Histories

Biographical Information: JOHN PURVIS of Mobile, Alabama, born c.1802 or 25th April 1804 in South Carolina (per 1850 U.S. Census) ("nearly of age" in 1823 and aged 20 years 8 months and 7 days on 1st January 1824 when he signed a bond in favour of his uncle William Purvis (see 1.1.3.2. above) but age given as 48 in the 1850 census), died 19th October 1850 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Living (1834) at Glassmount, Kinghorn, Fife, Scotland, when cited as defendant in a suit brought by the executors of his uncle William Purvis (see 1.1.3.2. above) regarding a bond written by him when still just a minor. Inherited from his brother Burridge Purvis (see 1.1.3.7.1. above) the cotton plantation called Oakland, on the Yazoo River, near Vicksburg, Mississippi, which was managed after his death, and on behalf of his heirs, by his brother-in-law Thomas Purvis Bruce (see 1.1.3.1.1.6. above) who ultimately (1872) bought it, leaving it (1891) to his daughter Anne Margaret Seton Bruce (see 1.1.3.1.1.6.5. above) and grand-daughter Margaret Mills Bruce (see 1.1.3.1.1.6.1.1. above) who sold it (1902) to Jacob Dornbusch. He also owned a tract of land in Sunflower County, Mississippi, which, in his will, he directed to be sold and reinvested in negro slaves to work on the Warren County property (i.e. Oakland). He married Ann Bruce (see 1.1.3.1.1.1. above) (born c.1810/12 in Scotland, died 27th February 1862 probably at Oakland Plantation), his 1st cousin once removed, daughter of Helen Purvis (see 1.1.3.1.1. above) (born c.1786 in Fife, married 16th November 1810 in Torryburn, Fife, died 18th February 1875 in Edinburgh) and James Bruce (died before 1871), distiller at Tulliallan, Fife, having no children.