3. JOHN² PURNELL (THOMAS¹) was born about 1655. JOHN died 1742 in Worcester Co., MD, at 87 years of age.

He married three times. He married MARTHA BOWEN. MARTHA was the daughter of WILLIAM BOWEN (II) and MARY HAMMOND. MARTHA died 1780 in Worcester Co., MD. She made a will in Worcester Co., MD, February 13, 1780. (Ruth T. Dryden, Worcester Co., MD Wills JW4, p.51)

MARTHA's will was probated in Worcester Co., MD, October 13, 1780. Martha was legatee of her father's estate and shown as daughter of William and wife of John Purnell on March 13, 1735. (Vernon L. Skinner, Maryland Probate Records, Prerogative Court Abstracts, 1731-1737, Libers 11-15)

Martha named her grandsons, Robert Purnell, Thomas Purnell Sturgis, granddaughter Martha Sturgis and daughter, Martha Sturgis, and grandchildren: John, Thomas Purnell, Joshua and Mary (no surnames).

It is not known which of her sons was father to Robert Purnell or if grandsons John and Joshua had the surname Purnell.

He married DIRECTOR SMITH before December 12, 1694. DIRECTOR was the daughter of JOHN SMITH and JOYCE (wife of John Smith & Maximillian Gore). DIRECTOR died after 1696. December 12, 1694 she was a witness to the will of Danile Selby of Somerset Co., MD. In 1696 she was named in the will of Maximillian Gore. Her step-father, Maximillian Gore, named John Purnell as his son-in-law. Director Purnell was a witness to the will of Daniel Selby on December 12, 1694, along with Thomas Smith, John Purnell, John Roussalls and Cornelius Shahan. (notes of F. Edward Wright)

He married TABITHA BAILEY before January 3, 1716. TABITHA was the daughter of JOHN BAILEY and EDITH (wife of John Bailey). Tabitha was named in her father's will, as was her first husband, Parker Selby, second husband John Purnell, and her children, Parker Selby, Jr. and Edith Selby.

He made a will in Worcester Co., MD, April 15, 1741. JOHN's will was probated in Worcester Co., MD, March 3, 1742. John owned land at "Cold Harbor," "Paggi," "Fairfield," and "New Fairfield." In 1716-17, he was named executor for the will of John Bayly and in 1720 was named in the will of his brother, Thomas. In his will, he named his children and a grandson, Purnell Rackliffe.

JOHN PURNELL and DIRECTOR SMITH had the following children:

+ 14 i. SARAH³ PURNELL.

+ 15 ii. JOYCE PURNELL was born about 1685.

JOHN PURNELL and TABITHA BAILEY had the following children:

+ 16 iii. SOPHIA PURNELL.

+ 17 iv. TABITHA PURNELL.

18 v. ELIZABETH PURNELL. She married LITTLETON SCARBOROUGH MAJOR.

JOHN PURNELL and MARTHA BOWEN had the following children:

+ 19 vi. MARTHA PURNELL.

20 vii. MARY PURNELL. MARY died 1752 in Worcester Co., MD. The administrative account for her estate (45:10) shows her three sisters as wife of Outten Sturgis, wife of Arthur Johnson and wife of John Jenkins.

21 viii. BATHSEBA PURNELL. She married twice. She married WILLIAM WALTON before 1751. She married ARTHUR JOHNSON about 1752. She is shown as wife of Arthur Johnson in the administrative account for her sister, Mary, in 1752.

+ 22 ix. HEZEKIA PURNELL.

+ 23 x. JOHN PURNELL was born before 1707.

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