Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 08.djvu/241

 PATTERSON

PATTERSON

PATTERSON, Robert, soldier, was born in Cappagh, county Tyrone, Ireland, Jan. 12, 1792. His fatlier immigrated to the United States in 1789 to escape punishment for complicity in the Irish rebellion, and settled in Delaware county, Pa. Robert attended the public schools and was employed in a Philadelphia counting house. Upon the outbreak of the war of 1812 he was commissioned 1st lieutenant of infantry and toward the end of the war served on Gen. Joseph Bloomfield's staff. He returned to Philadelphia, was married to Sarah Ann Engle, and engaged in mercantile pursuits and in establishing cotton mills. He was a member of the convention that met at Harrisburg March 4, 1824, and was com- missioner of internal improvements in Pennsyl- vania, 1827. In 1836 he was the Democratic elector for the first congressional district of Pennsylvania, and in 1837 was president of the electoral college that declared Martin Van Buren the President elect. He was commissioned major- general of volunteers in 1847, and served through- out the war with Mexico. He commanded a di- vision at the battle of Cerro Gordo, April 17-18, 1847; led the advance brigades in the pursuit, and entered and captured Jalapa. He was honorably mentioned in Gen. Winfield Scott's reports. He was major-general of the Pennsylvania militia, and on April 15, 1861, volunteered for three months' service, was mustered in as major-gen- eral of volunteers, and was given command of the military department composed of the states of Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and the District of Columbia. He crossed into Virginia June 15, 1861, at Williamsport, and was instructed to Avatch the troops under Gen. Joseph E, John- ston at Winchester, Va. V/hen McDowell was preparing to engage the enemy at Bull Run. Jul}' 21, 1861, Patterson, not receiving promised orders from Gen. Winfield Scott, failed to detain John- ston Vjy giving him battle, and Johnston marched to the assistance of Beauregard, Patterson tak- ing no part in the battle of Bull Run. He was honorably mustered out of service on the expira- tion of his commission, July 27, 1861, and resumed the charge of his important cotton manufactures. He was a member of the original board of trus- tees nominated in the charter of Lafayette col- lege; was senior member of the board, 1826-35; again a trustee, 1874-81, and president of the board of trustees, 1876-81. He is the author of: Narrative of the Campaign in the Shenandoah (1865.) He died in Philadelphia, Pa., Aug. 7, 1881.

PATTERSON, Robert Maskell, educator, was born in Philadelpliia. Pa., March 23, 1787: son of Robert and Ame Hunter (Ewing) Patterson. He was graduated from the University of Pennsyl- vania A.B., 1804; A.M.. 1807; M.D., 1808. He studied the physical sciences in London and

Paris, and was appointed acting U.S. consul- general at Paris in 1809. He was professor of natural philosophy and mathematics at the University of Pennsylvania, 1813-28; succeeded his father as vice provost of the university 1814-28; was professor of natural philosophy at the University of Virginia, 1829-35, and a trustee of the university, 1836-54. He was director of the U.S. mint, 1835-51. He was a founder of Franklin Institute of Philadelphia, and one of its vice-presidents; a founder of the Musical Fund society of Philadelphia, and its president, 1838-53: a member of the American Philosophical society, Philadelphia, 1809-54; delivered the dis- course at its centennial celebration in 1843, and was its president, 1849-54; and a member of American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1839-54. He was married to Helen Hamilton, daughter of Thomas Leiper. of Philadelphia, and their son Robert (1819-1854) became a successful banker, and the pioneer trust safe deposit and insurance organizer in Philadelphia. He is the author of: Early History of the American Philosojihical So- ciety: a Discourse at its 100th Anniversary (1843). He died in Philadelphia, Pa., Sept. 5, 1854.

PATTERSON, Robert Mayne, clergyman, editor and author, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., July 17, 1832; son of John and Margaret (Mayne) Patterson, who were of Scotch extraction, and born near Belfast, Ireland, coming to America early in the nineteenth century. He completed the public and high school coui'se, being gradu- ated with the first honor in 1849, and was an official reporter of the U.S. senate, 1850-55. He was graduated from Princeton Theological sem- inary in 1859, and was ordained by the pres- bytery of Philadelphia, Aug. 25, 1859. He was married in 1861 to Margaret Baxter Maclay, daughter of the Rev. James and Sarah Nourse, of Washington, Pa., and his wife died in 1863. He was married secondly, in 1867, to Rebecca Thomas, daughter of Joseph and Amy Malen, of Chester Valley, Pa. He was pastor at Great Valley, Pa., 1859-67; of the South church, Phila- delphia, 1867-81; and in 1881 returned to the Great Valley church, uniting with his pastoral duties the editorship of the Presbyterian Journal wliich he conducted, 1881-94. He was a member of the committee to revise and publish the " Digest of the Acts of the Assembly " (1871); a member of the council that met in London in 1875 to form an international Presbyterian alli- ance; a delegate to the pan-Presbyterian coun- cils in Philadelphia, 1880. Belfast. Ireland, 1884, Edinburgh, 1888; moderator of the synod of Pennsylvania 1890, and member of fourteen General Assemblies. The honorary degree of D.D. was conferred on him by the College of New Jersey in 1875, and that of LL.D. by La-