By Clearfield County Historical Society
The community of Patchinville, located in Burnside Township, Clearfield County, was established in the early 1860’s with a post office opening July 3, 1861. John Patchin was the founder and served as the first postmaster.
In 1789, John Patchin was born in Sabbath Day Point, New York. He began his adult life engaged in the lumber business of that area.
Soon timber was beginning to be scarce and he decided to investigate a report of timber in the Susquehanna River area of Pennsylvania.
John Patchin was described in The Raftsman’s Journal as a “tall, spare and straight as an arrow,” man leaving New York in the prime of his life.
He was also known as the “Spar King” because of the many spars for ship masts he sent downriver.
He began to purchase large tracts of land timberlands for himself, having owned upwards of 40,000 acres of woodland along the West Branch area of the river.
He came to Clearfield County settling at first in Curwensville in 1835. Patchin soon sent his first raft downriver in 1836.
According to the “The Patchin Family” history, John Patchin established a store and a granary in an area of wilderness he owned beginning in 1840.
These buildings described as one story with round logs, 20 feet wide and 40 feet long. Thus, the start of the community of Patchinville began.
In addition to timbering, the Patchin family was well known for the horses they bred. One of the structures on their property included a racing barn.
John Patchin died Dec. 31, 1863 and is buried in the Patchins’ private family plot in Burnside Township.
R. Dudley Tonkin wrote in his book published in 1922, “My Partner The River,” that for many years after Patchin’s death, raftsmen of the old school would remove their hats while passing where “the Spar King” sleeps in Patchinville Cemetery that overlooks the river.
