Purgett - Henry Purgett Family Line
Henry Purgett

Henry Purgett
ca. 1797 - ?

      Henry Purgett (1 Henry) was born circa 1797 in Hampshire County, VA (now WV) [census records and Russiaville Cemetery tombstones]. Sometime before 1830, he married Rebecca _?_, who was born on 04 February 1808 [Russiaville Cemetery tombstone]. They lived in Hampshire County until circa 1836 when they moved to Tippecanoe County. The 1830 census of Hampshire County lists the family: one male 5-10, one male 30-40 (Henry), two females 5-10, one female 10-15, and one female 30-40 (Rebecca). In the 1840 census, Tippecanoe County, Indiana, it lists Henry Purgit with 1 male under 5 (Frederick), 2 males between 5-10,, 1 male between 10-15, Henry between 40-50, 2 females between 5-10 (Elizabeth, Lucy), 1 female between 10-15 (Polly), and Rebecca between 30-40. There is no information on the three male children.
      On 07 October 1846, Henry purchased 80 acres of Canal Land from the state of Indiana in Monroe Township, Howard County, IN [certificate no. 304, W2NE Sec 17, t. 23, r. 2, page 209 of the record book]. The History of Monroe Township (p. 181/4) lists Henry Purgett as moving into the township in 1843. In the 1850 census, this property was assessed at $800. The family listed were: Henry, 53, born VA; Rebecca, 42, born VA; Polly, 19, born VA; Lucy, 18, born VA; Eliza, 15, born VA; Frederick, 12, born IN; Hiram, 9, born IN; and Sydney J., 3, born IN. The 3 males listed in the 1840 census are no longer there.
      The family remained in Monroe Township, Howard County but in the 1860 census they are listed as Burget. The 1860 census lists Henry 63, Rebecca 51, Polly 30, Lucy A. 27, Frederick 22, Hiram 17, Sidney J. 12, William H. 8, and Ellender 5. However, Lucy A. married Luther Lucas on 09 March 1857. It is not known why she was still listed with Henry and Rebecca. Elizabeth married Isaac Grubbs, she was listed in her brother Fredrick's obituary as a surviving sister. The census of 1870, Monroe Township, lists Henry Purgit 74, Rebecca, 62, Polly 40, Frederick 32, William H. 18 and Ellen 15. Hiram Burgit married Elizabeth Gregory on 01 December 1864, and Sidney J. married Levi Pickering on 17 January 1867.
      In 1867 a land deal was made between Henry and Rebecca and his brother William in WV, believed to be regarding his (Henry's) share of his father's inheritance. Henry Burgit(Purgett) died on 05 January 1871, 74 yrs 11 days, buried in the Russiaville Cemetery in Russiaville, IN. His wife Rebecca died on 05 February 1875, 67 yrs and 1 day, buried beside her husband. Both their son William H. and their daughter Ellen died in 1877. William died on 12 May, birth 28 October 1851, and Ellen (Ellander) on 04 September 1877, 22 yrs, 10 months and 17 days. They are buried near their parents. In 1880, Polly is listed as age 50, insane and a pauper, confined to the Howard County Poor Asylum. Frederick was listed on the home farm.

Children of Henry and Rebecca:

Polly Purgett (1 Henry, 2 Henry) was born in Hampshire County, VA (now WV) circa 1831. She lived at home until about age 50 and then was confined in Howard County Poor Asylum (1880 census).

Lucy A. Purgett (1 Henry, 2 Henry) was born in Hampshire County, VA (now WV) on 21 February 1831. On 07 March 1857, she married Luther Lucas in Howard County, IN [Howard County marriages]. Luther was born on 25 April 1830 in Ross County, Ohio, the son of Martin and Margaret Turner Lucas. They moved to Sheffield Township, Tippecanoe County, IN. They had 2 children: Oliver Perry Martin and Lizzie Florence. Lucy A. died on 27 February 1877 and is buried in Salem Cemetery, Sheffield, Indiana. Luther then married Emma Sophia Write on 12 November 1878. Emma was born on 03 May 1846 and died on 13 September 1932. The 1880 census lists Luther 50, Emma 35, Oliver P.M. 12, Lizzie 10, Joseph Hodgens, laborer 26, and Ella Arbegus, servant 19. In the 1870 census, Sheffield Township, Tippecanoe County, there is an entry for what appears to be Luther and Lucy Lucas [1870 Census, Sheffield, Tippecanoe, Indiana, Roll M593_362, Page 295.]. The children listed were Adelia 15, Eva(?) 11, Oliver 2, and Lizzie 1/12. Luther died on 04 December 1909 and is buried in Salem Cemetery (it is not proved that Emma remarried a Sherman Ridgeway on 04 November 1922). Children of Lucy A. and Luther:

Elizabeth P. Purgett (1 Henry, 2 Henry) was born in Hampshire County, VA (now WV) circa 1835. She married Isaac Grubbs in Indiana. In the 1870 census for Monroe Township, Howard County, he is listed as Ellis P. Grubbs.

Frederick Purgett (1 Henry, 2 Henry) was born in Tippecanoe County, IN on 30 September 1837. He died on 15 January 1911 and is buried in Russiaville Cemetery, Russiaville, IN. On 12 June 1881, he married Sarah LaDew (Lallow?, Ladow?). They had three children: Ella, Flossie, and Archie. In the 1900 Census for Monroe Township, Howard County, IN, Frederick and Sarah A. Burgitt were listed next door to Fredrick's brother Hiram, with Hiram's wife Elizabeth Burgitt and their children, Lucy I., Lizzie M., and Cynthia. Sarah A. stated that she had two children, two living, but only Flossie (born December 1894) was listed with them. In the 1910 census for Monroe Township, Howard County, Frederic and Sarah A. Burgit were listed. Frederic was 72, married for twenty eight years. Sarah A. was 45, the mother of three children, three living. Their daughter Flossie V., age 15, and son Archie E., age 8 were listed. By the 1920 census, Monroe Township, Howard County, Sarah A., age 55, was listed as the wife of Joseph W. Colcord, age 44, so she must have remarried after Frederick's death. Frederick and Sarah A.'s son, Archie I. Burget, age 18, was living with them.
      There was a report that Frederick and Sarah divorced on 09 October 1902 (note they seem to still be married in 1910 census). Frederick was a different sort of fellow. He must have inherited the family farm because by 1880 he was living there alone. According to excerpts from the Kokomo Dispatch, 09 October 1902, his wife was suing him for a divorce, $10,000, and custody of the two girls. It stated: "Twenty-one years ago Fred Burgit, then a man of forty-five years of age and known throughout the county-side as an eccentric bachelor and recluse, became smitten of the charms of seventeen-year-old Sarah La Dow, a young woman of French parentage who lived near the village of Forest. The garrulous old bachelor proved a gay bean and it took him not over long to woo and win the impressionable, but pretty Sarah. The good season came, the wedding and the couple settled down with much promise of fair weather on the broad acres that the groom owned and that still stretch to the southward from the village of Shanghei. By-and-by there came a daughter. She grew apace and she, too, is married now. Within the passing years enter two other children and a multiplicity of other cares to the young wife. She insists she tried to meet them with diligence and with proper spirit and that she labored early and late, long and earnestly to make her home a pleasant and happy one. There came a time when the disparity in years and the former habits and eccentric inclinations of her husband began to take their toll. Three score years found him a soured and fractious old man. Constant abuse and threatened violence made her file for the divorce. It was estimated that the Burgit holdings were in excess of $20,000." In 1902 Flossie was 8 and Archie was one. Ella already married. Frederick's obituary stated he leaves his three children, one brother, Hixan and one sister Mrs. E.P. Grubbs.

Hiram Purgett (1 Henry, 2 Henry) was born in Howard County, IN in circa 1841. On 01 December 1864, he married Elizabeth Gregory. They moved to Clinton County, IN. In the 1880 census, were listed Hiram 39, Elizabeth 37, William A. 11, Margarette J. 9, Norman L. 7, Inez (Lucy) A. 5, and Oliver H. 2. There may have been a child named Myrtle (though Lizzie is listed as Lizzie M. in the 1900 census). 1900 census, Monroe Township, Howard County, IN, listed Hiram, born November 1840, age 59; Elizabeth, born April 1845, age 55, 8 children, 7 living; Lucy I., born May 1875, age 25; Lizzie M., born November 1881, age 18; and Cynthia, born February 1884, age 16. Children of Hiram and Elizabeth: Sidney J. Purgett (1 Henry, 2 Henry) was born in Howard County, IN, in circa 1847. On 17 January 1867, she married Levi Pickering. Levi served in the Civil War and was mustered out on 03 February 1866 as a Sgt. In 1870 they were living next to his brother Evan in Harrison Township, Howard County.

William H. Purgett (1 Henry, 2 Henry) was born in Howard County, IN, on 28 October 1851 and died on 12 May 1877, buried in Russiaville Cemetery.

Ellen or Ellander Purgett (1 Henry, 2 Henry) was born in 1855 and died on 04 September 1877, buried in Russiaville Cemetery.

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Henry Purgett
Copyright © 2000
By Diane Kleinke and Judith Griffin