William Henry PURVIS, Sr.

1804 - 1848  (43 years)

• Name	William Henry PURVIS  [1, 2]
  Suffix	Sr.
  Birth	18 Oct 1804	Florence County, South Carolina   [3]
  Gender	Male
  HIST	I have done some research on this line back to William Henry Purvis, Sr.  primarily looking for clue to my 3rd Great Grandfather William A. Purvis. Just recently through DNA testing I have learned that my line is connected to the Gilbert Purvis line of Chesterfield County, SC. They migrated to Mississippi about 1818-1820.  Also on you William Henry line I have a daughter Rebecca G. Purvis, born 1844 in Elim, South Carolina. During some browsing through the Newspaper archives for "The State" newspaper I came across this news article. In the top of the paragraph  entitled "Purvis visits Cheraw" the statement is made that "he was visiting his Uncle... and incidentally looking  up records of his ancestors who lived near Cheraw years ago." Are you aware of a connection between the Gilbert Purvis line who father was John Purvis and Sarah John(s)ton? Charlie  Article in the Cheraw Chronicle on about 19 Sep 1938 Purvis Visits Cheraw (South Carolina) Melvin Purvis, now an attorney in San Francisco, was in Cheraw recently, visiting his uncle, Dr. O. H. Purvis, and incidentailly looking up records of his ancestors who lived near Cheraw years ago. Gregg’s history mentions that a grant of land was made to John Purvis before the Revolution. It was in this county and about four miles went of Cheraw. A small cemetery at the top of this hill beyond Purvis’ bridge on Thompson creek has several Purvis graves - the last one buried there was John Purvis in 1858. He was a member of St. David’s Episcopal church. Melvin PUrvis talks very interestingly about his service in the F. B. I., generally known as the G-men. It was he who had charge of the men who killed Dillinger, and also in the G-man raid on Little Bohemia in Wisconsin and in the death of “Pretty Boy” Floyd near Chicago. He said that he had no trouble in recognizing Dillinger when he entered the moving picture theater in Chicago, after being tipped off by the “Woman in Red” - through Dillinger had paid a doctor $10,000 to have his face “lifted.” He said it was a long wait outside of the theater for Dillinger to come out - when he did Purvis’ men killed him. Mr. Purvis has often visited Cheraw where he has many relatives.
  _UID	48E72ED78C964DB08FEBF6C4C568C9BD3AC4
  Death	16 Oct 1848  [1]
  Person ID	I60417	Singleton and Related Families
  Last Modified	10 Mar 2015

  
  

  Father	John PURVIS,   b. 1765?   d. 1815, Darlington County, South Carolina
  Mother	Ann
  _UID	4D4E53AB2E5E44398CC4AF5AA2CD947A789F
  _UID	4D4E53AB2E5E44398CC4AF5AA2CD947A789F
  Family ID	F42577	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Martha Patricia ALLEN,   b. 18 Dec 1808   d. 11 Feb 1891, Florence County, South Carolina (Age 82 years)
  _UID	52BC99C79CAB48A7BFA21D52A9B03067641E
  _UID	52BC99C79CAB48A7BFA21D52A9B03067641E
  Children	1. William Henry PURVIS, Jr.,   b. 4 Mar 1846, Effingham, Florence County, South Carolina d. 7 Feb 1903 (Age 56 years)   2. James Nolan PURVIS,   b. 1836   d. 1907 (Age 71 years)   3. Robert Napier PURVIS,   b. 18 Sep 1838, Effingham, Florence County, South Carolina d. 29 Oct 1903 (Age 65 years)
  Family ID	F42576	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	23 Mar 2026

  
  

• Sources

  [S707] . [S9810] Doris Virginia (Parrott) Harrington. [S10593] .