James Paterson

James Paterson (18 May 1805 – 6 May 1876) was a Scottish journalist on numerous newspapers, writer and antiquary. His works are popular history, rather than scholarly.

Life He was the son of James Paterson, farmer at Struthers, Ayrshire, where he was born on 18 May 1805; his father then had money troubles and gave up his farm. Paterson received an education, and then was apprenticed to a printer at the office of the Kilmarnock Mirror. Subsequently he was transferred to the Courier office in Ayr.

On completing his apprenticeship, Paterson went to Glasgow, where he joined the Scots Times. In 1826 he returned to Kilmarnock, took a shop as stationer and printer, and in partnership with other gentlemen started the Kilmarnock Chronicle. Its first number appeared on 4 May 1831, during the agitation for the Great Reform Bill, and the paper closed in May 1832.

Paterson's other publications were: James the Fifth, or the Gudeman of Ballengich, his Poetry and Adventures, 1861. The History of the Counties of Ayr and Wigton, 1863. A Contribution to Historical Genealogy: The Breadalbane Succession Case—how it arose and how it stands, 1863.

Paterson also played some part in the production of Peter Handyside M'Kerlie's History of the Lands and their Owners in Galloway (1870). He had a dispute with the author.