Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 505
S. J. PATTERSON, M.D.

S. J. PATTERSON, M.D. (Portrait), of the Dunlap Bank, has been intimate enough with the comings and goings of Harrison county's people to entitle him to a biographical notice in this connection:

He is a native of Franklin County, Pa., born at Mercersburg on the 1st of March, 1843, the son of James and Sarah (AGNEW) PATTERSON, natives of Lancaster and Fulton Counties respectively, and of Scotch-Irish descent. The mother died in 1844 at the age of thirty-seven and the father at the age of sixty in 1858. They reared a family of nine children, two of whom died in infancy. Our subject was next to the youngest of the children. His early life was spent in the Keystone State, on his father's farm until he was fourteen years of age, at which time he entered school, preparatory to taking a thorough collegiate course. On the breaking out of the Rebellion, in 1861, he is company with three of his schoolmates, decamped in the night from Tuscarora Academy, and went to Harrisburg, and enlisted as members of Company C, One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Pennsylvania Infantry. This enlistment was August 2, 1862, and our subject was mustered out of service May 20, 1863, during which period he participated in the following engagements; Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and minor engagements. He was at Anteater but did not participate in that struggle.

Soon after his return from the United States service, he began the study of medicine at Chambersburg, Pa., under Dr. J. C. RICHARDS, and John MONTGOMERY, graduating in 1867, from Bellevue Hospital, Medical College New York City. He first located in Watsontown, Pa., where he practiced his profession, about one year and then came to Dunlap, after having made a detour through several States in search of a location. He dates his location at Dunlap from June, 1868, and in 1869, associated himself with Dr. Dwight SATTERLEE, in the drug business, which they conducted in connection with their practice. They erected a frame structure for their business house, the same being one of the oldest in the place. This partnership existed until 1882, when our subject sold his interest to his partner. During the next three years, he confined himself almost exclusively to the practice of medicine, but at that time gave it up and accepted the position of cashier of the Dunlap Bank, which position he still holds. He had purchased an interest in this banking house in 1878, and the same year they erected the present bank building. He is also President of the Opera House Company, which was formed in 1884, and was also one of the organizers of the Dunlap District Fair Association, of which he still is a director, and was one of the men to help in the incorporation of Dunlap. He is treasurer of the Dunlap Cemetery Association, as well as the Independent School District of Dunlap. In municipal matters he has been a member of the town council. Was a member of the school board six years, part of which time he acted as president.

Socially, our subject ranks high in his community. He is a member of the Hospitable Lodge, No. 244, of A. F. & A. M. and Ark Chapter No. 89, of Royal Arch Masons of which he is High Priest.

Having worn the loyal blue, as a soldier in the Union army he very naturally finds a place in the Grand Army of the Republic, and is a member of Shields Post, No. 83, and has just vacated the chair of the Western Iowa Veteran Association, which comprises six counties�Harrison, Crawford, Ida, Shelby, Monona, and Pottawattamie.

He is one of the public-spirited men of his county, always on the alert in matters which contribute to the up building of his community. Being one of the pioneer physicians of the eastern part of the county, he found it very laborious, and after having been here three years he took a trip to Pennsylvania, where upon May 18, 1871 he was married to Anna M. MOORE, daughter of A. P. and Rebecca (JUNKIN) MOORE, natives of Pennsylvania and of Scotch-Irish descent. Her mother passed from the scenes of earth, in 1885, at the age of sixty-three years. The father is still living, in Lawrence County, Pa., where he is an extensive dealer in real estate, as well as in Harrison and Monona Counties, Iowa.

Mr. and Mrs. Patterson, have one daughter, Bessie B., now attending WILSON'S College at Chambersburg, Pa. They are associated with the Congregational Church, but were raised in the Presbyterian faith.

Politically, Mr. Patterson is an active Republican, and has been frequently urged to accept the nomination for various offices in his county and state. But he preferred to remain at home, and attend to his own private affairs.

While success more frequently comes from early choosing a calling in life, and then pursuing that vocation through life, it is nevertheless true, that men of business sagacity judiciously invest their earnings in such a manner that they feel justified in abandoning their early profession, living a more retired and independent life which is the case of the man of whom we write.

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