Purvis, Mississippi
|
Marion County 1883-1904 Lamar County 1904-present Population: 287 in 1890 564 in 1900 724 in 1910 919 in 1920 881 in 1930 1000 in 1940 2164 in 2000 Town incorporated: 2-25-1888 Post office: 3-3-1884 Railroads: New Orleans & Northeastern
|
Next Town North- Hemlock
Milepost 101.6 (from Meridian)
Next Town South- Hanford |
1919 soil survey map |
|
HISTORY by Tony Howe:
Purvis, located 16 miles southwest of Hattiesburg, was founded when the New Orleans & Northeastern Railroad was built in 1882-83. It was named for Thomas Melville Purvis (originally spelled "Purves"), a local landowner who had moved to the area in 1871. The first store in the new village was started by John Purvis (son of T. M. Purvis) and H. A. Clark. Two more stores were soon built, and the Fairley brothers built the first sawmill in Purvis. The town was incorporated on February 25, 1888. When Lamar County was formed on February 19, 1904, Purvis became the county seat. In 1906, Purvis was noted as having a post office, depot, 9 general stores, 3 churches, a school, courthouse, a large sawmill, and turpentine still. INDUSTRY- Like most towns in South Mississippi, the industrial economy of Purvis was based on the timber industry. There were several small to medium-sized sawmills in the area after the railroad was built. Fairley Brothers- Fairley (or Fairly) Brothers operated the first sawmill in Purvis from 1888 to about 1895. June Poitevent- A circular sawmill cutting 20,000 feet/day was built about two miles north of Purvis by June Poitevent, of Ocean Springs, MS, in 1886-87. It was located on the east side of the NO&NE at a point the railroad called "Poitevent". It was logged by oxen. The mill was sold to James Hand on July 6, 1891. It was operated under the name "Hand & Brother" until it was sold to the Weems Lumber Co. about 1895. In June 1902, the name was changed to Weems Manufacturing Co. On January 23, 1904, the mill was resold to James Hand and operated until destroyed in the 1908 tornado. [See Gil Hoffman's book "Steam Whistles in the Piney Woods Volume 2" for more info.] Smith & Garrison- B. L. Smith and H. D. Garrison built a 15,000 ft/day mill about a half mile west of the Purvis courthouse on Beaverdam Creek in 1890. It was sold to J. T. Carley & Son on October 20, 1892. James Hand entered into a partnership with J T Carley & Son in March 1893, and bought out their interest on June 1, 1893. Hand operated the mill until about 1901. Smith & Garrison- B. L. Smith and H. D. Garrison also built a sawmill at a point 2 miles south of Purvis called Rosedale before 1890. This mill was leased to Charles W. Rich on April 1, 1890. Rich added a pole road to log this mill in 1891. Rich purchased the mill on May 11, 1892. It probably only lasted a few years after that. Hand & Jordan- James Hand and his brother-in-law, Fred A. Jordan, built a sawmill cutting 40,000 feet/day in Purvis, just north of Ohio St. and east of the railroad, in 1901-02. A standard gauge logging railroad was built eastward. After Jordan's death in 1902, James Hand operated the mill under his own name. It was destroyed in the 1908 tornado, but rebuilt. It lasted until May 1914. [See Gil Hoffman's book "Steam Whistles in the Piney Woods Volume 2" for more info.] James Hand- In 1903, James Hand built another sawmill about 2 miles south of Purvis at a point called "Hanford" by the railroad. It was destroyed in the 1908 tornado. In late 1914, James Hand rebuilt the mill at Hanford. [See Gil Hoffman's book "Steam Whistles in the Piney Woods Volume 2" for more info.] Hand-Jordan Co.- James Hand, in partnership with William H. Magee and Fred H. Jordan (Hand's nephew), built a large mill cutting 35,000 to 45,000 feet per day about a mile north of Purvis on the west side of the railroad in 1912. The railroad called this point "Hemlock Spur". A logging railroad was built several miles to the west. On June 16, 1916, the operation was sold to the Bay Creek Lumber Co. The mill was enlarged to cut 60,000 feet/day. The mill closed in 1919. [See Gil Hoffman's book "Steam Whistles in the Piney Woods Volume 2" for more info.] Forrest Lumber Co.- This company was formed on July 1, 1924 by Dudley Slay, Fred Jordan, and W. H. Davis and built a planing mill in Purvis and operated two small mills east of Purvis. The operation lasted until about 1927. [See Gil Hoffman's book "Steam Whistles in the Piney Woods Volume 2" for more info.]
In addition to sawmills, Purvis was also home to at least one cotton gin. A pulpwood yard was operated north of the depot for many years. Stuart Farms continues to ship by rail very sporadically, shipping in maybe one carload of fertilizer in the last year. Lowes built a rail-served distribution center about 2 miles north of Purvis in 2007-08 that receives lumber and brick by rail.
|
||
| ` | ||
View of the NO&NE Purvis depot after the April 24, 1908 tornado. |
Another postcard of the downtown area and depot after the 1908 tornado. |
1975 postcard photo of the Purvis depot looking south. Probably taken by H. D. Conner, noted depot photographer from Texas. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Tony Howe Photo click photo for larger version Southern Railway depot in Purvis has been moved to a point about a half mile east of the tracks. Taken March 4, 2013. |
Tony Howe Photo click for larger version House built in 1905 on Mitchell Ave. |
Tony Howe Photo click for larger version House built in 1910 on Mitchell Ave. |
Tony Howe Photo click for larger version House built in 1935 on Mitchell Ave. |
Tony Howe Photo click for larger version House built in 1926 on Mitchell Ave. |
Tony Howe Photo click for larger version
|
Tony Howe Photo click for larger version House built in 1900 on Mitchell Ave. |
Tony Howe Photo click for larger version House built in 1910 on Mitchell Ave. |
Tony Howe Photo click for larger version House built in 1938 on Mitchell Ave. |
Tony Howe Photo click for larger version House built in 1948 on Mitchell Ave. |
Tony Howe Photo click for larger version House built in 1930 on Mitchell Ave. |
Tony Howe Photo click for larger version House built in 1925 on Mitchell Ave. |
Tony Howe Photo click for larger version House built in 1905 |
Tony Howe Photo click for larger version House built in 1908 |
Tony Howe Photo click for larger version House built in 1910 on Main St. |
Tony Howe Photo click for larger version House built in 1930 on Gilmore St |
Tony Howe Photo click for larger version House built in ?? on Gilmore St facing the railroad. |
Tony Howe Photo click for larger version House built in 1910 on Main St |
Tony Howe Photo click for larger version House built in 1917 |
Tony Howe Photo click for larger version House built in 1950 |
Tony Howe Photo click for larger version House built in 1940 |
Tony Howe Photo click for larger version House built in 1920 on Main St |
Tony Howe Photo click for larger version This house is listed in property records as built in 1930, but looks a bit older to me. Located on Main St north of the courthouse. |
Tony Howe Photo click for larger version House built in 1950 on Main St. |
Tony Howe Photo click for larger version House built in 1940 on Main St |
Tony Howe Photo click for larger version House built in 1950 on Main St |
Tony Howe Photo click for larger version House built in ?? |
Tony Howe Photo click for larger version House built in 1905 on Manar St |
Tony Howe Photo click for larger version House built in 1905 on Manar St |
Tony Howe Photo click for larger version House built in 1940 on Ohio St (now Shelby Speights Dr). |
|
BUSINESSES (per R.G. Dun & Co.)- C. D. & S. Lumber Co., sawmill 1900 Mrs. D. C. Carley, general store 1900 W. A. Caraway & Son, hotel & general store 1900 W. H. Fillingame (near), general store & sawmill 1900 H. Fulton, grocery 1900 James Hand, sawmill 1900 Hand & Caraway, general store 1900 Hartfield Lumber Co. (near), 1900 S. T. Hooze, livery 1900 T. C. King, general store 1900 G. L. Ludlow, fruit 1900 McLeod & Co., general store 1900 Mitchell & Co., general store 1900 James O'Connell, general store 1900 N. Purvis (Mrs. J. B.), general store 1900 T. W. Pyland & Bro., general store 1900 Jos. Slade, sawmill & general store 1900 R. A. Weems, general store 1900 Weems Lumber Co., (near), sawmill 1900
|
||
| If you have any corrections or additional info, we would love to hear from you! We are always looking for additional photos, too. Find our contact info below. | ||
For more information contact Tony Howe at tonyhowe76@yahoo.com or David S. Price at dsprice46@bellsouth.net