Thomas Moore’s Genealogy Site - Person Sheet
Thomas Moore’s Genealogy Site - Person Sheet
NameCatharine “Caty” Purkins 
Deathbef 18 Jun 1811
ResidenceEssex County, Virginia
FatherHenry Purkins (-1780)
MotherMary Dunn
Documentation
An undated bill of complaint stated that Henry Purkins died the day of July 1780 leaving Mary Purkins his widow, Gabriel Purkins, John Purkins, Caty Purkins, Thos Purkins, John Armstrong and Sally his wife, Philemon Purkins, Gideon Purkins, and Polly Purkins, Cary Purkins and Young Dimake Purkins infants. The younger sons are Gabriel, John, Thomas, Philemon, Gideon and Young Dimake. [Essex County, Virginia, Box Chancery No. 20, item 20-J-39.] An answer to the bill states that Henry Purkins died the day of June 1780. [Essex County, Virginia, Box Chancery No. 20, item 20-J-22.]
On 19 March 1795, a bill of complaint was filed by orators and oratrices Gabriel Purkins, John Purkins, Caty Purkins, Thos Purkins, John Armstrong and Sally his wife, Philemon Purkins, Gideon Purkins, and Polly Purkins, Cary Purkins and Young Dimake Purkins infants under 21 by Gabriel Purkins their next friend and Wm Purkins, Henry Purkins and Fleming Ransone and Elizabeth his wife. That some short time before the marriage of Henry Purkins the father of your orators and oratrices Gabriel, John, Caty, Thomas, Sally, Philemon, Gideon, Polly, Cary, Young Dimake, Wm, Henry, and Elizabeth with Mary Greenhill with widow of James P. Greenhill who was the daughter of Wm Dunn now deceased, that Wm Dunn promised to give to the said Henry Purkins in consideration of marriage a negro sirl slave Hannah, which he did. That Henry’s will was written 2 June 1780 and proved 17 July 1780. Your orators and oratrices Wm, Henry and Elizabeth Ransome are by a previous marriage of Henry’s. Gabriel, John, Caty, Thos, Polly Armstrong, Philemon, Gideon, Polly, Cary, and Young Dimake are children of Henry and Mary. That Henry Dunn is the brother of Mary. Gideon Ship married Alice Emmerson, the widow of James Emmerson her first husband; she is a sister of Henry Dunn. The heirs of Alice and James are John Emmerson, Wm Emmerson, Peggy Emmerson, Wm Philips and Elizabeth his wife who was Elizabeth Emmerson. Gideon and Alice had Alice, Katy, Thos and Ann, infants. That the other heirs of William Dunn are trying to reclaim the slave. Filed 19 March 1795, Purkins vs. Dunn &c. [Essex County, Virginia, Box Chancery No. 11, item 11-A-19.]
On 17 April 1798 John Boughan and Sally his wife, and Major Boughan and Caty his wife, sell 106-1/2 acres to Charles Bray. This is part of a tract that had been purchased by John and Major Boughan from Thomas and William Burke, called Kerchevals. Neither Sally nor Caty could write. [Essex County, Virginia, Deed book 35, page 6.]
On 14 June 1798, “The Commonwealth of Virginia To H. B. Brooke & John Evans Gentlemen Greetings Whereas John Boughan & Sally his Wife & Major Boughan & Caty his Wife by their certain indenture of bargain & Sale, bearing date the 17th day of April 1798 have sold & conveyed unto Charles Bray, one tenement tract or parcel of land situate in the parish of South farnham and County of Essex containing by survey made by William Jones on the 16th day of May 1796 and on the 19th of December 1797 the quantity of one hundred and six and a half acres or or less &c and where as the said Sally and Caty cannot conveniently travel to our County Court of Essex to make acknowledgement of the said conveyance, Therefore…” Brooke and Evans are to privately examine Sally and Caty to verify their voluntary conveyance of the tract. On 14 June, H. B. Brooke and John Evans confirmed that they visited both women, who affirmed their consent. Ordered recorded 18 June 1798. [Essex County, Virginia, Deed Book 35, pages 6–7.]
On 18 June 1811, a final decree in the cases of William Snodgrass vs. Henry Purkins’s exor and Purkins and other vs. Henry Purkins’s exor was handed down. The decree stated that William Snodgrass was to reimbursed £731 and other amounts plus interest, and that after his satisfaction, the plaintiffs Gabriel Purkins, John Purkins, Major Boughan who had intermarried with and survived Caty Purkins, Thomas Purkins, John Armstrong and Sally his wife, Philemon Purkins, Gideon Purkins, Young Dimake Purkins and Thomas L. Dunn and Cary his wife were to obtain satisfaction. The defendant in the case was William Purkins as administrator of the estate of Henry Purkins. [Essex County, Virginia, Box Chancery No. 27, item 27-G-40.]
On 2 May 1818, the Superior Court of the District of Fredericksburg heard the case of Gideon Purkins, Young D. Purkins, Henry Purkins, Fleming Ransome & Betsy his wife, John Burke & Mary his wife, Caty Boughan & Thomas Boughan infant children of Caty Boughan, who was Caty Purkins, by Purkins Armstrong their next friend, John Armstrong & Sally his wife, Thomas L. Dunn & Cary his wife, and William Purkins, plaintiffs, against Gabriel Purkins, defendant. “This cause came on to be heard on the bill, answer, exhibits and examinations of witnesses, and was argued by counsel: On consideration whereof since it appears to the Court that Thomas L. Dunn & Cary his wife, by their indenture dated the 12th day of April 1817, have conveyed all their interest in the land in the bill mentioned to Washington H. Purkins, and that Philemon Purkins conveyed his one sixth of the said land to the defendant, the Court doth adjudge, order and decree that the plaintiff Gideon Purkins do recover of the defendant 10/48 parts of the said tract of land, situated in the County of Essex, whereof Henry Purkins lately died seized; that the plaintiffs Caty Boughan and Thomas Boughan, in right of their mother Caty Boughan, deceased, do recover of the defendant for their joint use 2/48 parts of the said land; that the plaintiffs John Armstrong & Sally his wife, in right of the said Sally, do recover of the defendant 2/48 parts of the said land; that the plaintiffs Fleming Ransome and Betsy his wife & John Burke & Mary his wife, in right of the said Betsy & Mary respectively, and William Purkins & Henry Purkins, each do recover of the defendant 1/48 part of the said land. And the Court doth further adjudge, order and decree that Henry Thomas, William Latané, Edwin Upshaw and Robert Haile, or any two of them, do allot to the several plaintiffs aforesaid, their aforesaid shares respectively, according to value, and assign the same by metes and bounds, leaving for the defendant 18/48 parts of the said land, and for Washington H. Purkins 12/48 parts thereof, being the shares of Young D. Purkins & Cary Purkins. And the Court doth further adjudge, order and decree, that the defendant do render before one of the Commissioners of this Court an account of the rents and profits of the land aforesaid, from the time he came to the possession thereof, until the said allotment be made — and the said Commissioner is directed to State and settle an account between the defndant and the plaintiffs respectively, and to report the said accounts to the Court, with any special matter that he may thing pertinant or any party may require. And on motion of Washington H. Purkins it is ordered, that the Clerk of this Court do deliver to him the deed amongst the exhibits from Thomas L. Dunn & Cary his wife to the said Washington H. Purkins, bearing date the 3d day of April, 1818, the said Clerk retaining a copy thereof.” [Chancery Order Book 1814–1818, Superior Court, District of Fredericksburg, page 438.]
On 19 March 1795, a bill of complaint was filed by orators and oratrices Gabriel Purkins, John Purkins, Caty Purkins, Thos Purkins, John Armstrong and Sally his wife, Philemon Purkins, Gideon Purkins, and Polly Purkins, Cary Purkins and Young Dimake Purkins infants under 21 by Gabriel Purkins their next friend and Wm Purkins, Henry Purkins and Fleming Ransone and Elizabeth his wife. That some short time before the marriage of Henry Purkins the father of your orators and oratrices Gabriel, John, Caty, Thomas, Sally, Philemon, Gideon, Polly, Cary, Young Dimake, Wm, Henry, and Elizabeth with Mary Greenhill with widow of James P. Greenhill who was the daughter of Wm Dunn now deceased, that Wm Dunn promised to give to the said Henry Purkins in consideration of marriage a negro sirl slave Hannah, which he did. That Henry’s will was written 2 June 1780 and proved 17 July 1780. Your orators and oratrices Wm, Henry and Elizabeth Ransome are by a previous marriage of Henry’s. Gabriel, John, Caty, Thos, Polly Armstrong, Philemon, Gideon, Polly, Cary, and Young Dimake are children of Henry and Mary. That Henry Dunn is the brother of Mary. Gideon Ship married Alice Emmerson, the widow of James Emmerson her first husband; she is a sister of Henry Dunn. The heirs of Alice and James are John Emmerson, Wm Emmerson, Peggy Emmerson, Wm Philips and Elizabeth his wife who was Elizabeth Emmerson. Gideon and Alice had Alice, Katy, Thos and Ann, infants. That the other heirs of William Dunn are trying to reclaim the slave. Filed 19 March 1795, Purkins vs. Dunn &c. [Essex County, Virginia, Box Chancery No. 11, item 11-A-19.]
On 17 April 1798 John Boughan and Sally his wife, and Major Boughan and Caty his wife, sell 106-1/2 acres to Charles Bray. This is part of a tract that had been purchased by John and Major Boughan from Thomas and William Burke, called Kerchevals. Neither Sally nor Caty could write. [Essex County, Virginia, Deed book 35, page 6.]
On 14 June 1798, “The Commonwealth of Virginia To H. B. Brooke & John Evans Gentlemen Greetings Whereas John Boughan & Sally his Wife & Major Boughan & Caty his Wife by their certain indenture of bargain & Sale, bearing date the 17th day of April 1798 have sold & conveyed unto Charles Bray, one tenement tract or parcel of land situate in the parish of South farnham and County of Essex containing by survey made by William Jones on the 16th day of May 1796 and on the 19th of December 1797 the quantity of one hundred and six and a half acres or or less &c and where as the said Sally and Caty cannot conveniently travel to our County Court of Essex to make acknowledgement of the said conveyance, Therefore…” Brooke and Evans are to privately examine Sally and Caty to verify their voluntary conveyance of the tract. On 14 June, H. B. Brooke and John Evans confirmed that they visited both women, who affirmed their consent. Ordered recorded 18 June 1798. [Essex County, Virginia, Deed Book 35, pages 6–7.]
On 18 June 1811, a final decree in the cases of William Snodgrass vs. Henry Purkins’s exor and Purkins and other vs. Henry Purkins’s exor was handed down. The decree stated that William Snodgrass was to reimbursed £731 and other amounts plus interest, and that after his satisfaction, the plaintiffs Gabriel Purkins, John Purkins, Major Boughan who had intermarried with and survived Caty Purkins, Thomas Purkins, John Armstrong and Sally his wife, Philemon Purkins, Gideon Purkins, Young Dimake Purkins and Thomas L. Dunn and Cary his wife were to obtain satisfaction. The defendant in the case was William Purkins as administrator of the estate of Henry Purkins. [Essex County, Virginia, Box Chancery No. 27, item 27-G-40.]
On 2 May 1818, the Superior Court of the District of Fredericksburg heard the case of Gideon Purkins, Young D. Purkins, Henry Purkins, Fleming Ransome & Betsy his wife, John Burke & Mary his wife, Caty Boughan & Thomas Boughan infant children of Caty Boughan, who was Caty Purkins, by Purkins Armstrong their next friend, John Armstrong & Sally his wife, Thomas L. Dunn & Cary his wife, and William Purkins, plaintiffs, against Gabriel Purkins, defendant. “This cause came on to be heard on the bill, answer, exhibits and examinations of witnesses, and was argued by counsel: On consideration whereof since it appears to the Court that Thomas L. Dunn & Cary his wife, by their indenture dated the 12th day of April 1817, have conveyed all their interest in the land in the bill mentioned to Washington H. Purkins, and that Philemon Purkins conveyed his one sixth of the said land to the defendant, the Court doth adjudge, order and decree that the plaintiff Gideon Purkins do recover of the defendant 10/48 parts of the said tract of land, situated in the County of Essex, whereof Henry Purkins lately died seized; that the plaintiffs Caty Boughan and Thomas Boughan, in right of their mother Caty Boughan, deceased, do recover of the defendant for their joint use 2/48 parts of the said land; that the plaintiffs John Armstrong & Sally his wife, in right of the said Sally, do recover of the defendant 2/48 parts of the said land; that the plaintiffs Fleming Ransome and Betsy his wife & John Burke & Mary his wife, in right of the said Betsy & Mary respectively, and William Purkins & Henry Purkins, each do recover of the defendant 1/48 part of the said land. And the Court doth further adjudge, order and decree that Henry Thomas, William Latané, Edwin Upshaw and Robert Haile, or any two of them, do allot to the several plaintiffs aforesaid, their aforesaid shares respectively, according to value, and assign the same by metes and bounds, leaving for the defendant 18/48 parts of the said land, and for Washington H. Purkins 12/48 parts thereof, being the shares of Young D. Purkins & Cary Purkins. And the Court doth further adjudge, order and decree, that the defendant do render before one of the Commissioners of this Court an account of the rents and profits of the land aforesaid, from the time he came to the possession thereof, until the said allotment be made — and the said Commissioner is directed to State and settle an account between the defndant and the plaintiffs respectively, and to report the said accounts to the Court, with any special matter that he may thing pertinant or any party may require. And on motion of Washington H. Purkins it is ordered, that the Clerk of this Court do deliver to him the deed amongst the exhibits from Thomas L. Dunn & Cary his wife to the said Washington H. Purkins, bearing date the 3d day of April, 1818, the said Clerk retaining a copy thereof.” [Chancery Order Book 1814–1818, Superior Court, District of Fredericksburg, page 438.]
Spouses
Marriage1795