Paul Linton Patterson was an American attorney and Republican politician who rose to prominence in Oregon during the mid-twentieth century. Born in Ohio on July 18, 1900, Patterson spent his early years in his native state before serving his country during World War I. Following the conclusion of the war, he relocated to Oregon, where he established a professional career as an attorney.
Patterson eventually transitioned from his legal practice into public service, aligning himself with the Republican Party. His political career in Oregon reached significant heights in the early 1950s. He served as the president of the Oregon State Senate from 1951 to 1952, demonstrating leadership within the state's legislative body before transitioning to the executive branch.
In 1952, Patterson assumed office as the twenty-sixth Governor of Oregon, serving in this capacity until 1956. His tenure was historic in multiple respects: he was the very first Governor of Oregon to have been born in the twentieth century, and his passing on January 31, 1956, marked him as the state's most recent governor to die while in office.
