John Fredrick Purswell
•Surname: Purswell
•Given Name: John Fredrick
•Sex: M
•Birth: 13 Jun 1853 in Barbour County Al
•Death: 25 Jan 1941 in Crosby, Harris County, TX
•Burial: Jan 1941 County Line Cemetary, San Jacinto County TX

•Note:
The following is the text of a hand written letter by J.F. Purswell. I didn't correct spelling errors and noted where words had been crossed out and inserted. S.M.

Copy of J.F. Purswell letter - 1931
by Allbe Alsbrooks Rogers.

Hightower Texas
January 1931

Mr. J. F. Purswell
Age 77

I am the oldest one living by this name and I will undertake to show
according to my ability from the begining of the name until now.
For the sake of my children and grandchildren to show my relation.
My great (another great struck through) grandfather was a Scottish sailor
named Henry (Henry inserted) Purs and when he stopped sailing he stoped in America
and he married a woman by the name of Well and they put their names
together that gave us our name Purswell.
They then had one son and he married and had one son and he married
a Stinner (Stivender inserted), which was (great struck through) grand
mother and they had two girls, two boys. My father William Purswell
was the oldest boy. He married a Condra (struck through, Condry inserted),
his brother married a Vinson, his oldest sister Jane married a Wise.
His youngest sister Mellisie married a Etheridge and they had two
boys, Daniel and Olenzo. her husband died and she married a Runnels.
They had two sisters and one married a Hicks and the other married a
Zorne. She had two brothers dead and two living in Florida.
My Grandmother Purswell had two sisters. Fannie married a Hollman.
Sennie married a Creel. The name of my relation are: Stinner, Hollman,
Purswell, Creel, Condray, Hicks, Zorne, Underwood, Price, Thomas, and
are gone to east Florida. I don't know who they married. There is one
large family in South Florida and East Florida Creel (he sometimes
spells it Crell), Purswell, Hicks, Zorne, Condry all originated from
South Carolina in Early days and settled in Barba (crossed out and Barbra
inserted, crossed out and Barbour inserted) and Heny (crossed out and Henry
inserted) co. Alabama. Some of thes younger ones went to east Florida.
My own children, I have seven children living, four dead. My oldest
child Mollie married Tom Metts, she had five children, 3 girls, two boys,
two living 3 dead. Frank Metts is the oldest boys name and married
Leota Simmons and they have two boys living and one girl dead. Annie
Bell Metts 2nd child married Frank Jahos (or Johos). They had two
children both boys. Many Metts, the fourth child married Frazier Loyd.
They had one child, a girl. Edgar Metts youngest married Bessie Jordan,
they have two boys one living and one dead.
My 2nd child Mellisie Purswall married T. J. Walker and they had
ten children, nine living & one dead. The oldest girl Lizzie Walker married
a Hubert Garrison. and they have five children four living one dead.
The second child Albert Walker married Grace Money.
They had 3 children all living. William Walker the third married Fannie
Money and they have one boy living, Fannie his wife is dead.
Maudie Walker the fourth child married Edward Stanfield and they
have four children living. Ora Walker fifth child married Harry Fenley
they have three children 2 dead one living.
Ada Purswell3rd child married Ben W. Goss, they have five children
3 dead, 2 living.
Lula Purswell fourth child married Marrcan (sp?) Ott and they had
3 children, 2 dead, 1 living. Julia Ott married Charlie Taylor & they
have 3 children.
Lee Anna Purswell 5th child married Ed. J Hale, and they have four
children 3 living & 1 dead.
Ella Purswell 6th child married Jobe Stegval & they have 3 children,
2 living & 1 dead. She then seperated & married Jessie Goss & they have
four children living.
W. A. (Allie inserted) Purswell 7th child married Mussouri Walker.
They have 6 boys 2 girls - 1 baby dead.
Clarence Purswell the oldest married Dora Eavens & they have 1 girl.
He seperated & then married Mattie Reaves & they have 1 child. Clara
Purswell 2nd child married Stanley Mizell (or Mizeel). They have 2
boys, one girl, one girl one boy & girl dead.
T. J. Purswell 8th child married Cassie Walker & they have 10
children all living - 6 boys & four girls - Lucian Purswell their oldest
married Ola Mae Buckner - they have 1 child a girl.
I was born Barbour co. Ala, twelve miles South of Eufaula Ala and
lived there until 13 yrs of age & then moved into lower of Dale co. Ala
and when 19 yrs of age then married A. E. Dean then moved to Texas in
1873 - 1905 my wife died was buried in the County line Church in San
Jacinto co. In 1917 I married Amelia (Millie inserted) Singleton and
maiden was Atwell and in 1929 she died, and was buried in Davis Cemetery
in Jasper co. And the 13th day of last June I was 77 yrs old. I am now
alone waiting for my time to come, which won't be long, and a member of
Premitive Baptist Church at Couty line
John F. Purswell

1870 Census, Evergreen, San Jacinto County, TX:

Purswell, John F. Head W M Jun 1853 47 M 25? AL AL SC (I'm guessing at the date and age as they are unreadable).
Purswell, Mary Elizabeth? Wife W F Sept ? ? M 25? 1 GA ? ?
Purswell, Allen Son Male W ? ? ? S TX AL GA
Purswell, John Son M W July 1885 14 S TX AL GA
Purswell, Lula Dau F W Apr 1887 13 S TX AL GA
Purswell, Leannie Dau F W Aug 1889 11 TX AL GA
Purswell,
Ella Dau F W Apr 1891 9 TX AL GA

Living in the next house down from Tom Metts and family.

1880 Census, Distr. 2, San Jacinto County, TX:

John F. TURSEWELL Self M Male W 27 AL Farmer SC AL
Ann E. TURSEWELL Wife M Female W 32 GA Keeping House GA SC
Mary E. TURSEWELL Dau S Female W 4 TX AL GA
Malissa E. TURSEWELL Dau S Female W 3 TX AL GA
William A. TURSEWELL Son S Male W 1 TX AL GA
Ada C. TURSEWELL Dau S Female W 1M TX AL GA

Note: The 1880 census is from the LDS transcription. I guess the transcriber thought the P looked more like a T.

1920 Census, 3-J Pct, Liberty County, TX:

Purswell John S. Head M W 66 AL SC AL Farmer General
Purswell Amilia Wife F W 65 M GA GA GA Housewife


Tombstone reads:
Purswell, John F. June 13, 1853 January 25, 1941 Dying is but going home.


Father: William Sanford Purswell b: 24 Mar 1830 in Barnwell County, SC
Mother: Leviney Elizabeth Condrey b: 1831

Marriage 1 Mary Elizabeth (Annie) Dean

Children
1. Elizabeth (Mollie) Purswell b: 23 Sep 1875 in Security, TX
2. Malissa Eudora Purswell b: 16 May 1877
3. William Allen Purswell b: 3 Jan 1878 in San Jacinto County, TX
4. Ada Purswell b: 10 May 1880 in San Jacinto County, TX
5. John Tolbert Purswell b: 10 Aug 1884 in Montgomery County, TX
6. Lula Purswell b: Apr 1887
7. Lee Anna Purswell b: 4 Aug 1889
8. Ella Nora Purswell b: 9 Apr 1891 in Fostoria, Montgomery County, TX

Marriage 2 Amelia Atwell b: ABT 1855 in GA