In part 1, we learned that the earliest known document found for William A. Purvis was the 1860 census. We saw the birth of his only child, a son and his involvement in a lawsuit with the heirs of Joseph P. Smith. We closed that period of his life with the 1870 census where young William was listed as 6 years old.
We also saw that he began the 1860’s making a living as a “shoemaker” and by 1870 he had transitioned into being a “farmer”. As evidence by the documents found for this period we will see that the life of a farmer, during the Reconstruction era, was no picnic.
| Property | 21 Dec 1871 (about age 45) | Land Deed - James L. Edwards to W. A. Purvis, Anson Co., NC, Book 22, Page 531-532.; Anson County, North Carolina, United States [1] |
| Property | 21 Dec 1871 (about age 45) | Trust Deed - W. A. Purvis to James L. Edwards, Anson Co., NC, Book 2, Pages 363-365.; Anson County, North Carolina, United States [2] |
| Property | 21 Dec 1872 (about age 46) | Land Deed - W. P. Brantley to Wm. Purvis, Book 21, Page 404-405.; Anson County, North Carolina, United States.[3] |
| Property | 2 Feb 1876 (about age 50) | Trust Deed - W. A. Purvis to J. C. Marshall & Co., Anson Co., NC, Book 6, Pages 416-418.; Anson County, North Carolina, United States [4] |
| Property | 30 Jun 1876 (about age 50) | Trust Deed - W. A. Purvis to J. C. Marshall & Co., Anson Co., NC, Book 7, Pages 462-464.; Anson County, North Carolina, United States [5] |
| Property | 12 Mar 1877 (about age 51) | Trust Deed - William A. Pervis to Marshall & Richardson, Anson Co., NC, Book 8, Pages 276-278.; Anson County, North Carolina, United States [6] |
| Property | 1 Mar 1878 (about age 52) | Trust Deed - W. A. Pervis to Marshall & Richardson, Anson Co., NC, Book 9, Page 347.; Anson County, North Carolina, United States [7] |
| Property | 1 Mar 1878 (about age 52) | Trust Deed - W. A. Pervis to Marshall & Richardson, Anson Co., NC, Book 9, Pages 351-352.; Anson County, North Carolina, United States [8] |
| Property | 3 Mar 1879 (about age 53) | Trust Deed - W. A. Purvis to Marshall & Richardson, Anson Co., NC, Book 10, Pages 431-432.; Anson County, North Carolina, United States [9] |
| Property | 23 Jul 1879 (about age 53) | Land Deed, 25 Acres, Mary, Sarah & Martha Gardner to W. A. Purvis (DB 20, Pages 584-585); Anson County, North Carolina, United States[10] |
In the first article, we saw that William A. Purvis purchased 60 acres of land in Chesterfield County, South Carolina from Joseph P. Smith on December 6, 1866. [11]
William A. Purvis lived in Anson County, North Carolina but the area in which he lived was just a stone’s throw from the North & South Carolina border. The following map depicts the area in which William A. Purvis lived. The Land he owned was just west of Zoar Road along the North & South Carolina State Line.
After purchasing land, the next step is to “put in” or plant a crop. During this time in Anson County a “TRUST DEED” was used as the instrument to bind two parties in agreement.
On December 21, 1871, William A. Purvis entered into such as agreement with James L. Edwards of Anson County, North Carolina.[12]
This indenture made this the 21 December 1871 between W. A. Purvis of the first part and Jas. L. Edwards of the second part both of the county and State of North Carolina witnesseth whereas the said W. A. Purvis is justly indebted to the said Jas. L. Edwards the sum of two hundred and forty-seven 80/100 dollars ($247.80) and whereas the said W. A. Purvis is desirous to secure the payment of the said debt now therefore this indenture witnesseth that for and in consideration of the promises together with the further consideration of the sum of one dollar in hand paid to the said W. A. Purvis by the said Jas. L. Edwards the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged he the said W. A. Purvis hath granted, bargained & sold and by these presents do bargain grant & sell unto the said Jas. L. Edwards a certain tract of land lying and being in the county of Anson and the State of North Carolina on the waters of Westfield Creek and bounded as follows:
beginning at a stake in the state line 4th corner of R. Gaddy's tract & runs No. 15 Wst 38.35 Chs to a stake in McGugans line 3rd corner of the Gaddy tract then No. 88 Wst 11.40 Chs to a stake one pine pointer then So. 37.50 Chs to a stake in the state line then with the state line East 21 Chs to the beginning containing sixty (60) acres being the same land conveyed by Isham Wallace to Jas. L. Edwards to have & to hold the said land & promises and all & singular the ... hereditament's, woods ways waters, rents, improvements, profits and appurtenances thereunto belonging or in any wise appertaining thereto to him the said Jas. L. Edwards, his heirs, executors, administrators in fee simple forever free & discharged from any & all encumbrance's whatever in special trust & confidence that the said Jas. L. Edwards shall & will hold, keep, use & apply the same in the use intended following and no other that is to say if the aforesaid debts and every part thereof together with the lawful interest that may have accrued & if the same shall not be (fully) paid off and satisfied by the said W. A. Purvis on or before the first day of January 1873 then and in that case it shall be lawful and shall be at the pleasure of Jas. L. Edwards having first advertised the same at the Court House in the town of Wadesboro and three other public places in the county of Anson the space of twenty days to proceed to sell the said land & premises at public auction to the highest bidder for cash money or such credit the said Edwards may think proper and convey the same by proper & sufficient assurances to the purchaser and all the proceeds and money arising from said sale to retain all necessary expenses of this trust and then payoff and discharge to himself the said debts and interest specified in the foregoing part of this trust that he shall pay all as such part as shall remain unpaid at the time of the sale & the over plus if any he shall pay or return to said W. A. Purvis or his representative in testimony, whereof the said W. A. Purvis doth set his hand & seal the day & date above written.
his
W. A. X Purvis {Seal}
mark
December 21, 1871 was a momentous day for William A. Purvis.
- He mortgaged the entire 60 acres he purchased of Joseph P. Smith for $247.80 payable on or before the first day of January 1873. [13]
- He purchased from James L. Edwards an additional 60 acres of Land for the exact same amount that he mortgaged his original 60 acres purchased from Joseph P. Smith.[14]
You can see by the chart above that the use of Trust Deeds was a viscous cycle that occurred year after year.
But as onerous as the cycle was William goes out in July 1879 and buys another 25 acres of land from the Gardner's sisters for 3 dollars an acres with fifty ($50) dollars payable on the first day of January next and the remainder payable by December 1, 1880.
On 23 July 1879, William A. Purvis has now acquired the following tracts of Land.
- 60 acres purchased from Joseph P. Smith on 6 Dec 1866 (Land in SC) [15]
- 60 acres purchased from James L. Edwards on 21 December 1871 [16]
- 30 acres purchased from William P. Brantley on 21 December 1872 [17]
- 25 acres purchased from Mary, Sarah and Martha Gardner on 23 July 1979 [18]
It’s now July 1879 and William James, the son of William A. is a strapping young lad of 16 and evidently ready to take on a family. Sometime during this year, young William James at age 16 married Mary Hulda Previtte, a marriage that would last through their lifetimes.
But, the 1880 census is full of surprises, who is Betsy Purvis and Mary F. Purvis and what are their relationship to William A. Purvis. Could they hold the key to the identity of the parents of William A. Purvis? This is a big mystery!![19]
_________________________
1. Anson County, North Carolina, Land
Deed Book 22: Page 531-532, James L. Edwards to W. A. Purvis; 21 December 1871,
Register of Deeds, Wadesboro, Anson County, North Carolina.
2. Anson County, North Carolina, Trust Deed Book 2: Pages
363-365, W. A. Purvis to James L. Edwards; 21 December 1871, Register of Deeds,
Wadesboro, Anson County, North Carolina.
3. Anson County, North Carolina, Deed Book 21: pages
404-405.
4. Anson County, North Carolina, Trust Deed Book 6: pages
416-418.
5. Anson County, North Carolina, Trust Deed Book 7: Pages
462-464.
6. Anson County, North Carolina, Trust Deed Book 8: page
276-278.
7. Anson County, North Carolina, Trust Deed Book 9: Page
347.
8. Anson County, North Carolina, LFD Film#1689064; Trust
Deed Book 9: Pages 351-352.
9. Anson County, North Carolina, Trust Deed Book 10:
Pages 431-432.
10. Anson County, North Carolina, Deed Book 20: pages
584-585.
11. Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Joseph P. Smith
to William A. Purvis; 6 December 1866, Register of Deeds, Chesterfield,
Chesterfield County, South Carolina.
12. Anson County, North Carolina, Trust Deed Book 2: Pages 363-365, W. A. Purvis to
James L. Edwards; 21 December 1871, Register of Deeds, Wadesboro, Anson County,
North Carolina.
13. Ibid.
14. Anson County, North Carolina, Land Deed Book 22: Page 531-532, James L. Edwards
to W. A. Purvis; 21 December 1871, Register of Deeds, Wadesboro, Anson County,
North Carolina.
15. Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Joseph P. Smith to William A. Purvis; 6 December 1866, Register of Deeds, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina.
16. Anson County, North Carolina, Land Deed Book 22: Page 531-532, James L. Edwards to W. A. Purvis; 21 December 1871, Register of Deeds, Wadesboro, Anson County, North Carolina.
17. Anson County, North Carolina, Deed Book 21: pages 404-405, W. P. Brantley to Wm.
Purvis; 21 December 1872, Register of Deeds, Wadesboro, Anson County, North
Carolina.
18. Anson County, North Carolina, Deed Book 20: pages 584-585, Mary, Sarah &
Martha Gardner to W. A. Purvis; 23 July 1879, Register of Deeds, Wadesboro,
Anson County, North Carolina.
19. 1880 U. S. Census, Anson County, North Carolina, population schedule, Anson
County, North Carolina, enumeration district (ED) # 2, Page 350B, Line 36,
Dwelling 233, Family 251, Household of William A. Purvis; digital image,
Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 1976); citing National
Archives Microfilm T9, Roll 951.
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