6. THOMAS³ PURNELL (III) (THOMAS², THOMAS¹) was born in Somerset Co., MD November 9, 1695. (Bible Records from Family Bible at Lewes, DE, Leslie Dryden Collection, Nabb Center; tombstone at "Fairfield") THOMAS died August 8, 1769 in Worcester Co., MD, at 73 years of age. (Bible Records, Leslie Dryden Collection, Nabb Center)

He married MARY OUTTEN. MARY was born in Somerset Co., MD December, 1702. (Bible Records from Family Bible at Lewes, DE, Leslie Dryden Collection, Nabb Center) MARY was the daughter of JOHN OUTTEN (Sr.) and MARY (wife of John Outten, Sr.).

MARY died June 27, 1772 in Worcester Co., MD, at 69 years of age. (Bible Records, Family Bible at Lewes, DE, Leslie Dryden Collection, Nabb Center) Bible records indicate Mary Outten was the daughter of John Outten. (family Bible in Lews, DE-Leslie Dryden Collection, The Nabb Center) Mary's will named grandchildren, son Thomas, daughters Elizabeth, Polly and Comfort, and son-in-law Thomas Purnell. She was buried at "Fairfield." Thomas received "Fern Hill," "Fairfield," "Chance" and "Spalding" from his father. "Three brown sandstone grave markers decorated with distinctive New England-style carving are found at "Fairfield." The stones mark the graves of Thomas Purnell, Sr. 1695-1769, Mary Purnell, Thomas's wife 1702-1772 and their daughter, Ann 1734-1751. The headstones are made of chocolate brown sandstone which were carved in New England and then shipped to Worcester County, probably on one of the Purnell family ships." (Paul B. Touart, Along the Seaboard Side, Worcester County, MD, 1994, p. 249)

It is thought that the house at "Watermelon Point" was built under Thomas' ownership about 1760. He left this property to his wife and then his daughter, Comfort, calling it "land and plantation where I now live." "Watermelon Point Farm" stood along Tan House Creek facing Chincoteague Bay on land that had been part of the large tract called Mt. Ephraim. (Paul B. Touart, Along the Seaboard Side, Worcester County, MD, 1994, p. 247)

THOMAS PURNELL (III) and MARY OUTTEN had the following children:

+ 35 i. COMFORT⁴ PURNELL.

+ 36 ii. MARY "POLLY" PURNELL .

+ 37 iii. DAUGHTER PURNELL .

38 iv. SARAH PURNELL.

+ 39 v. JOHN PURNELL was born March 31, 1725.

+ 40 vi. ESTHER PURNELL was born August 21, 1728.

+ 41 vii. ELIZABETH PURNELL was born March 20, 1730.

42 viii. ANN PURNELL was born in Worcester Co., MD 1735. ANN died October, 1751 in Worcester Co., MD, at 16 years of age. Ann was buried at "Fairfield" and her headstone records the dates. (Paul B. Touart, Along the Seaboard Side, Worcester County, MD, 1994, p. 249)

+ 43 ix. THOMAS PURNELL (IV) (Col.) was born February 28, 1745.

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