 Patterson was appointed the island's first Governor on 19 July 1769 and arrived on the island on 30 August 1770.Soon after taking the Oath of Office in September 1770, Patterson had already formed an Executive Council, and one of his and the council's first ordinances was to enforce the payment of Quit-Rent.Following the first Assembly elections in 1773, Patterson acquired over of land from proprietors who had failed to pay their quit-rent.