67. WILLIAM⁴ PURNELL (COL.) (ELISHA³, THOMAS², THOMAS¹) was born in Somerset Co., MD about 1739. WILLIAM died 1796 in Worcester Co., MD, at 57 years of age.

He married MARY ROBINS in Worcester Co., MD, 1760. MARY was born 1743. MARY was the daughter of THOMAS ROBINS (Cpt.) and ARALANTA PURNELL. MARY died 1809 in Worcester Co., MD, at 66 years of age. In her "Genealogy of the Purnell Family," Melanie Merryweather writes that Mary was reportedly buried at "Genesas" (Genezar) in Worcester. William received "Fairfield" from his father. He obtained "Hudson's Mistake" and left "Fairfield" to son Elisha, saying lands given by his grandfather Thomas Robins to his deceased brother, Thomas R. Purnell. William received 100A "Middle" as grandson of William Selby. He was known as Major and Colonel William Purnell and was a veteran of the Revolutionary War. (Merryweather, Purnell Family) He named his children in his will.

William served in the Lower House of the Maryland Legislature from Worcester and a County Court Justice 1786-1795. Captain, Worcester Militia, Sinepuxent Bn., August 30, 1777. Major June 13, 1782. (Henry C. Peden, Jr., Revolutionary Patriots of Worcester & Somerset Cos. MD, Willow Bend, Westminster, MD, 1999, p. 241)

WILLIAM PURNELL (Col.) and MARY ROBINS had the following children:

235 i. ETHEL⁵ PURNELL. ETHEL died before 1794 in Worcester Co., MD.

+ 236 ii. ELISHA PURNELL was born about 1760.

237 iii. THOMAS ROBINS PURNELL was born in Worcester Co., MD 1762. THOMAS died 1765 in Worcester Co., MD, at 3 years of age. Thomas died between 1765 and 1794; he was noted as deceased in his father's 1794 will.

+ 238 iv. JOHN PURNELL (Dr.) was born 1765.

239 v. LEMUEL PURNELL was born in Worcester Co., MD 1765. He died as an infant and was twin of Dr. John Purnell (Melanie Ayres Merryweather, Genealogy of the Purnell Family, p. 34)

+ 240 vi. LITTLETON ROBINS PURNELL was born October 15, 1770.

+ 241 vii. GEORGE WASHINGTON PURNELL (Dr.) was born November 25, 1776.

242 viii. ESTHER ROBINS PURNELL was born in Worcester Co., MD December 27, 1779. (Matthew Wise, The Littleton Heritage, p. 421) ESTHER died July 11, 1845 in Worcester Co., MD, at 65 years of age. She married THOMAS ROBINS PURNELL SPENCE (Dr.) in Worcester Co., MD, September 22, 1813. (license date-Matthew Wise, The Littleton Heritage, p. 421) THOMAS was the son of GEORGE SPENCE and ANDASIA ROBINS.

THOMAS died after 1824. He was named an heir of Zadock Purnell in 1805 Worcester County Court. Esther received "Hudsons Mistake" from her father and was named in her mother's 1806 will.

243 ix. MARY SELBY PURNELL was born in Worcester Co., MD 1783. MARY died before May 8, 1848 in Worcester Co., MD, at approximately 64 years of age. She married THOMAS SIMPSON FASSITT (Dr.) in Worcester Co., MD, November 7, 1813. (license date-Matthew Wise, The Littleton Heritage) THOMAS was the son of WILLIAM FASSITT and MARY SIMPSON.

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