MSS 229 James L Purdy Papers

              H I S T O R Y
COLLECTION SYNOPSIS
MSS 229
James L. Purdy Papers
3- 1/ 4 cubic feet
Standard inventory
Provenance: The Ohio Historical Society acquired the James L.
Purdy Papers from L. E. Dicke, Evanston, Illinois, in 1949.
Sherrill Dryden- Baird edited the inventory in December 1980.
Property rights: The Ohio Historical Society owns the property
rights to this collection.
Copyrights: L. E. Dicke has not dedicated copyrights to the
public. Consideration of the requirements of copyright is the
responsibility of the author and publisher.
Access: This collection is open under the rules and regulations
of the Ohio Historical Society.
Citation: Researchers are requested to cite collection name,
collection number, and the Ohio Historical Society in all foot-note
and bibliographic references.
Biographical sketch: James L. Purdy was born in Hopewell, York
County, Pennsylvania, on July 24, 1793. Purdy studied law in
Canandaigua, New York, and, in 1823, moved to Mansfield, Ohio,
where he auicklv established himself as a business and civic
leader. 6urdy iounded the Mansfield Gazette in 1823 and
continued publication of the newspaper until 1832. He also
actively practiced law until circa i 8 4 7 when he entered the
banking profession. In August 1847 Purdy helped organize and
served as director and president of the Mansfield branch of the
State Bank of Ohio. The bank merged with the Mansfield Farmer's
National Bank in 1865 and Purdy served as president of this bank
for a number of years. Purdy also helped organize and served as
president of the Mansfield and Sandusky Railroad, and, in 1856,
was co- owner and vice president of the Chicago, Iowa and
Nebraska Railroad.
Sources: A Centennial Biographical History of Richland County
Ohio ( Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Co.), 1901.
History of Richland County, Ohio ( Mansfield, Ohio: A. A. Graham
& Co.) , 1880.
Scope and content: The'James L. Purdy Papers date from 1819 to
1886 and occupy three and one- quarter cubic feet. The papers
consist of James L. Purdy's personal and business correspondence,
financial and legal records, and miscellaneous papers. The
papers also include scattered correspondence, financial records,
and miscellaneous papers of the Hedges family.
OBI0 HISTORICAL SOCIETY
1982 VeLma Avenue, Coturnbus Ohio 43211- 2447 ph: 514.247.2300 in: 614.% 97.2411
www. ohio" ista; y. org