Oh, how we long to know our roots…
and where we came from. Marie Purdy Myrick and Tim Purdy have a nice surprise coming their way. She posted on Facebook that showed up in our newsfeed page with a request for help with her family history. And we can help a little.
We traced back as far as Francis Purdy. Francis Purdy had a son named Ebenezer Purdy whose son was James Purdy. James Purdy married Phebe Purdy (Peter , Francis 3-2-1) a cousin. James was born 1750 in Westchester County, New York. He first removed to Dutchess and then to Chenango County, New York. The migration of the family followed along these lines: Canada>New York>Michigan>Washington state. James Purdy had a son named Stephen Purdy.
The lineage then follows that Stephen Purdy had a song named Josiah Purdy. Josiah’s parents were Stephen Purdy born 1788 and Sally whose last name remains unknown.
Josiah Purdy was born 1806 and married Rachel Diantha Hartwell who was sister of Colonel Samuel Hartwell who had married Phebe Purdy, an aunt of Josiah’s. They lived at Georgetown, Hamilton Township, Dutchess County, New York.
Josiah had a brother named Nelson Purdy who lived at Cleveland Ohio. There was also a sister named Sally born 1813 and there must have been other siblings. Further research will be needed by the family.
If research took us along the right path Josiah had the following children: Horace born 1835, Lavinia born 1839, Egbert Francis born 1841, Lucretia born 1844, Preston born 1846, Loren born 1849 and Arminia Alice born 1851.
Josiah Purdy had a son named Preston Purdy, likely Preston C Purdy. Preston C Purdy married Sarah Elizabeth Singer. The photo is of Sarah Singer Purdy. Sarah Singer’s parents were Job Singer and Huldah Randal
This map shows the incorporated and unincorporated areas in King County, Washington, highlighting Seattle in red. It was created with a custom script with US Census Bureau data and modified with Inkscape. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Palmer. Josiah and Sarah Purdy had one child, Orren Jay Purdy. Sarah married second to Jerome Bonaparte Hath and had a number of children, seven if the count is right; six boys and one girl. Preston married a second time to Eurista or Eulista Lapham and had a family of children.
Orren Jay Purdy married Annie Nettie Scott whose parents were Willard and Jennie Scott. By 1930 Orren was a widower. Orren served honorably in the Spanish American War [one record has him listed as a civil war solder, but that is not possible because he was not born until 16 May 1882 although another birthdate is noted. He was born in Red Willow County, Nebraska. He served as a Private in Co B, 30th Regiment of US Volunteer Infantry. Orren J Purdy died i18 Nov 1954 and is buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Owosso, Michigan. Orren Purdy may have had more children, but he did have a son named Esley Truman Purdy
Annie Nettie Scott Purdy apparently had three husbands. First was husband Orren Jay Purdy. They had the one son, Truman Esley Purdy. The second marriage was to Albert Anthony Lepard who was born ca 1868. The children from that marriage were Charles Lepard 1910 and Warren Eugene Lepart 1911-1987. The third marriage was to Edward F Gruebner born ca 1888. Their children were Max F Gruebner born ca 1920, Earl W Gruebner born ca 1922, and Betty Jane Gruebner born ca 1927.
Esley Truman Purdy was born about 1905 in Genesee County, Michigan and died 11 Oct 1956 in Seattle, King County, Washington.
E T Purdy was an employee or a member of the crew on several ship voyages. It appears that the voyages started in 1951 and ended in 1955. There was a number of them. Some are listed below.
Elsey Purdy was on the voyage from Seattle Washington that sailed 18 Oct 1951 and arrived at Yokohoma Japan 25 Nov 1951. On that voyage E T Purdy was employed for seven months as an Evap. Util. He can read, is 5″10″ and weighs 175 pounds. The ship was named the General Mason M Patrick.
He made a voyage from Yokohoma Japan to Seattle arriving in Seattle on 22 May 1952. The ship was named General Simon B Buckner and he was 46 years old.
He was on a voyage that departed from Pusan Korea and arrived in Seattle 5 July 1954. The ship was named Marine Adder; he was 47 years old.
He was on a voyage from Pusan, Lorea that arrived in Seattle 8 Jan 1955. The ship was named the Sergeant Archer T Gammon; he was 47.
Esley’s wife was likely Letha Irene Fort. Esley Trumen Purdy died at age 51 on 11 Oct 1956 in Seattle, King County, Washington; his wife died three years later. Reports are that he was killed, whether by accident during a voyage or what is not known at this time. The only record found to date of a Serah Blood, who the family gives as his wife was for a Sarah May “Sadie” Blood who married a Ridenhour. Further research is recommended.
Their son Truman Esley Purdy is next in the family line, but there may be other children. He was born 20 Apr 1936 or 1933 in Michigan and died 23 Feb 2000 in Bessemer, Jefferson County, Alabama. He is buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Sheffield, Colbert County, Alabama. He married Mary Lena Kimbrough and there are at least two children: Tim Purdy and Marie Purdy Myrick of the Shoals area. The Veteran’s Gravesites, ca. 1775-2006 record has the following information and birth year of 1933 instead of 1936:
| Name: | Truman Esley Purdy |
|---|---|
| Service Info.: | PVT US ARMY KOREA |
| Birth Date: | 20 Apr 1933 |
| Death Date: | 23 Feb 2000 |
On the 1940 census record Esley was listed as four years old and in the household of his father and mother. They lived on Belsay Road in Flint, Genessee County, Michigan.
Remembering the Shoals 