Architect. Born in Richmond Place on the South Side of Edinburgh, the son of a builder and architect, Paterson trained with George Beattie in the city, whose son, William Hamilton Beattie (1842-98) was responsible for some of the finest buildings in the centre of Edinburgh at the same time as Paterson was working.
Paterson came into prominence with the Café Royal building (1862), which included an innovative French roof, followed by some equally innovative Italian Gothic churches in Morningside (1864), Newington (1864) and Canongate (1869), but also in Saltcoats (1866). These were all for the United Presbyterian Church of which Paterson was a member. Other work included Portobello Police Station (1877)
He died in Edinburgh and lies buried in Grange Cemetery.