Reuben L. Partridge

Reuben L. Partridge was born in Wilmington, NY in 1823. In 1836 Partridge moved to Marysville and began to learn the carpentry craft while building carriages with his brother. In 1855 Reuben accepted his first contract to build the first self-supporting bridge in Union County. By 1866 Partridge was building bridges full-time. In 1872 he received a patent for his truss design. By 1883 Partridge had built over 125 bridges, most of them in Union County and nearby counties. Over the course of his life, Partridge served as a member of the Marysville City Council, as the Paris Township Clerk, and as a Paris Township Trustee. He was a part of the first militia formed in Union County. He also was very active in raising money and support for service groups from Union County who served in both the Mexican War and the Civil War. In 1896 he designed a Victorian-style home in Marysville as a 50th wedding anniversary gift for his wife. Partridge died in August 1900, as a result of injuries he sustained while removing a covered bridge.