Norman McLeod Paterson moved to Fort William in 1908 and established a grain business, although another source dates its formation to 1912 and Lloyd’s gives 1921. N.M. Paterson & Co. became limited in 1915 and owned ships before Paterson Steamships was formed on 10 February 1926. Following Paterson’s appointment to the Senate in 1940, Donald handled grain and John shipping. The two companies amalgamated as N.M. Paterson & Sons on 21 July 1950, retaining separate grain and steamship divisions.
Paterson died on 11 August 1983, aged 100. Canada Steamship bought the remaining fleet in early 2002, although another account gives the last two vessels as sold to Purvis Marine. Family control continued under a grandson, with the name changing to Paterson GlobalFoods in 2004. Subsidiaries included Polaris Navigation and Western Engineering Service, active from January 1927 to late 1993. Ship names generally combined Canadian places with DOC, meaning Dominion of Canada; exceptions were Patterson in 1953, Senator of Canada in 1957 and Paterson in 1985.
Canada, Fort William; Thunder Bay, Ontario.
Keep the explicit scope label independent; no alias or company identity is inferred.