THE PURVIS FAMILY
Five Generations
of the descendants of
George and Elizabeth Purvis
Compiled by
Susan B. Schock
2003
* * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
1. George Purvis. Born abt 1754 in
Scotland. George died in Sullivan County NY, bef 1830; he was about 76. George
and his wife’s burial places are currently unknown.
George is found in the 1800 Ulster Co. census,
Neversink Township (Sullivan Co had not yet been formed and Neversink covered a
larger area than today including what is now known as the Town of Rockland
where George settled). George and his wife are noted with seven of their ten
children at home at this time. It appears the oldest three sons had married and
left home by 1800. George Jr. and William are noted as living next door and
listed separately as heads of households. Andrew had moved to Virgil NY
(Cortland Co) where he and his family are later found in census records.
George’s sons Thomas and James also later moved to Virgil NY although James
returned to Sullivan Co and permanently settled there. Also later on George’s
daughter Nancy went to Virgil NY, married and settled there.
By 1810 George’s daughter, Jane, was married and
out of the household and living nearby in the Town of Rockland.
By 1830 George had died. The head of the household
is listed as Elizabeth Purvis (age between 70 and 80). Five children are in the
household. One is a male between the age of five and ten so must have been a
grandchild. The others may have also been grandchildren (a female between
fifteen and twenty, two males between twenty and thirty) and a female between
thirty and forty (perhaps a widowed daughter) George’s sons Samuel and James
are now heads of households and living nearby.
It is thought that George may have been the “Mr.
Purvis” mentioned by James E. Quinlan (p.501) in The History of Sullivan
County (1873) who said to have been a Swedenborgian.
Abt 1774 when George was abt. 20, he married Elizabeth/Sally_____ ?, in Scotland. Born in 1755 in
Scotland. Elizabeth/Sally died in Sullivan County NY, abt 1840; she was 85.
Although census information gives her name as Elizabeth the Jackson descendants
of this family have her name as Sally.
They had the following children and perhaps others:
2 i. George
(~1774-)
3 ii. Jane
(~1775-) Some question Jane as a member of this family.
4 iii. William
(~1780-)
5 iv. Andrew
(~1785-1863) Andrew s still a questionable member of this family
6 v. ?
(~1787-) The name of this child is unknown
7 vi. Thomas
D. (~1789-1843)
8 vii. James
(1791-1876)
9 viii. Sally
(~1793-)
10 ix. Nancy
(1795-1859)
11 x. Samuel
(1799-1876)
Second Generation
* * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
2. George Purvis II (George1).
Born abt 1774 in Scotland.
3. Jane Purvis (George1).
Born abt 1775.
Family lore has it that Jane was sixteen when she
sailed with her family from England.
Her brother James Purvis married Abigail Jackson,
thought to have been Jane’s husband’s sister.
Jane married Isaac Jackson,
son of David Jackson & Rachel______ ?. Born in VT.
Isaac was in the Revolutionary War and served in
the Albany Co Militia 8th and 9th Regiment under Col. Robert Rensselaer.
An Isaac Jackson is mentioned in The History of
Sullivan County (NY) 1873 by James Eldridge Quinlan. (The Town of Rockland)
In all likelihood it is this Isaac. (p. 496) “The boundaries of Rockland were
established by William Parks of Parksville, David Overton, William Parks Jr.
and Isaac Jackson.”
They had the following children:
12 i. Henry
13 ii. Charles
14 iii. William
John (1814-1902)
15 iv. Harriet
16 v. Margaret
17 vi. Pattie
18 vii. Darius
19 viii. Sarah
Ann
20 ix. George
21 x. Jane
4. William Purvis (George1).
Born abt 1780 in Scotland.
William moved with his family to Delaware Co. NY
Abt 1800 when William was 20, he married Mary “Polly”_____ ?, in Sullivan County NY.
They had one child that we know of so far:
22 i. Manley
Alexander (1813-1895)
5. Andrew Purvis (George1).
Born abt 1785 in Scotland. Andrew died in Harford, Cortland Co NY, on 3 Jun
1863; he was 78.
In 1812 when Andrew was 27, he married Nancy Hale, in Harford, Cortland Co NY. Although an
Andrew Purvis is found in Cortland Co NY census records it is not yet conformed
that he was a member of this Purvis family.
6. ? Purvis (George1).
Born abt 1787.
7. Thomas D. Purvis (George1).
Born abt 1789 in Scotland. Thomas D. died in Virgil, Cortland Co NY, on 29 Nov
1843; he was 54. Buried in Virgil, Cortland Co NY.
After Thomas married (around 1814) he and his wife
moved to Virgil NY. In 1822 they bought 22 acres there
Abt 1812 when Thomas D. was abt. 23, he married Phebe Smith, daughter of Tristan Smith &
Dorothy_____ ?, in Sullivan Co NY. Born abt 1794 in New Windsor NY.
They had the following children:
23 i. Elizabeth
24 ii. William
C.
25 iii. Charlotte
26 iv. Dolly
27 v. Olive
28 vi. Truman
29 vii. Sarah
30 viii. Joseph
31 ix. Margaret
32 x. Mary
(~1835-)
8. James Purvis (George1).
Born on 30 Jun 1791 in aboard the ship that brought his parents and their
family from England to America. James died in Rockland NY, Sullivan Co, on 13
Mar 1876; he was 84. (Family lore has it that James’ sister Nancy was the one
born aboard the ship in 1795 so still a question as to the truth)
On 15 Jan 1815 when James was 23, he married Abigail Jackson, presumed to be the daughter of David
Jackson & Rachel_______ ?, in Sullivan Co NY. Born abt 1797 in Litchfield
CT. Abigail died aft 1880; she was 83.
In 1880 Abigail at the age of 83 was living with
her son, Joseph G. Purvis who had never married and her daughter, Olive Purvis
Mills who was a widow by then as well. Olive’s son, Cloudley Mills is also in
the household and a granddaughter named Clarinda Purvis, daughter of Abigails
son, Thomas D. Purvis who apparently went to live with her grandparents after
her mother’s death in 1869. It appears to actually be the farm (household) of
James and Abigail where their unmarried son, Joseph had always lived although
now that his father is dead he is considered the head of the household.
Abigail is thought to be the younger sister of
Isaac Jackson who married Abigail’s husband’s sister, Jane Purvis. Isaac’s
father is confirmed to be David Jackson (notes of Lillian Jackson Woodruff , a
descendant). Abigail and her husband James named their first son George
(supporting the belief that James’ father was George Purvis and therefore their
first son traditionally named after his fraternal grandfather) Their second son
was named David J. which supports the
belief that Abigail was the daughter of David Jackson and a sister to Isaac,
naming their second son after his maternal grandfather. (perhaps the J stands
for Jackson).
They had the following children:
33 i. Samantha
Jane (1818-1888)
34 ii. George
W. (~1820-)
35 iii. David
J. (~1822-)
36 iv. Thomas
D. (1823-1896)
37 v. ?
(~1826-)
38 vi. Harriet
(~1827-)
39 vii. Olive
J. (~1828-)
40 viii. Joseph
G. (1829-)
41 ix. James
C. (1831-1886)
42 x. Samuel
S. (~1834-)
43 xi. Sarah
Ann (~1837-)
44 xii. John
45 xiii. William
46 xiv. ?
47 xv. ?
9. Sally Purvis (George1).
Born abt 1793.
10. Nancy Purvis (George1).
Born in 1795 in Ulster Co/now Sullivan Co NY. Nancy died in Virgil NY Cortland
Co, on 27 Jan 1859; she was 64.
Abt 1812 when Nancy was 17, she married Amariah Dann, son of Ebenezer Dann (21 Jul 1768-)
& Sarah H Jones (10 Oct 1770-17 Apr 1845), in NY. Born on 15 Nov 1791 in
Ridgefield CT. Amariah died in Virgil NY Cortland Co, on 20 Aug 1879; he was
87.
They had at least one child and perhaps others:
48 i. George
P.
11. Samuel Purvis (George1).
Born on 30 Aug 1799 in Ulster Co/now Sullivan Co NY. Samuel died in Sullivan Co
NY, on 24 Jul 1876; he was 76. Buried in Methodist Cemetery Livingston Manor
NY, Sullivan Co.
Abt 1823 when Samuel was abt. 23, he married Estella______ ?, in Sullivan Co NY. Born on 6 Jan
1806 in Sullivan Co NY. Estella died in Sullivan Co NY, on 6 Mar 1870; she was
64. Buried in Livingston Manor NY, Sullivan Co.
They had the following children:
49 i. Austin
(Twin) (1825-1828)
50 ii. Satilla
“Estella” (Twin) (1825-1877)
51 iii. Mary
Ann (1827-1898)
52 iv. Orrin
C. (1827-1862)
53 v. Jane
(1831-1908)
54 vi. Harriet
L. (1833-1859)
55 vii. Emmalissa
(1836-1913)
Third Generation
* * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
12. Henry Jackson (Jane Purvis2,
George1).
13. Charles Jackson (Jane Purvis2,
George1).
14. William John Jackson (Jane Purvis2,
George1). Born on 9 Dec 1814 in Sullivan Co NY. William John died in
Delaware Co NY, on 30 Jul 1902; he was 87.
On 29 Dec 1839 when William John was 25, he married
Mary Ann Champion, daughter of William Champion
& Nancy Kelly. Born on 29 Dec 1818 in Beaver Co PA. Mary Ann died on 25 Jan
1914; she was 95.
They had the following children:
56 i. George
Washington (1841-)
57 ii. Nancy
Jane (1842-1900)
58 iii. Martha
Elizabeth (1845-1929)
59 iv. Julia
Ann (1847-1899)
60 v. Harriet
Ellen (1849-1930)
61 vi. John
William (1851-1921)
62 vii. Isaac
Henry (1852-1882)
63 viii. Alma
Adna
64 ix. Mary
Adeline
65 x. Oscar
Darius
66 xi. Aaron
Kelly
67 xii. Louis
Edgar
15. Harriet Jackson (Jane Purvis2,
George1).
16. Margaret Jackson (Jane Purvis2,
George1).
17. Pattie Jackson (Jane Purvis2,
George1).
18. Darius Jackson (Jane Purvis2,
George1).
19. Sarah Ann Jackson (Jane Purvis2,
George1).
20. George Jackson (Jane Purvis2,
George1).
21. Jane Jackson (Jane Purvis2,
George1).
22. Manley Alexander
Purvis (William2, George1). Born in 1813. Manley
Alexander died in Rockland NY Sullivan Co, on 26 Aug 1895; he was 82.
Information on Manley's line on down is from the "Van Benschoten Family
in America" by William Henry Van Benschoten pub. 1907. (p.286,287). In
this book it states that Manley was a hotel-inn keeper and later a farmer. He
and his wife lived in Rockland NY (Sullivan Co)
On 7 Jun 1834 when Manley Alexander was 21, he
married Phoebe Van Benschoten, daughter of John
A. Van Benschoten & Mary Drake. Born on 18 Jul 1810. Phoebe died on 1 Aug
1889; she was 79.
They had the following children:
68 i. William
W. (1835-1917)
69 ii. John
E. (1837-1862)
70 iii. Aaron
Royston (1839-1937)
71 iv. Mary
Jane (1845-)
72 v. Charlotte
(1848-)
73 vi. Paulina
(1853-1853)
23. Elizabeth Purvis (Thomas D.2,
George1).
24. William C. Purvis (Thomas D.2,
George1).
William C. married Philinda
Hill.
They had the following children:
74 i. Alice
G.
75 ii. Elda
76 iii. William
25. Charlotte Purvis (Thomas D.2,
George1).
Charlotte and her husband moved to Michigan.
In 1842 Charlotte married Harvey
Luce.
26. Dolly Purvis (Thomas D.2,
George1).
Dolly married Daniel Nye.
27. Olive Purvis (Thomas D.2,
George1).
Olive married Daniel Jacob
Price.
They had the following children:
77 i. Albert
78 ii. Irving
79 iii. Earl
Truman
28. Truman Purvis (Thomas D.2,
George1).
Truman married Sarah_____
?.
They had one child:
80 i. George
29. Sarah Purvis (Thomas D.2,
George1).
30. Joseph Purvis (Thomas D.2,
George1).
31. Margaret Purvis (Thomas D.2,
George1).
32. Mary Purvis (Thomas D.2,
George1). Born abt 1835.
Mary married ? Seggar.
33. Samantha Jane Purvis (James2,
George1). Born on 26 Feb 1818. Samantha Jane died on 9 Mar 1888; she
was 70. Buried in Methodist Cemetery Livingston Manor NY, Sullivan Co.
On 28 Dec 1842 when Samantha Jane was 24, she
married James Emmett Sprague, in Bethel
Sullivan Co NY. Born in 1817. James Emmett died in 1895; he was 78. Buried on 7
Jul 1895.
34. George W. Purvis (James2,
George1). Born abt 1820 in Rockland NY, Sullivan Co.
Abt 1846 when George W. was 26, he married Betsy Jane_____ ?, in Sullivan Co NY.
35. David J. Purvis (James2,
George1). Born abt 1822 in Virgil NY Cortland Co.
David’s year of birth is approximated from census
records. In 1855 he was 33 years old. His middle name may have been Jackson and
therefore may have been named David Jackson Purvis after his maternal
grandfather. It has not been conclusively confirmed that David Jackson was
actually his grandfather but seems likely in that Abigail’s first son was
named, George after his paternal grandfather and the 2nd son was named David.
It has been confirmed that an Isaac Jackson of Sullivan Co was the son of David
Jackson so most likely David’s mother , Abigail was Isaac’s sister.
Prior to his marriage it appears that he lived with
his sister, Samantha and her husband.
On 28 Dec 1842 when David J. was 20 he first
married Sophia Burden, in Bethel, Sullivan Co
NY
Abt 1853 when David J. was 31, he second married Abby M._____ ?, in Sullivan Co NY. Born abt 1828 in
Sullivan Co NY.
They had the following children:
81 i. James
M. (~1854-)
82 ii. Alice
A. (~1857-)
.
36. Thomas D. Purvis (James2,
George1). Born on 19 Nov 1823 in Rockland NY, Sullivan Co. Thomas D.
died on 1 Sep 1896; he was 72.
Abt 1842 when Thomas D. was 18, he first married Anna Marie Grant, daughter of ? Grant. Born abt 1820
in Dutchess Co NY. Anna Marie died abt 1862; she was 42.
Anna Maria may have died soon after the birth of
her son John O. Purvis.
They had the following children:
83 i. George
W. (1843-)
84 ii. Mary
Esther (1845-1932)
85 iii. Joseph
H. (1849-)
86 iv. Phoebe
(1851-1875)
87 v. Charles
E. (1854-1925)
88 vi. Walter
E. (1856-)
89 vii. Clarinda
A. (1857-)
90 viii. John
O. (1861-)
Bef 1870 when Thomas D. was 46, he second married Lydia J.______ ?. Lydia was a widow and had been
married formerly to a Mr. Etts. She had one son Seward Etts.
They had one child:
91 i. Annette
"Nettie" A. (1872-)
37. ? Purvis (James2,
George1). Born abt 1826 in Rockland NY, Sullivan Co.
38. Harriet Purvis (James2,
George1). Born abt 1827 in Sullivan Co NY.
39. Olive J. Purvis (James2,
George1). Born abt 1828 in Rockland NY, Sullivan Co.
Abt 1851 when Olive J. was 23, she married Cornelius Mills, in Sullivan Co NY.
They had one child:
92 i. Cloudley
40. Joseph G. Purvis (James2,
George1). Born on 23 Aug 1829 in Rockland NY, Sullivan Co.
In the 1860 Sullivan Co NY census Joseph is age 30,
living at home and listed as a farm laborer. In the 1870 census he is listed as
a farmer. In the 1875 census he is 46 years old, unmarried and living with his
parents and listed as a merchant and a farmer. By 1880 in the census he is
listed as age 50, the head of the
household, single and a farmer. His father had died by then and his mother is
83. His sister Olive at age 52 is widowed and living there as well. Olive’s
son, Cloudley Mills, age 24, lives with them and is a farm laborer. There is a
niece, Indamora Purvis, age 18, also in the household but it is not known who
her parents were.
Joseph Purvis, at one time owned the newspaper, the
Willowemoc Valley Times
( Livingston Manor,Town of Rockland, Sullivan County NY). Joseph had
financed a man named Moses H. Pride in the founding of the paper and eventually
took over the plant under the terms of the chattel mortgage and hired a man
named Dewey Boyce to edit the newspaper. It was said that "kept feeding
the plant like the sparrow feeds its young" and finally in a fit of
desperation sold the plant to Clarence and Frank Sprague of Liberty NY..
41. James C. Purvis II (James2,
George1). Born on 22 Oct 1831 in Rockland NY, Sullivan Co. James C.
died in Sullivan Co NY, on 4 Sep 1886; he was 54.
Abt 1870 when James C. was 38, he married Katherine”Kate” Read. Born on 27 May 1845.
They had one child, thought to be their only child:
93 i. Leland
S. (1871-1933)
42. Samuel S. Purvis (James2,
George1). Born abt 1834 in Rockland NY, Sullivan Co.
Samuel was said to have been a tall man like his
father, James. He was a logger and went
on rafts down the Delaware River to Philadelphia. Later he accepted a position
as an outside overseer with Hammond Bros. who owned one of the largest
tanneries in NY State in De Bruce. He remained there for eight years and then
became a partner of Peter Millsapugh in the lumber business in Woolseyville. A
few years later he formed a partnership with H.J. Barles in the mercantile
business in Liberty NY, where he remained until 1886 when he sold out, retired
and moved to Middletown NY
Samuel S. married Jane
Krum, daughter of Daniel Schoonmaker Krum (15 Sep 1796-17 Feb 1875)
& Sarah Parks (31 Mar 1793-24 Sep 1855). Born on 12 Sep 1831.
They had the following children:
94 i. Florence
B. (1858-1950)
95 ii. Estella
96 iii. Alwelda
97 iv. May
43. Sarah Ann Purvis (James2,
George1). Born abt 1837 in Rockland NY, Sullivan Co.
44. John Purvis (James2,
George1).
45. William Purvis (James2,
George1).
46. ? Purvis (James2,
George1).
47. ? Purvis (James2,
George1).
48. George P. Dann (Nancy Purvis2,
George1).
George P. first married Marilla
Tuller.
George P. second married Alice
G. Purvis (74) , daughter of William C. Purvis (24) & Philinda Hill.
49. Austin Purvis (Samuel2,
George1). Born on 22 Nov 1825 in Town of Rockland, Sullivan Co NY.
Austin died in Town of Rockland, Sullivan Co NY, on 2 Apr 1828. Buried in
Livingston Manor NY, Sullivan Co.
Austin died when only 2 years, 6 months and 17
days. He is buried next to his parents.
50. Satilla “Estella”
Purvis (Samuel2, George1). Born on 22 Nov 1825 in Town
of Rockland, Sullivan Co NY. Satilla “Estella” died in Fallsburgh NY, Sullivan
Co, on 24 Apr 1877; she was 51. Buried in Fallsburgh NY, Sullivan Co.
Abt 1840 when Satilla “Estella” was 14, she married
David J. Knapp, in Sullivan Co NY.
51. Mary Ann Purvis (Samuel2,
George1). Born on 27 Aug 1827 in Town of Rockland, Sullivan Co NY.
Mary Ann died in Livingston Manor NY, on 26 Nov 1898; she was 71.
On 20 Oct 1853 when Mary Ann was 26, she married Erastus Sprague, in Town of Rockland, Sullivan Co NY.
Born in 1824. Erastus died in 1894; he was 70.
52. Orrin C. Purvis (Samuel2,
George1). Born on 5 Sep 1827 in Town of Rockland, Sullivan Co NY.
Orrin C. died in Town of Rockland, Sullivan Co NY, on 7 Nov 1862; he was 35.
Buried in Livingston Manor NY, Sullivan Co.
&