Republican state executive committee, and was elected to congress as a Republican, serving from 1 Dec., 1873, till his resignation on 16 Feb., 1875. He was again elected, serving from 6 Dec., 1875, till 3 March, 1877. and re-elected, but his seat was successfully contested by Robert H. M. Davidson.
PURPLE, Norman Higgins, jurist, b. in Exeter, N. V.. ".) March, 1808; d. in Chicago, Ill., !) Aug., 1803. After attending the district schools, he studied law. was admitted to the bar in Tioga ooiinty, Pa., in 1830, and in 1837 removed to Peoria,
111. In 1840-'2 he was state's attorney for the 9th
judicial circuit of Illinois, and from 1845 till 1848
he was associate judge of the supreme court. He
was once a candidate for U. S. senator, and in 1800
was a delegate to the Democratic national conven-
tion in Charleston, S. C. He published "Statutes
of Illinois relating to Real Estate" (Quiney. 18491
and "A Compilation of the Statutes of Illinois of
a General Nature in Force, Jan. 1, 1856" (2 vols.,
Chicago, 1850). These works were adopted by the
general assembly.
PURPLE, Samuel Smith, physician, b. in Leb-
anon, Madison co., X. Y.. 24 June, 1822. lie re-
ceived a common-school education and was gradu-
ated at the medical department of the University
of the city of New York in 1844. In 1840-'8 he
was physician to the New York city dispensary,
and he was ward physician in the board of health
during the cholera epidemic of 1849. He was vice-
president of the New York academy of medicine in
1872-'o, its president from 1870 till 1880, and was
made second vice-president of the New York gene-
alogical and biographical society in 1888. His
publications are " The Corpus Luteum " (1846) ;
" Menstruation " (New York, 1840) : " Contributions
to the Practice of Midwifery " (1853) ; "Observa-
tions on the Remedial Properties of Simaba Cedron"
(1854); "Observations on Wounds of the Heart
(1855) ; " Genealogical Memorials of William Brad-
ford, First Printer of New York " (1873) ; " In Me-
moriam : Edwin R. Purple " (1881) ; and " Memoir
of the Life and Writings of Hon. Teunis G. Bergen "
(1881). His brother, Edwin Ruthyen, lawyer, b.
in Sherburne, N. Y., 30 June, 1831 ; d. in New York
city, 20 Jan., 1879, was educated at, Earlville acade-
my. In 1850 he emigrated to California, studied
law, was admitted to the bar in 1855, and served as
county supervisor and justice of the fifth township
in ( lalaveras county. In the autumn of 1862 he
discovered, in connection with John White and five
others, the first gold in Montana, on Willarcl's
creek, a tributary of Beaver Head river. He con-
tributed to the " New York Genealogical and Bio-
graphical Record," and published " Genealogical
Notes on the Colden Family in America " (New
York, 1873) ; " Biographical and Genealogical Notes
of the Provoost Family in New York" (1875);
" Genealogical Notes relating to Lieut. -Gov. Jacob
Leisler and his Family Connections in New York "
(1877) ; " Contributions to the History of the Kip
Family of New York and New Jersey " (1877) ; and
" Contributions to the History of Ancient Families
of New Netherland and New York," which were
collected and published by his brother, with a me-
moir (New York, 1881).
PURSH, Frederick, botanist, b. in Tobolsk,
Siberia, in 1774; d. in Montreal, Canada, 11 June,
1820. He was educated at Dresden, came to this
country in 1799. and spent twelve years in botani-
cal explorations in the United States. He visited
England in 1811, and published " Flora America?
Septentrionalis, or a Systematic Arrangement and
Description of the Plants of North America " (2
vols., 8vo, London, 1814). He then returned, and
died while he was collecting materials for a flora
( anaila. II is manuscript journal still exists.
Until superseded by Torrey and Gray's " Flora of
North America," Pursh's work was the most im-
portant on the botany of North America.
PURVIANCE, Hugh Young,' naval officer, b.
in Baltimore, Md., 22 March, 1799: d. there. 21
Oct., 1883. He was educated at St. Mary's college
in his native city, and in 1818 was appointed a mid-
shipman in the U. S. navy. He served for two
years on the East India station, in 1821-'4 on the
Pacific, and in 1824-'7 in the Mediterranean. In
the last year he was commissioned a lieutenant, and
he served on the West India squadron in 182S-':!0.
and the Brazil squadron in 1837-'8, command-
ing the brig " Dolphin." He relieved an American
schooner from the French blockade of the river
Plate, and received a complimentary recognition
from the V. S. government for his services on the
occasion. In 1846 he commanded the frigate " Con-
I it in inn," of the blockading squadron in the Mexi-
can war. On 7 March, 1849, he was commissioned
commander, and assigned to the sloop-of-war " Ma-
rion," on the coast of Africa, where he remained
in 1852-'5. He received his commission as captain,
28 Jan., 1856, commanded the frigate " St. Law-
rence," of the Charleston blockading squadron, in
1861, and captured the privateer "Petrel" off that
port, the first prize of the civil war. He took part
in the fight with the " Merrimac" an-d in the at-
tack on bewall's point, Hampton Roads. He was
retired. 21 Dec., 1861, commissioned commodore, 16
July, 1862, and in 1863-'5 was light-house inspector.
PURVIS, Robert, benefactor, b. in Charleston,
S. C., 4 Aug.. 1810; d. in Philadelphia, 15 April,
1898. His father was a native of England, and
his mother was a free-born woman of Charleston,
of Moorish descent. Robert was brought to the
north in 1819. His father, though residing in a
slave state, was never a slave-holder, but was an
Abolitionist in principle. Before Robert attained
the age of manhood he formed the acquaintance
of Benjamin Lundy. and in conjunction with him
was an early laborer in the anti-slavery cause. Mr.
Purvis was a member of the Philadelphia conven-
tion of 1833 which formed the American anti-
slavery society, was its vice-president for many
years, and signed its declaration of sentiments. He
was also an active member of the Pennsylvania
society, and its president for many years. His
house was a well-known station on the " Under-
ground railroad," and his horses, carriages, and his
personal attendance were always at the service of
fugitive slaves. His son, CHARLES BURLEIGH, is
surgeon-in-chief of the Freedmen's hospital at
Washington, D. C., and a professor in the medical
department of Howard university.
PUSEY, Caleb, colonist, b. in Berkshire. England, about 1050; d. in Chester county, Pa., 25 Feb., 1727. He was educated as a Baptist, but subsequently became a Quaker, and was of Penn's
company that came to Pennsylvania in 1682. Before leaving England he united with Penn and a few others in forming a "joint concern" for the "setting up" of mills in the new province, of which concern Pusey was chosen the manager. He caused the framework to be prepared and shipped in the " Welcome," and in 1683 erected
on Chester creek, near what is now Upland, Pa., the famous mills known as the "Chester Mill>." which were the first in the province under Penn's government. Penn himself attended at the laying
of the corner-stone. Pusey managed the mills for many years, and came finally to own them, conducting an extensive milling business until his
