Wilcox County AlArchives Obituaries.....William Scott  Purifoy December 14 1907
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.

http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/alfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Stephen Lee leeactive@aol.com January 11, 2004, 1:16 pm

Wilcox Progressive Era, Thursday, December 19, 1907
From Furman.
It is again our sad duty to cronicle the death of one of our leading citizens. 
William Scott Purifoy died at his home at North Highland, Saturday December 
14th at 2 o'clock p. m. While his death was a shock to the community it was no 
surprise, as he had been in bad health for years suffering from a malady that 
was incurable. Last Thursday night he retired early as usual, arranging a bunk 
or cot in front of the fire saying that he had been sleeping too soundly and 
that it wasn't natural. Between 11 and 12 o'clock Mrs. Purifoy was awakened but 
to find him up at the fire working on his books; about 2 o'clock she was again 
awakened by him and got up and went to the cot where he was lying and found him 
in an unconcious state. She at once summoned a physician and some of the 
relatives who came in haste but to find him in a critical condition. After 
hours of work by the physician which brought no better news to his anxious 
relatives and friends, Mrs. Purifoy was advised to summons by wire the son, Mr. 
Estin Purifoy of Birmingham and Miss Clyde who was at A. G. I. School, the only 
children, and they arrived Saturday morning, a few hours before he expired. Mr. 
Purifoy was admired for his many noble traits of character, and was no doubt 
one of the best financiers in this section. Starting after the civil war with 
nothing he now leaves an immence estate, having considerable interests in the 
cities of Selma and Birmingham besides several large plantations and other 
property. The funeral occurred at the Snow Hill cemetery at the old family 
burying ground with Pythian honors, of which order he was a loyal member.


Wilcox Progressive Era, Thursday, December 19, 1907
Hon H. S. Mallory, of Selma and Mr. E. H. Purifoy of Marion came down to attend 
the funeral of Mr. Purifoy.


Wilcox Progressive Era, Thursday, December 26, 1907
In Memoriam.
  Though quite a young man when the great civil war girdled the Union with its 
trail of fire, Mr. W. S. Purifoy enlisted and with boyish zeal fought for the 
cause of the Confederacy. After the distress of that war had ended he came home 
to find conditions changed, a race stupefied and drunken by the too sudden 
change of its social atmosphere. Without capital he plunged into business, and 
with that doggedness and determination and persistence which characterized his 
whole life, proceeded to win that fame and fortune which continued to attend 
him until his career was untimely and unhappily terminated by his almost sudden 
death on Saturday, December 14th, 1907.
  His business methods were practically his own. It was method, method, and 
strict adherence thereto. It was a method which instilled into the minds of 
those of the black race with whom he dealt, an idea of the dollar, its worth 
and what it took to earn it. And on the correct understanding of that 
proposition by the human races hinges the solution of the so-called "race 
problem." Whether we take a piece of tin or the silver dollar as a medium of 
commercial exchange, its proper acquirement and economical expenditure mean 
existence. And the man whose life has embodied a lesson of this sort, has left 
an imprint which will not be effaced, and long will the name of W. S. Purifoy 
endure for the business method which it stood for.
  In social circles Mr. Purifoy was modest. Courtesy to ladies was his 
invariable rule. His counsel and advice were sought by many. He was a trained 
observer of men and women, and was well posted on history, both past and 
current. He was a member of the order of Knights of Pythias, and was always 
loyal to that organization and a skillful expounder of its tenants.
  He left behind, his wife, always a capable co-worker, an accomplished son and 
a highly gifted daughter. We congratulate them on the heritage into which they 
have come, while we mourn the absence of a loving husband and patient father. 
We delight in placing a flower on the grave of our friend, although it is 
better to use the flower in sweetening life. We delight with his children in 
the possession of an ancestry, which if ever the question is asked them, that 
Saul hurled at David, flushed with his Goliathian conquest, "Whose son art 
thou, thou young man?" enables them to acknowledge with pride the name of the 
man who left them the fruits of a life-time's toil.
                              A Friend
Furman; Dec 18th, 1907

Additional Comments:
Microfilm newspaper (Wilcox Progressive Era) located at the Alabama Department
of Archives and History, Montgomery, Alabama.

This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/alfiles/

File size: 5.1 Kb