Diplomat. He graduated from Harvard University in 1841, received masters and law degrees from Harvard in 1843 and became an attorney. In the early 1850s Partridge served on a federal commission appointed to resolve Mexican War claims. In 1856 he was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates and served as Chairman of its Judiciary Committee. In 1857 he was elected Maryland Secretary of State, serving from 1858 to 1861. In January 1862 he was appointed Minister to Honduras, where he served until being transferred to El Salvador in November. Partridge resigned in 1866 and returned to Baltimore, subsequently declining appointments as Minister to Argentina and Nicaragua. In 1870 he was appointed Minister to Venezuela, where he served until November 1871, when he returned to the United States to join another Mexican War claims commission. In 1872 Partridge was appointed Minister to Brazil, where he served until 1877, when he took up residence in Washington, DC and continued to work on the resolution of Mexican War claims. In 1882 he was appointed Minister to Peru, where he served until 1883. He was recalled after trying to coordinate the intervention of European diplomats in a war between Peru and Chile, which the Arthur administration said was unauthorized and a violation of the Monroe Doctrine. Depressed over the deaths of his wife and children, which had occurred over several years, as well as his failing health, Partridge committed suicide while traveling in Europe.
Diplomat. He graduated from Harvard University in 1841, received masters and law degrees from Harvard in 1843 and became an attorney. In the early 1850s Partridge served on a federal commission appointed to resolve Mexican War claims. In 1856 he was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates and served as Chairman of its Judiciary Committee. In 1857 he was elected Maryland Secretary of State, serving from 1858 to 1861. In January 1862 he was appointed Minister to Honduras, where he served until being transferred to El Salvador in November. Partridge resigned in 1866 and returned to Baltimore, subsequently declining appointments as Minister to Argentina and Nicaragua. In 1870 he was appointed Minister to Venezuela, where he served until November 1871, when he returned to the United States to join another Mexican War claims commission. In 1872 Partridge was appointed Minister to Brazil, where he served until 1877, when he took up residence in Washington, DC and continued to work on the resolution of Mexican War claims. In 1882 he was appointed Minister to Peru, where he served until 1883. He was recalled after trying to coordinate the intervention of European diplomats in a war between Peru and Chile, which the Arthur administration said was unauthorized and a violation of the Monroe Doctrine. Depressed over the deaths of his wife and children, which had occurred over several years, as well as his failing health, Partridge committed suicide while traveling in Europe.
Bio by: Bill McKern
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