Census Sunday~Stephen David Purvis

It’s not unusual to find censuses where a person is listed in two separate households and there is generally some logical explanation on why and how this would occur.

But, what is the probability of a single individual being listed on the same page for a census three times?  On Friday, I received a FGS sheet on Stephen David Purvis from a dear friend in So. Jordan, Utah. I have looked at and researched every Purvis in Chesterfield County trying to find a connection to my William A. Purvis that lived in Anson County, NC just across the State line, about 5 miles as a crows fly.

Some of the information on the FGS was unfamiliar so I decided to take another look on Ancestry at Stephen David Purvis. When I got to the 1880 census this is what I found.¹



Now, I have no explanation why Stephen David Purvis is in 3 separate households on the same page nor why he is listed as head of household in 2 of the 3 listings.

On Line 27, Dwelling 376, Family 376 he is listed with his wife and children. 1

Stephen D. PURVIS, male, age 39, born in SC;
Effie PURVIS, Wife, age 35, born in SC;
William PURVIS, Son, age 15, born in SC;
Josephine PURVIS, daughter, age 11, born in SC;
Sidney PURVIS, Son, age 10, born in SC;
Alexander PURVIS, Son, age 7, born in SC;
Sarah Jane PURVIS, Daughter, age 6, born in SC and
Lilly A. PURVIS, daughter, age 3, born in SC. 

On Line 45, Dwelling 380, Family 380; he is listed with Thomas SMITH, age 23.² 

On Line 49, Dwelling 382, Family 382; He is in the Household of John BRIGMANN, age 19.³ 

If you have a logical explanation for multiple listing such as this one I would lover to hear your comments.






__________________________
[1] 1880 U S Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Court House, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) 005, Page 331A; Line 27, Dwelling 376, Family 376, Household of Stephen D. PURVIS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 31 August 2013); citing National Archives Microfilm T9-1225.
[2] 1880 U S Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Court House, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) 005, Page 331A; Line 45-46, Dwelling 380, Family 380, Household of Stephen D. PURVIS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 31 August 2013); citing National Archives Microfilm T9-1225.
[3] 1880 U S Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Court House, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) 005, Page 331A; Line 48-49, Dwelling 382, Family 382, Stephen D. PURVIS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 31 August 2013); citing National Archives Microfilm T9-1225.

Military Monday – Corp. Stephen David Purvis

Stephen David Purvis, born 20 March 1841, was a son of   John “Jack” Purvis and Sarah “Sallie” Huggins. He enlisted into the Confederate Army on, 26 December 1861 at Cheraw, South Carolina. At that time he was not married. His older brother William C. “Billie” Purvis also enlisted on the same day.

Stephen David was enlisted by J. C. Craig, as a Private into Company A, 4^th South Carolina Cavalry (Rutledge Regiment) for the war duration.

  

Stephen David Civil War Record on Fold 3[1] consists of 19 Images. His military career was uneventful and both he and his brother returned home after the War. Shortly, after returning home, Stephen David married Rosa Effie Freeman, daughter of Jesse Freeman and Sarah Jane Davis.

The 19 images in Stephen David military folder are repetitious so we will cover the unusual items mentioned in his record.

Image 1 – Index card listing the other card by numbers.

Image 2 – Private, Stephen David Purvis, Company A, 4^th SC Cavalry, date of muster roll i.e. NOV-Dec 1863, Enlisted 26 Dec 1861, Cheraw, SC, by J. C. Craig for war; last paid J. M. Brown, 1 Nov 1862, Present; Remarks: Appointed 4^th Corp. 1 Dec 1861 and rose to 3^rd Corp. 15 Dec 1863

Image 7 – 1 Corp. S. D. Purvis – everything else on all cared up to this point are the same except for the date of the Muster card. Sept – Oct 1863 – Remarks – present, sick in quarters

Image 10 - Corp. S. D. Purvis – everything else on all cared up to this point are the same except for the date of the Muster card. Feb 29 – Aug 31, 1864 – Remarks – absent, absent sick sent to Hospital on the 21^st inst.

Image 12 – 3 Corp. -  S. D. Purvis. 4^th Reg’t – Jackson Hospital, Richmond Virginia, Butler Brigade; Cause – Diarrhea – admitted 21 August 1864; Returned to Duty 7 Sept. 1864

Image 13 – Corp. -  S. D. Purvis. 4^th Reg’t – Jackson Hospital, Richmond Virginia, August 2 – Sept 7, 1864; diarrhea; Returned to Duty 7 Sept. 1864

Images 16-19 = Receipts rolls for clothing while in the hospital and for pay. 

A soldier made $13.00 a month as a Corporal in the Civil War.

After the war, Stephen David came home and married Rosa Effie Freeman. They had had 9 children between 1866 and 1884. Rosa Effie life was cut short and she died in 1884 at age of 36. While records are scarce; she most likely died with the birth of her daughter Rosa Effie who also died in 1884.   

Stephen David never re-married and lived until 13 March 1914; dying at the age of 72. He and Rosa Effie are buried in the Purvis Cemetery, in the Shiloh Community, Chesterfield County, South Carolina. 

---

[1] Ancestry, "Civil War Service Records" database, Military Service Records (http://www.fold3.com/: accessed 2 July 2012), entry for Stephen D. Purvis, Corp.; 4th SC Cavalry; Confederate.