Giant of a man had a gentle heart

James Wesley Patterson, who lived from July 4th,1847 to October 31st, 1920, scraped the sky at 8 feet, 4 inches -- the tallest man alive during his lifetime. James was the second of seven sons of his father, James Marvin Patterson 1817-1869, and his mother Lucinda M. Wilkins Patterson 1818-1899. His siblings included John Shook Patterson 1845–1910, Jefferson Rich Patterson 1851–1924, George Washington Patterson 1853–1923, Samuel C. Patterson 1855–1941, Robert Newton Patterson 1857–1920, and Andrew B. Patterson 1859–1917

Back before circus sideshows were considered distasteful by some, “Big Jim” as he was called made a profitable living in the business. Early in his career he exhibited and entertained with the Sells Brothers’ Circus. Sells Brothers’ Circus became the Sells Floto Circus and was eventually incorporated in to the Barnum and Bailey Circus. Many happy memories were had by the people across America who were entertained by these early exhibitors.

Bloomburg was always considered Big Jim’s home even though he traveled around the world while performing with the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus. During his travels with the circus, Jim was considered one of the tallest men in the world and appeared at special occasions for Queen Victoria and King Edward VI of England, The Queen of Honolulu and for many other leaders and royalty of other nations.

You would think an overgrown man like that would be ugly, but he was very handsome, Big Jim didn’t appear lanky or awkward, even when he had to bend below the top of a door frame just to enter a room.

Because he was a handsome, well-proportioned person, had a pleasant face and “the prettiest hands,” Big Jim often dressed as a woman in the circus and frequently was passed off as the tallest woman in the world, “To make him look bigger, he was often pictured with a dwarf who was supposed to Big Jim’s husband.”

Besides being a big and tall man, another interesting tidbit about Patterson is that he was born on the Fourth of July and died on Halloween. Jim is said to have been talented in the art of freehand sketching and dancing.

He was not only a great big, tall man, but a great man, too. He was always concerned about the welfare of his family and others, Wealthy, and a life-long bachelor, Big Jim developed a reputation for taking good care of his extended family, He was genuinely concerned about the welfare of his family and he was a deeply religious man. It has been said that he was good at memorizing Bible verses. A fond memory of Jim concerns a gift he gave to the Patterson children. He purchased very expensive wooden, pump organs and gave them to all the little girls in the family.

Bloomburg claims him, but he actually lived in Bright Star. When he retired from the circus. Big Jim returned home to Bright Star and remained there until his death.

It has been rumored, after he retired, that he, sometimes late at night would put on one of his old circus costumes and walk the woods around Bright Star adding to the legends that Big Foot and the Wood Ape frequented the area, but this rumor has never been substantiated.

Big Jim is buried next to his relatives at Olive Branch Cemetery in a rather large plot of land. Years after his death, a fence was erected around the Patterson family grave sites, leaving little room for Big Jim’s legs or feet. A glance at his burial site reveals that everything from the knees down rest outside that fence. But Big Jim would not have minded, He was used to being taller than everyone else so having too small a fence around his grave would not be an unheard-of idea for him.

He was as nice as he was tall.