Washington Co., Fall Branch, Tenn. 1887, Receipt for Medical services of Dr. M. F. Geralds, M. D., for services to Col. S. K. N. Patton

Washington Co., Fall Branch, Tenn., 1887, Receipt for Medical services of Dr. M.F. Geralds, M.D., for services to Col. S.K.N. Patton (commander, 8th Tenn.. Vol Cav., U.S., Civil War). Recd. from son, Landon H. Patton, signed by Saml. D. Vincent.

This is a receipt for medical services received on the estate of Col. Samuel Kelsey Nelson Patton, who died in late 1886. Col. Patton was a famous East Tenn. unionist and activist who served in the Tenn. legislature during and after the civil war. It is thought that he was one of the bridge burners of East Tenn. and was duly accused. He continued to serve in the legislature until he was commissioned as a Colonel, and became instrumental in recruiting and organizing East Tennesseans into Army and Cavalry units in Ky. Many of these units returned to East Tenn., serving from Gallatin to Kingsport. Col. Patton led from the saddle and participated in most of the major actions around the area. Because he had many factional political enemies, and because he led under his own initiative, he was court martialed after the war for various offenses, mostly partisan, or for bending the rules of leadership in order to accomplish his pressing military goals. Found guilty of very minor offenses, he was retired under full honors. After the war, he returned to the state legislature and served for many years. During his life, he had been a lawyer, carpenter on prominent homes around Kingsport, and a minister.