I became interested in genealogy in 1976 after reading Alex Haley's “Roots.” One of my big disappointments over the past 37 years is that I have not determined the origin or parents of my 2nd Great Grandfather William A. Purvis.
For the next few weeks, whatever it takes, I will share the information I have on William A. Purvis in hope that if I have overlooked something important that one of you, my readers, will point it out and make some progress on this line.
Background:
As you know in genealogy you start with yourself and work you way backward. For the past 37 years I have researched my great great grandfather. This series will explore the information found and hopefully provide some clues to break down the brick wall of his life prior to 1860 Anson county.
1860 Census:
The earliest known record for my great great grandfather William A. Purvis is the 1860 Census, Anson County, North Carolina.
The extracted information for the family, with an enumeration date of 6 August 1860 by Wm. M. Hammond reads:
* William A. Purvis, age 34, Male, white, Shoe Maker, $150 in real property, $275 in personal property, born North Carolina.
* Sarah Purvis, age 26, Female, white, born North Carolina, cannot read or write.
* Joseph White, age 33, Male, white, Cooper, $0 in real property, $27 in personal property, born North Carolina.
* Laura [Brock] White, age 30, Female, white, Domestic, born North Carolina, cannot read or write.
We can see that by August 6th 1860 William A. Purvis was married and his wife was named Sarah. We know from the death certificate of their only known child William James shows that Sarah is Sarah Jane GRAVES. William and Sarah were married sometime before 1860; no marriage information has been found for this couple.
In 1860 William A. Purvis made his living as a “Shoemaker”
and for this time period, he seems to be doing quite well.
The other couple in the household is Joseph White and his wife Laura. No information has been found connecting these two couples prior to or after this Census. Death certificates of known children of this couple shows that Laura is Laura Brock, parents unknown.
No data has been found for the marriage of William A. Purvis and Sarah Jane Graves. This is before requirements for Vital Records, Newspapers and church histories are non-existent.
3 April 1863
William A. Purvis is listed as a creditor to the estate of C. W. Davis, owing $16.47 due April 3rd 1867. Note issued April 3rd, 1863.. SOURCE: Chesterfield County Estate Papers, folder #66, C. W. Davis, SC Archives, Columbia, SC.
27 April 1863
W. A. PURVIS was a buyer at the Lewis Boatwright Estate Sale in Chesterfield Co., SC. [Bill of Complaint and Supporting Papers (1864) Smith vs Boatwright, SC Archives, Chesterfield County Equity Court, Roll 94].
25 September 1863
William James Purvis, my Great Grandfather was born. This would be the only known child of William A. and Sarah Jane Graves Purvis.
6 Dec. 1866
Land Deed - Joseph P. Smith to William A. Purvis Chesterfield Co., SC,
I haven’t found a copy of this Deed but we know about the land from the transfer of the parcel from William A. Purvis to his son, William J. Purvis in December 1885. Obviously it was lost, misplaced or destroyed between 1866 and 1885.
The parcel consisted of 30 Acres and reads: “all that piece, parcel and tract of land situate lying and being in the District of Chesterfield and State of South Carolina, on the North side of Big Westfield's Creek and bounded on the North by the North and South Carolina State line, on the east by Isham Wallace and James Lewis lands, on the West by lands belonging to the Estate of George Gardner and land belonging to John Mulholland and on the South by Big Westfield Creek, containing thirty acres more or less, which said tract of land was purchased by me from Joseph P. Smith.”
Joseph P. Smith died shortly after selling this land to my 2nd great grandfather, William A. Purvis.
The heirs of Joseph P. Smith, W. G. Smith and Samuel Smith brought suit against my 2nd Great Grandfather.
Spring Term
1867
William A. Purvis
Court Case - Abram Conlin to the use of W. G. Smith & Saml. Smith Jr., Exc. of J. P. Smith Dec’d VS William A. Purvis.
ANSON COUNTY, NC. MINUTE DOCKET, SUPERIOR COURT, 1868-1884, C.005. 30003
PAGE 24: EXECUTORS OF J. P. SMITH, DEC'D. VS WILLIAM A. PERVIS,
1868.
Page 2
Abram Conlin to the}
use of W G Smith & }
Saml Smith Jr Exec }
of J P Smith Dec'd }
vs
William A Pervis
NO. 27 Judgt Docket Petition to reinstate a burned record.
Upon the notice proved and evidence in this case it is declared by the court that a writ in Debt was duly signed and issued by the clerk of the Superior Court of law for Anson county at the initialed of the plaintiff against the Defendant for the sum of One hundred & fifty dollars and one hundred and twenty-five dollars damages for the detention thereof returnable to Spring Term 1867, that said writ was duly executed upon the defendant and returned that the Defendant did appear but said nothing in bar of plaintiff
actions, that said suit was continued from said Term until fall Term 1867 when judgment final by default was rendered in favor of said plaintiff against said Defendant for the sum of $150, and $73 damages for the detention thereof beside the further sum of $12 for costs in that behalf expended that the record thereof was lodged in the office of the Clerk of the Superior Court of Law for the County aforesaid and that the said office containing the said
record was destroyed by fire on the 2nd day of April, A.D. 1868.
It is therefore ordered by the Court, in accordance with the provisions of an Act of Operably in said case made & provided that the above recited cause be reinstated on the judgment docket.
Judgment of the Court, that the plaintiff pay the cost of the petition to be taxed by the Clerk of the County.
$150.00
$73.00
$12. 00
$235.00
Without the original deed I have no idea what Joseph P. Smith sold the land for but based on the court case above; in the long run it cost him $235.00 for these 30 acres of land.
By December 1866, it seems obvious that William and Sarah are ready to make a transition in their lives. While no specific documents has been found that states they are making a transition it’s quite obvious by the purchase of 30 acres of land that the family was transitioning. It’s a big move from shoemaker to farmer. As we shall see in forthcoming documents, farming wasn’t too kind to them either.
1870 Census
William A., Sarah Jane and William J. Purvis are enumerated in Morven Township, Anson County, NC.
The extracted information for the family, with an enumeration date of 23 August 1870 by J. P. McRae, Ass’t. Marshal:
* W. A. Perris [Purvis], age 46, Male, white, Farmer, $300 in real property, $75 in personal property, born North Carolina.
* Sarah J. Perris [Purvis], age 37, Female, white, born North Carolina.
* William J. Perris [Purvis], age 6, Male, white, at home, born North Carolina. [Spelled Perris on Ancestry]
In the next follow-on article we will look at the 1870’s and it’s impact on the family
_________________________
[1] 1860 U. S. Census, Anson County, North Carolina, population schedule, Morven, Anson County, North Carolina, enumeration district (ED) No ED, page 300, line 34, Dwelling 1238, Family 1188, Household of William A. Purvis; online database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 1976); citing National Archives Microfilm Publication M653, Roll 887.
[2] Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Deed Book 8: Page 284-286, Joseph P. Smith to William A. Purvis; 6 December 1866, Register of Deeds, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina.
[3] Wadesboro, Anson County, NC, Minute Docket, Superior Court, 1868-1884 C.005. 30003, Abram Conlin to the use of W. G. Smith & Saml. Smith Jr., Exc. of J. P. Smith Dec’d VS William A. Purvis, William A. Purvis, Spring Term 1867; NS State Archives, Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina.
.[4] 1870 U S Census, Anson County, North Carolina, population schedule, Morven, Anson County, North Carolina, enumeration district (ED) No ED, page 403A, line 38, Dwelling 178; Family 178, Household of William A. Purvis; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 1976); citing National Archive Microfilm M593, Roll 1122.
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