William Arthur Purtell (May 6, 1897 – May 31, 1978) was an American businessman and politician. A member of the Republican Party, he represented Connecticut in the United States Senate in 1952 and from 1953 to 1959.
Biography
William Purtell was born in a tenement neighborhood of Hartford, Connecticut. He was the son of Thomas Michael and Nora Mary (née O'Connor) Purtell, who were tobacco workers. He received his early education at St. Patrick's School, and attended Hartford Public High School for two years before dropping out aged 15. That same year, he married Katherine Elizabeth Cassidy; the couple had a son, William, and a daughter, Margaret. From 1938 to 1952, he served as vice-president, treasurer, and general manager of the Sparmal Engineering Corporation.
During his tenure in the Senate, Purtell co-sponsored an amendment to federal labor laws making discrimination by employers or labor organizations an unfair labor practice. In 1958, Purtell was defeated for re-election by his Democratic opponent Thomas J. Dodd, a former Congressman and father of future Senator Chris Dodd, by a margin of 57%-42%.
Later life and death
Following his Senate career, Purtell resumed his manufacturing interests.