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William Purman | |
|---|---|
 Purman,c. 1873–1877 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromFlorida | |
| In office March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1877 | |
| Preceded by | District established |
| Succeeded by | Robert H. M. Davidson |
| Constituency | 1st district |
| In office March 4, 1873 – January 25, 1875 | |
| Preceded by | Silas L. Niblack |
| Succeeded by | District abolished |
| Constituency | at-large district |
| Member of theFlorida Senate | |
| In office 1869–1872 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | William James Purman (1840-04-11)April 11, 1840 Millheim, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | August 14, 1928(1928-08-14) (aged 88) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
William James Purman (April 11, 1840 – August 14, 1928) was aU.S. Representative fromFlorida. ARepublican, he also served in theFlorida Senate and in theFlorida House of Representatives.
Purman was born inMillheim,Centre County, Pennsylvania and attended the common schools before completing his studies atAaronsburg Academy in Centre County, Pennsylvania.
Purman taught school and studied law inLock Haven, Pennsylvania. During theAmerican Civil War, Purman joined theUnion Army as a private and served on special duty at theWar Department until he was transferred to Florida in 1865.
Purman was admitted to the bar in 1868 and commenced practice inTallahassee, Florida. He was also a member of the Stateconstitutional convention in 1868.
Purman served in theFlorida State Senate from 1869-1872. He was appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the State senate assecretary of state in 1869 but declined the position. He was chairman of theFlorida Commission in 1869 for entering into negotiations for transfer ofWest Florida to the State ofAlabama, a transfer that was not ratified by Alabama.
Purman narrowly escaped an assassin's bullet in 1868 which left his brother-in-law—who was a former surgeon in the Confederate Army—dead. The two had many differences including the many African Americans he appointed to federal jobs. Purman testified before the U.S. Congress during KKK hearings that not one person had ever been arrested for the group's crimes in Florida.
Purman was assessor of United States internal revenue for the district of Florida 1870–1872, and served as chairman of the Republican State committee 1870–1872. He was member of theRepublican National Committee 1876–1880, and elected as aRepublican to theForty-third United States Congress where he served from March 4, 1873, until his resignation on January 25, 1875.
Purman was a member of theFlorida House of Representatives for one session and resigned when elected to theForty-fourth United States Congress (March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1877). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1876 to theForty-fifth United States Congress and in 1878 he returned toMillheim, Pennsylvani where he engaged in agricultural pursuits.
A July 28, 1876, report to Congress from theCommittee on Reform in the Civil Service recommended Purman be investigated for his appointment of timber agents in Florida, and
that those agents never performed any service under their appointments, except to draw their pay; that in some instances Mr. Purman notified them beforehand that they would have nothing to do...that they, nor any of them, so far as the evidence shows, ever visited said reservations, nor even knew the location thereof; that the offices are mere sinecures; and that the appointments were made for political effect and purposes only.[1]
In 1883, Purman moved toBoston, Massachusetts, then toWashington, D.C., where he lived in retirement until his death. His remains were cremated and the ashes deposited in a vault atGlenwood Cemetery.
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromFlorida's at-large congressional district March 4, 1873 – January 25, 1875 | Succeeded by Seat eliminated |
| Preceded by New seat | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromFlorida's 1st congressional district March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1877 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
