Alvin James Purdon

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• FamilySearch ID: K85B-S5K
• FindaGrave Memorial ID: 55385505
• _UID: FC312941965543008551B9574EB03AD6B971

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• FamilySearch ID: KNJV-Q6S
• FindaGrave Memorial ID: 46627311
• _UID: 993C59DE65724185A6AB6C60FED4AE91D7B7
• Residence: 1851, Dalhousie, Lanark County, Canada West (Ontario), Canada
• Immigration: 1870
• Residence: 1900, Center, Garfield & Mooretown Township Wahpeton city, Richland, North Dakota, United States
• Residence: 1910, Wahpeton Ward 3, Richland, North Dakota, United States
• Residence: 1920, Richland, North Dakota, United States

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Died:
James Purdon, Pioneer is Buried at Riverside

Funeral services for James Purdon, 86, pioneer Wahpeton merchant, who died Thursday evening at the Wahpeton hospital from complications due to old age were held from the Congregational church Saturday afternoon, with Rev, c.F. Dunham in charge. Interment was made in Riverside cemetery where the Odd Fellows funeral ritual was observed.

For several months Mr Purdon has been in poor health. He was taken to the hospital September 2, when his condition became serious. Death relieved the suffering of one who during his 46 years residence in Wahpeton had been active in the civic affairs of the city and in its up building.

Mr Purdon was born in Ontario, Canada, in 1840. He was married there and moved with his family to Alexandria, Minnesota, in 1868, where he took a homestead. Later he entered the contracting and building business. While a resident of Alexandria he served two terms as clerk of court of Douglas county. Mrs Purdon died at Alexandria and later Mr Purdon married Miss Annette Anderson. The family moved to Wahpeton in 1879, where Mr Purdon established a mercantile business, in which his brother, Dave, and a son,William R, were associated. This enterprise was conducted under the name of Purdon & Company, until about eight years ago, when it was discontinued because of the advancing age of Mr Purdon.

During his residence in Wahpeton, Mr Purdon served in many positions of trust. He served the city as alderman, president of the council and as mayor. He was twice elected to the legislature from this county, serving in territorial days just before the state was admitted to the union in 1889.

In 1881, Mr Purdon in company with seven other Wahpeton men instituted the Odd Fellows Lodge in this city. He had the honor of serving as the first noble grand of the local order. Only one other charter member of the lodge survives him, Rufus B. Meyers, of California.

Members of the Odd Fellows attended the funeral in a body and past grands acted as pall bearers.

Mr Purdon is survived by six children. They are Mrs. W. G. Crocker, of Lisbon' Dr. Cleve Purdon, Lisbon; Major Frank Purdon, now stationed at Porto Rico; Clara and Florence Purdon, of Morristown, N.J., and Mrs Theodore Mollerud, of Wahpeton. Children who preceded their father in death were Major William R. Purdon, Mrs. Fred Lynch and Mrs. V.P. Bennett.

Three brothers and two sisters also survive him. They are Dave, of Wahpeton and Andrew of Alexandria; one brother and two sisters, still residing at McDonald's corner, Ontario. Mrs R.T. BArber of Wahpeton, is a niece of Mr. Purdon.

Mr Purdon was welll respected in Richland county, where he had a wide acquaintance. News of his passing is received with sorrow. Sympathy for the bereaved family is general."

- Wahpeton Newspaper
- Wahpeton Newspaper

James married Annetta Anderson on 7 May 1876 in Alexandria Twp, Douglas County, Minnesota, United States. Annetta was born on 13 Jun 1852 in Norway; died on 6 Jul 1916 in Wahpeton, Richland County, North Dakota, United States; was buried in Riverside Cemetery, Albany, Linn County, Oregon, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• FamilySearch ID: K24R-Z5T
• _UID: 1BD3CCEFDCC3499180E8DC6505C4C2196F72

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• FamilySearch ID: LZPL-L74
• FindaGrave Memorial ID: 46624296
• _UID: 0303526BDD76460A9D8E1D05A348C1C42307

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Died:
In the death of William Purdon, Sr., which occurred at his residence in the township of Dalhousie on the evening of Friday, Sept. 4, the well known figure in the community has been removed. In the year 1821 his parents came from Glasgow and with other families of Scotland formed the nucleus of a new settlement in what is now known as Dalhousie Township. His father was an officer in the Lancashire Militia and it was during a sojourn in England that the subject of this sketch was born. The event took place December 15, 1813. One cannot but admire the hardiness and bravery of the early pioneers. The majority of them were unacquainted with farming and did not even know how to chop down a tree. But with that Scottish determination which will never give in even when things are at their worst, they set to work to clear the land and by degrees hewed out their farms and forced a subsistence from the unwilling soil. The stories of the hardships endured in those early days in which he fully shared was told some years ago by Mr. Purdon himself in a column in the Courier. Mr. Purdon was a Reformer in politics and one who was such by reading and thinking. He was an ardent admirer of the late Alexander McKenzie the humble born Premier of Canada. Mr. Purdon was a man of intelligence and a wide reader. He assisted in the establishment and was a constant patron of the Dalhousie library which was formed early in the history of the township and provided the best intellectual food at a time when newspapers and magazines wee not so numerous or available as today. He was ever ready to forward every movement for the good of the community. He served the community for many years both as councilor and reeve and was a member of Dalhousie's firs council. For 20 years he served as a school trustee and secretary-treasurer of that section. Thoroughly honest and upright in all his dealings, a kind neighbor and general friend, he won the love and respect of the entire community. It is related of him that during the Franco-Prussian War when wheat was over $2.00 a bushel he refused to take more than $1.50 a bushel considering that enough to ask of his neighbors, many of whom required it for seed. As another instance of his kindness of heart, he required that he should be buried in a plain coffin and without a hearse which he himself could well afford lest such an example should lead another to extravagance beyond his means and the widow and orphans be thereby robbed of their support. His last illness was long. He was stricken with the terrible disease of cancer. The constant pain he suffered he bore with Christian fortitude. He was in possession of all his faculties to the last and faced death without fear, looking forward to Christ the Savior to the hope of a glorious immortality. His partner in life whose maiden name was Isabella Chalmers died three years ago in December of 1893. They reared a large family 12 of whom, 9 sons and 3 daughters, grew up to adulthood and survive their parents. One died in infancy. Of the children, five sons and two daughters reside in Dalhousie, one son in the county of Huron; on daughter in Michigan; three sons in the northwestern States; all have done well. James, who is a merchant in Dakota, has served for some time in the state legislature. The funeral took place on Sunday September 6 and was largely attended. The remains were interred in the Highland Line Cemetery. The funeral service was conducted by Rev. Jas. Binnie, B.A. of McDonald's Corners. With Mr. Purdon's death closes the first 75 years of Dalhousie's history

William married Isabella Chalmers. Isabella (daughter of Robert Chalmers and Isabella Forrest) was born on 3 Sep 1816 in Hamilton Parish, South Lanarkshire, Scotland; died on 7 Dec 1893 in Lanark County, Ontario, Canada; was buried in Highland Line Cemetery, McDonald Corners, Lanark Highlands, Lanark, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• FamilySearch ID: L4BT-6VS
• FindaGrave Memorial ID: 46624495
• _UID: 5D766013785A484598DE8CA04EDE6724FEAA

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Died:
Died, at her residence in Dalhousie on the 7th December, Isabella Chalmers, wife of William Purdon, Sr., after an illness of two weeks and three days. The deceased was born in the town of Hamilton, Scotland on the 3rd Sept., 1815(?) and was married to William Purdon on the 5th January, 1835. The deceased was the mother of a large family, 9 sons and 4 daughters, all of whom survive her except one little daughter who died in infancy. They are likewise all married with one exception and several of them have sons and daughters married who have young families. The deceased was a woman of great practical knowledge. She was well read and until failing health compelled her to retire she was very much sought after in all cases of trouble particularly in cases of midwifery where her long practical knowledge enabled her to be very successful; indeed so much so that when she was present the late Dr. Munro of Lanark would only act as an assistant. She was likewise a most sincere Christian and although she was not a member of any church, she was a sincere follower of the divine Master and took greatest pleasure in assisting the poor and afflicted without regard to creed or color and it may truly be said that she never had an enemy on earth. She was followed to the grave at the Highland Line burial ground by a large concourse of friends and neighbors. Six of her sons all fine, stalwart men were her pallbearers when her remains were committed to the earth.

Perth Courier, Dec. 15, 1893

The Douglas County News, Alexandria, Minnesota
Thursday, December 21, 1893, page 4, col. 1.

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• FindaGrave Memorial ID: 59191388
• _UID: 3EAB72F6708D4D3BAFED9A516AA970C4A46E

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Robert married Jean "Jane" Ferguson. Jean was born in 1787 in Scotland; died on 25 Nov 1872 in Lanark County, Ontario, Canada; was buried in Chalmers Cemetery, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• FindaGrave Memorial ID: 59191440
• _UID: 5DA51D162F7D49D1AE966BF49086837BB218

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• FindaGrave Memorial ID: 59332388
• _UID: B34135778530455B96C05DC73B1085003F48

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Robert married Isabella Forrest. Isabella was born in 1776; died in 1868. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• FindaGrave Memorial ID: 59332444
• _UID: 4F71F718B9984986B9A07E35D83C913BDBA3

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