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From:
Subject: PURVIANCE, Leedy, Griffin,
Date: Fri, 4 Jan 2002 11:29:56 EST

This book has no cover, and no index, I bought it on Ebay,it just has the
insides, but it full of Indiana biographies.  I am not researching this
family, justthought I would share.

Typed by Lora Radiches:

Surnames in this biography are: PURVIANCE, Leedy, Griffin,


  DAVID EDWARDPURVIANCE became postmaster of the City of Wabash while
President Harding wasstill alive, and has served consecutively in that
position for over sevenyears. It represents the culmination of a long and
active career in businessand in public affairs. His responsibilities as
postmaster are those involved inadministering a first class office, with
thirty employees. Besides the cityservice rural carriers take the mail to all
the outlying rural districts.  Mr. Purviance was born on a farm inHuntington
County, Indiana, October 28, 1868. The Purviance family has been inthe
country north         and west ofthe Ohio River since pioneer days. 
Hisgreat-grandfather, James Purviance, was one of the two brothers who
settled inOhio about 1807. The grandfather of Mr. Purviance was Joseph W.
Purviance, whowas one of the pioneers of Huntington Township. He was a
merchant and graindealer and for many years was interested in the First
National Bank ofHuntington. During the Civil war he was a major in the One
Hundred andThirtieth Indiana Volunteers. The father of the Wabash postmaster,
James S.Purviance, was a native of Ohio and was two years of age when the
family movedto Huntington County, in 1840. He also had a record of service in
the Civilwar, being a soldier four years in Company F of the Forty-seventh
IndianaInfantry.  David E. Purviance was theoldest of five children. When he
was a child the family moved to Huntington,where he attended grammar and high
school, and at the age of eighteen wasgetting ready for a business career,
becoming a clerk in a general store atAndrews. At Andrews he assisted in
establishing a weekly paper and was itseditor for seven years. Selling out in
1900, he moved to Lagro, where he boughtan interest in a general merchandise
store with S. J. Leedy, and after a shorttime he acquired the entire business
and continued it under the name of the D.Purviance Company until 1920. 
Mr.Purviance has been a resident of Wabash since 1920. He had long been
prominentin the Republican Party organization of the county, serving as
county chairmanand was active director of Republican campaigns until he was
appointedpostmaster. After going to Wabash he was in the real estate and
insurancebusiness. Mr. Purviance was also one of the organizers of the
Citizens StateBank of Lagro.  He married, July 30,1891, Miss Jennie Leedy, of
Andrews, daughter of the late Samuel J. Leedy, apioneer merchant of that
community, and a granddaughter of Elder Joseph W.Leedy, a Dunkard minister.
Mr. and Mrs. Purviance have one son, Samuel J., whograduated from the Indiana
University School of Dentistry and is now engaged ina successful practice at
Fort Wayne. Doctor Purviance        married Mercedes Griffin, of Fort Wayne,
and has a son,James J. Mr. Purviance is a member of the Wabash Chamber of
Commerce, KiwanisClub, the Tri State Postmasters Association, is affiliated
with Tuscan LodgeNo. 143 of the Masonic Order of Lagro, the Royal Arch
Chapter, Council andKnights Templar Commandery. He is a member of the Wabash
County Historica lSociety and during the World war was committeeman for the
sale of bonds and war stamps and the raising of funds for the Red Cross. He
is a Presbyterian.

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