Early Life and Family
James Kennedy Patterson was born in the Gorbals parish of Glasgow, Scotland on March 26, 1833. He was the eldest of five sons born to Andrew and Janet (Kennedy) Patterson, who were both from Presbyterian families associated with the Covenanter movement. All five brothers pursued careers as academics. Despite being the eldest, Patterson would outlive three of his brothers.
Patterson received an elementary education in Scotland. In 1842, when he was nine years old, Patterson's family immigrated to the United States, settling in Bartholomew County, Indiana near the city of Madison. There were no school facilities in the area at the time, but Patterson continued his education by studying books from the private libraries of citizens in the area. In 1849, he was able to complete his elementary education at a school operated by Robert French in Madison. For a year, he taught in the common schools of Indiana before matriculating to Hanover College in May 1851. While there, he was associated with the Beta Theta Pi fraternity. Concurrent with his studies, he taught school in Henry County, Kentucky from 1853 to 1855. Patterson earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1856, graduating at the top of his class. In 1859, he earned a Master of Arts degree at Hanover.
After graduation, Patterson became the principal of the Presbyterian Academy at Greenville, Kentucky, which was supervised by former U.S. Congressman Edward Rumsey. He remained in this position for three years. While in Greenville, he married Lucelia W. Wing, Congressman Rumsey's sister-in-law, on December 29, 1859. The couple had two children. Son William Alexander Patterson was born April 12, 1868. Daughter Jeanie Rumsey Patterson was born February 10, 1870 and died August 9 of the same year.
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