304. Thomas Purdy [NY]
~1677 Thomas born in CT or NY s/o 608. John Purdy & 609. Elizabeth Brown.
1704, Thomas first mentioned. (S) Purdy Family History, see No. 38.
1717, Thomas owned the land of “Branch Ridge” with Daniel Purdy, a merchant. [Likely his nephew by his brother John – likely because there are 3 Daniel Purdy’s alive at this time from this family.]
10/1717, son James, not above 12 years old, is under “Boys who cannot answer the whole Catechism” in Cleator’s school. (S) The Support of Schools in Colonial New York, Wm. Kemp, 1913, P128.
5/15/1729, Thomas witnessed a deed of his nephew, where Daniel of Rye, son of John – deceased, granted the Presbyterian Society land. [Samuel Brown, likely his cousin and s/o Deliverance1218vi also signed the deed.]
1731 Thomas died in Rye, NY. Thomas’ will was dated 1731. His homestead of 30 acres, with house, barn, orchard and cider mill, on the west side of the country road near Benjamin Brown’s, was bought in 1737 by Joshua Brundige.
1737–l747, son James with Daniel Purdy, “drummer”, sells part of Thomas’ estate.
Family notes:
• From a book published in 1871: “The Purdy family have a burying ground on the western bank of Blind Brook Creek, opposite the public cemetery. This is probably one of the oldest places of interment in Rye. It contains many antique memorials of past generations; but the imperfect records of their names have been worn away by time, and none prior to the present century are now legible.” (S) Chronicle of a Border Town: History of Rye, Westchester County, New York, 1660-1870, Chap. 24, Cemeteries, by Charles Baird.
Children of Thomas and ?:
i. James Purdy Sr ( 152), born ~1707 in Rye, NY.
ii. Nehemiah Purdy, born ~1708 in Rye, NY.
