In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1912) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
From Past and present of Knox County, Ohio (1912), The Biographical record of Knox County, Ohio : to which is added an elaborate compendium of national biography (1902)
RICHARD D. PURDY.
The well-known citizen of Clay township, Knox county, whose name is the title of this sketch and who lives in section seven in the township mentioned, is one of the leading farmers in his vicinity. His homestead farm contains one hundred and twenty acres and he has already divided two hundred and thirty-four acres among his sons. He is locally prominent as a Democrat, and for nine years held the office O'f justice of the peace in Harrison township and was also trustee of that township. In many ways he is one of the influential men of Knox county.
Richard D. Purdy was born in Holmes county, Ohio, November 9, 1833, a son of Elijah Purdy, a native of Wayne county, Pennsylvania, who settled in Holmes county when he was eighteen years old and there married. He began life in the woods on government land which he purchased, and improved a large farm, on which he died in his seventy-second year. He was a life-long member of the old-school Baptist church and often preached the gospel to his fellow pioneers. A Democrat in politics, he was active in local affairs and filled the office of township trustee, also discharged other important official duties. Ephraim Purdy, father of Elijah and grandfather of Richard D., was born and lived out his entire life in Wayne county, Pennsylvania, where he was a well-to-do farmer. Clarinda Babcock, who married Elijah Purdy, and was the mother of Richard D. Purdy, was born and reared in Coshocton county, Ohio, and lived to be seventy-four years old. Her father, Richard Babcock, was a pioneer and became a prominent farmer in Coshocton county, where he died at about the age of sixty years. By his marriage with Miss Babcock, Elijah Purdy became the father of ten children, six sons and four daughters, all of whom lived to maturity and married, bringing toi grandfather and grandmother Purdy two hundred and six descendants. The subject of this sketch was the sixth child and third son of his parents. He was reared under the parental roof and educated in the common schools, and at the age of sixteen years began a three years' apprenticeship at the carpenter's trade and for one year thereafter worked as a journeyman carpenter.
February 8, 1854, Richard D. Purdy married Rachel Purdy, a native of Holmes county, Ohio, and a daughter oif Nathaniel and Chloe (Nicholson) Purdy. Mrs. Purdy's parents were born and reared in Wayne county, Pennsylvania, and Mrs. Purdy was the thirteenth in order of birth of their family of fourteen children, five sons and seven daughters of whom grew to manhood and womanhood and married. Mrs. Purdy, who was their sixth daughter, passed her girlhood in her native county. In 1854, shortly after his marriage, Mr. Purdy located at Spencerville, Allen county, Ohio, where he carried on a carpenter business for ten years. In June, 1864, he removed to Jefferson county, Kansas, and bought a farm near Rising Sun, where he remained for three years. During that time he was employed at four dollars per day in building railway bridges and depots on the line of the Union Pacific Railroad between its eastern terminus land Denver. In 1867 failing health compelled him to relinquish active work as a carpenter and he sold his farm in Kansas and located in Knox county, a few miles east of Gambler, where he bought a, farm and there lived until 1876, when he purchased and removed to his present farm in Clay township. On this farm, while continuing carpenter work in a general way, he made many improvements, including the erection of a good residence, ample barns and out buildings. About eight years ago he practically retired from active life.
Richard D. and Rachel (Purdy) Purdy have seven children and eleven grandchildren. Their five sons and two daughters are here mentioned in the order of their birth: Julia Ann, who married Simon Dudgeon, of Gambler, Ohio; Clarinda V., who married Abe Morningstar, of Gambler, Ohio; Jasper M., who married Hattie Mochwart, of Allen county, Ohio; Emery E., who married Samantha Lepley and lives at Chesterville, Morrow county, Ohio; John C., who married Lesta Oldaker and assists his father in the management of the home farm; Chauncey V., who married Emma Kerr and lives in Pleasant township, Knox county; and Henry D.
As printed in The Biographical record of Knox County, Ohio : to which is added an elaborate compendium of national biography (1902). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
RICHARD D. PURDY.
The subject of this review is a gentleman of high standing to whom has not been denied a full measure of success. He is one of the representative farmers of Clay township, having long been a recognized factor of importance in connection with not only the agricultural interests of this and other sections, but has also been identified with the growth and prosperity of the vicinities where he has been pleased to reside. He is a connecting link between the pioneer epoch and the present period, his family having been early residents of the Buckeye state.
Richard D. Purdy was born on November 9, 1833, on a farm in Holmes county, Ohio. He is the son of Elijah and Clarinda (Babcock) Purdy, the father born in Wayne county, Pennsylvania, and the mother in Coshocton county, Ohio. The father came to Holmes county, Ohio, about 1818. when eighteen years of age, his parents both being deceased, and here he engaged in farm work, the country then being little developed. He devoted his life to farming and was also a minister in the old-school Baptist church. He spent the remainder of his life in Holmes county and there his death occurred on October 16, 1872, his widow surviving until in July, 1876. They were the parents of ten children, six sons and four daughters. Six of them are now living, namely: Richard D., of this review, is the oldest of the sons living;
Julia Ann, the oldest of the children, resides in Carthage, Missouri, at the advanced age of ninety years, being the widow of Dr. D. B. Stickney; Ephraim lives in Vanwert county, Ohio; Mercy Jane is the widow of Emmanuel Shaffer, of Allen county, Ohio; Eliah lives in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; John C. lives in Harrison township, this county; those deceased are Lucinda, Ruth, Edward and Ozias Wilson.
Richard D. Purdy was reared on the farm and was educated in the country district schools, but his education was limited. When eighteen years of age he began learning the carpenter’s trade and he worked at that for forty years in many counties in Ohio and Kansas, also Missouri and Indiana. Being a skilled workman, his services were always in great demand, and many are the substantial dwellings, barns and business houses over the country that stand today as monuments to his skill as a builder.
Mr. Purdy was married on February 8, 1854, to Rachael Purdy, who was born November 28, 1833, the daughter of Nathaniel and Clara ( Nicholson) Purdy, of Holmes county, this family having originally come from Wayne county, Pennsylvania.
Seven children have been born to the subject and wife, namely: Julia A. is the wife of Simon J. Dudgeon, of Gambier; Clarenda V. married Abraham Morningstar, of Gambier; Jasper N. lives in Allen county, Ohio; Emory E. lives in the state of Washington; John C. lives in Clay township, this county; Chauncev V. lives in Pleasant township, this county; Henry Valentine lives in Centerburg. There has not been a death in the family.
After his marriage Mr. Purdy settled in Allen county, Ohio, in the woods and there began clearing the land, and in time he had a good farm which he superintended, but also carried on his trade of carpenter. From there he moved to Jefferson county, Kansas, in 1864, where he became the owner of a farm and in connection with it followed his trade. The health of himself and family not being of the best in the Sunflower state, they returned to Ohio in 1866, locating in Harrison township, Knox county, where he bought a farm and also followed carpentering. In 1876 he bought his present farm in Clay township and soon thereafter moved his family to the same and here he has since resided. For a number of years after moving here he followed carpenter contracting. He became the owner of two hundred and thirty-four acres of land, but he has disposed of his land until he now has but one hundred and twenty acres. It is well improved and under a high state of cultivation, and here he carries on general farming and stock raising, making a specialty of sheep. He has a large, substantial and
4/8 attractive home and good buildings of all kinds on his place. His home is two miles north of Martinsburg.
Politically, Mr. Purdy is a Democrat and he has served as justice of the peace, also as a member of the local board of education. He has kept well informed on public questions and has ever manifested an interest in public matters. Ide and part of his family are members of the Baptist church and they are prominent in all circles in which they move.
As printed in Past and present of Knox County, Ohio (1912). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Named in this biography: Abraham Morningstar (b. 1852)
The printed record stops around 1912. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.