There are many in this field that claims there is no such thing as a “brick wall”. Using the genealogical Proof standard as their anchor, they will tell you that your research efforts are incomplete or your evaluation of the evidence is faulty, etc.
To say the parentage of William A. Purvis is unknown is an understatement of the time and effort I have spent trying to break through this barrier; this brick wall.
Years ago, way back in 1976 I became interested in genealogy after reading Alex Haley’s “Roots”. Like all budding genealogist I thought I knew exactly where to get some answers. After many letters to my aunts and uncles, great aunts and uncles with no response and interviews with them, I realized my family knew very little about their ancestors.
So off I go looking first at my “PURVIS” line. Grandma Purvis was still living so it was easy to get the line back to her husband. There’s me, my dad, Grandpa James F. Purvis and Great Grandpa William James Purvis.
I have found Grandpa and Great Grandpa in available censuses for that time, the 1900-1920 censuses.
But now I have my first mystery – Where is Grandpa James F. Purvis and his wife Lucy Pearl in 1910. Still to day I have not found them in 1910. I know they were married then and should be listed. Lucy‘s dad, John Calvin Deese, names her as Lucy Purvis when he wrote his will in 1908 so we know she was married sometime before that date.
In order to get Great Great Grandpa’s name I had to get my great Grandfather William James death certificate. His death certificate shows that his father was William Purvis and his mother was Sarah Graves.
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| NC Death Cert. Wm. J. Purvis |
Back to the census I go and locate William and Sarah in 1860-1870 and 1880 Anson County. The 1880 census provided another mystery and a surprise.
First, the surprise: William James Purvis, age 16, is married and living with his bride Mary Hulda next door to William A. Purvis and Sarah Jane.
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| 1880 Census – Anson County |
The mystery: Who is the Betsy Purvis with daughter Mary J. Purvis in the household of William and Sarah Purvis. This is still a mystery today; but, Betsy will play another role later in this story.
Off to the census again we go. After many hours of research William A. and Sarah have not been found in the 1900 census nor has William been found anywhere prior to 1860.
Sarah Jane was found in the 1850 census for Chesterfield County, SC.
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| 1850 Chesterfield Co., SC |
Then there the mystery couple in William A. Purvis household in the 1860 Anson County Census.
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| 1860 Anson Co., NC |
What is the relationship of this couple to William A. & Sarah Purvis. According to the death certificate of one of the White children, Laura White’s maiden name is “BROCK”. But, still Joseph White and Laura Brock White are a mystery.
For many years this line stayed stagnant as documented. Then a local researcher in Anson County sent me this death notice, which I believe is the death of Sarah Jane Graves Purvis, wife of William A. Purvis.
Messenger-Intelligencer issue of January 4, 1894, page 3, McFarlan News - The funeral of the wife of Mr. Wm. PERVIS was preached by this writer in the M. E. Church of this place last Sunday [31 Dec. 1893]. She was a good old woman. She had suffered intensely for fifteen months from cancer. She was a member of the M. E. church about 20 years. [SOURCE: Steve Bailey]
About the same time, I began to look at some of the available deeds filmed by the LDS Family History Library. In total I have 7 land deeds and 21 “deeds of trust” and there may be more. For the purpose of this article, we will discuss 2 land deeds.
The land deeds provided the biggest surprise of them all - William A. Purvis was twice married.
All Deeds are from the Register of Deeds, Wadesboro, Anson County, NC.
The first deed took place in Sept 1883 between William A. Purvis and wife to Jefferson D. Rhine (DB 22: 532-533). Named within the deed is William’s wife – Sarah J. [Graves] Purvis.
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| (DB 22: 532-533) |
The second deed was executed on 23 September 1899 between W. A. Purvis & Wife Elizabeth Purvis to J. D. Rhyne. (DB33:370)
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| (DB33:370) |
Remember the death notice; - The funeral of the wife of Mr. Wm. PERVIS was preached- this suggests that Sarah Jane Graves Purvis died 31 December 1893.
Now six years later we have W. A. Purvis and Wife Elizabeth named within a land deed selling land that was purchased by W. A. Purvis and his wife Sarah Jane back in the mid-1880’s.
I know that William A. Purvis signed with his mark this land deed (DB33:370) on 23 September 1899 and I know that when the 1900 Census was enumerated on 28 June 1900 that he was deceased. He died sometime between these two dates. No obituary or tombstone has been found marking his interment.
Now that we know about the new Wife it’s time to look for her in the 1900 Census and we find the “Widow” Purvis enumerated in the census on the 28th June 1900 in Anson County, NC.
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| 1900 Anson County, NC. |
Behold, we have a new mystery, Elizabeth, the widow” says she has 2 children, 1 living and that daughter Ella was born in Dec 1886. So who is the Father of Ella Purvis; is she an illegitimate child of William A. Purvis. Remember the Besty Purvis that was enumerated in the household of William Purvis in 1880. Could Mary J. Purvis, listed in 1880, be the 2 child of Elizabeth Purvis and who is her father? Mary J. Purvis married Charles Franklin Lang and died due to childbirth complications in March 1895.
Ella Frances Purvis married Tom T. Tarlton. I had the pleasure of talking to the two daughters of Ella Frances Tarlton before they passed away.
Elizabeth ”Betsy” Purvis died 18 October 1926 in Rockingham, Richmond County, NC.
Mrs. Betsy Purvis
Mrs. Betsy Purvis, aged 90, died Oct. 18th in Great Falls village. The interment was at Mizpah the same day.
[The Rockingham Post-Dispatch, Richmond County, NC, Thursday, October 21, 1926, Page 6, Column 2 - Deaths]
No tombstone has been found in the Mizpah Cemetery marking her grave.
I have a living Aunt that was born in 1923 and she claims no knowledge of any of these events.
This line has been so difficult and today 37 years later I still have more questions than answers.
I would love to hear your comments and suggestions on how to break through this "brick wall" and solved some of the mysteries surrounding my 2nd great grandfather, William A. Purvis.
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