The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1910-07-16
Clerk OF Federal Court Here
For Years-.-Surveyor Of
Port Of Paducah.
Stood High in Councils Of
Republican Party.
POPULAR WITH BAR OF STATE

John r. Puryear. clerk OF the
federal court and surveyor OF the
port OF Paducah. Is dying az his
home. sos Broadway. lie cannot
survive the night. IL is believed.
Mr. Puryear. prominent repre-
sentative OF a numerous family In
Kentucky. was the son OF Thomas J.
Puryear aud was born October "a,
1887. in Graves county. His father
was a native OF virginia and mar
riod Miss Perilna NJ Bressie, a ma
tive ~ Tennessee They settled In
Graves county in 1896. lie was a
merchant. farmer and dealer In to-
hacco lie died september IS, 1873.
John r. Puryear was the eldest
OF the family * ten children. He
was reared on his fathers farm and
educated In the common schools and
the Mayhold academy. In 1859 he
taught school la Graves county. Dur
ing 1859 he was similarly employed
In Texas. and returning. was APP
pointed postal clerk on the Chesa-
peake. Ohio a Southwestern rail-
road. which position he held for two
years. In 1863 Mr.. Puryear be-
came associated In the Wholesale
drug business as n member OF the
arm ofhSidd. Bradshaw A company
which firm VAS dissolved by the
death OF Or. W. n. Kidd In October.
1864 Mr. Puryear continued the
business with other parties for one
more year. when a IRE destroyed
the store.
NJ. then turned HIS attention to
HIS law study. which he had begun
In early life. lie studied under
Judge 6. s. Marshall and was adj
mitted 10 the practice IN 1865 lie
was n member OF the bar OF the
supreme court OF the United States.
January 10. 1899. he was appointed
10 the Office OF clerk OF the United
states circuit court, Sixth circuit,
aud district of Kentucky. which
duties he discharged with credit to
himself up until a few days before
his death. In 1873 he established
weekly Republican newspaper with
y ". Bagby The paper was called
the "Paducah Journal and existed
for rs wonths.
National Delegate.
Mr. Puryear was one OF the few
Republicans OF Paducah who WELD
ed more than local influence. In
1876 he was delegate from the
First congressional district of Ken
lucky TO the national Republican
convention at Chicago. and was
there elected one OF the assistant
secretaries OF that body. At the
Republican state convention held at
Lexington. Ky. in 1883 his friends
presented his name as a candidate
for the Office OF stdte auditor. but
he was defeated by a small ma
lority in favor OF Leroy w. Haw-
thorn.
lie was a member 30 she A. o.
u. w. and the X. OF H. and for
many years has been deacon in
the First Baptist church lie was
married TO Miss MIA NJ. Kidd,
daughter OF Or. w. II. Kidd. in
1865 Ia Paducah.
MIR Puryear was consistent
church member and his kind dispo-
sition endeared him to many friends
not only here but abroad lie was
an especial friend of Judge Walter
Evans. Of the United States court.
and was known widely throughout
the state In court circles. lie was
painstaklng and performed the duties
of his Office with such diligence that
his reappointments came one after
another. showing the care and conf
dence entrusted in him.
Last month he received his third
appointment as surveyor OF customs
at Paducah. having served eight
years. The appointment became effec-
tive July /. For several weeks MIR.
Puryear had not been feeling well.
but was able to be at his Office as
usual until few days ago. After
going to bed his condition grew rap
idly worse and he began sinking
yesterday and was not expected "a
live through last night. Today he
grew weaker, but seemed to revive
at times.
Mr.. Puryear was taken III about a
week ago but has only been confined
TO his bed a few days. He Is suffer
ing from kidney disease and a gen.
eral physical breakdown. He Is n
years old and has been clerk of the
local district court for IL consecu-
tive years. He recently received his
third appointment as surveyor OF
customs. He Is Republican OF
high Standing tnd one OF the most