%eadnotat; ]> 5243pufa Finding aid for Purdy Family Papers, 1801-2004 Finding Aid Prepared by FHL staff Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College. 2007 Text converted and initial EAD tagging provided by FHL Staff, 2007 ENG Finding aid for Purdy Family Papers, 1801-2004 FHL staff Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College. 2007 Descriptive Summary Purdy Family Papers 1801-2004 RG5/243 Elliott Baldwin Hunt 3 boxes; 1 linear foot Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College.
Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 19081-1399 U.S.A.
For current information on the location of materials, please consult the Library's online catalog. The collection contains account books, financial papers, family correspondence, and miscellaneous papers of William Purdy, a New York Quaker preacher, and his family. He was a member of Amawalk Monthly Meeting, attending Croton preparative and worship meetings, and traveled in the ministry, leaving an undated record of the Friends and meetings that he visited. Purdy was donated money, land, and labor towards building a new bridge and school house in Cortlandt. Collection also includes genealogical information compiled by Elliott Baldwin Hunt and Arthur M. Tingue.

Repository:

Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College

500 College Avenue, Swarthmore, PA 19081-1399

Phone: (610) 328-8496 FAX: (610) 690-5728

 BIOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL NOTE

William Purdy, Quaker farmer and minister, was born about 1769; Quaker records give his birth variously as 1763 or 1767, and family records indicate 1769. There is evidence that he first married Mary Williams whose name is also given as Elizabeth in the Amawalk Monthly Meeting records. They had eight children: Fanny (1793), Charlotte (1794), Jesse (1797), Abraham (1799), Deborah (1801), Micajah (1803), Simeon (1805), and Henry (1807). After his wife's death, in 1812 and under the care of Amawalk Monthly Meeting, William married Elizabeth (McDonald) Farrington (1767 -1840), a widow. They had four children: Burling (1813), Ann (1815), John (1817), and Ebenezer (1820). William Purdy died in 1847.

William Purdy bought land in Cortlandt on the Croton River from Pierre and Peter van Cortlandt in 1801. He attended the Croton preparative and worship meetings and traveled in the ministry, leaving an undated record of the Friends and meetings that he visited. Purdy was also active in his town, donating money, land, and labor towards building a new bridge and school house.

His son Abraham (1799-1855) married Mary Sarles in 1824, and they had six children. The correspondence is primarily from their daughter, Deborah Ann, who married Charles Williams. The genealogical notes and correspondence were compiled by Elliot Baldwin Hunt who was the grandson of Micajah William Purdy, the fifth child of Abraham and Mary S. Purdy. He published an article and transcription of the travel record in The Quarterly Bulletin of the Westchester County Historical Society in April 1934.

 SCOPE AND CONTENT OF THE RECORDS

The collection contains account books, financial papers, family correspondence, and miscellaneous papers of William Purdy, a New York Quaker preacher, and his family. William Purdy bought land on the Croton River. He was a member of Amawalk Monthly Meeting, attending Croton preparative and worship meetings, and traveled in the ministry, leaving an undated record of the Friends and meetings that he visited. Purdy donated money, land, and labor towards building a new bridge and school house. The collection also includes genealogical information compiled by Elliott Baldwin Hunt and Arthur M. Tingue.

Organized into three series:

Organization: William Purdy Purdy family papers Genealogical papers ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION Accession information

Donor: Arthur M. Tingue, 6/1/2004 (Accession number: 2004-006)

Access

Collection is open for research.

 Use Restrictions

Copyright has not been assigned to Friends Historical Library. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in to the Director. Permission for publication is given on behalf Friends Historical Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by reader.

 Preferred Citation

[Indicate the cited item or series here], Purdy Family Papers, RG5/243, Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College

 Processing information

The collection was received in folders and an acidic binder, arranged by the donor, Arthur Tingue. The papers were removed from the non-archival housing, foldered, and organized into series.

 SELECTED SEARCH TERMS DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE RECORDS

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Friends Historical Library (TRIPOD). Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings:

Purdy, William, d. 1847 Purdy family Quakers -- New York Society of Friends -- New York Lay ministry -- Society of Friends Account books -- 19th century Cortlandt (N.Y.) -- History Purdy, William, d. 1847 Tingue, Arthur M. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE RECORDS

Note to Researchers: To request materials, please note both the location and box numbers shown below:

 Series 1. William Purdy (ca. 1769 - 1847) Account Book 1805-1844 1 folder oversize Account Book, including accounting by Abraham Purdy, executor of William Purdy estate 1839-1855 1 folder 1 Account of travels in the ministry in New York State n.d. 1 folder 1

With typed biographical information and transcript by descendant, Elliot Baldwin Hunt.

 Wills, estate papers 1815-1848; n.d. 1 folder 1 Deeds, indentures, property map 1801, 1845, 1847 1 folder 1 Estate papers 1848 - 1849, 1852 1 folder 1 Family data from Bible n.d. 1 folder 1 Meeting papers 1829, n.d. 1 folder 1

Subscription list for school fund, Croton Preparative Meeting, and listing of members of meetings.

 Financial papers 1806 - 1848 1 folder 1 Estate papers of John Horton 1847-1855 1 folder 1

William Purdy was executor.

 Horton financial papers 1816-1846 1 folder 1 Estate papers of William Horton, William Purdy executor. 1814-1836 1 folder 1 Series 2. Purdy Family Papers Purdy family correspondence 1829-1860 1 folder 1

Primarily from Debby Ann, wife of Charles Williams, to her mother, Mary S. Purdy, wife of Abraham Purdy.

 Wedding certificate: Abraham and Mary S. Purdy, Chappaqua Monthly Meeting 1824 1 folder 1 Estate of Abraham Purdy and Mary S. Purdy 1847-1856 1 folder 1 Abram Purdy financial 1855, 1857 1 folder 1 Jesse H. and Robert H. Purdy financial papers 1838-1867 1 folder 1 Miscellaneous correspondence 1855, 1883, n.d. 1 folder 1 Miscellaneous financial papers 1852 - 1872 1 folder 1 Account note to Burling Purdy 1841 1 folder 1 Home remedies n.d. 1 folder 1 Miscellaneous papers 1857-1861, n.d 1 folder 1 Published Quaker material: Epistles and pamphlets 1836-1857 1 folder 1 Series 3. Genealogical Papers Selected Purdy genealogy and collection description, Arthur M. Tingue 1 folder Genealogical correspondence, Elliot Baldwin Hunt 1910 - 1937 1 folder 2 William Purdy and sons, research notes, Elliott Baldwin Hunt n.d, 1937 1 folder 2 Research notes, correspondence of Elliot B. Hunt 1932-1933 1 folder 2 Sarles family n.d. 1 folder 2 Photocopies of pictures, etc. n.d. 1 folder 2 Louis E. Bieringer notes n.d. 1 folder 2 Photocopy from published Correspondence of the Van Cortlandt Family, 1802 1978 1 folder 2