Edwards, Rev. Jonathan. "An Illustrated History of Spokane County, State of Washington." San Francisco: W. H. Lever, 1900. p. 579 ROBERT B. PATERSON President of the Spokane Dry Goods Company, a pioneer of 1889, was born in Iowa, November 18, 1864. He acquired his education in the public schools and in Iowa College, and at the age of twenty engaged in the mercantile business at Charles City, Iowa, with Mr. J. M. Comstock, forming the firm of Comstock & Paterson. He resided there for about five years, then came to Spokane and engaged in the same business here. Being a man of extraordinary executive and commercial ability, he soon became prominent in the business circles of this city and of the northwest. The greater part of his time, for the past eleven years, has been devoted to negotiating the purchases of his company, and he is now one of the most widely known buyers on the Pacific coast. The company also maintains an office in New York City where a considerable portion of his time is spent. Mr. Paterson is also manager of the Crescent store, which is the retail branch of the Spokane Dry Goods Company, and which is one of the finest and best equipped places of business in this state. In his large commercial operations, he naturally has had to employ a great many subordinates, and these he has always treated with such courtesy and fairness as to maintain the best of good feeling between employer and employee. He was married in Charles City, Iowa, January 1, 1889, to Miss Henrietta I. Davidson, a native of that state, and they have one daughter, Genevieve. They reside in a magnificent home on Seventh avenue. Transcriber's additional notes: Census: 1870, June 14; Keokuk Co, IA; Lafayette Twp, South English PO, p358 David Patterson, 33, ENG, store keeper, groceries, $300 real estate, $2000 pers. prop Ella, 26, WI, keeping house Louis C, male, 7, WI, att. school Robert B, 5, IA, att. school David C, 1, IA 1880, June 7; Kossuth Co, IA; Algona, p 280 David Paterson, 43, ENG, Scot, Scot, expressman, dry goods Ella, wife, 36, WI, NY, NY, keeping house Louise C, dau, 17, WI, ENG, WI, school teacher Robert B, son, 16, IA, ENG, WI, att. school Marion, dau, 9, IA, ENG, WI, att. school Authur W, son, 6, IA, ENG, WI, att. school Edwin C, son, 4, IA, ENG, WI, att. school 1900, June 4; Hardin Co, IA; Alden Twp, p 7 David Patterson, 63, Feb 1837, ENG, Scot, Scot, mar 39 yrs, to US 1848, owns home free Ella, wife, 56, March 1844, WI, NY, NY, mar 39 yrs, 6 children-4 living Louisa, dau, 37, June 1862, WI, ENG, WI, single, teacher 1900, June 16; Spokane Co, WA; Belmont Pct, Spokane Wd 2, p 125, 417 7th ave. Robert B. Patterson, 35, Nov 1864, IA, Scot, IL, mar 11 yrs, dry good merchant, owns home w/mtg Henrietta, wife, 33, June 1866, IA, France, Scot, mar 11 yrs, 1 child-1 living Marion G, dau, 9, June 1890, WA, IA, IA Amelia Hamilton, servant, 42, Oct 1857, CA, GER, GER, Divorced, 4 children-4 living, housework 1910, April 21; Spokane Co, WA; Belmont Pct, Spokane Wd 2, p 162, 508 7th ave. Robert B. Paterson, 46, IA, ENG, WI, mar 1, mar 21 yrs, dry goods merchant Henrietta, wife, 43, IA, France, Scot, mar 1, mar 21 yrs, 2 children-2 living Robert, son, 8, WA, IA, IA, att. school Genevive, dau, 19, WA, IA, IA, att. school Mary Hagman, maid, 26, Swe, Swe, Swe, single, to US 1890 Anna Fousland, cook, 35, NOR, NOR, NOR, single, to US 1878 David Thomas, gardner, 32, IA, Wales, WI, single * * * * Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in July 2006 by Diana Smith. Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies Project. Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the individual featured in the biographies.