Bio: Dr William C. Patterson, Bienville Parish Louisiana Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana The Southern Publishing Company, Chicago & Nashville, 1890 Submitted by: Kay Thompson Brown ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ ************************************************ DR. WILLIAM C. PATTERSON Dr William C. Patterson is well known to the people of this and adjoining parishes, not only in his professional capacity, but socially also. He is a native of the Old North State, born November 12, 1824, and was one of a family of five children, three of whom lived to maturity: Himself, Eliza Ann (widow of Mr. Leverette (deceased) and is now residing in Busk County, Tex.), and John Wetherspoon (who died when about fortyfive years of age, having been an agriculturist in Clay County, Ala.). Their father was also a North Carolinian, and when Dr. Patterson was about seven years of age, he died, having followed the occupation of cotton planting. His wife was also born in that State, and was a sister of Hon. L. Bethune, she, as well as her husband, being of direct Scotch descent, both now deceased. They were educated in the old log-cabin schools. The Doctor was also educated in the primitive schools of his native State, later taking a general course in the High School Browowood Institute in Alabama, which was under the guidance of Profs. Taylor and McKinnon. He took a course in languages, and during his school years was otherwise well fitted to enter upon the duties of active life. Although his youthful days were spent at farm labor, he began the battle of life for himself at the age of twenty-five years, and the following years turned his whole attention to the study of medicine, reading under the renowned practitioner Dr. J. A. Kelley for two years. He then entered the nedical department of the University of South Carolina, this being in 1849, and from this famous chool of ]earning and medicine was graduated in March, 1851 in a class of about 330. He at once commenced practicing at Sylacanga, Ala., in which place he remained from 1851 to 1866, coming at he end of that time to Bienville Parish, La., and in this place has resided to the present day. He was married to Miss E. J. Oden, a native of Georgia, but reared in Alabama, her education being received in Talladega Institute where she was given a most thorough education. Their anion was consummated March 25, 1852, and unto them five children were born: William Henry who graduated from the Pharmaceutical College of he Universitv of Louisville, Ky., and is now a practical as well as theoretical pharmacist of Dallas, Tex), Otis Manley (gradnated from a medical college of Memphis, Tenn., and is now a practicing physician and surgeon of Arcadia, La.; he was married to Miss Sallie Dorman, of Louisiana, and by her had two little children), George A. (is a well educated and successful pharmacist of Arcadia), Boyd Graves (lives with bis parents and is an attendant of tbe E. A. Seminary of Arcadia), and Virginia Kate (who was taken sick while at college at Lexington, Ky., and died at the age of eighteen years) At tbe opening of the war Dr. Patterson organized Company A. Thirtieth Alabama Infantry Volunteers, comprising 100 men, and was assigned to duty under Col. C. M. Shelley and Gen. Barton in the Army of Tennessee. The Doctor was soon after detached as acting surgeon of the hospital at Talladega and during this time there were about seventy prominent Federal Officers sent there. He was at Cumberland Gap, Richmond, Ky., Frankfort, Perryville, back to Cumberland Gap, and. from there to Vicksburg, where he remained for some six months, the army being quarantined against smallpox. He was next in the engagements at Warrenton, Port Gibson and Champion's Hill, the Doctor being wounded in both legs in the last named engagement, his left leg being broken. His life was here saved by the kindness of a Federal officer of an Iowa regiment. He was taken in an ambulance to the Federal hospital by this officer, who was a brother Mason, forty eight hours before any of the other wounded soldiers were cared for. The Doctor has always gratefully remembered this kind act, and although they exchanged names and addresses the Doctor unfortunately lost the address of his benefactor and has never beard of him since, and does not know whether he survived the horrors of warfare or was afterward killed. He remained in the Deaf and Dumb Hospital until he was able to be removed home, and this ended his career as an officer of the Confederate army. He has always been a Democrat in principal and precept and cast his first vote for Franklin Pierce. He lost his flrst wife in 1879, and she now sleeps in the Arcadia Cemetery, having been an earnest member of the Baptist Church throughout life. The Doctor remained a widower until 1883, at which time he married Miss N. V. Aswell, a native of Louisiana. He is a consistent and earnest member of the Baptist Church, and as he has numerous and warm friends throughout this region and has a paying business, he expects to pass the rest of his days here.