John Purdue

ABOUT JOHN PURDUE

American industrialist from Lafayette, Indiana, who was the primary and original benefactor of Purdue University. He requested that Purdue university be located in Battle Ground and that his named was associated with it.

He worked as a school teacher around Ohio and possibly in Michigan.

He opened a dry goods business in Lafayette in 1839.

He never married and had no heirs.

He funded Purdue University, where comedian Jim Gaffigan studied.