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1788, 1788, 1792, 1793. LOCAL OFFICE: justice.
Worcester County, commissioned 1793. MILI-
TARY SERVICE, captain, Worcester County, by
1785; when the militia was reorganized in 1794,
Purnell was listed as having been appointed a
captain of the Ninth Regiment, Worcester County.
STANDS ON PUBLIC/PRIVATE ISSUES: manumitted
at least six slaves in his will, 1798. WEALTH DURING
LIFETIME. PERSONAL PROPERTY: assessed Value
£763.10.0, including 24 slaves, 1783. LAND AT FIRST
ELECTION. 750 acres in Worcester County (prob-
ably all inherited from his father). SIGNIFICANT
CHANGES IN LAND BETWEEN FIRST ELECTION AND
DEATH: acquired additional acreage that had orig-
inally belonged to his father and resurveyed it
into a 1,381-acre tract in Worcester County, 1787;
purchased 351 acres in Worcester County, 1792;
sold at least 410 acres in Worcester County be-
tween 1791 and 1794. WEALTH AT DEATH. DIED:
between January 29 and April 2, 1798, in Worces-
ter County. PERSONAL PROPERTY: TEV, $5,839.55
(including 3 slaves of no value, 30 slaves valued,
25 oz. plate, other items of silver, and books);
FB, estate overpaid $1.00, exclusive of $2.04 re-
tained by the executor to satisfy certain accounts.
LAND: approximately 1,936 acres in Worcester
County, all of which along with his personal estate
Purnell ordered his executors to sell to pay his
debts and to support his children. ADDITIONAL
COMMENTS: By 1819, Purnell's executors were or-
dered by the Chancery Court to sell 137 acres of
his real estate in Worcester County to pay his
debts. His personal property had proved insuf-
ficient to discharge all his debts. IDENTIFICATION
PROBLEMS. There were two men named William
Purnell in Worcester County who could have
served in the legislature from 1785-1788, 1792,
and 1793: William Purnell (1739-1796) and Wil-
liam Purnell (?-1798). The man elected to the
1785 Assembly was described in the election re-
turns as "Captain," and since William Purnell
(1739-1796) was a major in 1785, it has been
assumed that the legislator was William Purnell
(?-1798). This assumption is strengthened by a
letter in 1791 recommending William Purnell "of
Cropper's Neck" for a justiceship and referring
to his frequent service in the legislature. There
is, however, the possibility that some of the serv-
ice assigned to William Purnell (?-1798) may have
been held by William Purnell (1739-1796).
PURNELL, ZADOCK (?-1805). BORN: in
Worcester County. NATIVE: fourth generation.
RESIDED: in Buckingham Hundred, Worcester
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County. FAMILY BACKGROUND. FATHER: John Pur-
nell (?-1755). MOTHER: Elizabeth Rackcliffe (?-
ca. 1754). BROTHERS. Thomas Purnell, of John
(?-1796); William Purnell (?-1777), a possible
legislator; and Capt. John (?-ca. 1761). SISTERS.
Elizabeth; Levina; Arralantar (?-1782), who
married Thomas Robins (ca. 1702-1766); and
Zipporah (Zeporah). FIRST COUSINS: William Pur-
nell (1739-1796), a possible legislator; Thomas
Purnell, of Thomas (?-1790). NEPHEWS: John
Purnell Robins (ca. 1742-1780), William Purnell
(?-1798). NIECES: Ann Purnell, who married first,
Henry Dennis (?-1785), and second, William Polk
(1752-1812); and Mary Robins (1743-1808), who
married William Purnell (1739-1796), a possible
legislator. MARRIED probably never. PRIVATE CA-
REER. EDUCATION: literate. RELIGIOUS AFFILIA
TION: Anglican, Worcester Parish, Worcester
County. SOCIAL STATUS AND ACTIVITIES: Esq., by
1745. OCCUPATIONAL PROFILE: probably planter.
PUBLIC CAREER. LEGISLATIVE SERVICE: Lower
House, Worcester County, 1758-1761, 1768-1770
(Public Offices 2, 3; Arms and Ammunition 1-
3); 5th Convention, Worcester County, 1775. LO-
CAL OFFICE: Worcester Parish Vestry, Worcester
County, 1755 and 1756. MILITARY SERVICE: com-
pany clerk in Worcester County militia, 1748;
captain by 1767; commissioned colonel in the Sin-
epuxent Battalion of the Worcester County Mi-
litia, 1777, resigned in 1778 giving advanced age
as reason. WEALTH DURING LIFETIME. PERSONAL
PROPERTY: assessed value £1,978.7.6, including
46 slaves, 1783. LAND AT FIRST ELECTION: 1,759
acres in Worcester County (all through inherit-
ance from father). SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN LAND
BETWEEN FIRST ELECTION AND DEATH: purchased
238 acres in 1767, deeded as a gift a tract of un-
known acreage to a distant cousin in 1801, and
patented 199 acres in 1804, all in Worcester County.
WEALTH AT DEATH. DIED: in 1805; will probated
in Worcester County. PERSONAL PROPERTY. TEV,
$17,666.19 (including 25 slaves, 45 oz. plate, and
$2,158.72 cash in silver); FB, $13,874.74. LAND:
ca. 2,196 acres in Worcester County.
PURVIANCE, SAMUEL, JR. (?-1788) BORN
in Donegal, Ireland. IMMIGRATED: by 1770, pos-
sibly ca. 1767, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
with his first wife and one or more children. RE-
SIDED: in Philadelphia ca. 1754-at least 1767;
Baltimore Town, Baltimore County, by 1770-
1788. By 1787, Purviance's residence was on
Commerce Street in Baltimore Town. FAMILY
BACKGROUND. FATHER: Samuel Purviance, Sr. (ca.
667
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