On October 18 & 19, 1853, the Board of Trustees decided that the college should have a president, and proceeded to elect Rev. James Patterson who was serving as pastor of the Scroggsfield and Yellow Creek churches in Ohio.  Before the meeting adjourned petitions were presented from students and townspeople asking the Board to reconsider his election so that other possibilities might also be considered.  The Board declined the requests, and their decision must have been ultimately approved by most of the petitioners, for Dr. Patterson, after his arrival, won the high esteem for both students and townspeople.  He proved to be a fine scholar, an able teacher and a man of lofty character.

Dr. James Patterson was born in Pittsburgh July 15, 1812, he graduated from Jefferson College in 1830.  He was described as tall, and somewhat angular with "a high forehead, a piercing eye, and a very pleasant countenance".  He took up his duties as Westminster's first president in March 1854, at the age of 41.