Surname Saturday~James M. Purvis Marriage Times 3

James M. Purvis was born 1 April 1830 in Rankin County, Mississippi, a son of William Purvis and Millie Cook. He was one of nine children with 4 brothers and 4 sisters. 

DNA testing shows that these children are my 2nd to 4th Cousins. However, with that knowledge I still have not connected my “brickwall” – William A. Purvis to this family.

James during his lifetime was married three times. From two of these three marriage eleven (11) known children were produced.

1st Wife
James married his first wife, Martha Caroline Russell, 17 December 1855 in Rankin County, Mississippi. To this union 7 children were born: ¹

• James Buchanan Purvis, b. 24 Nov 1856
• Jerome G. Purvis, b. 17 June 1858
• Laura V. Purvis, b. abt 1860
• Jefferson Davis Purvis, b. abt 1862
• Mary Melinda Purvis, b. 23 May 1863
• William Jerry Purvis, b. abt 1867
• Callie Purvis, b. 20 Jan 1869

Martha Caroline Russell died 15 December 1873 and is buried in Puckett & Purvis, Old Rock Bluff Cemetery, Daniel, Smith County, Mississippi. ²

2nd Wife 
After the death of Martha Caroline, James married Sarah A. Russell Cox.³ Sarah and Caroline are said to be sisters though I haven’t made that connection just yet. Sarah A. Russell married Melephron Cox in November 1852. Melephron went off to War and never returned. By 1880 James Purvis and Sarah A. Cox were married. The question is when did they marry?

Records on Ancestry says they were married 17 January 1870. This date is suspect. Remember, Caroline was still alive and as far as we know still married to James in 1870. She did not passed away until 15 December 1873.

 Therefore, three of the four children listed here may be Martha Caroline’s children or if the marriage date is correct they could be those of Sarah A. Cox Purvis.  

• Sarah Kathryn Purvis, b. abt 1870
• Hattie Ennis Purvis, b. abt 1872
• Renvah Malissa Purvis, b. abt 1872
• Masura Ennis Purvis, b. abt 1876

1880 CENSUS: Smith County, Mississippi; Roll: 664; Family History Film: 1254664; Enumeration District: 106, Page: 328D(stamped); Line 41, Dwelling NL, Family NL; James PURVIS, male, age 50, Farmer, born in MS; S. N. PURVIS, Wife, age 48, born in MS; J. G. PURVIS, Son, age 21, born in MS; P. J. COCKS [COX] , Step-son, age 19, born in MS; J. D. PURVIS, Son, age 18, born in MS; Malinda PURVIS, Daughter, age 16, born in MS; J. P. PURVIS, Son, age 14, born in MS; Callie PURVIS, Daughter, age 12, born in MS; S. C. PURVIS, Daughter, age 10, born in MS; R. M.  PURVIS, Daughter, age 8, born in SC; Hattie Ennis PURVIS, Daughter, age 8, born in MS and Masura PURVIS, daughter, age 4, born in MS. ⁴

The death date of Sarah A. Cox Purvis is unknown but occurred before 1895.

3rd Wife
The 1900 Census shows that James took another younger wife in 1895. The young lady was known as Sarah E. (LNU) Purvis born May 1844. There are listings on line suggesting that her full name is Sarah Elizabeth Mize. This has not been confirmed with solid evidence. ⁵

They 1900 Census for Rankin County Mississippi shows that they have been married 5 years with no children.



James M. Purvis died at age 78 on 18 January 1909. He is buried in Rock Bluff Cemetery, Daniel, Smith County, Mississippi. ⁶



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[1] "Mississippi Marriages, 1776-1935," digital images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 25 June 2014), Marriage - James Purvis & Caroline Russell, 17 Dec. 1855, Rankin County, Mississippi.
[2] Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database and digital images, (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 27 June 2014); Memorial page for Caroline Purvis; (4 February 1836–15 December 1873); Find a Grave memorial # 130030270, Citing Puckett & Purvis, Old Rock Bluff Cemetery; Daniel, Smith County, Mississippi, USA.
[3] "Mississippi Marriages, 1776-1935," digital images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 25 June 2014), Marriage - James Purvis & Caroline Russell, 17 Dec. 1855, Rankin County, Mississippi.
[4] 1880 U. S. Census, Smith County, Mississippi, population schedule, Smith County, Mississippi, enumeration district (ED) 106, Page: 328D(stamped); Line 41, Dwelling NL, Family NL, Household of James PURVIS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 27 June 2014); citing National Archives Microfilm T9_664.
[5] 1900 U. S. Census, Rankin County, Mississippi, population schedule, Cato, Rankin County, Mississippi, enumeration district (ED) 0084, Page: 16A/251(stamped); Line 1, Dwelling 280, Family 280, Household of James PURVIS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 25 June 2014); citing NARA publication T623_826.
[6] Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database and digital images, (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 11 January 2011); Memorial page for James [M.] Purvis; (1 April 1830–18 January 1909); Find a Grave memorial # 49563256, Citing Rock Bluff Cemetery; Daniel, Smith County, Mississippi, USA.