DR. D.M. PURNMAN
History of Arizona, 1896

In the learned professions Phoenix, Arizona has may noted 
representatives and this particularly so in the field of medical 
science.  One of the conspicuous figures in the medical profession 
of Arizona is Dr. D.M. Purnam, who is a native of Allen County, 
Indiana, born near Monroeville in 1857.  His parents, Samuel and 
Rosa (Champer) Purnam, were natives of Virginia and Ohio 
respectively.  On the Champer side of the house many of the 
ancestors were professional men and William Champer, in 1856, 
when twenty six years old was elected Judge of the Supreme Court 
of Ohio but died soon afterward.  He was one of the most 
brilliant lawyers of his day.  There were two physicians in the 
family. Our subject's great-great-grandfather on the mother's 
side was a soldier in the Revolutionary War.  The father of the 
doctor was a self-made man, one of those men whom the American 
people have always delighted to honor.  

Mr. Purnman started life as a shoemaker and from the age of 
fourteen years supported his widowed mother and seven younger 
children.  He gave his brothers classical educations, and one 
of them, A.A. Purnman became a lawyer of Pennsylvania.  Another 
brother, J.J. Purnman is a practicing physician of Washington, 
D.C.

Mr. Purnman moved to Indiana in 1854, settled in Allen County 
and purchased large tracts of land. He carried on farming until 
1858 after which he returned to Ohio and in 1869 again returned 
to Allen County Indiana where the remainder of his days were 
passed. He became deeply interested in manufacturing, in 
connection with his large farming interest and in 1874 purchased 
the Caledonia Stave Manufacturing Establishment at Belmore, 
Ohio.  This is one of the largest institutions of the kind in 
the world and he carried on an enormous business for several 
years. His death was caused by rheumatism of the heart in 1887, 
and after a long and useful life he passed to his reward.  Mr. 
Purnman was noted for his liberality, goodness of heart and 
genuine worth.  Mrs. Purnman is still living and is bright and 
active for her seventy five years.  Of the family of nine 
children, born to them, seven are now living--A.A. Purnman, 
attorney and railroad builder of Ft. Wayne, Ind.; D.C. of 
Monroeville, Ind. is engaged in the manufacture of felloes 
and spokes; Flora, wife of Mr. Hardesty of Paulding, Ohio; 
Mrs. John M. Tryon of Monroeville, Ind; S.B. of Indianapolis 
where he is connected with the Adams Express Company and J.N. 
of Montpelier, Ind. where he is engaged in merchandising.  

Dr. D.M. Purnman, the third of the living children, grew to 
manhood in his native county and received a liberal primary 
education.    Later he entered Taylor University of Ft. Wayne, 
Ind and after this for some time was in the office of Dr. S.B. 
Woodruff (now deceased) of Ft. Wayne.  In 1875 he entered the 
College of Physicians and Surgeons and was graduated in 1877.  
Following this he practiced for some time in Ft. Wayne and 
later graduated from the Medical College of Indiana.  Following 
this he spent two years in study in New York City and then for 
four years was in Ft. Wayne where he practiced his profession.  
From there he went to Indianapolis and had a most successful 
practice there until 1894, when he came to Phoenix, Arizona on 
account of his wife's health.  The doctor had a very extensive 
practice in Indianapolis and was Medical Director-in-Chief of 
Masonic Insurance Company of that city for several years. He 
has never sought public offices but has given his undivided 
attention to his practice and has profited thereby.  He has 
the largest practice of any physician in the Territory and is 
a noted surgeon.  Socially the doctor is a thirty second 
degree Mason, Knight Templar and Mystic Shrine and a member 
of the Knights of Phthias.

In the year 1881 he married Miss Mary E. White, of Kokomo, 
Indiana and they have one bright son, Thomas H.  In April 
1896 Dr. Purnman in partnership with Dr. Ansel Martin, opened 
the finest sanitarium in the West.  This has twenty two finely 
furnished rooms with first class accommodations and meals are 
served in the house.

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