DANIEL M. PATTERSON. A popular young artist and writer of the present day has said that one never sees the picturesque until she has been roughly handled by man and has outlived the hard usage; that the picturesque quality comes only after the ax and the saw have let the sunlight into the dense tangle of the forest, and scattered the falling timber, or the water-wheel has divided the rush of the brook. This is so in any condition of nature, for in the constructive period there is always a crudeness that strikes the artistic sensibilities unpleasantly. But in farming we do not care so much for the picturesque "tangle of vines and darkness of forest." He who most diligently combats the encroachment of weeds, briars and stones, and smooths, enriches and makes productive and fruitful the fields and orchards and garden patch is the one whom we most admire in his agricultural calling. Such an one is our subject, who is the owner of three hundred acres of finely cultivated and fertile land located on section 13, of Sullivan Township.

Mr. Patterson knows no other State by actual experience than that in which he now resides. He was born in Moultrie County, November 9, 1839, and is a son of William and Margaret (Carriker) Patterson, natives of Union County, this State. (For a fuller sketch of William Patterson refer to another portion of this volume.) The father of our subject had two brothers and two sisters, also two half-brothers and one half-sister. His marriage took place in Southern Illinois, and his advent was made into this county when settlers were few and the land very little cultivated, coming hither about 1836.

Upon the farm above mentioned he of whom we write found the Alpha of life, and there he was reared, receiving what educational advantages when a boy that the district schools afforded. Life was not, however, barren to the young man. Indeed, the writer questions if it is ever so to youth in its sanguine, fresh young years —- for there were recreations then as now —- hay rides, nutting parties, barbecues, husking bees and apple parties, and with work and play, the young man was developing in every direction to the perfection of manhood, and taught five terms of school. In 1864 he was united in marriage with Ellen J. Hoke, a daughter of Frederick Hoke. She was born in Moultrie County. Soon after marriage the young couple settled where they now reside, his father having given him forty acres of timber land, and here he started to make a home about the year 1870. It was a new experience for the young man, as for several years previous to this he had been engaged in clerking in a store in the town of Sullivan. He, however, bent his energies to the work in hand, and has been successful to a flattering degree. He is now the owner of three hundred acres of land in an excellent condition and bearing good improvements.

Mr. and Mrs. Patterson are the parents of four children. The eldest daughter, Orpha, is the wife of Oscar Rose. The three other children arc Nora, Ezra and Lura. All the political interests of the gentleman of whom we write are centered in the Democratic party, every plank of its platform having to him a good and logical reason for being. He has been an Assessor of the township. He and his wife are members of the Christian Church, of which they are generous and liberal supporters. Mr. Patterson has such qualities of character and mind as insure him success in whatever line of thought or action his judgment should direct him to become a participator in. Just and generous, broad-minded and liberal, all his aims and ambitions are for the upbuilding of the best tone, socially mentally and morally of the locality in which he lives.

Portrait and Biographical Record of Shelby and Moultrie Counties, 1891 - p. 676/677

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