Zeruah Patterson was one of the earliest settlers in Winnetka. She and her husband, Erastus, arrived in Winnetka in 1836. The Patterson family settled on the hill near Christ Church and built the Patterson Tavern, a wayside inn along the Green Bay Trail. After Erastus died, Zeruah kept the tavern in operation for traders and travelers until John Garland purchased the inn in 1847.