| DR. W. D. KIRKPATRICK was born in Corydon, Ind., November
26, 1819, and is a son of James and Jane Dodd Kirkpatrick. James
Kirkpatrick was born in Jefferson County, Ky., in 1784, and was among
the first white children in upper Kentucky. His father, Moses
Kirkpatrick, was born near Washington, in Canada Jake Valley, Penn.,
and coming to Kentucky when a young man, settled near the present site
of Louisville. He erected a block house on Harrod's Creek and lived
there with his family for some years. One day while out hunting at
Dreman's Spring Lick, it is supposed he was captured by the Indians, for
he was never seen by his family again.
James Kirkpatrick was a resident in Jefferson County until
his marriage in 1812. He then lived for a short time in Henry County,
Ky. Shortly after the Indiana capital was established at Corydon,
he moved to that point and there followed the trade of a tanner.
When Indianapolis was made the capital he moved to New Albany where he
merchandised for a few years. He then returned to Kentucky and settled
in Canton, Trigg County. There he sold goods until 1831 when he came
to Fredonia and opened the first store that ever had been there.
He continued in business for about five years and then turned his attention
to farming. He settled near the village and there resided until his
death, which occurred in 1874, at the age of ninety years. The mother
of our subject was born in Scotland, and came to this country when twelve
years of age, with her parents, who settled in Henry County, Ky.
Her death occurred at New Albany in 1828.
While James Kirkpatrick was a resident of Corydon, he served
as associate judge for some time. At the breaking out of the war
of 1812 he raised a company, but owing to sickness in his family, he was
subsequently compelled to procure a substitute. Both he and his wife
were members of the Old School Presbyterians. Our subject is the
fifth of twelve children, of whom but two are now living: Moses,
in Salt Lake City, Utah, and W.D. The latter received his
education in the old field schools of the county and worked on the home
farm until seventeen years of age and then went to Paducah. There
he first clerked and subsequently ran a store-boat on the Ohio River.
He next became deputy postmaster at that point, under Frank Harrison, and
remained there until 1842. In the meantime he found time to read
medicine under Drs. Lay and Brownell. He next came to Fredonia and
entered upon the practice of his profession.
Since that time he has continued to have a fair practice and is
now the oldest resident physician in the place. He is a member of
the Southwestern Kentucky Medical Society, the National Medical Association,
and the State Sanitary Board. He also pays attention to agriculture,
owning a farm of 150 acres. Dr. Kirkpatrick was married January 29,
1850, to Miss Aurelia S. Cobb, of Eddyville, Ky., daughter of Gideon
and Modena (Clark) Cobb, natives of Vermont. Mrs. Kirkpatrick
was born in Eddyville, and is the mother of six children, of whom two are
living: James D., in Kuttawa, and Moses C., at home on the
farm. Dr. Kirkpatrick is a member of Fredonia Lodge, No. 247, A.F.
& A.M., and is also a member of the Old School Presbyterian Church. |