bio-Purdin

1882 History of Linn County, Missouri

BIOGRAPHY

Charles B. PURDIN Linneus and Lotus Creek Twp., page 466

This sketch outlines the life of one of the oldest settlers still living in Linn county. Charles B. Purdin was born in Kent county, Delaware, July 22, 1797. His parents were William and Huldah (Melven) Purdin, both natives of Delaware. Charles was the third child and third son of eight children, seven of whom lived to be grown. When he was a small child his parents moved to Virginia, and after a residence of about two years removed to Ohio and resided in some different sections of that State, but lived the longest and last in Brown county. Mr. Purdin grew up in Ohio, and received but a limited education. While living in that State, Mr. Purdin was first married on the twenty-forth of August, 1818, to Miss Marry Duffy, daughter of John Duffy, and a native of Pennsylvania. He had first begun life as a farmer, but owing to rheumatism he learned the chair-making trade in Madison, Indiana, having moved to that State in 1820. He followed that occupation about eight years. In 1834 Mr. Purdin moved to Missouri, and for two years lived at New Franklin, Howard county. From there he went to Glasgow, where he remained two years. His was the first family that ever moved to Glasgow, and he built the first house of that now classic city. It was a log building, with one room, and floored with plank brought down the Chariton River. In 1836 Mr. Purdin left Howard county and settled five miles north of Linneus, on the present site of the town of Purdin, named in honor of this patriarchal early settler. He soon afterwards entered four hundred acres of land in that locality and subsequently bought one hundred and sixty acres more lying adjacent to the first entry. In 1868 he moved to Linneus. February 11, 1857, Mr. Purdin’s first wife died and he was subsequently married to Miss Lydia Ann Lee, widow of Matthew Lee, who died in Kentucky in 1851. Mrs. Purdin’s maiden name was Logan, daughter of William Logan, of Kentucky, of which State Mrs. Purdin is a native. By Mr. Purdin’s first marriage there were twelve children, eight sons and four daughters; the latter are all dead. By his second union Mr. Purdin is the father of four children, named as follows: Lou Ann, Isabel, wife of Edward McNeally, Bettie Ray, and Nettie. They are all finely educated and two of them are teachers in the public schools, Lou Ann having taught several terms in the Linneus high school. Mr. Purdin has been a member of the Methodist Church for over sixty years, having joined it in 1819. He opposed the division of the church, but when the split came we went with the Southern wing of that great body, the congregation to which he belonged, and which held services at his house for twelve years never divided, but went South, excepting only one member. Politically, Mr. Purdin is an old Jackson Democrat and has never voted any other ticket since “Old Hickory” made his second presidential race. At the time of this writing Mr. Purdin is in his eighty-fifth year. Long has he figured a true and worthy citizen of Linn county, and enjoys the highest esteem of his fellow-men wherever he is known.

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