Columbus Daily Herald: June 21, 1929
 
SURVIVOR OF SULTANA DIES
Matthew Patterson, 87, Had Thrilling Experiences During Civil War.
 
Matthew Patterson, 87 years old, veteran of the Civil War and for fourteen years a resident of East Columbus, passed away this morning at 2 o'clock at his home on Jones street.  His death was due to bowel trouble of which he had been ill for a week.  Funeral arrangements have not been made pending word from relatives in California.

Mr. Patterson was the eldest of a family of twelve children of Samuel and Eliza Patterson, and was born December 25, 1841 in Guernsey county, Ohio.  With his parents he moved to Indiana when 12 years old and located in Brown county.  
 
Prisoner for Ten Months

At the age of 21 years Mr. Patterson joined Company A, 93rd regiment, Indiana volunteer infantry, and was in some of the largest engagements of the Civil war.  He was wounded in the battle of Guntown, Miss., where he was captured.  He was imprisoned at Andersonville and at Cahaba, where he was kept for ten months.  He had just been released from prison and was on his way home on the Sultana at the time of the explosion on that vessel, in which 1,320 lives were lost.  He was one of the 786 men rescued.  Mr. Patterson was discharged from service July 15, 1865.

After the war he returned to Brown county and for ten years taught school in Brown and Bartholomew counties.  He also operated a general store for a time, and was successful at farming, in which he afterward engaged.  He retired from farming fourteen years ago, when he moved with his family to East Columbus.  
 
Celebrated 60th Anniversary

Mr. Patterson was a member of the Burnsville Methodist church and of the local post of the G. A. R. He was a highly esteemed man and well liked by all who knew him.  

In 1869 Mr. Patterson was married to Miss Eliza Barton, and to the union were born five children, two of whom preceded him in death.  On June 14 he and his wife observed their sixtieth wedding anniversary.  Besides the wife, three daughters survive--Mrs. Milla E. Yates, of Sacramento, Cal.; Mrs. Della J. Jewell, of East Columbus, and Mrs. Edith B. Jackson, of Burnsville.  There are also 20 grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, four brothers and tow sisters--Charles Patterson, of Franklin; Joe, Harvey and Oliver P. Patterson, Mrs. Sarah Cooper and Mrs. Ida McKay, all of this city.
 
submitted by:
Cindy Martin
jewell2martin@yahoo.com