Abraham Purdy

Katheine Foote, Ebenezer Foote; the Founder, p. 219

PURDY or PURDIE (French Huguenots) Our Line. Francis Purdy died in Fairfield, Conn., in 1658. When he Came Over is not known, but this excellent account of his children I find in library at Rye, New York: Francis begat Joseph, a leading member of the community, in 1677.

Joseph Purdy begat Daniel, who owned a thousand acres in Cortlandt Manor, 17–.

Daniel begat Daniel Purdy, who begat Abraham, my great-great-grandfather.

Abraham Purdy, born, 1716; died, April, 1778; married Phoebe Strang, born, 1721; died, 1759, Their children were: 1st, Abraham; 2nd, James; 3rd, Frances; 4th, Jerusha, born Dec. 6th, 1754; died Nov., 1918; married Oct. 10, 1779, Capt. Ebenezer Foote, later Major, later still Judge Foote of Arbor Hill, Delhi, New York.

Bolton's history of Westchester, New York, says Abraham's oldest son, Abraham. begat Alvan or Elvan. who erected the family homestead at Crompond in 1775. Also given as agent in land bounty rights in 1781. Abraham is quoted as paying rent for land in 1760, presumably a part or the whole of the thousand acres which his grandfather, Daniel, owned, as we learn from the same books. It should be remembered that none of the great Manors gave a warranty deed for lands sold, and therefore Abraham and undoubtedly his sons and grandsons continued to pay rent until “Anti-Rent” days of Delaware and other counties put an end to the exaction. But the rent had become nominal, and until the law was changed, was legal and had to be collected.

To us of Delaware County, who know of the tragedy of the resisters, disguised as Indians, killing young Osman Steele, while in the performance of his duty as an officer of the law, it would seem a better way might have been found to settle their grievances. Belonging to one of the best families in the county, young, energetic, just married, and fitted to become an honor to the community, he was ruthlessly shot at first sight.

Scharf's History says that Abram and Phoebe Strang, his wife, lived opposite the Presbyterian Church, and Daniel Strang and his wife, Phoebe Purdy, lived on Crompond Street in Yorktown, 1752.

In 1730 Daniel and Samuel Purdy were appointed to appraise the property of Stephanus VanCortlandt, recently deceased.

All of the Purdys and Strangs [220] seem to have been in the Assembly at Albany and in other offices. [There were several individuals with the last names Purdy and Strang, but this is a ridiculous statement. dff-18]