Stanislaus County Biography
Thomas Wallace Patterson
Thomas Wallace Patterson was born at Perry, New York, on August 3, 1859. He came from patriotic New England stock, his paternal grandfather achieving distinction as a captain during the Revolutionary war. He was educated at Warsaw, N.Y., and entered mercantile business at Rochester, N.Y. and later at Buffalo. His uncle John P. Patterson, had come to California some time before and in 1888 T. W. Patterson followed, locating at Fresno. For a number, of years Mr. Patterson was actively engaged in the real estate and loan business in Fresno, and from the first exercised considerable influence in the business life of the growing city. On November 12, 1892, he was married to Miss Lizzie Bernhard, who was the daughter of George Bernhard, a Mariposa pioneer. Two children were born to them, Dorothy and John D., both of whom with the widow survive Mr. Patterson. The other known relatives are W. W. Patterson of Oakland, Jno. D. Patterson of Ontario, Canada, and Albert S. Patter son of Melbourne, Australia, all of whom are cousins. Dorothy is 19 years of age and her brother is 14. In 1896 Mr. Patterson became associated with the Fresno National Bank, and in January of the follow year he was elected as a director of that institution. In January, 1900, he was made vice-president and three months later he became the president of the bank and held that office until his death.
A City Builder: Mr. Patterson rapidly became one of the most influential men in Fresno and his faith in the city and his good judgment were evidenced in the nature of his investments. During his residence in Fresno his holdings were on the increase and he was responsible for the erection of many business buildings. He erected the Patterson Block, and in conjunction with the late Col. William Forsyth built the Forsyth Building. Despite the fact that he had many interests, he possessed the faculty of giving each close attention. It has been said of him that he never made a business mistake, and as he was always loyal to his friends and kindly disposed towards his business associates, many persons in commercial life in Fresno profited by his sound advice, which he gave freely.
Socially Prominent: He also found time for other than business interests, and he and Mrs. Patterson were prominent in the social life of Fresno, San Francisco and other cities. He was a member of the Sequoia Club, the Sunnyside Country Club, and the Riverside Country Club. He also held memberships in the American Bankers Association and the California Bankers Association. Although Mr. Patterson's start in life was a modest one, he climbed upward through sheer pluck and good business judgment, and he was rated as being worth about $5,000,000 at the time of his death. Besides the holdings in Stanislaus county, the Patterson estate controls property in Ventura county, land in 19 counties in Texas and in many other parts of California and the East.
Submitted by Gale & Jean Stroud
May 2008
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