 destroyed his factory, but Patton soon rebuilt, and his business prospered.[3]
In 1845, Patton married Eliza J. Anderson.[2] The couple had five children: William, Walter, Mrs. John McLean, Mrs. E. B. Gay, and John.[3]
Patton rapidly became popular in the city,[2] due in part to his "masterly" delivery of reading, thespian skills, and command of Scotch and Irish dialects.[4] He served as chief engineer of the Fire Department in 1852–1854 and its president from 1855 to 1857.[2] He was a Democrat in politics, and awas elected a city alderman in 1853–1854, mayor in 1858–1859, county auditor in 1864–1869, Wayne County, Michigan, sheriff in 1869–1870, Justice of the Peace from 1880– 1892[3] and United States consul at Amherstburg, Ontario, from 1893 to 1897.[3][5]
John Patton died November 15, 1900.[3]
