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HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE ARTICLE ON DAVID BERNARD PURINTON

David Bernard Purinton, Justice of the Peace in Coldwater, is a native of the Empire State, where he was born at Truxton, Cortland County, May 8, 1829. He is the son of Orphetis and Louisa (Call) Purinton, natives respectively of Hoosac, and Truxton, N.Y.

The subject of this sketch was the second in a family of twelve children, the others of whom are recorded as follows: An infant sister who died unnamed; Sabrina died at the age of twelve months, and the fourth also died in infancy, unnamed; Alfred B. and Joel C. enlisted in the Union army, in the 4th Michigan Cavalry and the 61st New York respectively; Elizabeth A. married J.S. Squires, of Cortland, N.Y., and died in 1871; Thomas was a member of the 6th Virginia; Oscar D. enlisted in the same regiment; Emma L. became the wife of Allman H. Sanders, of Cortland, N.Y.; John R. served in the 9th Michigan Cavalry, and Triphena died young. The father of our subject was taken by his parents to Truxton when he was about two years old, and there he grew to manhood, and prepared himself for the practice of medicine. ……. The mother of our subject was the daughter of Joel and Eliza (Totman) Call, and was born in 1807, the eldest in a family of five children who all lived to maturity, as follows: Louisa Maria; Rebecca, who became the wife of Milan Lewis; John R., Stoddard T. and Joel. The mother resided with her parents until her marriage, and received a common-school education. … she died at the homestead in Truxton, N. Y., in 1849. Mr. Purinton was married a second time, his choice being Miss Rebecca Bryant, and of their union were born four children – Jesse D., Orlando B., Orpheus, and one who died in infancy unnamed.

Joel Call, the father of the first wife of Mr. Purinton, was born in Mass., and was Captain of a company of minute men, and served with credit in the War of 1812. He removed to New York at an early day and died at Truxton, in that State. He was a second time married, to Mrs. Perry, but no children were born of this union. The grandfather was also a native of Mass., and was a Baptist minister of distinction; he married Sabrina Boardman, and soon afterward removed to Hoosac, where the father of our subject was born, and subsequently removed to Truxton.

Our subject spent his early days at the homestead, attending the country schools …. In 1848 he bade good-by to the scenes of his childhood and coming to this county, located at Coldwater and secured employment as a clerk in the general store of O.B. Clark. At the end of six months, however, he had to discontinue the work on account of sickness, and during the following winter he taught school in the town of Quincy. In the spring of 1849 he commenced operating the farm of his father-in-law on shares, and was thus engaged seven years, when, in 1856, he finally settled in Coldwater, and has been a resident of this place ever since. ….. elected Constable,…became Town Treasurer …. Elected Supervisor, and since that time has discharged the duties of that office several terms, and holds it at the present time. In 1861 he was appointed Postmaster …. In 1868 he was elected Justice of the Pease, and has held that office continuously ever since, while but recently he has been re-elected for a term of four years.

In 1864, July 2, Mr. Purinton was commissioned Second Lieutenant by Gov. Blair, and raising a company of volunteers, was mustered into the United States service, and commissioned Captain of Company C, 28th Regiment. ….. campaigns of Nashville and North Carolina, he was promoted Brevet Major, United States Volunteers, March 13, 1865, and was mustered out June 5, 1866, and honorably discharged.

Our subject was united in marriage, Feb. 28, 1849, with Dorlesca C., daughter of Timothy and Sally (Baker) Howe, who was born at South Livonia, N.Y., May 6, 1829. She is the sixth in order fo birth in the parental family of seven children, the others of whom are recorded as follows: Sabrina was born Dec. 10, 1810, married Benjamin C. Webb, and died Feb. 21, 1881; Minerva was born July 17, 1812, became the wife of Chauncey Whitney, of South Livonia, N.Y., and is deceased; Lucetta was born Feb. 19, 1817, became the wife of Ira W. Pratt, and perished ina blizzard in Kansas in Feb. 1887; Stephen was born Oct. 18, 1818, and was drowned at the age of nineteen years in Conesus Lake, near Livonia; Caroline was born Oct. 6, 1820, married John Wymans, of Coldwater, and died in Aug. 1885; Mary was born May 10, 1831, and married Dr. Jacob Welper, of Quincy, who was killed by being thrown from a horse; she was married a second time, to John W. Burse, of South Livonia, N.Y. The father of Mrs. Purinton was born in Cayuga County, N.Y., and was the fifth in a family of nince children included in the parental family – Andrus, Banjamin, Aaron, Titus, Timothy, Bexter, Stephen, Hiram, and Lydia, who became the wife of William Sutton. Timothy Howe spent his early years assisting on the farm in Cayuga County, and also learned the trade of a carpenter. In 1846 he sold his property, and coming to Quincy, in this county, bought a farm containing a hotel near the village, and remained about seven years. He then sold out and bought a small palce on the opposite side of the street, but after remaining about two years he sold out, and came to live with our subject in Coldwater.

Mrs. Purinton spent her early days in attendance upon the schools at her home in South Livonia, and accompanied her parents in their migration to this county, which was accomplished in wagons, via Ohio, and occupied three weeks. Of her union with our subject there were born two children – Timothy Edgar and Emma Louisa. Timothy was born Jan. 5, 1852, and was educated in Coldwater, and is now the Station Agent at Angola, Ind., for the Ft. Wayne & Jackson Branch of the Michigan Southern Railroad. The daughter was born July 21, 1858, and was graduated from the High School in Coldwater; she became the wife of Edwin M. Howe, of Norwalk, Ohio.