Guided By History is pleased to feature this guest post by Cheryl L. McDonald. Cheryl is Wells Fargo's vice president of Diverse Growth Segments specializing in the African American segment. This team develops initiatives to address the financial needs of diverse and emerging customer groups nationwide. She is responsible for planning business strategies and marketing programs for the African American market — then making them happen. (CR)
I always look forward to Black History Month 
because invariably I learn something new about the historical achievements of African Americans. One of my favorite little-known "jewels of history" is the Pattersons of Greenfield, Ohio . They were an African American family who manufactured cars, trucks and buses.
The patriarch of the family was Charles Richard Patterson , a blacksmith who escaped from slavery in Virginia by running away to freedom. In Ohio, Patterson took over a blacksmith business and founded the Charles R. Patterson Carriage Company , which built horse-drawn vehicles in the 1860s. When Patterson died, his son Frederick Douglass Patterson took over and produced the new "horseless carriage." The Patterson family manufactured their first car in 1915 and called their line the Patterson-Greenfield .
The Patterson Company produced cars until they could no longer compete with larger companies. Apparently there was a better market for custom-bodied vehicles, and the company decided to cease production of cars and concentrate efforts on such products as buses, hearses, moving vans, and trucks for hauling ice, milk and baked goods.
Only in recent years have we learned about the remarkable history of the Patterson family's manufacture of motorized vehicles well into the late 1930s.
Please share some of the little-known "jewels" of African American history that you run across this month. Use the "Feedback" button at the bottom of the page, or send it to "Ask the Expert" to your right. Or just send a comment to us!
Charles,
I am a team member, working in Human Resources in Salt Lake City, UT. I have spent the past 20 minutes on the WF History page. I send my respect and thanks for providing a presentation that builds Wells Fargo and educates it's team members and the general public. As I spent time on the page, every voice I heard, every word I read gave me a greater sense of pride to be involved with such a great company. Truly Wells Fargo is second to none in many areas, especially it's affirmative action policy and procedures. Thank you again, I love this page!
Hazel
I would like to see more of the little known jewel articles next year. I think that it is a great segwayto possibly more 'little known jewels'.
Hi, I am from Greenfield, Ohio, having moved to Arizona about 20 years ago.
I didn't know about the Patterson cars but did see some information about other things they manufactured. I remember while growing up there in the 50's playing down at the cemetery and seeing some areas that were well known parts of the underground railroad system to hide free slaves. We all knew about the families that came to live in the area during the Civil War and abolition time... Greenfield has a wonderful heritage.
Although there were still not many black families in the communinty while I was growing up, each and every one of the families were as well respected as anyone in town. I will have to look to see if the Pattersons were buried in the same cemetery where my parents are.
The community of Greenfield Ohio has many wonderful gifts, including the school which was donated by another manufacturer of textiles and horse collars in town, Edward Lee McClain. The school is still one of the most beautiful places in the state with original sculpures, marble steps, many huge murals, and a frieze that runs the length of the hallways in each floor. The water fountains are rookwood pottery and the entire set of buildings is cherished by the town.
Thanks for bringing to light the wonderful black contribution from my home town...