176 BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE OF JOHN KIRKPATRICK. 



This was a place as machinist in the works of the Cuya- 

 hoga Steam Furnace Company, at the Center street Bridge. 

 He worked there until 1856, studying all the time with the 

 enthusiasm of a Naturalist on the Entomology of this region, 

 and of Ohio, When he heard of a valuable book, which he 

 had not the means to purchase, he discarded some luxury, 

 perhaps some personal necessary, till the work could be 

 purchased. Our local Botany also came in for a share of 

 his attention, and afterwards General Geology and Compar- 

 ative Anatomy, but his special happiness was among the 

 insects. 



On these subjects he has published but little. His col- 

 lection of specimens and books on Entomology takes the 

 lead of any in Ohio, and was by him donated to the Kirt- 

 land Society of Natural Science of Cleveland. Their united 

 values must be about $5,000. 



While the Cleveland Academy of Natural Science con- 

 tinued to live, he was generally its Secretary and one of its 

 most iDrompt and valuable members. Among them were 

 Prof. J. P. Kirtland, Dr. T. Garlick, Prof. Hamilton Smith, 

 Prof. Samuel St. John, Dr. J. S. Newberry and Prof. J. Lang 

 Cassels. 



He left the machine shop to join the late Thomas Brown 

 in the editorship of the Ohio Farmer. It is in this paper, 

 from 1856 to 1859, that most of his pen work is to be found. 

 Mr. Kirkpatrick had all the scientific ardor of his brother 

 Scotchman, Hugh Miller, but had less ambition for fame 

 and less ability as a writer. 



When the Ohio Farmer was temporarily discontinued, 

 he returned to manual labor as a machinist, first with Blish 

 & Garlick, and then to his old haunt, the Cuyahoga shops. 



In 1864 he was in the act of buckling on his accoutrements, 

 as one of the hundred days men, to defend Washington City, 

 when an appointment arrived as Commissioner of the Draft. 

 This was a most embarrassing position, and had not been 

 asked for by himself or his friends. The Provost Marshal 



