G. Purnell Whittington; Rapides Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Mike Miller

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G. Purnell Whittington, member of a distinguished Louisiana 
family, has confined himself in the legal profession to the 
civil side of practice.  His home is at Alexandria.  Mr. 
Whittington's chief interest outside of the law is study 
and research in history, particularly the history of his 
native state.

He was born at Alexandria June 30, 1881, son of William W. 
and Emily (Walker) Whittington.  His father, grandfather, 
and great-grandfather all bore the name William W., and his 
grandfather and great-grandfather were born in Maryland, 
where an English ancestor settled.  His grandfather and great-
grandfather were both lawyers, the latter serving as circuit 
judge for about thirty years.  Mr. Whittington through his 
mother is a great-grandson of General Joseph M. Walker, who 
was born at New Orleans in 1780, served with the rank of 
brigadier general of Louisiana troops in the War of 1812, 
and from 1850 to 1833 was governor of Louisiana, having 
previously held the office of state treasurer.

The parents of G. Purnell Whittington were born in Rapides 
Parish, where the Whittington family located in 1835.  The 
father was a graduate of Princeton University, and carried 
on an extensive law practice in Alexandria until his death 
in 1915.  The mother is dead and there were seven children.  
In religion the family are adherents of the Catholic Church.  
William W. Whittington was a soldier of the Confederacy in a 
cavalry regiment and came from the war a lieutenant.  He held 
offices of city judge in the City of Alexandria.

G. Purnell Whittington attended public schools at Alexandria, 
Tulane University, and studied law in the offices of R. P. and 
R. A. Hunter.  He was admitted to the bar in 1902 on reaching 
his majority, and for over twenty years has carried on a civil 
practice without partnership.  He has given much of his time 
to his numerous property interests.

Mr. Whittington married in 1911, Mary R. Thomas, a native of 
New Orleans, where she was reared and educated.  She is a 
member of the Episcopal Church, while he retains the affiliation 
in which he was reared.  He is a member of the Benevolent and 
Protective Order of Elks, and has actively aided the cause of 
the democratic party without seeking office for himself.  Mr. 
Whittington has accumulated a fine private library of books 
and documents on Louisiana history.  He is a member of the 
Louisiana State Historical Society, the American Historical 
Association, the Mississippi Valley Historical Association, 
and Southern Historical Association.

A History of Louisiana, (vol. 2), p. 224, by Henry E. Chambers.  
Published by The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and 
New York, 1925.