Frederick Postell Patterson was the first manufacturer, owner, and operator of Greenfield-Patterson Automobile Company. His first car debuted in 1915, built-in Ohio,
the car competed with the Model T by Henry Ford and cost $850. Patterson’s car
was possibly more sophisticated than Henry Ford’s Model T but it could not
match Ford’s manufacturing capability. So, Patterson, as so many other small
independent car manufactures did, closed their doors.
Patterson recognized the opportunity to switch to production of buses, trucks and utility vehicles and changed his business name to Greenfield Bus Body Company. By 1939, this small manufacturing company closed its doors as it could no longer compete with major companies.