Born in Susanville, California, Partridge received an Artium Baccalaureus degree from the University of California, Berkeley in 1892 and an Artium Magister degree from the same institution in 1894.

He read law to enter the bar in 1897, and was in private practice in San Francisco, California from then until 1904.

He was an assistant city attorney of San Francisco from 1904 to 1905, ran unsuccessfully for mayor against Eugene Schmitz among others, and returned to his private practice from 1906 to 1923.

[1] On March 2, 1923, Partridge was nominated by President Warren G. Harding to a new seat on the United States District Court for the Northern District of California created by 42 Stat.

He was confirmed by the United States Senate on March 3, 1923, and received his commission the same day.