From "Catawba Frontier 1775-1781 Memories of Pensioners" by Mary Elinor Lazenby, 1950.
PURVIANCE, JOHN
1778-1779. Served two months in South Carolina under Col. Wade Hampton and General Thomas Sumter. Was at taking of Fort of Orangeburg, a private in the company of Capt. William Alexander and Maj. James Rutherford (a son of General Rutherford), who fell at Eutaw Springs.
Volunteered under Capt. James White, Colonel Davie. Was at Stono.
When General Greene retreated from Ninety-Six (begun June 19, 1781) Purviance was with his rearguard two days and two nights. While sent with four other privates to a mill to get meal he was fired on by the Tories. The sergeant was wounded. The rest escaped but Purviance lost his horse, saddle and bridle.
Born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 1763. Brought to Mecklenburg County (NC) when twelve years old. Later they moved to Cabarrus (NC), where his brother Robert remained. Moved to Sangamon County, Illinois, in 1820. He was wounded and applied for relief under the invalid pension act of Mar. 18, 1818.
BIOGRAPHY: In the summer of 1779, during the Revolutionary War, he volunteered for 13 months as a horseman under Captain James Wade, attached to a Regiment commanded by Colonel Davis. They marched across the Congaree, Wateree and Santee Rivers into South Carolina where the militia of North Carolina was assembling under General Rutherford of that state. The Regiment took part in the severe conflict with the British at Stono Ferry. S.C.. on July 20 1779, under General Lincoln. Soon afterward, the army retreated to the northward.
BIOGRAPHY: In August, 1780. he again volunteered as a Private Horseman under Captain William Penny, attached to the army of young General Gates at Lynch's Creek, marching two miles beyond Rugby's Mill toward Camden and was in a fight with the enemy which probably occurred Dec 4, 1780. He was present at the capture of the fort at Orangeburg, S.C., in May, 1781. and he served in the rear guard for two days and nights, after which he was detailed with four others, including the Quartermaster Sergeant, to a mill to procure meal. While there, they were surrounded by a detachment of Tories. He was the only one who evaded capture which he managed to do by jumping from a window into the river and swimming away. He was wounded and lost his horse and saddle in the skirmish.
BIOGRAPHY: In July, 1781, he again enlisted in the State Troops for 10 months under Captain William Alexander, attached to the Regiment of Colonel Wade Hampton of S.C.. in the forces of General Sumpter. He participated in the Battle of Eutaw Springs. S.C.. September 8, 1781. The following year, he volunteered again in Mecklenberg Co., NC for 10 months with Captain Burns in the Regiment of Colonel Davis and was engaged in that County on patrol duty, watching the movements of the Tories and protecting the inhabitants from marauding parties. At the close of the war. he was mustered out. having served the greater part of five years. He was later granted a pension for this service.
BIOGRAPHY: Nancy died July 10, 1796 two days following the birth of John Graham and is buried in North Carolina. He married Elizabeth Lizenby and four additional children were born.
BIOGRAPHY: As early as 1817, certain of his children commenced migrating to Illinois. Dec 15, 1819 he sold his farm of 319 acres on Wild Meadow Branch in NC to Phillip BARRINGER for $4700. Shortly thereafter, he also left NC. He visited relatives in Jackson Co, TN for a brief period and arrived in Illinois in 1820. Eventually all of his children settled in Cartwright Twn, Sangamon Co, 111, except Matilda who had married and died in NC. Several of his nephews and cousins migrated to Illinois during the same period.
BIOGRAPHY: A special monument, commemorating his services in the Revolution, has been placed at the entrance to the cemetery and the DAR have placed a bronze plaque at the gravesite. His name is also enscribed on the bronze plaque in the south mall. Old Station Capital, at Springfield, Illinois. He was married to Nancy FERGUSON on 10 Jul 1783 in Mecklenburg Co., NC.
REFN: 19962
Nancy was raised by her widowed grandmother. Mildred FERGUSON in Mecklenberg Co, NC. Nancy, through her mother, was a direct descendant of POCAHONTAS (see chart 2-3 3 in The Purviance Family by Stuart H. Purviance). Her gr grandfather Alexander FERGUSON, a Scotch Tory, fled from Scotland to VA in 1716. Her maternal gr gr grandfather. Samuel ELDRIDGE. came from England lo the Isle of Wight Co, VA prior to 1636. Nancy died 2 days after the birth of her son John Graham Purviance.