William S. Patton was born in Wayne County, Mississippi, in 1813. He pursued higher education at LaGrange College and later engaged in state-level politics, being elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in 1844. Patton moved to Mississippi in 1848, where he continued his political career, being elected to the Mississippi House of Representatives in 1851 and serving as its Speaker from 1852 to 1854. During the American Civil War, he served in the Confederate Army, rising to the rank of colonel.

William S. Patton's political career reveals an intriguing blend of regional loyalty and military valor, yet his legislative actions and strategic alliances remain enigmatic. His service in the Confederate Army juxtaposed with his later political roles suggests a complex interplay between personal conviction and political pragmatism. Patton's ability to navigate and influence both state and regional politics hints at a deeply rooted, localized approach to governance.