Obit for William PURDY and Amy (EDDY) PURDY, (d.1880), Mower Co., MN

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>From the Mower County, MN Transcript: September 15, 1880 
(Died September 12, 1880)

An Aged Couple Burned to Death last Sunday Morning.

Mr. and Mrs. William Purdy last Saturday night retired in usual health 
with an apparently fair prospect of months and perhaps years being yet 
added to their allotted time, though they were both past the "three 
score years and ten."  How little this aged couple realized last 
Saturday evening, as they sat smoking their pipes and pleasantly 
chatting with a neighbor, about half past eight, that this was their 
last night on earth!  That when the morning light should welcome in 
the near Sabbath, that they would both be done with all life's wearying
cares and trials, and they entered into the new life,---and now the 
end had come.  Fifty seven years they had borne life's burdens together, 
and now they were together to lay them down, and, leaning upon each 
other, hand in hand as it were, walk out into the great mystery.

Sunday morning, about four o'clock, the little house near the south 
bridge in this city, where this couple lived alone, was discovered in 
flames.  Those first reaching the house burst in the door, but too 
late---as the whole inside of the dwelling was a mass of flame, and in 
a moment the floors and roof had fallen into the cellar.  At first no 
one seemed to think but that the old people were safely outside.  But 
it was not long before the dreadful truth that they were buried in the 
burning ruins, settled upon all, and the firemen took immediate action 
to recover the bodies.  They were found side by side in the exact locality 
of their bed, so the conclusion was soon reached that they were suffocated, 
and had made no effort to escape. The bodies were drawn from the ruins, 
a disfigured and sickening sight.

Coroner Hollister was immediately notified, a jury subpoenaed, and a 
verdict rendered at 2 o'clock Sunday that the death of the aged people
was caused by suffocation.

Mr. and Mrs. Purdy were born in Canada, were aged seventy-eight and 
seventy-nine years, the wife being one year the younger.  They had ten 
children, three living in Minnesota---two daughters, Mrs. John Eddy 
and Mrs. Lafayette Pierce, living about three miles this side of Lyle, 
and a daughter residing in Austin, Mrs. Alfred Church.  Mrs. Thomas Varco, 
of the Varco station, was a sister of Mrs. Purdy.  The remains were taken 
to Varco and buried last Sunday afternoon, where a brother of Mrs. Purdy 
is also buried. The funeral services will take place at Enterprise school 
house, next Sunday at 2 o'clock PM, Rev. J.W. Eldridge, of this city, 
officiating.

[Submitter notes: Special thanks to Donna Mattson for this transcript. 
Mr. and Mrs. Purdy were married on December 26, 1825 in Haldimand Twp, 
Northumberland County, Ontario, Canada. Amy Eddy (Mrs. Purdy) (1802-1880) 
is believed to be the daughter of Bayes Manchester Eddy (1771-1849) 
and Asenieth Honeywell (1785-1876) and directly descends from William Eddy 
(1558-1616), Vicar of Cranbrook.]