Some family histories do no include Aaron and Rachel in this family.
Residences & events:
7/20 - 8/27/1827 Sangamon Co, IL. John served in Capt Thompson's Coo f Col Neale's detachment of IL Mounted Riflemen in the WinnebagoIndian W ar along with brother, Isaac.
1829 Shelby Co, IL, where he made a claim for land.
3/1830 Sugar Creek Dist, Sangamon Co, IL. John along with brothers,I saac and James, signed a petition requesting that a John Durley beappo inted to fill the vacancy of Constable.
4/1/1830 E Nelson Twp, Shelby Co, IL. He and brother, James, arriveda t the "Mill Seat" at the bend of the (Okaw) river and, according tothe c ounty history, "built a small cabin in section 7 where GeorgePurvis st ill resides. They broke the first prairie in thattownship." Their fat her joined them there the following month.
1830 Was he living with his newly arrived parents at census time?
John served on the first petit jury with John Ginn and with brother,Ge orge, on the second jury.
Abt 1833 The brothers (John and James) built a mill which theyoperate d until it was washed away in the 1840s when the river changedcourse, c utting through the area where they had diverted the water tothe mill.
10/31/1836 John bought 40 acres of federal land in Moultrie Co at S17T 13N for 1.25/acre but his residence was still Shelby Co at thattime.
11/1/1836 The next day he bought another 40 acres of federal land,thi s time in Sangamon Co at S20 T13N, again at $1.25/acre.
1837 E Nelson, Shelby Co, IL. Not being able to secure title to thec urrent village property, John, along with Jonathan Dazey and DrMontagu e, was instrumental in laying out a 40 acre tract of land 1/2mile east , located at W1/2SE gr 17.13 N R6E. They divided it into60x92' lots a nd blocks with 24' wide alleys and called it EastNelson. All the old b uildings were moved into the new village and newbusinesses were added.
1837 E Nelson. He was in the land business, along with his in-laws,J ames and Sarah Poor, granting indentures in town to: 1.) DavidSmith f or 2 lots, Lot 3 Block 11 for $8.00 and Lot 3 Block 8, alsofor $8.00; 2 .) James Kirk for an unspecified lot for $4.00; 3.)Samuel Martin for L ot 4 in Block 11 for $20.00.
Shelby Co, IL. From the parties at law:
Richmond Webb Plaintiff against Philip Vadikin defendant action onacpt .
8/7/1837 Sums issued I Walker one Subpoena Purvis and poor $2.00
8/18/1837 Returned at Nelson Judgment for Deft, for cost
Justice cost 81 1/4
Constable 56 1/4
WG Haydon JP
8/10/1838 Shelby Co, IL. Land records verify John's patent on hisfir st real estate in the county. On the same date, brothers, George,Will iam, and Thomas, also bought property.
1/18/1839 From the parties at law, John was sued by a Philip Vadacan.H e lost the suit and was ordered to pay $25.00, which he did.
2/1839 Apparently John borrowed money from John Whitley, Sr, often.He w as sued by Elisha Whitley, administrator of John Whitley'sestate, for s everal notes owed the estate. One for $125.75 which heborrowed along w ith John Whitley, Jr. The younger Whitley hadalready left the state, l eaving Purvis holding the bag. Purvis paidhis half and the balance wa s later dropped. Another was for $11along with a Peter Warren, who al so "could not be found." A creditof $7.00 was ordered by the plaintif f and the balance was stayed. Athird was solely in John's name for $1 40.47.
Also in 1839 there were 2 circuit court cases of the People vs John GP urvis for gaming.
1840 Shelby Co, IL. He and his wife had only 1 child, who was under5 y ears of age, living in their house at census time. John was 30-40and h is wife was 20-30.
1/31/1843 Shelby Co, IL. He and several brothers were listed inproba te records as purchasers from the estate of Samuel Martin.
1843 Moultrie Co, IL. The former county split with John finding hisr esidence was part of the new one. He served on the first petit juryca lled in the county.
1841-1843 Shelby Co, IL. John was included on the delinquent taxlist f or his 40 acres at NW SW S20 T13 R6, owing $0.72. Perhaps itwas becau se he then lived in Moultrie Co.
8/24/1850 Moultrie Co, IL. John G Purvis, 47, was without occupationa t census time but he did have $400 in real estate. He and Nancy,37, h ad 5 children at that time: James, 10, John, 8, Thos, 6, Eliz,4, and B en E, 2. Nancy's relatives lived a few doors down the road.
Charitan Co, MO. Perhaps following his old friend, John Whitley, Jr,h e moved west, too.
