"William Purdy, a son of James, and brother of John, took out awarrant f or land in the vicinity of his brother December 30, 1785"
1790 Hopewell, Newton, Tyborn, and Westpensboro Twp, Cumberland Co,PA . At census time there were living in William's house 1 male over16, 1 u nder 16, and 2 females. In the same area were John, Robert,and 2 Thom as Purdy families.
Or was he the William Purday living in Mifflin Co, PA, just down ther oad from John Purday? William's family consisted of 3 males over16, 1 u nder 16, and 2 females.
If William died in 1791, who are the following men?
1810 Toboyne Twp, Cumberland Co, PA. The census recorded William ata ge 16-25 and had living with him a female, also 16-25. They wereproba bly newlyweds as there were no children. Two doors down theroad was b rother Robert with Thomas next to him. In the otherdirection was Robe rt Jr.
1820 Mifflin Twp, Cumberland Co, PA. That year both William was over4 5 years of age and had living with him 1 male under 10, 1 femaleunder 1 0, 1 at 10-16, 1 was 26-45 and 1 over 45. James was the onlyother Pur dy in the county and he lived just down the road. JohnLisle lived 2 d oors down in the other direction.
He and brother Hugh were among the soldiers killed by Indians at thede feat of St Clair on the Ohio/Indiana border. Fort Recovery waslater b uilt on the site with a monument erected naming those who diedthat day , including Lt Hugh Purdy and Capt William Purdy.
From the Mifflin Co, PA, Orphan Court, File #3744:
James Purdy adm. Of Williarn Purdy deceased
The Commonwealth of PA for the sheriff of Mifflin County Greeting weco mmand you that you summon James Purdy administrator of the estateof Wi lliam Purdy deceased. So tlat he be and appear before our Judgein Lew istown of Orphan Court there to be here for the said county onthe thir d Monday of November next to show cause if any, he has whyhis administ rator amount of the estate of the said deceased. Shouldnot be accordi ng to law. Witness Jonathan Walker esq. At Lewistown on21 Day of Augus t in the year of our Lord 1806.
John Norris Monday Nov 10 1806
From Fermanagh Twp history:
"A song, written over ninety years ago, entitled “General Arthur St.Cl air’s Defeat,” November 4, 1791, contains many allusions toparticipato rs in the battle. The twenty-ninth and thirtieth versesallude to Hugh a nd William Purdy, sons of James Purdy, who werekilled in that battle. T he author of the poem was Major Eli Lewis,founder of the town of Lewis berry, York county, Pa., publisher of thefirst paper ever printed at H arrisburg, and father of Ellis Lewis,late judge of Supreme Court of Pe nnsylvania.
The Purdys and young Anderson,
Whose names should be revered,
They fought like brave heroes,
But death was their reward.
Full twenty paces in the front
Of their men they did go;
The enemy soon spied them out,
Which proved their overthrow."
From Early America's Bloodiest Battle by Richard Battin
"On September 17, 1791 Maj. Gen. Arthur St. Clair headed north fromwha t is now Cincinnati, Ohio to establish a fort at the head of theMaumee R iver. Had he been successful, folks in Fort Wayne, Indianawould have c elebrated their bicentennial three years earlier andpresumably it woul d have been in Fort St. Clair, not Fort Wayne.
Instead, St. Clair was soundly defeated by the Indians in what hasbeen c alled the bloodiest battle of pioneer American history. Thebattle site , which became Fort Recovery, Ohio, was about 50 milessoutheast of the I ndians' Kekionga village, where Fort Wayne wasbuilt.
Nearly 700 of St. Clair's people were killed, compared withapproximate ly 40 Indians who lost their lives. Of St. Clair's dead,more than 600 w ere soldiers, and at least 56 were women - wives whohad accompanied th eir husbands on the trip. Dozens of other women andchildren were taken p risoner.
It was more than three times the number the Sioux would kill 85 yearsl ater at Custer's last stand at Little Big Horn - and, by far, theworst d efeat of an American force by Indians in the nation'shistory."
