James F. Purvis

"[5] Historians of the interstate slave trade believe that James Purvis started his working life in Washington and then moved to Baltimore in the early 1830s, "first operating out of Sinner's Tammany Hall on Water Street.

[6] According to Frederic Bancroft in Slave-Trading in the Old South, "Purvis & Company did a large business notwithstanding their strange address: their headquarters was at Sinner's Hotel and they lived 'on Gallows hill, near the Missionary church—the house is white'.

They continually advertised—at times, twice on the same page in a Baltimore daily newspaper and also in rural weekly journals; for they bought slaves of all kinds in their city and throughout the State, turning over those most suitable for the Louisiana and the Mississippi markets to a great firm in the District of Columbia.

[9] Purvis also seems to have an agent or partner named Harker who was usually ensconced opposite the B&O Railroad depot at William Whitman's Eagle Hotel on Pratt Street east of Light.

[9][10] In later years, "Mr. Bloomer's hat store" had moved in next door to the Calvert Street office, and Purvis' brother was the man to find at the Eagle Hotel.

'"[12] Years later, just after the American Civil War had ended, a man named James P. Thomas may have owned this property; he advertised that he wanted to sell "that large, commodious DWELLING, with brick Back Building, fine cellar, stable, gas and water complete, situated on Harford avenue, near Biddle street; built and occupied for years by James F. Purvis, Esq.

"[13] Circa 1833–34, Franklin & Armfield had five major trading agents at work collecting enslaved people in the Upper South for shipment to buyers in the lower Mississippi watershed: R. C. Ballard and Jourdan M. Saunders in Virginia, and George Kephart, Thomas M. Jones, and Purvis in Maryland.

[19] In the late 1830s a newspaper advertisement mentioning Purvis caught the attention of abolitionist William Jay, who later included it in his book on the ways in which the U.S. federal government protected and promoted slavery:[20] "For New-Orleans.

Those having servants to ship will do well by making early application to James F. Purvis" or to George Kephart, who now operated out of the old Franklin & Armfield building in Alexandria.

The subscriber's dwelling was entered on Sunday, August 30, and robbed of a considerable quantity of valuable clothing, consisting of coats, pants, &c &c and some ladies apparel, also a Silver Watch.

"[25] Purvis also placed a fugitive slave ad in the newspaper offering US$500 (equivalent to $15,260 in 2023) for the recapture of Murphy, who "who left my premises on Monday, 30th August, under the pretence of going to the Camp Meeting on the Liberty Road, 6 or 7 miles out.

John is 21 or 22 years of age, slender made, about 5 feet 6 or 7 inches high has no marks recollected, except a scar on the back part of his head, caused by a burn when small, and is of a dark copper color.

"[26] Travelers who wished to imprison their slaves for a limited time could, in 1841, use Purvis' facilities for 25 cents a day; he promised "safekeeping" and "every attention paid to their comfort and cleanliness.

"[30] It may be incidental, then, that in November 1841, Purvis' associate McCargo was taken prisoner during the Creole mutiny, which is generally considered the most successful slave rebellion in U.S.

"[32] According to legal historian Martha Jones, over time Purvis "gained in reputation as he worked to transform himself from disreputable slave trader to entrepreneurial gentleman.

In 1844, Whitman announced that he was going into the brick-making business;[a] buyers interested in purchasing BRICKS—BRICKS—BRICKS could either visit him on Pratt Street or go to see James Purvis on Harford Avenue.

[36] In 1846 Purvis bought the Zion Church of a black Methodist congregation at auction at the Baltimore Exchange for $535 and sold it back to them a year later at a profit.

[41] In December 1856 he was one of the gentlemen who would be calling around Christmastime "on the citizens of the Eighth Ward for their contributions to the city association for the relief of the suffering poor.

[43][44][45]At the time of the 1860 census, Purvis' occupation was listed as banker, he owned $33,000 in real estate and $20,000 in personal property (which would have included slaves).

[52] In 1869 a James F. Purvis (unclear if Junior or Senior) announced for that he had rented Room 8 over the telegraph office at the southwest corner of Baltimore and South streets for the "purpose of buying and selling on commission STOCKS, BONDS, GOVERNMENT SECURITIES, where he would be happy to see his old friends and customers.

In addition to working with his brother and uncle, Purvis was associated with George Kephart of Frederick County, Maryland and later Alexandria, Virginia.

[64] Circa 1841, anyone wishing to sell people to James F. Purvis was encouraged to seek out his brother at the Eagle Hotel in opposite the B&O Railroad depot in Baltimore.

There was mail waiting for Allen Purvis (and Isaac Franklin's older brother James Franklin) at Natchez in July 1809
"Singular Association of Names" Richmond (Ind.) Weekly Palladium , Nov. 16, 1833
"Cash for Negroes" Baltimore Sun , October 12, 1839
"A Man-Thief Converted" The Liberator , June 17, 1842
"Purvis & Co." ( The Daily Exchange , Nov. 5, 1860)
"Purvis & Co." (Raleigh Daily Sentinel , Nov. 25, 1865, via DigitalNC )