Amanuensis Monday~Did He Know?

Amanuensis Monday is a genealogy blogging theme. It was started by John Newmark who writes the TransylvanianDutch blog.

His definition of Amanuensis is:

Amanuensis: A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.

Today’s posting is a Land Deed between W. H. H. Purvis and Jemima Magee Purvis.
William H. H. Purvis died about January 1855. I have narrowed the time period for his death to after Mar 2, 1855 and before Jan 28, 1856. He most likely died in the county of his resident in Polk County Texas. 

William H. H. Purvis was alive on 2 March 1885 and signed a DEED (DB E, Page 558-559) on this date. The structure of the Deed and the transfer of all his assets to his wife indicates a forewarned knowledge that his life on  earth was about to end.

The State of Texas}
Polk County} Know all whom it may concern that I William H. H. Purvis of the County and state above written for and in consideration of the love and affection I bear to my wife Jemima Purvis have this day given granted confirmed and confirmed and do by these presents give grant convey confirmed and set over & deliver to my said wife in fee simple forever the following property to wit:
First the following named Negroes slaves for life and now owned and held by me as my separate property to wit: Ann about seventeen years old. Camile about sixteen years old. Green about twelve years old. Suange about twenty-eight years old. Peter thirty-eight years old. Sam about ten years old. George about ten years old. Nathan about eight years old. Alfred about nineteen years old. Linza about fifteen years old. Erma about seven years old. Sanfin about nine years old. Dorcas about six years old. Ewing about eight years old. Maneruse about three years old. Carolin about two years old.
Second the following tract or parcel of land situated and being in said Polk County containing One Hundred acres more or less a part of the headright league of R. W. Russell and which 100 acres tract was conveyed to me by deed executed by Marshal Holcomb and Alfred Holcomb dated on the 8^th day of December A.D. 1851 & …. which deed reference is here made for a more perfect description of the land here conveyed by its metes and bounds and which deed was recorded in the Office of the County Clerk of said County in Book C, Pages 105 & 6 on the 12^th day of April 1852.
Third also the following promissory notes to wit: two notes executed by Nancy Williams payable to W. H. H. Purvis or bearer on the 7th day of February 1855. One note for the sum of five hundred dollars payable on or before the first day of January 1856; the other made for the sum of two thousand $2000.00 payable on or before the first day of January 1858 also a third promissory note executed by R. T. Walker on the 19^th December 1854 payable on or before the first of January 1856 to W. H. H. Purvis or order for the sum of Sixty-eight and 19/100 dollars also a promissory note executed by W. J. F. Purvis and J. R. Jones on the 14^th Dec. 1854 payable to W. H. H. Purvis on or before the 1^st day of June 1856 for one hundred and sixty dollars.
Fourth also five head of horses and one Jack now in my possession and my entire stock of horned cattle branded with the letters W P thus marked with a crop and two splits in the right ear and a hole in the left ear split out.
To have and to hold the above and foregoing described property consisting of Slaves, Land, Promissory notes, Horses and Jack and Cattle together with all rights and privilege’s as belonging or pertaining to the same with full right forever and dominion over the same to my said wife Jemima as her separate property in fee simple her heirs and assigns forever.
In testimony of which I have hereunto set my hand and scroll for seal this 2^nd day of March A. D. 1855.
W. H. H. Purvis {seal}
illegible
illegible
illegible
W. R. Moore
The State of Texas}
Polk County} Personally appeared before me W. J. Knight County Clerk of Polk County W. R. Moore one of the subscribing witness to the foregoing deed and on oath says he saw W. H. H. Purvis sign seal and deliver the same and acknowledged the same to be his act and deed for the consideration therein stated and expressed and that he requested him to witness the same.
Given under my hand and seal of office this the 5^th day of March A. D. 1855.
{seal} W. J. Knight
Clk. P.C.C.
The State of Texas}
Polk County} I certify that the foregoing deed of gift & certificate thereto was this day by me recorded in Record Book of Deeds &c “E” pages 558 & 9 at 10 O’clock Am. Witness my hand and seal of office this the 27^th day of Jn A. D. 1855.
{Seal} W. H. Dukes Clk @ PCC


Then in Probate Minutes Book D; 1853-1857 we find court action related to guardianship of the minor heirs of William H. H. Purvis.

Purvis, Gabian & Angelina
# 155, Guardianship of
294-295-296, 389 to 391,
& 418-419
Purvis, Jasper
# 154, Guardianship of
292-293-294, & 392-393
Purvis, W. W. H.
# 139, Succession of
208 to 238, 344 to 346,
358-359 & 388
Purvis, W. W. H.
# 152, Guardianship of minor heirs
238 to 245

And then there appears some other guardianship records in Probate Minutes Book F; 1858-1860.
Purvis, Angelina
# ___, Guardianship of
212
Purvis, Gabrianna
# ___, Guardianship of
212
Purvis, W. H. H.
# 139, Succession of
105 to 111

Jasper is reported as dying sometime around Jan 1858. Not confirmed by this author.

The three children remained with their Mother, Jemima Magee until her death in Oct 1870 at which time all but the youngest child had reached the age of majority. Back in 1856, Jesse R. Riggs and and William J. Florney Purvis were appointed, by the courts, as legal guardian of the minor children. William was their older Brother and Jesse, their Uncle, having married Mary Ann Savilla Purvis, the oldest daughter of William H. H. Purvis and Jemima Magee Purvis.   

To date, I have been unable to find a specific death date for William H. H. Purvis. However, an exhaustive search has not been conducted and it may be found with additional research. If you have any information related to William H. H. Purvis of Polk County, Texas, please contact me through this blog.
 
 





 
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[1] Polk County, Texas, Polk County Deed Records, BOOK E, Page 558 & 559, William H. H. Purvis to Jemima Purvis, 2 March 1855; Register of Deeds, Livingston, Polk County, Texas. My thanks to B. Harris for providing a copy of the above Land Deed.
[2] http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~polkcountytxconnections/ProbateD1853-57.htm