From A Biographical History of Central Kansas, Vol. I, p. 662
published by The Lewis Publishing Co, Chicago & New York, 1902 

PATRICK O. FORD 

   Patrick O Ford is now living a retired life in Sterling, Kansas, and his rest is well merited for he manifested marked activity and energy in business affairs, was a loyal defender of the Union and has ever been a faithful citizen and upright man.  Surely his rest is justly deserved.

   Mr Ford was born in County Clare, Ireland, a seaport town, May 4, 1840, and in October, 1848, he came to the United States with his mother and his stepfather, William and Mary (McNaughton) Custy, who were also natives of the same county.  They came to the new world in order to escape the famine which Ireland was undergoing, and, after reaching America took up their abode in Dayton, Ohio.  The father, John Ford, died in early manhood, leaving but one child, - our subject, and the mother then married Mr Custy.  Our subject continued at home until eighteen years of age and during that period acquired a good education in the common schools.  He then went to Kentucky and learned the carpenter’s trade, which proved to him a source of livelihood in later years.  He was in the Blue Grass state at the time of the inauguration of the Civil war, and on the 2^nd of October, 1861, he responded to the call of the Union, enlisting as a member of Company C, Thirteenth Kentucky Infantry, with which he served for three and a half years, coming out as orderly sergeant.  By the bursting of a shell at Peach Tree Gap, Georgia, on the 22^nd of July, 1864, the drum of his left ear was destroyed and his right ear was much injured.  This of course brought on considerable deafness and the government therefore grants him a pension of twenty-four dollars per month.  He received an honorable discharge on the 12^th of February, 1865.

   In Kentucky, in January, 1868, Mr Ford was united in marriage to Miss Araminta Edderington, of Adair county, Kentucky.  She was then but fifteen years of age, but for nine years she brightened life’s pathway for him, proving a pleasant and helpful companion on the journey of life.  On the 13^th of February, 1877, however, at their home in Sterling, Kansas, she departed this life, and Mr Ford has since lived alone.

   He is one of the early settlers of Sterling.  He engaged in contracting and building in Kentucky and followed the same pursuits after coming to Kansas.  He was also in the furniture business in Sterling for a number of years, and through his well directed business efforts he won a competence which now enables him to live in retirement, enjoying a well earned rest.  Mr Ford was reared a Catholic, but by careful and close study of the Bible he was led to change his faith and is now a Protestant.  In his political views he is a Republican but the honors and emoluments of office have had no attraction for him, as he is content to perform the duties of citizenship as a private citizen.