Treasure Chest Thursday~Death Date for William H. H. Purvis

I have written several post about William H. H. Purvis and his death in Polk County, Texas. One thing that has been a real puzzle is the death date of William H. H. Purvis. On-line trees at Ancestry lack any research and are mere copies of each other repeating the same erroneous information over and over.

This past summer I had the opportunity to visit my son in Utah and was able to do some research at the LDS Family History Library in Salt Lake City.

At the top of my list was the death date for William H. H. Purvis and while I did not find the exact date he died, I did find the month and year. The death month and year is contained within Estate packet #139. ¹



No. 139
                                The State of Texas   Polk County in the County Court July Term 1855,
To his honor Wm. F. Gee chief justice Your petitioner Joseph McGee of Newton County of Texas shows that W. H. H. Purvis of said Polk County departed this life intestate on or about the    day of June last past, and that the nearest relative of said descendant have as yet failed and refused to administer on said estate that said Purvis had in pofefion [possession]  at the time of his death real and personal property to a large amount and is believed  to own it, that your petitioner is the owner and holder of large and bono fide claims against said estate and that he is unable to collect the same or have them litigated without and administrator  of said estate, wherefore, he prays your honor to cause the usual notice be given and at the July term 1855 of your honorable court appoint your petitioner  administrator of said estate as in duty bound & c.
                                                                                                Joseph McGee
Filed July 18, 1855
W. H. Dukes, Clk.
Record April 5th, A D 1856 on page 209
L. G. McNickin, Depty Clk c c P4

William H. H. Purvis died in June 1855 in Polk County, Texas.

Related Articles:

• http://carolinafamilyroots.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-mysterious-death-of-william-h-h.html
• http://carolinafamilyroots.blogspot.com/2012/04/clues-to-parents-of-william-h-h-purvis.html

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[1] Estate #139, Page 209, FHL Film #1006872; Estate records found on pages 208-238, 344-346, 358-359 and page 388; FHL Film #1006872.

Amanuensis Monday~The Death of William H. H. Purvis

 
Amanuensis Monday is a genealogy blogging theme. It was started by John Newmark who writes the TransylvanianDutch blog.

His definition of Amanuensis is:

Amanuensis: A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.

Previously, I have written here ¹ about the death of William H. H. Purvis. I stated in that posting that he died after Mar 2, 1855 and before Jan 28, 1856. He most likely died in the county of his residence in Polk County Texas. 

Last month I visited my son in Utah, near Salt Lake City, and on the agenda during that 10 day visit was 3 days at the LDS Genealogical Library in Salt Lake City.

Among my list of items to research was one to find a death date for William H. H. Purvis. While I don’t have an exact date I do have a document that tells me he died in June 1855.



No. 139 ²                        The State of Texas   Polk County in the County Court July Term 1855,
To his honor Wm. F. Gee chief justice Your petitioner Joseph McGee of Newton County of Texas shows that W. H. H. Purvis of said Polk County departed this life intestate on or about the    day of June last past, and that the nearest relative of said descendant have as yet failed and refused to administer on said estate that said Purvis had in pofefion [possession]  at the time of his death real and personal property to a large amount and is believed  to own it, that your petitioner is the owner and holder of large and bono fide claims against said estate and that he is unable to collect the same or have them litigated without and administrator  of said estate, wherefore, he prays your honor to cause the usual notice be given and at the July term 1855 of your honorable court appoint your petitioner  administrator of said estate as in duty bound & c.
                                                                                                Joseph McGee
Filed July 18, 1855
W. H. Dukes, Clk.
Record April 5th, A D 1856 on page 209
L. G. McNickin, Depty Clk c c P4


William H. H. Purvis died in June 1855 in Polk County, Texas.




 
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[1] http://carolinafamilyroots.blogspot.com/2013/05/amanuensis-mondaydid-he-know.html
[2] Polk County, Texas, Probate records, v. D-F 1853-1860, Volume "D", page 209, William H. H. Purvis, Estate #139; FHL microfilm #1006872. [Estate #139, Page 209, FHL Film #1006872; Estate records found on pages 208-238, 344-346, 358-359 and page 388; FHL Film #1006872.]

The Mysterious Death of William H. H. Purvis

William H. H. Purvis is a very elusive mysterious person. His parents are unknown; but, I believe I have enough circumstantial evidence linking him to James P. J. Purvis to suggest that they are brothers. The fact that William H. H. Purvis can be found in two census while James P. J. Purvis were found listed as head of Household in no census is significant. We can estimate a year of birth which in the case of William H. H. was about 1813. Therefore,  we decided that James P. J. was born in 1811. Then we have the 1829 Alabama Land Deed.found in this posting where James P. J. was a witness. If James was born in 1811 then he would have been only 18 when he witness the Alabama Land Deed.

Now we need to determine if an 18 year old could be a witness in 1839 or was James P. J. Actually born earlier that 1811.

A timeline for James P. J. Purvis is contained within the posting mentioned above. Here is a timeline for William H. H. Purvis.

William H. H. Timeline

0	Abt 1813	Birth: SC
17	Abt 1830	Marriage: Jemima Magee-39029;
23	1836	Tax: 1836 Tax List; Rankin County, Mississippi, United States
25	1838	Tax: 1838 Tax List; Simpson County, Mississippi, United States[1]
26	1839	Tax: 1839 Tax List; Rankin County, Mississippi, United States
26	25 Nov 1839	Legal_Act: Guardianship
27	1840	Census: Rankin County, Mississippi, United States
28	22 Mar 1841	Legal_Act: Guardianship
28	7 Dec 1841	Legal_Act: Purvis to Gray - Sale of Slave Named Ellis; Rankin County, Mississippi, United States[2]
31	21 Dec 1844	Property: Wm. H. H. Purvis to Shadrach Sutton; Rankin County, Mississippi, United States
37	1850	Census: Polk County, Texas, USA[3]
38	18 Oct 1851	Property: Polk County, Texas, USA[4]
42	2 March 1855	Wm. H. H. Purvis transfer all his property to his wife

Wm. H. H. Purvis to Shadrach Sutton
The State of Mississippi}
Rankin County} This indenture made this twenty first day of December in the year of our Lord one thousands eight hundred and forty-four [1844] Witnesseth that we William H. H. Purvis and Jemima Purvis, for and in consideration of the sum of Six hundred dollars [$600] to us in hand paid_ the receipt whereof we do hereby acknowledge_ have this day granted bargained sold conveyed and delivered and by these presents do bargain Sell convey and deliver unto Shadrach Sutton a certain track of land that is, the E ½ SE ¼ of section number 23, Township No. 8 of Range No. 3E containing 80 19/100 acres, and the SW ¼ of SW ¼ & SE ¼ of NE ¼ of Section No. 23 Township No. 3 of Range No. 3E containing 80 19/100 acres. The whole containing one hundred and Sixty [160] acres more or less. To have and hold the said tract of land and all and Singular the tenements thereto belonging or in anywise appertaining unto the said Shadrach Sutton's heirs executors administrators and assigns forever and we do hereby forever warrant and defend all and singular the a fore mentioned premises against ourselves our heirs executors and administrators and against the claim or claims of all person whomsoever unto the said Shadrach Sutton, his heirs Executors administrators and assigns, In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hand and seal this first day of December one thousand eight hundred and forty four.
Test’s_Solomon Mangum}                                  William H. H. Purvis
Jesse X Crain}                                                   Jemima X Purvis her Mark

The State of Mississippi}
Rankin County} Personally appeared before me Henry Franklin a member of the Board of the Police for said County the within named William H. H. Purvis and Jemima his wife who has acknowledged that they Signed, sealed and delivered the within deed for the purposes therein witnessed. Given under my hand and Seal this twenty first day of December one thousand eight hundred and forty four.
                                                             Henry Franklin
                                                            Member of the Board of Police for Rankin Co.
The foregoing deed and certificate were filed in my office on the 9th and duly recorded on the 16th day of January A.D. 1845
                                                                                    Jos Bennett Clk., Pro. R. City

In 1844, William H. H. Purvis sold most of his land to Shadrach Sutton as shown above.  Footnote 4 suggests that he received a patent for 320 acres of Land. on 18 October 1851. By this time he had sold all his previously owned land and was living in Polk County, Texas in 1850. I haven’t determine who received the patent land but I assume it was William B.. Harden.

On 2 May 1855 William H. H. Purvis transferred ownership of all his property to his wife Jemima Magee Purvis.

I think that William did this because he knew he was dying and I think he died in 1855 in Polk County, Texas. The Land Deed reads like a Will. 

Guardianship records in Polk County suggests that ale the minor children, three younger – Purdy Jasper, Gabrianna E. and Jemima Angelina were appointed guardian.[5]

Polk County, Texas Probate Record Volume D 1853 - 1857

Purvis, Gabian & Angelina
# 155, Guardianship of
294-295-296, 389 to 391,
& 418-419
Purvis, Jasper
# 154, Guardianship of
292-293-294, & 392-393
Purvis, W. W. H.
# 139, Succession of
208 to 238, 344 to 346,
358-359 & 388
Purvis, W. W. H.
# 152, Guardianship of minor heirs
238 to 245

I’m still trying to determine what happen to William H. H. Purvis?
2. Where is he buried?
3. Who are his parents?
If you have any answers or suggestions I would love to hear from you.


Related Postings:

• http://carolinafamilyroots.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-elusive-parents-of-james-p-j-purvis.html

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[1]. Simpson County, Mississippi, 1836, 1837, 1839-1843 Tax List, unpaginated entries arranged alphabetical, all years read for William H. H. Purvis,. Mississippi State Archives, Various Records, 1820-1951; Simpson County tax rolls, 1838 Tax Year, Image 133 of 276..
[2]. Rankin County, Mississippi, Rankin County Deed Books, Book 6, page 342, Purvis to Gray - Sale of negro boy named Ellis, 17 December 1841; Register of Deeds, Raymond, Rankin County, Mississippi. Transcribed from my notes taken from Book 6, Page 342:
Rankin County, Mississippi
[3]. 1850 U. S. Census, Polk County, Texas, population schedule, Polk County, Texas, Page 188B, Line 3, Dwelling 178, Family 178, Household of W. H. H. PURVIS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed May 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm M432_914.
[4]. William H. H. Purvis, 18 October 1851; Texas Land Title Abstracts, ; Texas General Land Office, Austin, Texas. Texas Land Title Abstracts about W. H. H. PurvisGrantee: Wm. B. Hardin
Certificate: 493
Patentee: W. H. H. Purvis
Patent Date: 18 Oct 1851
Acres: 320
District: Houston; Liberty
County: Polk
File: 146
Patent #: 711
Patent Volume: 5
Class: Hou. Bty.
Source Information:Ancestry.com. Texas Land Title Abstracts [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000. Original data: Texas General Land Office. Abstracts of all original Texas Land Titles comprising Grants and Locations. Austin, TX, USA.
[5]  htttp://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~polkcountytxconnections/ProbateLinkPage.html