John Henry Patterson (NCR owner)

John Henry Patterson was an American businessman who lived from December 13, 1844, to May 7, 1922. He is best known for creating the National Cash Register Company, which made machines to help stores and offices keep track of money and sales.

Patterson was a good salesman. He helped people see how useful these machines were. His work changed how stores handled money.

During a big flood in Dayton in 1913, Patterson showed kindness. He helped organize support for families affected by the flood.

He also helped promote a new way to run cities called the city manager form of government. This idea helped improve how towns were managed.

Early years

John Henry Patterson was born in Dayton, Ohio in 1844. He grew up working on his family’s farm and in his father’s sawmills. In 1862, he joined the 131st Ohio Volunteers. After finishing at Dartmouth College in 1867, he worked collecting tolls for canals until 1870. That year, he began managing the Southern Ohio Coal and Iron Company. In 1882, he invested in the National Manufacturing Company and, with his brother, bought it out by 1884 to create the National Cash Register Company.

Pioneering business practices

In 1893, John Henry Patterson built the first "daylight factory." It had big windows for light and fresh air, very different from old, crowded factories. He brought a special planner to make the factory grounds beautiful with grass and colorful plants. The planner also helped design a nice neighborhood near the factory and parks in Dayton.

Patterson started the world’s first school to train salespeople at his factory in Dayton, Ohio. He believed in keeping customers happy. His service teams always followed his rule: "We Cannot Afford To Have A Single Dissatisfied Customer."

NCR and IBM

John Henry Patterson was known for firing many employees. One of them was Thomas Watson Sr, who later became a top leader at CTR, renamed IBM. Because many important business leaders worked at NCR, some experts thought working there was like getting a special business education.

In 1912, NCR was found to have broken laws about fair competition. Patterson and several others were found guilty and faced time in prison. Many people felt this was unfair because Patterson had helped the community during a big flood in Dayton, Ohio, in 1913. Though some asked the president to forgive them, the decision was later changed in court, and the case was restarted.

Great Dayton Flood

During the Great Dayton Flood, John H. Patterson helped with the recovery. His company made about 300 boats to help people. Patterson led teams that saved people from rooftops and upper floors. He also let people stay in his factory and get food. He worked with doctors and nurses to help everyone stay healthy. Thanks to his ideas, a new system was built to stop future floods along the Great Miami River, called the Miami Conservancy District. This was one of the first big flood control projects in the United States.

Personal life

John Henry Patterson went to Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and later graduated from Dartmouth College in 1867. He married Katharine Beck from Brookline, Massachusetts in 1888, and they had two children named Frederick and Dorothy. Sadly, Katharine passed away from an illness in 1894 when she was only 28 years old.

Patterson lived in a large house called "The Far Hills" in Oakwood, Montgomery County, Ohio. He loved the Adirondacks and built a summer home on Beaver Lake in Lowville, NY. His family had homes there too, and some of these places are still used today. His nephew, Lt Frank Patterson, died in a plane crash during World War I, and a famous air base was later named to honor him and the Wright Brothers.

Death and legacy

John Henry Patterson passed away on May 7, 1922, after talking about plans with General Billy Mitchell for a new aviation research center in Dayton. He was buried in the Woodland Cemetery, Dayton, Ohio. He did not leave much money because he spent a lot on programs to help people at his company. He left the company to his son, Frederick Beck Patterson. In 1926, a large amount of company stock was sold to the public.

Patterson was honored by being added to the Junior Achievement U.S. Business Hall of Fame in 1979. His business ways influenced many leaders in the United States for many years. It was thought that during the years 1910 to 1930, about one-sixth of business leaders in the United States had worked for his company.