Cox 38 & 39

38. Capt. Joseph Purdy & 39. Johannah Martha Bessilleau [NY, SC]


~1770 Joseph born in NY s/o 76. James Purdy Jr. (S) FBR.
2/25/1784, Wedneday morning, at 10:30, Johannah born on Wentworth St. in Charleston, SC, d/o 78. Philip Anthony Bessellieu & 79. Susannah Mason. (S) Bessellieu Family Bible. (S) Allied Families by Johnson.
Joseph is known to have spent time in the South. (S) Document described in Family notes.
1791, Joseph Purdy, “plat for 100 acres on waters of Twenty Five Mile creek, Camden District, surveyed by James Bredin for Elizabeth Bird on January 3, 1785”. (S) SCDA&H, S-213190, V-27, P-414.
6/5/1800, a Thursday evening, by Rev. Frost, Joseph married Johannah in Charleston, SC. (S) FBR. “Joseph Purdy of Charleston Mariner and Johanna Besselleau of the same place were married per Lic.” (S) St. Phillips Register (1754-1810), Smith & Huger (1927) P271. (S) 6/9/1800 Charleston City Gazette.
1800, (S) 1800 Census, SC, Charleston Co. See CD Census Record 38-1800.
1801, Joseph a “rigger” located at 18 Hassell St. (S) Charleston City Directory.
10/29/1802, Thomas Coveney to Joseph Purdy, Bill Of Sale for a slave named Isaac. (S) SCDA&H, S-213003, V-3N, P-468.
1803, Joseph a “mariner” located at 41 Pickney St. (S) Charleston City Directory.
2/11/1804, Joseph Purdy Vs Thomas Coveny, Judgment Roll. (11 pages). (S) SCDA&H, L-10018, Y1804, I244A.
6/16/1804 at 2:00 AM, Johannah died in Charleston, SC. (S) FBR. “Died on Satyrday morning last in the 21st year of her age, Mrs. Johannes M. Purdie, third daughter of Mr. Philip A. Besseleu, late of this city deceased. She bore the pains of a long illness with much fortitude and sumitted to the will of her Creator patiently in the end.” (S) Charleston City Gazette, Wednesday, 6/20/1804. (S) FBR.
11/2/1805, Joseph Purdy to Richard Howard, Bill Of Sale for a slave named Emmy. (S) SCDA&H, S-213003, V-3X, P-113.
~1848 Joseph died at Milton in Rye, NY. He is not known to have had any other marriages or heirs.
(S) A family document which may have originated with Purdy ancestors believed to be from Purdy’s Station. Originally handwritten and later put into typewritten form, it has been dated c1855–1860, by the reference therein to “Joshua Purdy informs me...”. This Joshua would have been a 5th generation Purdy, who must have died before 1860. Also a reference on page 5 to “Joseph (5) [James4, James3), died at Milton in Rye about 1848. Jacob(5) had two sons, James (6).... James(6), still living, was born 1788...”.
(S) “Ye History of the Town of Greenwich”, Daniel M. Mead, Major 10th Regiment, CT Vol. Infantry, 1857.

Family notes:
• Research by Mr. Grenville Mackenzie supported Joseph as a son of James Purdy Jr; in contrast to C. W. Baird’s research which stated [without support] that Joseph had no children. Mr Baird did not have access to the SC information. This position was also supported by H. M. Pittman, Past President of the American Society of Genealogists.

Child of Joseph and Johannah:

i. Maria Susannah Purdy ( 19), born 12/22/1801 in Charleston, SC.