Individual Details
(1 May 1685 - 4 Mar 1753)
He became one of the most prominent citizens of the town of Rye, NY In 1 7 2 0 he made his first appearance in public office when he was appointed J u s tice of the Peace. This position he held until his death. From 1723 t o 1 7 39 he served as town supervisor. His duties were so faithfully disc ha r ged that he was reelected from 1744 to 1746, and chosen again in 174 9 . H e also acted as the last town trustee or overseer in 1729, and as a f a r mer of the excise in 1743 and in 1744. He served as one of the Judges o f t h e Court of Pleas of the County of Westchester from 1734 to 1737, an d a g ain from 1740 to 1752. He also presided at the court of the Jan. 22 nd , o f the latter year. The Rev. James Wetmore, minister of the Protest a nt E piscopal Church of Rye, was seeking a new schoolmaster in 1732. At t h e r equest of sundry inhabitants that Samuel Purdy Esq. might be appoin t e d, he wrote the following recommendation to the secretary to the "Ven e r able Society for the Propagation of the Gospel" "He is a gentleman ve r y w ell respected in the town, a constant communicant of the church, a m a n o f good abilities and sober exemplary life and conversation; he is t h e f oremost Justice of the Peace in the parish, and one of the Quorum a s w e ll as chaplain of the militia, but these being places that require, r a t her that make a fortune, he has private reasons to make him accept a m i s sion from the Honorable Society , and the greater his interest of the p e o ples esteems and affections, by the honorable character he sustains, h e w i ll be under greater advantage to promote religion and the interest o f t h e church for which he has always had a good affection. This gentlem an i s w ell qualified to teach and instruct children in the principles o f r el igion , and such learning as is fit for the country, and I doubt n ot h e w ill be very faithful and industrious, if the Honorable Society b e p le ased to employ him. Needless to add, Justice Purdy was employed an d c o ntinued a schoolmaster until his death. When he died in 1753 the Re v. J a mes Wetmore gives an excellent account of the funeral. "The church h a t h suffered a loss by death of Mr. Purdy, who was a friend of religion , a n d did many kind offices to the poor,as far as he was able. His corp se w a s attended to the church on Ash Wednesday by a great concourse of p eo p le of all persuasions, to whom the pastor preached a sermon adopted t o t h at day, and to the melancholy occasion. The Rev. Mr. Wetmore in 173 2 r e -quested the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign P ar t s to appoint him schoolmaster at Rye, recommending him as a gentlema n , v ery well respected in the town, a constant communicant-cant in the c h u rch a man of good abilities and sober, exemplary life and conversatio n . H e is the foremost Justice of the peace in the parish and one of the q u o rum, as well as chaplain (captain?) of the militia. Mr. Purdy was cho s e n to various other offices of trust as supervisor, town clerk, overse e r a nd farmer of the excise. In 1753 Mr. Wetmore reports that the churc h h a s suffered a loss by the death of Mr. Purdy, the Society's school-m as t er, who was a friend to religion and did many kind offices to the po o r , as far as he was able. His corpse was attended to the church on Ash W e d nesday by a great concourse of people of all persuasions. Shortly bef o r e his death he had sold to his two sons, Samuel and Caleb, for one hu n d red and seventy pounds, "my home lot where I dwell in Rye, comprising f i v e acres." This included the present rectory grounds of Christ Church. -- MERGED NOTE ------------ He became one of the most prominent citizens of the town of Rye, NY In 1 7 2 0 he made his first appearance in public office when he was appointed J u s tice of the Peace. This position he held until his death. From 1723 t o 1 7 39 he served as town supervisor. His duties were so faithfully disc ha r ged that he was reelected from 1744 to 1746, and chosen again in 174 9 . H e also acted as the last town trustee or overseer in 1729, and as a f a r mer of the excise in 1743 and in 1744. He served as one of the Judges o f t h e Court of Pleas of the County of Westchester from 1734 to 1737, an d a g ain from 1740 to 1752. He also presided at the court of the Jan. 22 nd , o f the latter year. The Rev. James Wetmore, minister of the Protest a nt E piscopal Church of Rye, was seeking a new schoolmaster in 1732. At t h e r equest of sundry inhabitants that Samuel Purdy Esq. might be appoin t e d, he wrote the following recommendation to the secretary to the "Ven e r able Society for the Propagation of the Gospel" "He is a gentleman ve r y w ell respected in the town, a constant communicant of the church, a m a n o f good abilities and sober exemplary life and conversation; he is t h e f oremost Justice of the Peace in the parish, and one of the Quorum a s w e ll as chaplain of the militia, but these being places that require, r a t her that make a fortune, he has private reasons to make him accept a m i s sion from the Honorable Society , and the greater his interest of the p e o ples esteems and affections, by the honorable character he sustains, h e w i ll be under greater advantage to promote religion and the interest o f t h e church for which he has always had a good affection. This gentlem an i s w ell qualified to teach and instruct children in the principles o f r el igion , and such learning as is fit for the country, and I doubt n ot h e w ill be very faithful and industrious, if the Honorable Society b e p le ased to employ him. Needless to add, Justice Purdy was employed an d c o ntinued a schoolmaster until his death. When he died in 1753 the Re v. J a mes Wetmore gives an excellent account of the funeral. "The church h a t h suffered a loss by death of Mr. Purdy, who was a friend of religion , a n d did many kind offices to the poor,as far as he was able. His corp se w a s attended to the church on Ash Wednesday by a great concourse of p eo p le of all persuasions, to whom the pastor preached a sermon adopted t o t h at day, and to the melancholy occasion. The Rev. Mr. Wetmore in 173 2 r e -quested the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign P ar t s to appoint him schoolmaster at Rye, recommending him as a gentlema n , v ery well respected in the town, a constant communicant-cant in the c h u rch a man of good abilities and sober, exemplary life and conversatio n . H e is the foremost Justice of the peace in the parish and one of the q u o rum, as well as chaplain (captain?) of the militia. Mr. Purdy was cho s e n to various other offices of trust as supervisor, town clerk, overse e r a nd farmer of the excise. In 1753 Mr. Wetmore reports that the churc h h a s suffered a loss by the death of Mr. Purdy, the Society's school-m as t er, who was a friend to religion and did many kind offices to the po o r , as far as he was able. His corpse was attended to the church on Ash W e d nesday by a great concourse of people of all persuasions. Shortly bef o r e his death he had sold to his two sons, Samuel and Caleb, for one hu n d red and seventy pounds, "my home lot where I dwell in Rye, comprising f i v e acres." This included the present rectory grounds of Christ Church.
Events
| Birth | 1 May 1685 | Rye, Westchester, New York, United States | | | |
| Marriage | 19 Apr 1709 | Rye, Westchester, New York, United States - Clorinda Penelope Strang | | | |
| Death | 4 Mar 1753 | White Plains, Westchester, New York, United States | | | |
Families