Biographical Sketch of John W. Purves, Franklin County, Missouri
>From "History of Franklin, Jefferson, Washington, Crawford and
Gasconade Counties", Biographical Appendix, Goodspeed Publishing
Company, 1888.
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John W. Purves, senior member of the firm of Degen, Breckenkamp & Co.,
planing and flour mills, lumber yard, and carpenters and builders, was
born in Kings County, New Brunswick, in 1840 the son of Thomas and Amy
C. (Rulofson) Purves. The father was born in Scotland, in 1801, and
when twenty-one years of age immigrated to New Brunswick, and here
followed agricultural pursuits. It was here, also, that he passed his
last days, dying in 1887. His wife was born in New Brunswick, in 1806,
and was the daughter of Maj. Rulofson, who took an active part in the
ever memorable battle of Waterloo, and who afterward came to America
and then to New Brunswick with the Loyalists. The mother is still liv-
ing on the old homestead. Of their six children that lived to be grown
five are now living: Robert S., Ruloff, John W., George T. and Agnes E.
John W. was educated in the home schools, and grew to manhood on the
farm. At the age of seventeen he began carpentering on the railroad,
afterward was brakeman, baggagemaster and then conductor. In 1864 he
came to Washington, Mo., and hired as carpenter on the Missouri Pacific
Railroad, and worked at the same for about five years. In 1869 he and
R. P. Lutes became partners in Washington, as contractors and builders.
The following year they dissolved partnership, and Mr. Purves went to
Labaddie and established the business on his own responsibility. Janu-
ary 12, 1871, he married Miss Cynthia M. Gregory, daughter of John
Gregory, and granddaughter of R. R. Gregory. Mrs. Purves was born in
Franklin County, Mo., in 1848 and by her marriage became the mother of
five children: Ruloff G., John E., Minnie A., Mary G. and Hattie F. In
1875 Mr. Purves moved his business to Washington, where John C. Bryan,
H. Moore and himself became partners. They built the "May Bryan" in
Louisville, Ky., and brought it to Washington, where it has since been
used as a ferry boat. Mr. Purves was master of it until April, 1878,
when he and Joseph Gregory bought the Washington Planing and Sawmills,
and also erected a flouring-mill and conducted the entire business un-
til 1880, when A. H. Breckenkamp purchased one-third interest. In 1881
Mr. Gregory sold out, and J. M. Degen, H. H. Brinkmann and A. H. Weh-
mueller were taken in as partners. In 1886 Mr. Brinkmann sold his
interest to the other members. Mr. Purves is superintendent of the
milling and grain department, and is a first class business man in
every respect. In 1887 the firm put in a full roller system, and has a
capacity of 100 barrels per day. Our subject is a Democrat in politics,
is a Master Mason, and he and wife are members of the Methodist Episco-
pal Church South, of which he is class-leader, steward and Sunday
School superintendent. Mrs. J. W. Purves is a granddaughter of John B.
Goode (deceased), who, with a large family and servants, moved to Miss-
ouri from Virginia by the wagon route, and was among the first settlers
of Franklin County.
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