Henry Patterson Page 470-471 - Henry Patterson is president and his son, Cleon H. Patterson, is secretary-treasurer of Patterson Printing Company, Inc., 337 Monroe avenue, Grand Rapids. Henry Patterson was born in Paterson, New Jersey, January 14, 1865. His parents, Komer and Nellie Patterson, came to Grand Rapids when Henry was six months old. The father, Komer, came from his native country, the Netherlands, about 1857, to Paterson, New Jersey. The mother and father spent the remainder of their days in Grand Rapids, where she died in 1868 and he died in 1888. Henry Patterson secured his elementary education in the public schools of Grand Rapids and entered the high school. At the age of fifteen years he was receiving his training in the printing trade in that avenue of entry of so many successful printers, as a printer’s devil with W. C. Dennis, of Grand Rapids. He remained with this work until he reached the age of seventeen, when he took up clerking in a grocery store and followed that work for four years, then he returned to the printing trade. He progressed steadily as a printer until 1913, when he branched out for himself and established the Patterson Printing Company. This business had advanced sufficiently to be incorporated in 1918 with Henry Patterson as president and Cleon H. Patterson as secretary-treasurer. Henry Patterson holds his religious affiliation with the United Brethren church; his fraternal memberships are in Valley City Lodge No. 86, F. & A. M., and Columbia Chapter, 132, R. A. M. and K. O. T. M. He is also a member of the Association of Commerce. He was united in marriage in April, 1886, with Sarah Bosma, who was born in Lamont, Michigan, on February 13, 1866. She was the mother of one son, Cleon H., who was born in Grand Rapids, on January 10, 1889. He received his education in the public schools of Grand Rapids, graduating from the eighth grade. Cleon has been a piano player since he was nine years old and played for nine years in a band in Grand Rapids. He worked in various occupations, including three years service in the printing trade, when in 1918 he became associated with his father, and is holding the position of secretary-treasurer of the Patterson Printing Company. He is also a member of Valley City Lodge No. 86, F. & A. M., Columbia Chapter No. 132, R. A. M. and K. O. T. M.. Cleon was married on November 11, 1915, to Mayme Zylstra, who was born in Grand Rapids on August 29, 1889. They have one son, Raymond Gerald, who was born September 10, 1920. Mrs. Sarah (Bosma) Patterson died on February 17, 1917, and April 28, 1919, Henry Patterson was united in wedlock with Mrs. Harriet Mackie, of Grand Rapids, who had two children as a result of her marriage to Mr. Mackie, Carlton and Lucile Mackie.

Transcriber:  Nancy Myers
Created: 21 August  2003