The West Family:Information about James Lloyd Puryear


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View Tree for James Lloyd PuryearJames Lloyd Puryear (b. 12 Mar 1850, d. 16 Feb 1929)

James Lloyd Puryear (son of Anderson Puryear and Susan Newcomb) was born 12 Mar 1850 in Taylor Co. KY, and died 16 Feb 1929 in Clarkston, Washington.He married Virginia Wright on WFT Est. 1869-1898, daughter of Able Wright and Martha Spurling.
More About James Lloyd Puryear:
Burial: The Puryear Family Plot Grangeville, Idaho.
Census 1: 1870, p10 #51 he was 20 years old and still home with his mother Susan Roots.
Census 2: 1850, #228 He was newly born.
Census 3: 1860, #310 He is living with stepfather Roots.
More About James Lloyd Puryear and Virginia Wright:
Marriage: WFT Est. 1869-1898
 Includes NotesMarriage Notes for James Lloyd Puryear and Virginia Wright:
Family lore has it that James Puryear and Virginia Wright eloped.It is said to have happened while they were attending the wedding of Samuel Wright to Sarah Puryear on September 14, 1869.It was a large family affair.Relatives of the bride as well as the groom were in attendance.Some credence has to be given to this story because first off Virginia was not yet 14 years old.Her father would not give permission for his daughter to be marry.(Taylor County vital statistics shows Virginia being born October 23, 1855).
The story goes that James borrowed a mule and they rode away and eloped.Virginia's father Able Wright was furious.It's said that he threatened to kill James if he ever caught him.It is not known to this day where they went.It could have been to Tennessee with some of the Puryears down there.Then again Sarah Puryear more than likely had close relatives by the name of Harding that were attending the wedding and that would give the eloping couple access to Pennsylviana,Virginia or Indiana.And than again it may have just been over into Larue County, Kentucky,Anyway where ever they went, they did not return to the area until Virginia was almost 21 years old. By that time the young couple had three children Ida, Ollie, and Percy.A fourth child, James Walter, was born April 1, 1876 in Taylor County, Kentucky.
Two more facts also lend credence to this story.The first three children were born between 1869 and October 23, 1873 and Virginia's headstone gives the dates 1853 - 1920.She had to lie about her age when she married and she carried it to the grave.
Children of James Lloyd Puryear and Virginia Wright are:
  1. +Percy Thomas Puyear, b. 23 Oct 1873, d. 22 Jul 1951, Toppenish, Washingrton.