This gentleman, the son of Warren and Lucinda Purse, was born on 7 February, 1818, in Monroe County, state of New York. On 29 November, 1842, he married Miss Margarette Mondinger, a native of the city of Hamburg, Germany, born January 13, 1818. In the autumn of 1829 she came with her parents to the United States, and settled 17 miles below Detroit. Her father was a farmer, and also worked at the business of tailoring. Mrs. Purse was the youngest of the family of six children, and at the age of fourteen went to live with a family of John W. Hunter, of Birmingham, where she remained until her marriage with Mr. Purse. The Reverend E. H. Pitcher perform the marriage ceremony. In April 1843, the couple settled in Addison Township, Oakland County, where Mr. Purse bought the Southeast quarter of section 6. Air had eight children: Albert Henry, born November 21, 1844; Alanson B., born March 15, 1846; Frederick A., born March 13, 1852; Edward H., Born June 29, 1857; Lucinda H., Born February 18, 1859. Three others having died in infancy. The surviving children are all living upon the old Homestead. Two of them are married: Albert H. to Mary A. Barnes, of Lapeer County, and Alanson B. to Martha F. Whitbeck, of Olivet, Eaton County.

The father of Mr. Purse died when he was four years of age. His mother subsequently married Abraham Burns, and he removed Oakland County in 1829, settling first in the Township of Troy, afterwards removing to Royal Oak. The subject of this sketch lived at home until his marriage, working and improving the farm.

Mr. Purse was an intelligent and respected citizen, a devoted husband, and a kind father. He died on the first day of April, 1877, at the age of fifty-nine years, universally regretted. At the time of his death is Homestead consisted of 256 acres of finally improved land, a fuel which, together with portraits of himself and his wife, are here with given. Mr. Purse and a sister, Lovina, where the only children in their father’s family, his sister surviving him.