Born in Maine. He joined Company D, 13th Regiment, Minnesota Militia as a Private, which was organized on 13 Jul 1861 and headquartered at Lakeville, Dakota County, Minnesota. On 23 Sep 1861 a meeting of Company D was held at Lakeville, Minnesota for the purpose of forming a military company to enlist in the 4th Minnesota Infantry. The vast majority, including James R. Patten, agreed to this proposal and set off the next morning for Fort Snelling, Minnesota. They enlisted on 25 Sep 1861 for three years. They were mustered in on 7 Oct 1861 as Company C with James R. Patten as 8th Corporal. Soon after, Company C proceeded to Fort Ripley, Minnesota and garrisoned that post until Mar 1862 when the Regiment concentrated at Fort Snelling, and moved to Benton Barracks, Missouri in Apr 1862. Corporal Patten was discharged for disability at Hankinson's Ferry, Mississippi. A member of Custer Post No. 6 of Tacoma, Pierce County, Washington. Died in Tacoma, Washington. On his headstone his last name is spelled "Patton" while his military and pension records spell his last name as "Patten".