State of South Carolina}
Chesterfield County}
On the fourth day of October Anno Domino, 1848 personally appeared before me the subscriber a magistrate in and for the Said district Mrs. Lavicy Purvis who being duly sworn deposeth and saith that she is the Mother of the identical Stephen Purvis who enlisted on or about the 27th day of November 1846 at Charleston, So. Ca. Capt. Blanding's Company "F" Palmetto Regiment commanded by the late Col. P. M. Butler and that she has been informed that her son died at Castle Perro [Perote], Mexico on or about the tenth day of June A. D. 1847 in consequence of sickness and while in the service of the United States; and that her husband died on or about the ____ day of _______ in the year A. D. 1824 and that her said son was never married, and that she makes this declaration to obtain his Bounty Land.
Sworn to before me this}
fourth day of October} Lavicy X her mark Purvis {LS}
1848.----- }
Wm. A. Mulloy
Magt.
Lavicy Purvis in the above letters made 4 distinct statements:
- She is the Mother of Stephen Purvis
- Her son died at Castle Perro, Mexico 10 June 1847 of sickness
- Her son was never married
- Her Husband [Not Named] died in 1824.
Lavicy was granted 160 acres of Land 9 May 1849; Warrant #57,179.
I have not found the husband of Lavicy Purvis named in any document but many believed him to be a John Purvis, Sr. We do know he died, according to the letter above, in 1824.
The letter above was created on 4 October 1848. Could her husband have died earlier or later than 1824. Where did he die? Could it have been outside of the State of South Carolina. No date of birth has been found for their son Stephen Purvis. Stephen Purvis, according to the letter above, enlisted 0n 27 November 1846. How old was Stephen? If he was 18, then his birth year would be 1828; if he was 21, then his birth year would have been 1825. Either way, Stephen was a very young lad when his father passed away.
There is a John Purvis born in SC that died in Clarke County, Alabama late 1824 or early 1825. Could this have been Vicey’s husband. There is no doubt that this John Purvis is related to Gilbert & James Purvis, brothers who left Chesterfield County around 1818 and moved first to Clarke County, Alabama, and later on to Mississippi. Did he make a trip to Alabama to see relatives? Additional research may provide the answers; until then there are many unanswered questions.
Vicey Purvis died in the late 1850’s. She is not listed in the 1860 Census nor the 1860 Mortality scheduled. If she was not missed by the Census enumerator it’s possible her death occurred before 1 January 1859.
A property Deed in the Burnt Book, page 48 shows that she was deceased before 26 February 1861.
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[1] My THANKS goes out to a “Purvis” researcher [Name Withheld] who shared this letter with me.
[2] https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSY6-9W9?i=1321&cat=989192 Frame 1322
[3] Land Deed - Sarah Sellers and James Oliver to John Purvis; 26 February 1861; Deed Book #Burnt Book; Page(s) 48; Probate Office; Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina; 27 August 2014.
