Fred Sampson Purnell (October 25, 1882 – October 21, 1939) was an American lawyer and politician who served eight terms as a

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

from

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...

from 1917 to 1933.

Biography

Born on a farm near

Veedersburg, Indiana Veedersburg is a town in Van Buren Township, Fountain County, Indiana, Van Buren Township, Fountain County, Indiana, Fountain County, Indiana, United States. The population was 2,180 at the 2010 census. History Veedersburg is a newer name for the ...

, Purnell attended the common schools and the high school at Veedersburg. He was graduated from the law department of

Indiana University Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana. Campuses Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI. *Indiana Universit ...

at Bloomington in 1904. He was

admitted to the bar An admission to practice law is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. In jurisdictions with two types of lawyer, as with barristers and solicitors, barristers must gain admission to the bar whereas for solicitors there are dist ...

the same year and commenced practice in

Attica, Indiana Attica is a city in Logan Township, Fountain County, Indiana, United States. History Attica was laid out by George Hollingsworth and platted by David Stump in 1825. The completion of the Wabash and Erie Canal through the town in 1847 brought ...

. City attorney of Attica 1910-1914. He resumed the practice of his profession. He was an unsuccessful candidate for election in 1914 to the Sixty-fourth Congress.

Congress

Purnell was elected as a

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

to the Sixty-fifth and to the seven succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1917 – March 3, 1933). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1932 to the Seventy-third Congress and for election in 1934 to the Seventy-fourth Congress.

Later career and death

He resumed the practice of law in

. He moved to

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

, in April 1939 and served as an attorney in the General Accounting Office until his resignation on October 1, 1939. He died in

, October 21, 1939. He was interred in Rockfield Cemetery, near

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Purnell, Fred Sampson 1882 births 1939 deaths Indiana University Maurer School of Law alumni American Disciples of Christ People from Fountain County, Indiana People from Attica, Indiana 20th-century American politicians Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Indiana