James David Patrick was born April 5, 1818 in Ireland, the fourth child and second son of David Patrick. His mother's name is unknown. Family lore is that they immigrated to the US when James was three months old. They then lived, at least since 1820, in East Whiteland, Chester County, Pennsylvania, where the six oldest Patrick children were enrolled from 1822 to 1832 at the Great Valley Union Seminary. This school was one of many in the state to educate children whose parents were unable to pay for schooling. James is specifically listed as attending school for five years from age 7 in 1825 to 1829.

In the 1830s, the Patrick family, including all twelve children, moved to Shelby County, Ohio.

On March 28, 1841, James was married to Sarah Ann Metcalf, also of Shelby County, by Reverend Seymor Craig. They farmed here, having five children, until 1853 when they moved west to Jones County, Iowa, where their next six children were born. In Jones County, they farmed in Hale, Oxford and Monticello Townships. In 1862, he was registered as eligible for military service during the Civil War from Jones County.

In 1866, James decided to move the family west to Nebraska, but 150 miles into their journey, they stopped in Greene County to visit some old friends from Jones County. Impressed by the land and crops he saw, David purchased a 60 acre farm where their last three children were born. By 1871, their land had expanded to 200 acres in Grant Township, two miles east of Jefferson, Iowa. Here they raised corn, oats, and wheat.

David died here on August 24, 1877 and was buried at Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Greene County. He was survived by his wife, Sarah; six daughters, Mary Jane Kinniston, Catherine Bowers, Eliza Ranbarger, Cinderilla Gleim, Araminta Patrick, and Lacey Patrick; six sons, David of Cherokee County, Iowa and John B., Willis, George, Joseph, Frank, all of whom live in Greene County,; and, three sisters, Mary Mills of Grant County, Indiana, Jane McClure of Jones County, Iowa, and Sarah Humphrey of Marshalltown, Iowa.

Cemetery book 2 page 140

Father of five children, two died in infancy. Also he had two foster sons, Delmer Patrick of Peterson, Iowa and Harry Heckert of Chicago.