Samuel Purdy (1819 – February 17, 1882) was an American politician. A Democrat, he served as the third Lieutenant Governor of California from 1852 to 1856. He also was the first mayor of Stockton, California, from 1850 to 1851. Early life Purdy was born in New York City in 1819, and was Purdy educated to be an architect. Career In October 1850, Purdy was elected as the first mayor of Stockton, California. Purdy designed the city seal that was adopted by its city council. In 1852, Purdy became the Lieutenant-Governor of California, until 1856. On September 5, 1855, Purdy lost the election as Lieutenant-Governor of California. Purdy was defeated by Robert M. Anderson with 50.9% of the votes. Purdy held various public offices in California, at both the state level and locally, including Inspector of Revenue for the state and Superintendent of Construction in San Francisco. Personal life In 1849, Purdy moved to California. Purdy was married and had several children. In 1881, One of Purdy's sons, General Erastus Sparrow Purdy, died in Cairo, Egypt. On February 17, 1882, as a widow, Purdy died in San Francisco, California. References External links Samuel Purdy at joincalifornia.com Samuel Purdy entry at The Political Graveyard 1819 births 1882 deaths Lieutenant Governors of California Mayors of Stockton, California California Democrats 19th-century American politicians