Biographies of the children of Henry Marshall Purifoy

Rachel Purifoy, first child of Henry M. Purifoy and Frances Griffin, was born 27 December 1836 and died 15 October 1841 according to the record in the bible of Henry M. Purifoy.  We assume that she died and was buried in Wilcox County, Alabama because census records show that Henry M. Purifoy's third child, Henry Harrison, was born in that County in August 1841. 

William D. Purifoy was born 16 June 1839 and died 16 August 1840 as recorded in the Purifoy Bible.  He was probably buried in Wilcox County, Alabama. 

Henry Harrison Purifoy, born 28 August 1841 in Snow Hill, Alabama, was the third child of Henry Marshall Purifoy and (1) Frances Griffin, the oldest to survive to adulthood.  He was brought to Arkansas by his parents sometime in the 1840's.

He served in the civil war as a sergeant in company G, Eleventh Regiment of Arkansas Volunteers (also known as Griffith's consolidated regiment infantry, CAS).

On 22 September 1866, he married Matilda "Tillie" Callie Atkins who was born 27 January 1846 (or 1853) and died 18 May 1923 in the home of a son, Wesley Purifoy, near Louann, Arkansas.

Henry Harrison Purifoy died 14 September 1920 in the home of a daughter, Mrs. Ida Mae Purifoy Bearden, near Stevens, Arkansas.  Both were buried in Pace Cemetery in Ouachita County, Arkansas. 

Nancy "Nanny" Caroline Purifoy, fourth child of Henry Marshall Purifoy and (1) Frances Griffin, was born 10 March 1844 in Ouachita County, Arkansas.  There is a tradition in the family that her brothers liked to say that each of them had a sister, meaning that Nancy was a sister to each of them; so we know that Nancy was the only girl to survive.  She married Augustus "Gus" N. Powell who was born 10 November 1843 in Alabama.  They had seven children who grew up in the community with Webb Purifoy's children, near the old Purifoy farm.  Much of the information on this family was supplied by Nolan DeLaughter of Little Rock, Arkansas.

Gus was shot and killed during an argument on 10 June 1884 at age 40 and was buried in Purifoy Cemetery near Chidester, Arkansas.  After his death, Nancy and her children lived with some of the Purifoys, we are told by a grandchild of Nancy's.  Nancy died 10 June 1913 at age 69, and was buried beside her husband on the farm where she grew up. 

Hellen Purifoy was born ca. 1843 or 44.  She is not listed in the Purifoy bible; so this may not be their child at all.  However, Nancy and Hellen are both shown on the 1850 Ouachita County, Arkansas census as being seven years old; so they could be twins.  If not, we surmise that Nancy was older because she was listed first on the census.  Hellen did not appear on the 1860 census; so she must have died or could have married by this time.

We are listing her here as a possible member of the family based on her being in the Purifoy household at the time of the 1850 census. 

John Griffin Purifoy was born 21 February 1847 in Ouachita County, Arkansas.  He was an orderly for General Price in the Civil War.  We are told that John went to texas as a young man.  We have a letter written on 27 February 1928 by Francis M. Purifoy of Ft.  Oglethorpe, georgia to Robert M. W. Purifoy of Louann, Arkansas that mentions "John Griffin Purifoy and his wife Bettie Bragg".  We have no further information on this couple. 

Albert Francis Purifoy, born 19 May 1849 in Ouachita County, Arkansas, died 21 February 1850.  The 1850 Arkansas mortality schedule shows that he died from a fractured skull. 

James W. Purifoy was born 27 February 1851 and died 27 February 1851 as recorded in the Purifoy bible.  His mother died on 5 March 1851. 

Mary Lelia C. Purifoy was born 25 October 1852 and died 19 December 1852 as recorded in the Purifoy bible.  She is the first child of Henry M. Purifoy and Martha Handley. 

Marshall Webster "Webb" Purifoy, tenth child of Henry Marshall Purifoy, second by (2) Martha Handley, was born 2 January 1854 near Chidester, Arkansas.  He married Sallie L. Warnock, the daughter of Mr. And Mrs. Henry Warnock, on 23 May 1880.  They had twelve children and all of them lived to adulthood, married and had homes of their own.

Webster was called "Coobige" by his brothers.  His nieces and nephews called him Uncle Webb.  He was a farmer and after his father died, Webb bought each of his brother's part of the old Captain Purifoy farm, 600 acres in all, and lived there until about two years before his death when he sold the farm and moved to Bearden, Arkansas.  Soon after Webb and Sallie moved, the old home burned.

Webb died 3 March 1933 and was buried in the Purifoy Cemetery on the farm where he grew up, bought, and farmed most of his life.  His wife, Sallie, was born 27 July 1864, died 28 February 1950, and was also buried in Purifoy Cemetery. 

Millard Handley Purifoy, eleventh child of Henry M. Purifoy, third by (2) Martha Handley, born in Ouachita County, Arkansas, on 30 July 1855, married Minnie Etta Gulley on 16 August 1877.  His neices and nephews called him "Uncle Men" and he became "Brother" Purifoy to many people after he began preaching as a circuit rider in southeast Arkansas for the Methodist Episcopal Church.  He had various occupations to supplement his income as a country preacher.

As a young man, he traveled in a wagon and bought and sold eggs, chickens, and other produce.  Annie Perry tells us that Millard and her father, Buck, looked very much alike.  She said that her family attended church near Hampton, Arkansas.  One sunday that the Buck Purifoy family was not at church, Millard happened to be on his "peddling" wagon passing the church and stopped in for the service.

Being a little late, Millard sat in the back of the church.  The pastor called on "Brother Purifoy" to voice the closing prayer thinking that he was Buck Purifoy.  After the service, the preacher asked Millard, "are you related to Buck Purifoy?" Millard told him that they were brothers.  The preacher said, "I knew you wasn't him by your prayer."'

Millard was appointed postmaster of Purifoy post office, between Camden and Chidester, on 14 March 1902 but stayed there only a year.  His first cousin, Elizabeth Purifoy Caldwell followed him as postmistress.  He then moved his family from Ouachita County to College Hill in texarkana, Arkansas.  After about a year, they moved out into the country in Miller County where he farmed and ran a sawmill with his sons, Marsh and Rich.  He then moved to McKinney Switch in Miller County, where he made staves.

The family moved back to Ouachita County about 1904 and bought his brother, Buck's old place; it joined the old Purifoy farm.  Around 1909, Millard moved back to Miller County with his wife and the four youngest boys who still lived at home.  Soon after they moved back, the youngest son, Jeff, died and was buried in Shiloh Cemetery.

Minnie Etta Gulley was born 2 January 1860 in Louisiana, the first child of Samuel Luther Gulley and Kitturah Emiline Godley. (A pedigree of Minnie Gulley is given at the end of this chapter.) After her mother's death on 29 March 1864, Minnie's father married Georgia Kirk and they had nine children, namely: John Marion, Nettle Isabella, Nancy Elizabeth, Heywood Luther Lee, Ewell Jackson, Robby Bryon, Hattie Belle, Jessie A., and Calvin Linus Gulley.  A copy of the Gulley bible records are at the end of the chapter.

After her marriage to Millard Purifoy, Minnie had a full-time job as mother of a house full of boys whose father was away from home much of the time.  She attended church regularly where she was known as the little mother with the big boys.  She was not quite five feet tall and could stand under the outstretched arm of most of her teenaged sons.

She and the boys ran a small grocery store in one room of their home on College Hill in Texarkana for a while and she kept the boys busy gardening and farming when they lived where there was land to till.  She died 28 April 1916 in Mt.  Elba community, Miller County, Arkansas and was buried in Shiloh Cemetery.

After his wife's death, Millard made his home with his son, Lynch, until his death 4 September 1919.  He was buried beside his wife in Shiloh Cemetery. 

Buckner "Buck" Winchester Purifoy, twelfth child of Henry M. Purifoy, fourth by (2) Martha Handley, was born 16 April 1857 in Ouachita County, Arkansas, near Chidester.  He married (1) Sallie Hilena Williams on 25 December 1811 and she died 3 January 1883. They had one child.

On 5 December 1883, Buck married (2) Meliscia or Melissa Harriett Jelly.  She was born 18 August 1863, the daughter of Mr. Jelly and Sarah A. Jelly.  After Mr. Jelly died, Melissa's mother married Mr. Owens and they had twin sons.  Buck and Melissa had twelve children.

Buck was a farmer and owner and operated a cotton gin and a sawmill.  He owned several horses, two wagons and a 3-seated hack.  His daughter, Annie Perry, told us that while Capt.  Purifoy, Buck's father, was away in the Civil War, "the Union soldiers came by grandpa's farm and were going to burn the house down when grandma gave, i think it was a mason sign . . . One of the soldiers must have been a mason because they left without burning the house.  The soldiers took all the food and livestock they could find but didn't find a gin house full of dried peas; so the family lived on dried peas for six weeks." she added, "my daddy. Never would eat peas when we were growing up because he said he ate too many peas during the war."

He died 18 March 1916 and was buried at Lakeside Cemetery, about eight miles from Camden, Arkansas.  His widow, Melissa, married John Corzeine on 8 February 1924 and died at a e 65 years on 1 August 1929.  She is buried at Lakeside Cemetery. 

James "Jim" Lee Purifoy, thirteenth child of Henry Marshall Purifoy, fifth by (2) Martha Handley, was born 28 January 1859 as some records show or 1856 as on tombstone, in Ouachita County, Arkansas.  He was a farmer and a deputy sheriff of Ouachita County, Arkansas.  He married (1) Sally Elizabeth Worthington on 15 April 1880 in Ouachita County.  She was born in 1864 near Chidester, Arkansas.

Sally had a brother; Dr. W. L. Worthington who once lived in Sandpipe Hill, a few blocks west of Ellis grocery on South California street, Camden, Arkansas; and a sister, Fannie Worthington Benton, of Chidester. Sally Worthington Purifoy died at the birth of their third child, Mamie Moseley thinks, on 10 October 1886 and was buried in Purifoy Cemetery, near Chidester, Arkansas.

After the death of his first wife, Jim Purifoy married (2) Nancy Ella Sorrels on 7 December 1887 in Ouachita County, Arkansas.  She was born 2 April 1861, and they had four children.  Jim died 17 September 1924 and his wife, Ella, died 6 July 1931 and both are buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Camden, Arkansas. 

Edward "Ed" Lucius Purifoy, fourteenth child of Henry Marshall Purifoy, sixth by Martha Handley, was born 30 August 1861 on the Purifoy farm in Ouachita County, Arkansas.  He married (1) Theresa A. Beard on 26 September 1888 in Ouachita County.  She was born 9 September 1873, and was a sister of Ellen Beard who married Ed's brother Robert.  Ed and Theresa had two children.  She died 12 September 1893 and was buried in Purifoy Cemetery.  Her tombstone gives her age as 20 years and 3 days.

After Theresa died, Ed married (2) Mattie Dee Ellis on 31 January 1895 and they had seven children.  Mattie Dee was born 17 December 1866 in or near Ouachita County, Arkansas, the daughter of E. B. Ellis and Sallie Stockman.  Her siblings were: James Ellis, Ed Ellis, Orlando Ellis, Emma Ellis, Mina Ellis, and Will Ellis.

At the death of her parents, Dee raised her brothers and sisters; then taught school; married Edward Lucius Purifoy, a widower with two children whom she raised with the children of her own marriage to Ed.  She continued to teach school after her marriage and birth of her first son.  She was a wonderful mother and stepmother, a good seamstress, and her "daughters" were always considered well dressed.  Her grandchildren and step-grandchilren adored her, and at her death, her step-daughter-in-law, Helon Sanders Purifoy, remarked that she was the best woman who ever lived.  She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.

During his lifetime, Ed Purifoy was engaged in farming, operated a saw mill, and served two terms as Ouachita County sheriff.  He was known and loved by many.  His children remember him as being such an honest person and one who daily read his bible.  He had marked many places in his bible which have meant much to his family through the years.  He was a member of the Methodist protestant church.

Ed died 10 November 1936 and Dee died 16 November 1947.  Both are buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Camden, Arkansas. 

Jesse B. Purifoy was born about 1863 as shown on 1870 and 1880 census.  He married Nancy A. Durham on 21 December 1882 and died sometime before 1893.  Nancy, his widow, married Jesse's brother, Joe S. Purifoy on 5 February 1893. 

Walter P. Purifoy was born about 1864 according to 1870 census and died 21 August 1886 as recorded in the Purifoy bible. 

Louis F. Purifoy was born about 1866 (1870 census) and died 9 November 1882 (Purifoy bible record). 

Joseph "Joe" Sterling Purifoy, eighteenth child of Henry Marshall Purifoy, tenth by (2) Martha Handley, was born 23 January 1869 on the Purifoy farm, Ouachita County, Arkansas.  He married (1) Nancy Durham on 5 February 1893; they had no children.  He then married (2) Susie Snn Gillespie on 22 June 1896.  He was killed in a railroad accident on 15 March 1909 and was buried in Purifoy Cemetery on the farm where he was born.  His grave is marked with a Woodman of the World stone.

Joe and Susie had six children.  She lived in Chidester, Arkansas until her death, 13 May 1957.  She was buried in Chidester Cemetery. 

Pharr 'Dock" rushing Purifoy, born about 1873, married Willie L. Sorrels on 26 March 1893 in Ouachita County, Arkansas.  Dock died from a gunshot wound on 4 February 1932 and was buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Camden, Arkansas.

They had two daughters, as follows:

Infant daughter, born 24 February 1894, died 28 November 1895, and was buried in Purifoy Cemetery.

Vera Purifoy was born in October 1898 and died at age 16 from burns. 

Robert Epperson Purifoy, twentieth and last child to survive of Henry M. Purifoy, twelfth child by (2) Martha Handley, was born 14 August 1875 at Purifoy farm, Ouachita County, Arkansas.  He married Ellen Ledosia Beard on 30 October 1893.  Ellen is a sister to Theresa Beard who was the first wife of Ed Purifoy, Robert's brother.  Ellen was born 22 September 1876.

Robert owned and operated a grocery store and had other properties in Camden, Arkansas which included several rent houses and three or four big sawmills.  He was Methodist.

Ellen had a dough bowl that was brought in a covered wagon by her parents when they came to Arkansas.  She gave the bowl to her son, Robert, and he and his wife, Frances still have it.

Robert died of cancer 9 December 1946 in Camden, Ellen died 30 May 1964, and both are buried in Greenwood Cemetery.

Elizabeth Purifoy.  We are uncertain about this child.  She is mentioned in Goodspeed's biographical and historical memoirs of Southern Arkansas though deceased by the date of publication (1890).  We do not find her on any census, but she could have been born and have died between census years.  Annie Purifoy Perry tells us that she knows there was a child named Elizabeth because her father told her so.  Tradition is that Henry Marshall Purifoy was the father of twenty-one children and this child and Hellen would bear this number out.