Rufus Lenoir Patterson (1830-1879)

He was born at "Palmyra," the Lenoir family plantation in North Carolina, and educated at Raleigh Academy and the University of North Carolina. After trying his hand at law and farming, he moved to Greensboro to learn about business. With the financial backing of Governor Morehead (his future son-in-law) he opened a flour, cotton and paper mill in Salem, North Carolina. He sold that mill in 1862 and opened the Fries Cotton Mill with his brother-in-law after the Civil War. He was a director of the Northwestern & Western Carolina Railroads; a trustee of the University of North Carolina; and, Mayor of Salem. He was married twice: (1) Marie-Louise, daughter of Governor Morehead; and (2) Mary, daughter of Francis Levin Fries, of Salem, N.C.