CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
THE PURSLEY FAMILY
The Pursley family are probably of
Scot-Irish ancestry but little is known of their antecedents. The first of this
family is a man named George Pursley who was married to a woman named Jane. He
was probably born circa 1755 in Virginia. They were the parents of a son
William Pursley born born circa 1779 in Virginia. William married in Amherst
County, Virginia on 5 November 1804 Nancy Buckley the daughter of William
Buckley.
WILLIAM
PURSLEY and NANCY BUCKLEY
Great Grandparents of Josie Cronkhite Jones
William Pursley is found in the 1810
Census as still living in Amherst County, Virginia. He is listed as a Free
White Person age 26 thru 44 [1766-1784], His wife Nancy Buckley was a Free
White Persons age 16 thru 25 [1785-1794]. As she was married in 1804 she
probably born before 1790. Others in the household were A Free White Male age
16 thru 25, and three sons under 10 years old who would have been born between
1805 and 1810.
William Pursley moved to Kentucky
between 1810 and January 1811 when his first daughter Mary Elizabeth Pursley
was born in Barren County. The 1820 United States Census that was taken of 7
August 1820 recorded the family of William Pursley as living in Barren County.
He was enumerated as a Free White Person age 45 and over [before 1775]. His
wife’s age was listed as 26 thru 44 [1776-1794] There are two sons ages 10 thru
15 [1805-1810] and two sons under 10 years [1811-1820] and three daughters
under 10 years.
William Pursley’s wife Nancy Buckley
died circa 1829 after being married about 25 years. A John Pursley married Mary
Nichols 17 Mar 1829 in Barren County and is most likely his son.
The 1830 Census of Barren County
Kentucky for William Pursley shows no wife for him. William Pursley gave his
age as being 30 thru 39 [1791-1800] which is at least a decade off. Others in
his household was a son age 20 thru 29 [1801-1810], a son age 5 thru 9
[1821-1825], a son age 10 thru 14 [1816-1820], two daughters ages 15 thru 19
[1811-1815], 2 daughter ages 5 thru 9 1821-1825 and a daughter [Under 5
1826-1830]
Two years after this census Mary
Pursley married Landon Burch on 6 Oct 1832 in Barren County. Sometime before
1840 her father remarried to a woman named Messina Smith.
The 1840 United States Census lists
William Pursley as living in the South West Division of Barren County Kentucky.
Surprisingly the census showed that he had acquired 1 female slave perhaps
brought to the marriage by his 2nd wife.
William Pursley this time listed his age
as being 50 thru 59 [1781-1790] which is closer to his true age. His wife
Messina Smith’s age was given as being 30 thru 39 [1801-1810]. Children still
living in their father’s household were a daughter age 20 thru 29 [1811-1820],
a son age 15 thru 19 [1821-1825] and a daughter age 10 thru 14 [1826-1830]. The
slave was a female age 10 thru 23 [1817-1830]
The 1850 Census of Barren County
Kentucky listed William Pursley and his 2nd wife Messinia as living in Division
2, Family Number 707. He said he was 63 years old which would make his birth
Year about 1787. He would have been closer to 70 years old. He gave his
birthplace as Virginia. His wife’s age was 50 years and she said she was born
in Kentucky. This census was taken the 27th of August. The slave schedules do
not show that William Pursley still owned a slave. William Pursley made out a
will on 9 Feb 1857 appointing wife, Messina as executrix; ordered recorded, 23
Mar 1859. William Pursley died in 15 November 1858 at the old age of 79 years.
Children of William and Nancy Buckley
Pursley
1. John
Pursley 1805–1883 married Polly Nicholas
2. William
Jefferson Pursley 1807–1870 married Martha Taylor Foster
3. George
Washington Pursley 1808–1885 married Virginia W Bailey
4. Mary
Elizabeth Pursley 1811–1890 married Landon J Burch
5. America
G Eliza Pursley 1816–1911 married Mr. Bailey
6. Joseph
Thompson Pursley 1816–1894 married Sophronia Nichols
7. Sarah
Ann Pursley 1818–1908 married Joseph Willis Nichols
8. David
Smith Pursley 1822–1869 married Amanda Nunnally
9. Amanda
Melvina Pursley 1823–1911 married Anderson Matthews
10.
Virginia Frances Pursley 1826–1896 married Benjamin Peden
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