LATE PRESIDENT OF THE SOCIETY. Xl 



were they of every tiling like military art, tliat every person wlio coiihl per- 

 form the common manual cxortisc became a man of conse(|uonce, anil \va9 

 looked up to by his neighbours. Then it was that Dr. Palter?on reaped the 

 fruits of his youthful lab'iurs in Irelan<l. Ardenllv devoted to the cause of i!ie 

 colonies, he tendered his services as a military instructor, which were thank- 

 fully accepted. Three companies were put under his direction, whom he 

 attended before sunrise in the morning, and after the dismissal of the school 

 in the alternoon. Saturday was the lield day, when all the companies met, 

 and were trained toget!:er. As soon as the militia of Delaware were organised 

 by authority, he received from the Comn\ittee of Public Safety the commission 

 of adjutant in a regiment commanded by ColonrI, afterwards Governor, 

 M'Kinley. Soon after (he Declaration of Independence, many students in the 

 ^Vilmington Academy from the West Indies and the Southern States were 

 called home, an<l the duties of the Professors were suspended. Mndct these 

 circumstances, Dr. Patterson, determining to share the fate of the c<uintry, 

 removed to a small farm which he had purchased in the neighbourhooil of his 

 father in law, in New Jersey. Having placed his family in safety, he went 

 into service with the militia who were opposed to the enemy. Alter the 

 disastrous campaign of irrti, he returned to his family, but hail not been at 

 lioine a week, when the militia were again called out to immediate service, the 

 British army having almost overrun the State of New Jersey. He did not 

 hesitate to obey the call, and repaired immediately, with his ritleon his shoul- 

 der, to the appoinfpfl rpiiiloxvoiis, witli the intention of serving in the ranks. 

 But before the troops were ready to march, he received from (jovcrnor Liv- 

 ingston the commission of brigade major, with orders to join General New- 

 combe's brigade. In this oHice he was honourably engaged in active service, 

 until the British army evacuated Philadelphia and New Jersey in 17T3, when 

 the brigade was disbanded. 



The critical period in the destiny of the United States was now past. The 

 capture of Burgoyne's army and the alliance with France aflbrded a moral 

 certainty of the ultimate establishment of their independence. Such was the 

 confident opinion of the people, and accordingly they began to turn their 

 thoughts towards civil atVairs, and the important business of' education. The 

 old College and .\cademy of Philadelphia were new modelled, their foundation 

 enlarged, and a University created. Patterson was well ac(|uaintcd with Dr. 

 Ewing, the Provost of the University, and applied to him for employment as 

 a mathematical teacher. The Provost received him with great kindness, and 

 told him he was the very man they wanted, and advised him to oiler himself 

 without delay to the Board of Trustees as a candidate for the Professorship 

 of Mathematics. In consequence of this advice, he entered into the University 

 in December, 1779. He was appointed first a Professor and afterwards Vice- 

 Provost, in which station he continued until the year 1814, when he resigned, 

 and was succeeded by his son. During this long [leriod he performed hisolficial 

 duty with great integrity, industry, and ability, and rcndereil essential services 

 to the University and the country. This was f>is proper sphere. With laborious 

 application he ran the course which nature had pointed out, and his elTort* 

 ■were crowned with complete success. But arduous as were his duties in the 

 University, he found time for other useful employments. Being highly es- 

 teemed by his fellow citizens, he was electeil a member of the Select Council 

 of Philadelphia, ofwhicli he was chosen President in 1799. In this aiiscmbly 

 his habits of business, and his love of order and regularity, were extremely 



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