Treasure Chest Thursday~Clues From Early Alabama Marriages

In March 1818, a Horry District Administration Bond was initiated by John Johnston, Gilbert Purvis, Moses Harrelson and Felix Powell whereby “the above bound John Johnston and Gilbert Purvis administrators of the goods, chattels and credits of James Purvis deceased do make a true and perfect inventory of all and singular, the goods, chattels, credits of the said deceased, which shall come into the hands of knowledge of the said John Johnston, Gilbert Purvis, or unto the hands of any other person or persons …” ¹

There is little doubt that the deceased James Purvis is related to Gilbert Purvis. The death of this young man seem to be the motivation for brothers Gilbert, James and Joseph to migrate westward. 
We know that by late 1819 that the Purvis families are in Clarke County, Alabama. There on 14th December 1919, John Purvis married Mary Parks. John is the son of James F. Purvis, Sr. and Gilbert Purvis is his Uncle. ²


Then On 9 November 1824, Rebecca Purvis and Henry Howell were married in Clarke County, Alabama. Rebecca is the sister of John Purvis and a daughter of James F. Purvis, Sr. ³
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Land records also exist that shows other family members  presence in Clarke County as late of 1829. ^{4 5}

Book "A', Page 182-183
William Stringer (Grantor) to Gilbert PURVIS (Grantee)
Date of Deed 25 Dec 1821 Recorded 12 Feb 1822
Film #1823018
 
Witness
William L. Thornton
Gilbert J. Purvis

Book "G", Pages 366-367
Gilbert J. PURVIS (Grantor) to Grass Scruggs (Grantee) Deed
Date of Deed 12 January 1829Filed in Office 29 March 1856
Recorded 9 May 1856 Book "G" and pages 366.367
Film # 1823073

Eventually James, Gilbert and Joseph and the other family member moved on to Rankin, Hinds and Smith County, Mississippi. Gilbert Purvis, Sr. is listed in an 1828 Simpson County Tax List. He died between the creation of this list and the enumeration of the 1830 Census. Joseph Purvis oldest son of James F. Sr. died in the early 1840 and his wife Elizabeth Cook married Richard Odom in January 1844 and moved to Louisiana.  ^{6 7 8}

Recent DNA results show that my DNA matches descendants of William Purvis and Millie Cook. William was also a son of James F. Purvis, Sr. Two years ago I made a trip to the Mississippi Archives  that was very productive in the research of these families. Still much research in left to be done in Clarke County, Alabama; Simpson, Hinds, Rankin and Smith counties, Mississippi.





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[1] Horry County South Carolina, Horry District Administration Bonds 1803-1818 (Conway, Horry County, South Carolina: Probate Office, n.d.), Administration Bond - Gilbert Purvis, page 71.
[2} Clarke County, Alabama, marriage (14 December 1819), John Purvis to Mary Parks; Montgomery, Alabama, USA, State of Alabama Center for Health Statistics, Record Services Division.
[3] Clarke County, Alabama, marriage (9 November 1824), Henry HOWELL to Rebecca PURVIS; Montgomery, Alabama, USA, State of Alabama Center for Health Statistics, Record Services Division.
[4] Land Deed - William Stringer to Gilbert PURVIS; 25 December 1821; Deed Book #A; Page(s) 182-183; Register of Deeds; Clarke County, Alabama; 10 January 2012.
[5] Land Deed - Gilbert J. PURVIS to Grass Scruggs; 12 January 1829; Deed Book #G; Page(s) 366-367; Register of Deeds; Clarke County, Alabama; 10 January 2012.
[6] Mississippi State Archives, Various Records, 1820-1951; The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, *FamilySearch*, (http://www.familysearch.org: accessed 14 January 2012), Simpson,County Tax Rolls; 1828, Box 3764, Image of 36 of 276, Gilbert PERVIS.
[7] 1850, Simpson County, Mississippi, population schedule, Simpson County, Mississippi, Page: 289A; Line 9,, Dwelling 27, Family 27 Richard OLDHAM, Household of Richard OLDHAM; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.Ancestry.com : viewed 25 July 2011); citing NARA publication Roll: M432_381.
[8] 1860 U.S. Census, Rapides Parish, Louisiana, population schedule, Rapides Parish, Louisiana, enumeration district (ED) No ED, Page: 31, Line 36, dwelling 226, family 227, Household of Elizabeth ODUM; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.Ancestry.com : viewed 2010); citing NARA publication Roll: M653_423.