John James Patterson | |
|---|---|
 | |
| United States Senator fromSouth Carolina | |
| In office March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1879 | |
| Preceded by | Frederick A. Sawyer |
| Succeeded by | Wade Hampton III |
| Member of thePennsylvania House of Representatives fromJuniata andUnion Counties | |
| In office January 4, 1859 – January 1, 1861 | |
| Preceded by | Thomas Bower |
| Succeeded by | George W. Strouse |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1830-08-08)August 8, 1830 Waterloo,Juniata County, Pennsylvania |
| Died | September 28, 1912(1912-09-28) (aged 82) |
| Political party | Republican |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1865 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | Fifteenth U.S. (Regular) Infantry |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
John James "Honest John"[1] Patterson (August 8, 1830 – September 28, 1912) was a businessman andUnited States Senator fromSouth Carolina. He was a Republican.
Born and raised in Waterloo, apopulated place inJuniata County, Pennsylvania, he attended public schools and thenJefferson College inCanonsburg. During the 1850s he engaged in newspaper and banking businesses in Pennsylvania; he published theJuniata Sentinel in 1852 and in 1853 became editor and part owner of theHarrisburg Telegraph inHarrisburg, the state capital. He first entered politics in 1859 when he was elected to thePennsylvania House of Representatives, in which he served until 1861 when theCivil War began.
He joined theUnited States Army and served as acaptain in the Fifteenth U.S. (regular) Infantry. He also ran for a seat in theUnited States House of Representatives in 1862, but lost.
After the war Patterson moved toColumbia, South Carolina, and engaged in railroad construction. He again entered politics and in 1873 was elected by theSouth Carolina Legislature to the U.S. Senate as aRepublican.
He was criticized by theKu Klux Klan in South Carolina for being a so-called "carpetbagger".[a] Patterson was the chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor from 1875 to 1877 and a member of the committee on territories from 1877 to 1879. He was known for speaking out against events such as theHamburg Massacre and supporting the rights of African-Americans in South Carolina.[2] By the time his term ended in 1879,Reconstruction had ended and theDemocrats had taken nearly all power in South Carolina, so Patterson had no hope of reelection.[a]
After leaving the Senate he continued to live in Washington, D.C., and engaged in financial enterprises. In 1886, he moved toMifflintown, Pennsylvania, where he lived until his death. He continued to be active in business, particularly in running a company that installed electric lightbulbs. He died on September 28, 1912. He is buried in the Westminster Presbyterian Cemetery.
Jno. J. Patterson, commonly known in these parts as 'Honest John,' who planted himself solidly on the platform of United States promises to pay, and boldly avowed his intention to buy his way into the Senate.
| U.S. Senate | ||
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| Preceded by | U.S. senator (Class 3) from South Carolina March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1879 Served alongside:Thomas J. Robertson,Matthew Butler | Succeeded by |
| Class 2 |  | |
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| Class 3 | ||
| Education/Education and Labor (1869–1947) | | |
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| Labor and Public Welfare (1947–1977) | ||
| Labor and Human Resources (1977–1999) | ||
| Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (1999–present) | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
