When and Where Did Gilbert Purvis Die?

Photo Courtesy of Julious Burr

This Tombstone in Chesterfield County, South Carolina suggests that Gilbert Purvis died and was buried in the Rivers Cemetery. But, it’s not so.

Gilbert Purvis at one time owned 4815 acres of land in Chesterfield County, South Carolina. He sold all of this land, some to Heywood Todd,  and with several brothers, James F. and Joseph known, moved his wife and family along with other families (Howells) to Clarke County, Alabama and finally settled in Simpson County, Mississippi.¹
 
I believe this move occurred between 1818 and 1820. In Mar 1818, Gilbert was a party named in an administrative bond for the death of one James Purvis. I haven’t determine yet how this James Purvis is related.²

State of South Carolina }
Horry District } Know all men by these presents that we John Johnston, Gilbert Purvis, Moses Harrelson and Felix Powell are holden and firmly bound unto Henry Durant Esquire Ordinary for aforesaid District in the full and just sum of Ten Thousand to be paid to the said Henry Durant or to his successors of this District or their certain attorney or officers, To which payment will and truly be made, and we bind ourselves and every of us own and every of our heirs, executors,administrators, for the whole and in the whole jointly and severally firmly by these presents sealed with our seals and dated the Seventeenth Day of July one thousand eight hundred and eighteen and in the 43rd year of America Independence.
The condition of the above obligation is such that if 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…

Checking the 1820 Census for Chesterfield County reveals no trace of many Purvis families that were listed in 1810. Gilbert Purvis is missing from the 1820 Census for Chesterfield County. We next find a trace of Gilbert in the tracks of his son Gilbert Johnston Purvis on 25 December 1821.³

On that day (25 Dec 1821)  in Clarke County, Alabama, Gilbert Johnston Purvis purchased land from William Stringer (Book ‘A', Page 182-183). 

The next listing of Gilbert Purvis, Sr. is in the 1827 and 1828 Tax Roll for Simpson County, Mississippi. ^{4 5}

1828 Tax List - Simpson Co., MS

In the 1829 Tax List the only Purvis listed is – Gilbert J. Purvis.

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-21381-31602-68?cc=1919687&wc=M6J9-YWL:211953101,211963301 

In 1830 Census, Effica Howell Purvis, widow of Gilbert Purvis is listed in the household of her son Gilbert Johnston Purvis. Tragically, Effica and Gilbert Johnston Purvis would both die before the next census; Effica in Aug. 1834 and Gilbert Johnston in Nov 1835.⁶ 

Gilbert Purvis, Sr. died sometime between June 1828 (1828 Tax List) and 11 June 1829 (1829 Tax List) in Simpson County, Mississippi. He is buried in an unmarked cemetery in that county.









 
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[1] Gilbert Purvis & James Purvis, Plat for 3, 215 Acres, 15 August 1793; S213190, Volume: 0032; Page: 00255, Item 0001; Dept. of Archives and History, Columbia, South Carolina.
[2] Brent H. Holcomb, Horry District Administration Bonds 1803-1818 (Columbia, SC 29221: Brent H. Holcomb, Vol. X, Winter 1982), page 10.
[3] 1820 Census of the United States, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, , ; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed ); citing National Archives Microfilm M 33_119.
[4] 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; 1827, Box 3764, Image of 27 of 276, Gilbert PERVIS.
[5] 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.
[6] 1830, Simpson County, Mississippi, population schedule, Simpson County, Mississippi, Page: 183;, Household of Gilbert [J.] PURVIS; digital images, www.ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 11 May 2011); citing NARA micro-film Roll: M19-71.