William Smith Purdy (August 28, 1822 – January 5, 1901) was an American farmer, judge, Republican politician, and Wisconsin pioneer. He was a member of the Wisconsin Senate, representing the 30th Senate district during the 1863 session. He also served as county judge of Vernon County, Wisconsin, where he famously won a Wisconsin Supreme Court case invalidating his own election defeat in 1873.

William S. Purdy
County Judge of Vernon County, Wisconsin
In office
January 1, 1870 – January 1, 1878
Preceded byCarson Graham
Succeeded byCyrus M. Butt
Member of the Wisconsin Senate
from the 30th district
In office
January 5, 1863 – January 4, 1864
Preceded byNorman S. Cate
Succeeded byWilliam Ketcham
Wisconsin Circuit Court Clerk for Vernon County, Wisconsin
In office
January 1, 1860 – January 1, 1868
Preceded byJohn R. Casson
Succeeded byH. N. Preus
Personal details
Born(1822-08-28)August 28, 1822
Carlisle, Indiana, U.S.
DiedJanuary 5, 1901(1901-01-05) (aged 78)
Wichita, Kansas, U.S.
Resting placeHighland Cemetery, Wichita
Political party
Spouse
Jane Elizabeth Lemen
(m. 1846⁠–⁠1901)
Children
  • Brice Field Purdy
  • (b. 1849; died 1927)
  • Kossuth F. Purdy
  • (b. 1851; died 1927)
  • William Robert Purdy
  • (b. 1854; died 1949)
  • Henry Harrison Purdy
  • (b. 1856; died 1946)
  • Ellen May (Chinn)
  • (b. 1859; died 1947)
  • Frank Lemen Purdy
  • (b. 1864; died 1932)
  • Ida M. Purdy
  • (b. 1864; died young)
  • Edward Purdy
  • (b. 1866; died 1936)
  • Ida Ruth (Kinzer)
  • (b. 1875; died 1952)
  • 1 other
OccupationSaddler, Farmer

Early life

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William S. Purdy was born in Carlisle, Indiana, in August 1822. His father died when he was 11 years old, and Purdy went to work assisting his mother. Because of limited funds and few schooling options, Purdy was mostly educated by subscription school. At age 15, he went to work as an apprentice saddler in his native town.[1] He continued pursuing that trade until 1845, when he moved west to the Wisconsin Territory. He initially settled in Mineral Point, where he went to work in the booming mining industry.[1]

Wisconsin career

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After earning no money from mining, he returned to harness making and saddle making in Mineral Point and began earning a profit. In 1849, Purdy moved to what is now the town of Sterling, Vernon County, Wisconsin, and purchased a farm. At the time, the town was known as "Bad Ax" and was part of an enlarged Crawford County. During his first year at Sterling, he cut a road to Port Andrew on the Wisconsin River.[1] He managed his farm for ten years with varying success.

Purdy authored the petition which eventually led to the creation of the Sterling as an independent town government in 1857.[1] At the first organized town meeting in Sterling, the elected treasurer, Lee Grant Sterling, failed to qualify, and Purdy was therefore appointed the first town treasurer. It was the first of many local offices he'd hold in Sterling.[1] In 1859 he was chairman of the town board, and was an ex officio member of the Bad Ax County board of supervisors. Purdy's land at the time was also the site of a post office, known as Purdy, which is the present site of the unincorporated settlement known as Purdy, Wisconsin.[1]

Politically, Purdy was initially associated with the Whig Party, but then joined the Republican Party when that party was established in 1854. Purdy was admitted to the bar in 1859 but never practiced as a lawyer. That year, he was elected Wisconsin circuit court clerk for Bad Ax County, running on the Republican Party ticket.[1]

The court was located at the county seat in Viroqua, Wisconsin, and during his first year as clerk, Purdy moved full time into the village of Viroqua.[1] He was subsequently re-elected in 1861, 1863, and 1865.[1] During 1863, his name was placed in nomination for state bank comptroller, which was then a state-wide elected office, but the convention renominated the incumbent William Ramsey.[2] While living in Viroqua, Purdy again resumed his craft as a harness maker and opened the first harness shop in the village. His son, Brice Field Purdy, took over the business sometime before the 1880s.[1] In addition to his county offices, Purdy served in several local offices in Viroqua, including village clerk, trustee, and justice of the peace.[1]

Following the resignation of incumbent state senator Norman S. Cate, a special election was scheduled for Fall 1862 to fill the remaining year of his term. Purdy was chosen as the Republican nominee. He defeated Democratic nominee Charles Rodolf[3] and went on to serve in the Wisconsin Senate for the 1863 session.[4] Purdy was not a candidate for re-election to the Senate in 1863.[1]

On June 28, 1865, a tornado swept through Viroqua, killing 22 people and destroying almost the entire village. Purdy's house was completely destroyed, the only fatality in his household was a servant girl who worked for the family at their home.[1] His wife and children survived by running into the parlor and lying on the ground as the house was lifted from its foundation.[5]

Purdy returned to elected office in 1869, when he was elected county judge. He ultimately served eight years in office, surviving a contested re-election race in 1873.[1]

Newell v. Purdy (1874)

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In 1873, Purdy ran for another four-year term as county judge. In the April general election, he was narrowly defeated by his opponent, James E. Newell, with Newell prevailing by 23 votes. Purdy, however, refused to relinquish the office on the grounds that Newell had used an illegitimate campaign tactic. During the campaign, Newell had stated that he would perform the duties of the office for $600, as opposed to the established salary of $1,000. Purdy contended that this amounted to a type of bribery, and corrupted the election process. Purdy then named 100 voters who claimed to have been induced to change their votes by Newell's promise.[1]

The matter was referred to the Wisconsin Supreme Court by the state attorney general. In the case State ex rel. Newell v. Purdy, the court decided in Purdy's favor, finding that the salary promise did represent a pecuniary benefit to the taxpayers of the county, and was therefore an illegal inducement. Any vote tainted by the inducement was therefore illegitimate, and Newell's majority was eliminated.[1][6]

Later years

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Purdy did not run for another term in 1877, and left office in 1878. Later that year, suffering from poor health, he decided to move south to a warmer climate. He relocated to Pratt County, Kansas, where he resided for much of the rest of his life.[1] In his later years, he moved to Wichita, Kansas, where he died on January 8, 1901.[7]

Personal life and family

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William S. Purdy married Jane Elizabeth Lemen in 1846 at Knox County, Indiana. They had ten children together, though at least one died young.[1]

Electoral history

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Vernon County Circuit Court Clerk (1859, 1861, 1863, 1865)

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Wisconsin Circuit Court Clerk, Bad Ax County Election, 1859[1]: 244 
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 8, 1859
Republican William S. Purdy 938 58.01% +11.16%
Democratic B. F. Hartshorn 678 41.93% −11.22%
Independent J. M. McCes 1 0.06%
Plurality 260 16.08% +9.78%
Total votes 1,320 100.0% +64.33%
Republican gain from Democratic
Wisconsin Circuit Court Clerk, Vernon County Election, 1861[1]: 245 
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 5, 1861
Republican William S. Purdy (incumbent) 785 65.69% +7.68%
Democratic Vandwall 410 34.31%
Plurality 375 31.38% +15.30%
Total votes 1,195 100.0% -26.10%
Republican hold
Wisconsin Circuit Court Clerk, Vernon County Election, 1865[1]: 246 
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 7, 1865
Republican William S. Purdy (incumbent) 1,055 83.66%
Democratic W. G. Davis 183 14.51%
Independent John R. Casson 23 1.82%
Plurality 872 69.15%
Total votes 1,261 100.0%
Republican hold

Vernon County Judge (1869, 1873)

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Vernon County Judge Election, 1869[1]: 247 
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, April 6, 1869
Republican William S. Purdy 1,587 89.66% +33.40%
Democratic Hugh McDill 183 10.34%
Plurality 872 79.32% +66.80%
Total votes 1,261 100.0% +40.25%
Republican hold
Vernon County Judge Election, 1873[1]: 249 
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, April 6, 1873
Reform James E. Newell 1,240 50.47%
Republican William S. Purdy (incumbent) 1,217 49.53% −40.13%
Plurality 23 0.94% -78.39%
Total votes 2,457 100.0% +38.81%
Republican hold

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w History of Vernon County, Wisconsin. Union Publishing Company. 1884. pp. 140–141, 189, 239, 266–267, 293–294, 321–322, 645 646, 683, 693–694, 698. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  2. ^ "Republican Union State Convention". Wisconsin State Journal. August 21, 1863. p. 2. Retrieved May 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Legislative Nominations of 1862". Wisconsin State Journal. November 3, 1862. p. 2. Retrieved May 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Statistical List of the Senate of 1863". The Legislative Manual of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. 1863. p. 76. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  5. ^ "Terrible Tornado in Vernon County, Appeal in Behalf of the Sufferers". Wood County Reporter. July 6, 1865. p. 1. Retrieved May 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ State ex rel. Newell v. Purdy, 36 Wis. 213 (Wisconsin Supreme Court June 1874).
  7. ^ "Former Wisconsin Judge is Dead". The Daily Tribune. January 12, 1901. p. 2. Retrieved May 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
Wisconsin Senate
Preceded by Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 30th district
January 5, 1863 – January 4, 1864
Succeeded by
Legal offices
Preceded by
John R. Casson
Wisconsin Circuit Court Clerk for Vernon County, Wisconsin
January 1, 1860 – January 1, 1868
Succeeded by
H. N. Preus
Preceded by
Carson Graham
County Judge of Vernon County, Wisconsin
January 1, 1870 – January 1, 1878
Succeeded by