Biographical Sketch of David T. Fitzpatrick, Atchison County, KSGenWeb Digital Library

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Biographical Sketch
of
David T. Fitzpatrick
Atchison County, Kansas

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The following transcription is from a 750 page book titled "Genealogical and Biographical Record of North-Eastern Kansas, dated 1900. These have been diligently transcribed and generously contributed by Penny R. Harrell, please give her a very big Thank You for her hard work!

David T. Fitzpatrick.

The family of which David T. Fitzpatrick, of Parnell, Atchison County, Kansas, is a member has long been known for its patriotism and has been represented in three American wars. Could this family history be given in detail it would be most interesting, but space admits of a mere sketch only, but it will be attempted to make that worthy its subject and his antecedents.

David T. Fitzpatrick is a son of Edward C. Fitzpatrick and a grandson of Colonel David Fitzpatrick, who commanded a regiment under General Washington during the struggle for American independence. Colonel Fitzpatrick was born in Ireland, but early settled in Virginia and spent his remaining days in Culpeper and Rappahannock counties. He left three children: Edward C., father of David T. Fitzpatrick; John; and Mary, who married a Mr. Thompson and is buried in New York City.

Edward C. Fitzpatrick was born in Rappahannock County, Virginia, and was captain of a company which saw active service in our last war with England. Late in the '30s he removed to Hart County, Kentucky, where he and his wife both died in 1847. He married Nancy Towles, a daughter of Robert Towles, of Culpeper county, Virginia. Their children were as follows: Henry, who is dead; Mary, who married Mr. Woodridge and died in Illinois; Julia, who became Mrs. E. F. Towles and died in Mason County, Illinois; John, of Munfordville, Kentucky; Rebecca, who married Peter Bass, of Green County, Kentucky; George, a railroad man living at El Paso, Texas; and David T., the subject of this sketch.

David T. Fitzpatrick was born in an "old Kentucky home" on the bank of Green River in Green County, that state, December 25, 1828, and it is safe to say that he was more proudly welcomed and more solicitously cherished than any other Christmas present in that immediate vicinity that year. At nine years of age he was left an orphan by the almost simultaneous death of his father and mother and he was cared for by a brother and sister until he reached an age at which he could care for himself. He was educated in the common schools and was so employed in his youth that he acquired a good practical knowledge of farming and stock raising.

He was between twenty-two and twenty-three years of age when the civil war began and he had been studying the situation and fully decided to cast his lot with the south. When the southern Confederacy issued its first call for troops Mr. Fitzpatrick went at once to St. Louis, Missouri, and enlisted in Colonel Hughes' regiment of Missouri troops. He was with his command in southwest Missouri during the first months of the war, but was detached from his company for recruiting service in northern Missouri and southern Iowa. He got together about 400 men for the army and on reporting for field duty again joined a regiment from Platte Co., Mo.

He was in a number of engagements, among them those at Carthage, Springfield; Lexington and Pea Ridge and those fought in the invasion by General Price. He was taken prisoner near Independence, Missouri, was paroled through the medium of an old friend and went into northern Missouri. He located in Buchanan county and was engaged for a time in buying horses and mules for the government. This business equipped him financially and from that standpoint of experience prepared him for a career in dealing in stock, which he continued with moderate success until the enterprise of the entire country was paralyzed by financial panic.

His books show that he contributed more than his share to the general shrinkage of that fateful year. Mr. Fitzpatrick then turned his attention to farming and remained in Buchanan county, Missouri, until 1875, when he removed to Washington county, Kansas, where he resumed farming and gradually engaged in the cattle business. There he soon gained a leading position as a farmer and cattle man. After fifteen years residence in Washington County he left his farm of 400 acres and came to Atchison county to take charge of his wife's important land interests here.

In 1866 Mr. Fitzpatrick was married, in De Kalb Co., Missouri, to Nannie King, whose father was a pioneer and the first treasurer of Atchison County, Kansas. He achieved a notable success as a merchant and man of affairs and at his death left a modest fortune, consisting of Kansas and Missouri property. Mr. and Mrs. Fitzpatrick's children are: William, who is a farmer on the Washington county homestead and married Susie Deweese; Lucinda; Preston R.; Harry and Nannie.

Mr. Fitzpatrick is a modern Democrat. He has always shown a citizen's interest in the result of political campaigns and is an enthusiastic advocate of the doctrines enunciated in the platform of his party as announced in 1896.

Last update: Friday, August 02, 2024 18:21:44

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