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| Stephen Patrick |
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| Cortland Savings Bank, second floor. |
The Cortland Democrat, Friday, May 16,
1890.
Stephen Patrick Obituary.
Honorable Stephen Patrick died at his home in
Truxton, May 9th, 1890, after a brief
illness of about one week. He was born in Saratoga county, N. Y., Sept 17, 1811, and came with his parents,
Nathaniel and Penelope Patrick and settled on the farm now owned by his
son, J. W. Patrick, in the town of
Cuyler in February 1812, it being only four years after the erection of the
town of Truxton, from a part of Fabius. Thus his birth was nearly co-temporary
with that of the town in which he
has spent his life, closely identified with its political, social, agricultural and religious history, a highly respected citizen and an honest man. He obtained his early education in the district school and was a teacher for several winter
terms during his minority, and it may be noted here,
that Mr. Patrick, his daughter, Nellie, and his granddaughter taught the same school in town at different times.
Upon
reaching his majority he was in the
employ of the Delaware & Hudson
Canal company for six years, and
taught school during the winter seasons
in the vicinity of Kingston. N.
Y. During these years he formed the acquaintance
of Miss Angeline, daughter of Jesse and Matilda Dickerson,
of Sullivan county, N. Y., whom he married in 1836. In the fall of 1838 he
purchased the farm in Truxton upon which he resided from that time until his
death. Mrs. Patrick is of
English parentage, and survives him—a devoted wife and mother, she lives in the
hearts of her children, and her many womanly virtues will live after her. This
worthy couple have traveled life's journey
together for more than half a century, and met and overcame the many obstacles
surrounding their pathway, and by industry and judicious management secured a
competency of this world's goods.
The fiftieth
anniversary of their marriage was duly celebrated by their children and neighbors on April 13, 1886, where
their early vows were renewed and appropriate ceremonies were observed
befitting their golden wedding. By their untiring energy upon this farm, the rude
log cabin has been supplanted by their fine farm house, surrounded with spacious
outbuildings, fruit and ornamental trees, matured, of their own planting, and the virgin forest has given place to broad
fields for grazing and grain-raising.
The toiler has passed away, but
the result of his labors may be seen at the Patrick homestead, giving evidence
of an intelligent, methodical, and thrifty
farmer.
From
early manhood Mr. Patrick has been a student of history, and a careful reader and observer of
the current topics of the day. He possessed a fund of knowledge, only commanded by those of accurate memory,
and the facts of which he was ever ready extemporaneously and without embarrassment
to present to an audience, large
or small, in a candid yet
forceful manner. Probably there is no man living in Cortland county, who has been so actively identified
with its political history for so long a time as Mr. Patrick, an although he
had nearly reached four score years at the time of his decease, he never lost
his enthusiasm for or interest in the principles of his political party and he
was always ready without notice, to defend those principles on the rostrum. In
the early history of the town, he was a member of the school committee, whose
members examined the teachers, granted certificates and visited the schools.
Although
his town had a large majority of opposite political faith from his own, he has
served efficiently for one term as Supervisor, and for several years as
assessor. He was among the foremost in the organization of the old Whig party
from 1832 to 1836, adhered steadfastly to its doctrines during its existence
and was among the founders of the Republican party in this county in 1854 to
1856. In 1866 he represented Cortland county in the State Legislature, and had
passed the Savings Bank Bill for Cortland, of which institution he has been
trustee since, and properly dubbed by his old associates "Father of the
Cortland Sayings Bank." He has frequently been made chairman of political gatherings
and has represented his town as delegate to county and State conventions.
He was a
successful agriculturist, largely engaged in dairying, and for many years kept
an average of sixty cows. Since age has barred him from too active work on the
farm, he has very successfully, as an agent, represented several fire and life
insurance companies. With his wife he was a member for many years of the M. E.
church at Cuyler, and was a member of the first class formed in Truxton where
he has worshiped since.
None knew
Mr. Patrick but admired his candor, his constancy of belief, and his integrity
in all matters with which he was connected. He had characteristics peculiar to
himself and his conservative reasoning had weighed all surrounding circumstances.
His children are: John Wesley, ex-Supervisor of Cuyler, and a large farmer on
the old Patrick homestead in that town; Alvah T., a hardware merchant at
Spencer, N. Y.; Harriet, wife of Henry L. Gleason, Esq., a member of the bar of
Cortland, and attorney for the Hitchcock Mfg. Co.; Richard M., an engineer on
the Chicago & Northern railway; Eliza D., wife of Edwin Radway of Syracuse;
Nathaniel B., engineer at Manlius, N. Y.; Nellie, wife of David Jones of
Marengo, Ill., and Nelson J. Patrick, an engineer on the Chicago & N. W. R.
R.
Mr.
Patrick's parental ancestors were of Scotch origin, and on account of religious
persecution, settled in the north of Ireland from whence Ebenezer and William
and their families emigrated to New England,
during the wars of James II. Ebenezer married Rebecca, daughter of Rev. Robert Campbell,
and emigrated from Litchfield, Conn., to Stillwater, Saratoga county, in 1763. One of their sons, Robert, served
in the battle of Saratoga, in the Revolutionary war and in 1780 married Pamelia
Ives, who bore him six sons and six daughters of whom the third son, Nathaniel (1785-1844)
married Penelope Potter (1793- 1870), a
daughter of Nathaniel Potter the first settler in the town of Cuyler in
1794.
Nathaniel
and Penelope Patrick had fourteen children, of whom Stephen Patrick, the subject of this sketch, was the eldest.
R. T. PECK.
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