Histories

Biographical Information: BURRIDGE PURVIS of Glassmount, Kinghorn, Fife, Scotland, born c.1770 probably in Northumberland, England, died 17th July 1816 (aged 46) at sea, on the passage from South Carolina to Scotland, and is buried in the Duncan Street Cemetery (lair 78/79 in the North East corner), Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland. The inscripton reads: "Near this monument lie the remains of Burridge Purvis Esqr of Glassmount, Fifeshire. Merchant. To perpetuate the memory of so beloved a husband and parent, his widow Mary Brown has erected this frail memorial of veneration for his virtues and faint testimony of her grief for alas a misfortune indelibly engraved on her heart. He died at sea on the 17th July 1816 aged 46 years on his return home from South Carolina after an absence of about 10 months". His will was signed 18th March 1815, proved in Edinburgh on 15th August 1816 and probated at Charleston, South Carolina, 9th May 1817 (total value $333,000). He and his brother William Purvis (see 1.1.3.2. above) were probably in business together in South Carolina from the 1790s. In 1805 they appear to have sold a property in Columbia, South Carolina, which faced on to Richardson Street and was bounded by Gervais Street and Assembly Street. He also left a property of 1¼ acres on the corner of Gervais Street and Richardson Street in his will (1816) to his brother William Purvis (see 1.1.3.2. above). In 1806 they formed a company called William Purvis & Company with Ainsley Hall of Columbia (but also originally from Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland) and then took over (c.1809) the mercantile business founded by their brothers John Purvis (see 1.1.3.3. above) and Alexander Purvis (see 1.1.3.6. above) in South Carolina, and which they then sold (c.1817) to the Hunts (later Lyons (see Green's History of Richland County, South Carolina)). It seems that Ainsley Hall managed the affairs of the group in Columbia, William handled shipping and brokerage in Charleston, where he settled, and Burridge was responsible for their business affairs in Europe (which justified his purchase of Glassmount - see below - and moving his family there). Ainsley Hall was a cotton factor and the business probably consisted of trading cotton from up country South Carolina through the canal system to Charleston and thence to Europe. At the time of his death (1816), he had a claim outstanding against Ainsley Hall and the company seems to have been called Purvis, Bryce & Company. With his brothers he built a mill on Rocky Branch, long known as Fisher's Mill. He owned land at Charleston (300 acres on Reedy Branch of Swift Creek (Kershaw County) and 200 acres at King Creek, Camden District (York County), which he received by land grant on 1st February 1796), Columbia and Sumter, South Carolina. He was one of the original petitioners for the incorporation of Columbia, South Carolina, on 25th November 1795, and one of the first Commissioners of streets and markets of that city in 1786, 1791 and 1797 (by Act of 16th December 1797) and declined to be a Commissioner in 1805. Left Columbia c.1815 (returning for some months in 1816), and purchased the house and estate of Glassmount, Kinghorn, which was sold (c.1861) by his trustees (see Joseph Young (1.1.3.4.2.2. above), his great-nephew) when his wife died. In 1823 his brother William Purvis (see 1.1.3.2. above) paid Burridge's heirs $62,000 and assumed his debts, including the cash drawn for the purchase of Glassmount, in return for title to all the South Carolina property, which included two town lots in Columbia, 23 negro slaves, 1343 U.S. Bank shares and various other items (boats, dreys, livestock, etc.). Married (21st July 1798 by Rev. Mr Dunlap in Columbia, South Carolina) Mary Brown (Polly) ("the amiable Miss Polly Brown") of Charleston, South Carolina (born c.1779 at Georgeston, South Carolina, died 24th January 1861 at 4 St Colme Street, Edinburgh, Scotland, aged 82), living (1848) at 29 Raeburn Place, (1849) at 19 Clarence Street and (1851) at 5 Malta Terrace, Edinburgh, daughter of Stephen Brown, Army Captai, and Mary Jennings, having eight children:-