BIO: Samuel AGNEW, Dauphin County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Bookwalter Copyright 2008. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/dauphin/ http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/dauphin/runk/runk-bios.htm _______________________________________________________________ Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of Dauphin County, Containing Sketches of Representative Citizens, and Many of the Early Scotch-Irish and German Settlers. Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. Runk & Company, 1896, page 361. _______________________________________________________________ AGNEW, SAMUEL, M.D., the son of James Agnew and Mary Ramsey, was born in 1777, near Millerstown, Adams county, Pa. His parents were Scotch- Irish Presbyterians. He received a classical education and was destined for the ministry, but on his graduation at Dickinson College in 1798, he chose medicine for his life mission. He studied with Dr. McClellan, of Greencastle, and graduated at the University of Pennsylvania in 1801. He first commenced the practice at Gettysburg, but in 1804 came to Harrisburg, where he remained until 1835. While at Harrisburg he became quite distinguished in his profession by his "Treatise on the Efficacy of Kine Pock Innoculation as a Preventative of the Contagion of the Small-Pox." He originated a plan for the general distribution of Kine Pox by the establishment of a lottery, and which proved successful. In the war of 1812 he was one of the first, perhaps the first officer who offered his services and that of a company comprising the very best men of Harrisburg, one hundred and twelve strong, to Governor Snyder. As there was no call for men this company dissolved in 1813. In 1835 Dr. Agnew went to Missouri, where he remained a year. From thence to Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and finally Butler, where he resided with a daughter. In 1849, while on his way to Temperanceville, near Pittsburgh, he was violently thrown from a packet-boat into the canal, from which injury or shock he did not recover, dying November 25, 1849. Dr. Agnew was a ruling elder of the Presbyterian church, Harrisburg, fifteen years, and Rev. Dr. Robinson, thus summarizes his character: "He was a man of notable qualities . . both in social and professional life, as well as in the church, he was promptly accorded a place as a leader. Possessed of a sound, clear and vigorous mind, well disciplined and polished by a thorough course of collegiate and professional studies, a man of great activity, of fine bearing and a cultivated gentleman, who by his courtesy made his presence always welcome, it was but natural that he should stand at the head of his profession and exert in every sphere where he moved a controlling influence."