Faulk County, SD Biographies.....Purcell, Thomas 1837 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 9, 2005, 11:56 pm

Author: C. H. Ellis


    THOMAS PURCELL was born in Somerset, Pennsylvania, August 15, 1837. He was

of Irish descent. Subsequently he went to Medina, New York, where he was

employed until his enlistment in the 28th New York Infantry, to serve in the

rebellion, on May 22, 1861. On September 17, 1862 at the battle of Antietam he

was seriously wounded in his head and on account of his wound was mustered out

of service on June 2, 1863.



    After his recovery he served for three years as a government agent. Then he

was a railroad conductor in the employ of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad on the

run from Cincinnatti to Dayton.



    Mr. Purcell moved to DeKalb county. Ill., and was among the first settlers

in that county, where he was successful in farming and stock raising. In the

fall of 1882, Mr. Purcell located land in Faulk county, and while he had

interests that required his presence part of the time at Athol, Spink county, he

held down the government land securing three valuable quarter sections under the

then existing land laws. From 1885 up to the time of his death on September 22,

1900, he was one of the successful, prosperous farmers and stock raisers of

Faulk county. While Mr. Purcell was one of Faulk county's leading and

progressive farmers he was one of her reliable and active business men, taking

an interest in the financial and political prosperity of our county.



    On December 23, 1863, Mr. Purcell was united in marriage with Miss Emma

Kline of Frederick City, Maryland, who proved a devoted wife and mother. To them

were born seven children. Soon after the birth of the youngest in 1879, she was

called to surrender all the care and responsibility of her family into the hands

of her devoted husband and take the journey to the unknown land from which none

ever return, a duty which future events prove was well performed. After his

family was grown up and several of them gone to homes of their own; the summons

came and the mortal was called to put on immortality. His children who were then

Mrs. J. A. Winerd of Northville, (now of the state of Washington); Mrs. W. T.

Jackman, of DeVoe; Mrs. W. J. Price and Joseph T. Purcell of Fargo, North

Dakota; Mrs. Nora McDearmon of Faulkton, Miss Maud Purcell now postmaster of

Cresbard and Miss Rose Purcell, of this city.



    While Mr. Purcell had large possessions both of personal and real property,

with valuable improvements, which under his able management yearly become more

valuable, for some time his failing health became a constant admonition but

neither his family, nor the members of the Phil. H. Sheridan G. A. R., of which

he was an honored member, realized that the end was so near and not until the

end came did his family, friends or the community realize the large place he had

filled.





Additional Comments:
From:



HISTORY OF

FAULK COUNTY

SOUTH DAKOTA

CAPTAIN C. H. ELLIS



TOGETHER WITH BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF PIONEERS AND PROMINENT CITIZENS



ILLUSTRATED

19O9

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