Harry J. Patterson

Harry Jacob Patterson (December 17, 1866 – September 11, 1946) was president of the Maryland Agricultural College from 1913 to 1917. He later served as dean of the College of Agriculture at the University of Maryland.

Early life Harry Jacob Patterson was born on December 17, 1866, in Yellow Springs, Blair County, Pennsylvania, to Adaline (née Mattern) and William Calvin Patterson. He attended public schools and the Pennsylvania State College Prep School. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Pennsylvania State University in 1886. He did his post graduate work at Pennsylvania State. Patterson graduated from Maryland Agricultural College (later University of Maryland) in 1912 with a Doctor of Science.

Career Patterson worked as an assistant chemist at Pennsylvania Experiment Station from 1886 to 1888. He worked as chemist at Maryland Experiment Station from 1888 to 1895. He then also served as vice director of the Maryland Experiment Station from 1895 to 1898 and director from 1898 to his retirement in 1937. He also served as vice president and director of the Hyattsville First National Bank. He resigned to work at the Agricultural Experiment Station. During his tenure, the first women were admitted to the college and he established three years of high school education as a prerequisite to admission.

Patterson died on September 11, 1948, in a railroad station in Boston. He was buried at St. John's Cemetery in Beltsville, Maryland.

Legacy The H. J. Patterson Building at University of Maryland is named after him.