Joshua Purdy JERVIS and Mary Jane MILLER updated

 Joshua Purdy JERVIS (1852-1939) 

and Mary Jane MILLER (1856-1939)

Long Island, New York and Florida

 Joshua Purdy JERIVS and Mary Jane (MILLER) JERVIS with their son 

Charles Miller JERVIS, Sr

picture taken in West Palm Beach, Florida 28 December 1930

 Here's my dad, Charlie, with his grandpa Joshua. 

The caption in the photo album read, "His first pipe, with Grandpa"

 picture taken Copiague, New York August 1933

Scudder SMITH, Mary JERVIS, Joel JERVIS, Joshua JERVIS, and Sara SMITH

Mary and Joshua

the back of the photo says "... from the ... of the street

Ash in front and Indianna [sic] on the side"
I think I remember being told the house was in North Carolina

Joshua and Mary are my great grandparents. These pictures of them are from my grandfather's scrapbook. It also contained various newspaper clippings (usually without the source).

Joshua Purdy JERVIS, 2nd son of Scudder Carll JERVIS and Mary Elizabeth PURDY

Scudder, Carll, Jervis, and Purdy are all last names that have a several hundred year history on Long Island, New York. 

    b. 15 August 1852 in East Amityville, Suffolk, New York (he was born in East Amityville which later became known as Copiague, according to his obituary)

    m. 22 November 1876 to Mary Jane MILLER 
    d. 3 January 1939 in West Palm Beach, Palm Beach, Florida. 

Mary Jane MILLER, 2nd of 5 children born to John Henry MILLER and Sarah Ann NEWMAN

    b. 6 January 1856 in Madison, Lake, Ohio

    d. 24 January 1939 in Amityville, Suffolk, New York

Mary's family had always lived in New York except for the year or two they spent in Ohio which is where they were when she was born. It looks like her father, John, had moved his young family with his father's family to Madison, but John and his family soon returned to New York. Other members of John's family stayed and some eventually wound up in Wisconsin.

Up until I found Mary's obituary, I had either Jefferson county, Ohio as her birthplace (from a biography about her husband) or Springfield, Ohio (from a newspaper article about Joshua and Mary's wedding anniversary). I do not know why there are 3 different birthplaces for her especially as they aren't even near each other in Ohio. Anyway, Mary's obituary and her death certificate state that she was born in Madison, Ohio--and since that's where her dad's family went, I think it is correct.

Joshua and Mary used to winter in Florida. Notice that she died just 3 weeks after he died in Florida, though she died in New York because they had brought Joshua's body back to New York for burial.

They had 4 children together:
Grace Purdy JERVIS (12 Apr 1879-1 Aug 1962) m. William Wallace SMITH
Sarah Emma JERVIS (1 Jun 1881-26 Oct 1916) m. Arthur Cuthbert WRIGHT
Scudder Carll JERVIS (20 Sep 1883-6 Sep 1887)
Charles Miller JERVIS (14 Oct 1885-23 Jan 1961) m. Carolie MEIGS-my grandparents

Scudder died just before his 4th birthday. 

Sarah tragically died in a car accident at the age of 35. She and Arthur had had no children.

Grace and her husband William had 2 children, Scudder and Sara, and both were named after her deceased siblings. They are in the pictures above.

    Scudder Jervis SMITH (18 December 1912 New York-5 April 2001 Mississippi)

    Sara Westover SMITH (4 October 1918 New York-21 December 2008 New York)

1860 US Federal Census 1st Division 9th Ward Brooklyn, Kings, New York

Schudder Jarvis    36    New York

Mary                    35    New York

George                  9    New York

Joshua                   8    New York

1860 US Federal Census 2nd Division 7th Ward Brooklyn, Kings, NY.

John Miller     27   New York    carpenter 

Sarah               26    New York

Caroline            6    New York

next page has this:

Mary J            40   New York    seamstress [she was 4 and not a seamstress]

Frances            2    New York

1865 New York State Census Brooklyn 7th Ward

John H Miller    32    Carpenter   born Brooklyn

Sarah A              30                       born Brooklyn

Caroline A         11                       born Brooklyn

Marey J               9

Fanney                7

Emma L              4

1870 US Federal Census Huntington, Suffolk, New York

Scudder C. Jarvis    44    New York

Mary                        42    New York

George S                 19     New York

Joshua P                  18    New York

Elizabeth                 75    New York

Kesiah Ketcham      18    New York

1880 US Federal Census Babylon, Suffolk, New York

Scuder C. Jarvis    56 New York    farmer

Mary                      55    New York

Joshua                    27  New York    works on farm

Mary J                    21    New York

Gracie P.                  1     New York

1900 US Federal Census Babylon Township, Amityville, Suffolk, New York

Joshua Jervis    Aug 1852    New York    farmer

Mary J              Jan 1856     Ohio

Grace P            Apr 1879     New York

Sarah E            Jun 1881     New York

Charles M        Oct 1885    New York

1910 US Federal Census Babylon, Suffolk, New York

Joshua P. Jervis    57    New York    civil engineer topographical

Mary J                  54    Ohio

Grace P.                31    New York    stenographer Law office

In 1920, they are enumerated in 2 different places.

1920 US Federal Census Sarasota, Manatee, Florida   323 7th Street

Joshua P Jervis     67        New York

Mary J                  63        Ohio

Charles M             34        New York

1920 US Federal Census Babylon, Suffolk, New York   Great Neck Rd.

Joshua P Jervis    65        New York

Mary J                 64        New York

Charles M            34        New York

Timeline for Joshua and Mary:

 

1852             Joshua born in East Amityville, Suffolk, New York on 2 August 

1856             Mary born in Madison, Lake, Ohio on 6 January

1860 census- Joshua living with his parents in Brooklyn, Kings, New York 

1860 census- Mary living with her parents in Brooklyn, Kings, New York

1865 NY State census- Mary living in Brooklyn, Kings, New York

1870 census- Joshua living with his parents in Huntington, Suffolk, New York

1876            married in Amityville, Suffolk, New York on 22 November

1879            first child, Grace Purdy JERVIS, born in Suffolk county, New York

1880 census- they are living with his parents in Babylon, Suffolk, New York

1881            second child, Sarah Emma JERVIS, born in Maspeth, Queens, New York

1883            third child, Scudder Carll JERVIS, Suffolk county, New York

1885            fourth child, Charles Miller JERVIS born in Amityville, Suffolk, New York

1887            death of Scudder Carll JERVIS, Amityville, Suffolk, New York

1900 census- they are in Amityville, Suffolk, New York

1910 census- they live on Great Neck Rd in Babylon, Suffolk, New York

1916            death of daughter Sarah Emma WRIGHT in New Jersey

1920 census- they lived on Great Neck Rd in Babylon, Suffolk, New York

1920 census- they are also enumerated at 323 7th st. Sarasota, Manatee, Florida

1925 NY State census- they are in Babylon, Suffolk, New York

1930 census- they live at 411 52nd st. West Palm Beach, Palm Beach, Florida

1935 Florida State census- they live at 411 52nd st. West Palm Beach, Palm Beach, Florida

1939            3 January Joshua dies in West Palm Beach, Palm Beach, Florida 

1939            24 January Mary dies in Amityville, Suffolk, New York

I have not been able to find them in the other New York state censuses.

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This is what was written in the newspaper about Scudder's death 

The Brooklyn Daily Times Long Island Edition 

September 9, 1887, Friday, page 1

Choked to Death

    On Wednesday last the 4-year old son of [sic] Scudder Jervis, residing in East Amityville, returned to his parents' home from a romp with other small children, and after eating and swallowing some cake his windpipe suddenly closed. Several miles were gone over in search of a physician, and on the arrival of Dr. Preston the boy was past all human aid. He was a bright lad and his death is a severe shock to his parents.

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Joshua was very active in many organizations as shown in The Suffolk County New York Portrait and Biographical Record, 1896:

JOSHUA PURDY JERVIS, an energetic civil engineer and surveyor, of Amityville, was born near where he now lives, August 15, 1852. His parents, Scudder Carll and Mary (Purdy) Jervis, are still living, and are located near the residence of the subject of this article. When he was very young, they removed to Brooklyn and engaged in the milk business, remaining there until he was fifteen. Meantime he attended school and improved his time so well that when the family moved to Lloyd's Neck, in this county, he was far enough advanced to become a pupil in Huntington Academy. His father having bought the old Jervis homestead, he lived on that farm for the next few years.

When Mr. Jervis was about eighteen years old, he began the study of navigation, as he had a natural taste for the water, his ancestors having for many generations shown strong sailor instincts. But this desire for the sea not unnaturally encountered the strong opposition of the family, and he saw, as he thought, a way to learn navigation by studying civil engineering. He began to qualify himself in this direction by studying algebra, geometry, trigonometry and surveying, and although he had no teacher, he became so efficient that he drifted in the business of surveying, doing work for different parties in the neighborhood. He entered the University of New York by taking the examinations for advanced grade. There he was a hard student until his health gave way, and he had to devote himself to its recuperation. When this was partly accomplished he took charge of the home school, which he taught for several terms.

November 22, 1876, Mr. Jervis married Miss Mary J. Miller, of this village, the daughter of John H. and Sarah A. (Newman) Miller, now residents of Brooklyn. Her father has had charge of construction work in the life-saving service and has superintended the erection of several stations. He was in the United States Service during the Civil War as one of the engineer corps. Mrs. Jervis was only one year old when her parents left Jefferson county, Ohio, where she was born, to settle in Brooklyn, and she was fifteen when they came to this village.

With the exception of the one year, when he was in the grocery business at Maspeth, Mr. Jervis has resided at his present location since his marriage. He bought thirteen acres of land from his father in 1882, built a residence, and has made a very attractive homestead of what was then farm land. He has three living children, of whom Grace P., the oldest, was born at this place, April 12, 1879. Sarah Emma was born during the period of his grocery work at  Maspeth, June 1, 1883. Scudder Carll died in his early boyhood, while Charles Miller was born where his father now resides, October 14, 1885.

Mr. Jervis has been the surveyor for the Amityville Improvement Company, and has held a similar position for the Amityville Water Works, and also for the improvement of the land belonging to Mr. Clock. The lines between Suffolk and Queens Counties have been run under his direction. When the monuments on the county line were established he acted as representative of this county. He is a Democrat, and in 1876 voted for Tilden. In 1892 he was a candidate for Supervisor on the Democratic ticket, but was defeated. Interested in the affairs of fraternal societies, he is Past Chancellor of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias; Past Supreme Commander of the American Knights of Protection; Noble Grand of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Amityville, and Past Counselor of the Junior Order of American Mechanics.

The Jervis families of the United States and of British America are of English extraction, though originally from Normandy. The name of Jervis, according to the "Dictionaire De La Noblesse De France" par De La Cherraye Desbois et Badier, Troisieme edition is French, the original name being Gervais. The seat was at Bretagne, and the first name found is that of Jean Gervaise, who lived about the year 1400. In the work entitled "The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States of America" appears the name of Richard Gervasius, of Normandy, who lived as early as the year 1180. In Parliament Writs, we find they were members of the English Parliament as early as 1315. Sir Walter Scott, in one of his works mentions the name. In 1681 Sir Humphrey Jervis was Lord Mayor of Dublin. The renowned British Admiral, Sir John Jervis, Earl St. Vincent, was a type of the English branch of the family.

That branch of the family to which our subject belongs was first represented in America by Sir Francis Jervis, who settled in Virginia in 1636. Thence he went to Salem, Mass., and it is supposed that the brothers who came to Huntington were his sons. We find that they settled in Huntington before 1679, as they were then prominent in their several callings. Tracing the lineage from here, we find that Jonathan Jervis had one child, William, and the latter had seven sons, namely: Isaiah, born in 1705, died in 1737; Benajah, born 1710, died 1766; William, born 1712, died in 1742; Henry, born in 1714, died in 1774; Jonathan, born 1718, died 1795; Augustus, born 1727, died 1756; and Eliphalet. Isaiah Jarvis married Hannah Whitman, July 4, 1729, and had one child, Robert, born 1735, died 1833. Robert married Sarah Ireland in 1760 and they had nine children, of whom the eldest, Joseph Ireland Jervis, was born October 24, 1764. His first wife, Phebe Carll, whom he married in 1789, bore one child, Joel, who was an officer of the town about forty years, being Justice of the Peace about a quarter of a century. Joel was born October 24, 1790, married Elizabeth Smith, of Oakdale, November 29, 1815, and died November 3, 1863. The eldest of their eight children was Scudder C. Jervis [he was their eldest son, but had 3 older sisters], who was born September  24, 1823, and is still living; December 22, 1847, he married Mary Purdy, and they have two sons, namely: George S. born March 21, 1851, now a resident of Newtown, Queens County, and Joshua P., subject of this sketch.

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Times Union 

New York

4 April 1898,  p 7

AMITYVILLE NEWS NOTES

Civil Engineer, Joshua P. Jervis, is engaged in the survey of the village, preparatory to preparing a village grade map. With the completion of the work, local improvement matters will have a new and important ally. The action of the Village Trustees is generally commended.

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The Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Brooklyn, New York

18 August 1899, Friday page 11

OFF ON A PICNIC

Huntington, L.I., August 18–A number of Huntingtonians drove to Amityville this morning where they are guests of Mrs. Joshua Jervis for the day. With Mr. and Mrs. Jervis and family, they will make the trip across the bay for a picnic at the ocean. In the company are: Mrs. Edward C. Grumman, Ethel Grumman, Mr. and Mrs. William H. Beers, Mrs. George T. Grumman, Mr. and Mrs. Joel S. Gardiner, Fred Gardiner, Mrs. Elizabeth Jervis, Mrs. Hattie Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Joel G. Smith, the Misses Eugene and Hattie Smith, Herbert Smith.

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The South Side Signal 

Babylon, New York 

20 February 1909, Saturday

Jervis  Wright
The marriage of Rev. Arthur C Wright, pastor of the Doyleston, Penn., Baptist Church, formerly pastor of the First Baptist Church of Babylon, and Miss Sarah Emma Jervis, daughter of Mr. and Mrs Joshua Purdy Jervis, of Copiague, was quietly solemnized at the home of the bride's parents in the latter village on Wednesday evening. Rev. R. D Merrill, of the Old First Presbyterian Church officiating. Mr. and Mrs. Wright left on the 8:03 west bound local enroute for a very short wedding journey. On their return they will make their home in Doyleston, Penn.

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The South Side Signal 

Babylon, New York 

17 April 1909,  Saturday 

Copiague
Much interest here is manifested this week over the announcement of the engagement of William W. Smith, youngest son of former Overseer of the Poor, Jacob C. Smith of Copiague and Miss Grace P. Jervis, one of the popular belles of the village. The bride to be is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joshua P. Jervis and a sister of Mrs. Arthur Cuthbert Wright of Doyleston Penn. No date for the nuptials have as yet been announced.

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The South Side Signal 

Babylon, New York  

 10 February 1911  Friday

Amityville Personals
Miss Grace P. Jervis, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joshua P. Jervis, of Copiague, and William W. Smith, son of Jacob C. Smith, of Copiague, were married in the home of the bride on Copiague Road on Monday morning by the Rev. H. S. Scarborough. After the wedding breakfast the happy couple departed on a brief honeymoon and on their return will make their home in Copiague.

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Asbury Park Evening Press

Asbury, New Jersey 

26 October 1916, Thursday, page 2

MRS. WRIGHT DEAD OF AUTO INJURIES

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Wife of Baptist Pastor at Farmingdale Passes Away at Lakewood Hospital

---

    Mrs. Sarah J. Wright, wife of Rev. Arthur C. Wright, pastor of the First Baptist church of Freehold, died in the Paul Kimball hospital at Lakewood early this morning as the result of injuries she received in an automobile accident at the intersection of Corlies avenue with the Jerseyville road, between this city and Freehold, Tuesday evening.

    The automobile in which Mrs. Wright was riding skidded in turning into the Jerseyville road and crashed into a telephone pole. Mrs. Wright was hurled against the pole and her skull was fractured. She died at 3.10 o'clock this morning.

    Mrs. Wright's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joshua P. Jervis of Amityville, Long Island, and her husband were at her bedside when she died. Her body was taken from the hospital to her late home, the parsonage of the Freehold Baptist church, today. Those who wish to view it may do so in the church from 2 to 4 o'clock tomorrow afternoon. At 4.15 o'clock tomorrow afternoon private funeral services will be held in the church and on Saturday the body will be taken to Amityville for burial.

    The pastor's wife was on her way home from Asbury Park, where she had attended the Baptist convention on Tuesday, when the accident occurred.

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Monmouth Democrat

2 November 1916,  page 1

MRS. WRIGHT'S FUNERAL.

---

    Hundreds of people viewed the remains of Mrs. A.C. Wright, at the First Baptist Church last Friday, preceding a short funeral service conducted by Rev. Raymond Masters, a nephew, of Mr. Wright at quater [sic] past four which was attended by the members of the church. Next morning Mrs. Wright's remains were taken by a party of fourteen of her Freehold friends to her former home in Amityville, L.I., where a short funeral service was held at the home of her sister Mrs. Wm. Smith. Interment was made in Amityville cemetery.

    Mrs. Wright was 35 years of age, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joshua P. Jervis, of Amityville. She was married to Rev. Arthur C. Wright nearly eight years ago.

    She lived in such loving communions with God that she was ever ready to give to all, her love, her counsel, her sympathy, her advice, and her devotion in a most beautiful and cheerful manner that fascinated every one with her radiant personality. She was the brilliant center around which every organization of her church twined.

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There is an interesting article in Grandpa's scrapbook dated 29 October 1926 "Bad Men Three Visit Copiague Home of Jervis: Real Robbers They Aren't But They Carry Off Plenty of Loot."

While Joshua and Mary were in Florida for the winter, their house in Amityville had been broken into. Turns out the culprits were found because in the barn behind the house the deputy sheriff found "a piece of paper with the word 'squash' printed on it....Believing it to be the work of a schoolboy, he took the paper to the Copiague school where several children wrote 'squash' for him. Finally Walter and Constantine made a clean breast of the whole situation." Walter, by the way, was 11 (a 4th grader) and his brother Constantine was only 9 (a 3rd grader). It was later discovered that their 7 year old brother, Alex (a 1st grader), and a friend, Tony [later called Tommy in the article], age 9 (a 2nd grader), had also participated. Another boy, Stephen (a 4th grader), had started it all, but then had refused to enter the house. The article said, "He was too good a leader to get caught." Two of the boys were given the scare treatment and held in the jail for a short while. I wonder what the rest of their lives were like? They had buried the items nearby, so I think everything was recovered.

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The Palm Beach Post

West Palm Beach, Florida

24 November 1933, Fri  Page 6

Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Jervis Celebrate Fifty-Seventh Wedding Anniversary

    Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Jervis of 411 Fifty-second street, celebrated their fifty-seventh wedding anniversary Wednesday. During the day their many friends and neighbors called and presented the with gifts and flowers.

    Mr. and Mrs. Jervis came to West Palm Beach ten years ago from Copiague, L. I., N. Y., both having lived in the Long Island city all of their lives. Mr. Jervis is a retired engineer and surveyor. Mrs. Jervis is 77 years old and Mr. Jervis celebrated his eighty-first birthday last August.

    They have a son, Charles M., who is in Cuba, his wife and two sons, Joel and Charles M. jr., being in Jacksonville, and a daughter, Mrs. Grace P. Smith, of Amityville, L. I., N. Y., who has a son, Scudder, and a daughter, Miss Sara.

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The Palm Beach Post

West Palm Beach, Florida

23 November 1934, Fri  Page 6

Mr., Mrs. Jervis Have Fifty-second Anniversary [it was their fifty-eight anniversary]

    Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Jervis of Copiague, Long Island, who are at their winter home, 411 Fifty-second street, celebrated their fifty-second wedding anniversary yesterday. The day was passed quietly with a few intimate friends calling to express their felicitations. Mr. and Mrs. Jervis have been coming to West Palm Beach since 1920 to spend their winters, and for some years past their grandson, Scudder Jervis Smith of Amityville, L. I., has been with them.

    They were married in Amityville. Of their children, two survive, a son, Charles M. Jervis, who is in Cuba and who underwent danger during a Cuban uprising a year ago, and a daughter, Mrs. Grace P. Smith of Amityville, each of whom as two children.

    Mr. and Mrs. Jervis are members of the First Presbyterian church here.

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The Palm Beach Post

West Palm Beach, Florida

23 November 1935, Sat Page 5

Mr., Mrs. Jervis Mark 59th Anniversary Friday

    Their fifty-ninth wedding anniversary was marked quietly by Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Jervis of 411 Fifty-second street Friday, with a number of close friends calling throughout the day.

    They were married at Amityville, Long Island, but now make their home at Copiague, L. I. and have been spending their winters here for the past 10 years. They arrived this season on Octoboer [sic]. They have two living children, a son who lives in Cuba, and a daughter in Amityville, each of whom has two children. A grandson, Scudder Jervis Smith, is spending the winter with them.

    Both Mr. and Mrs. Jervis are in good health. Although Mrs. Jervis suffered a broken leg in a fall last winter, she has completely recovered from the ill effects.

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1939, unnamed newspaper

"Joshua P. Jervis Died Tuesday in West Palm Beach: Native of East Amityville Town's Most Prominent Surveyor--Funeral Today

Joshua P. Jervis, for many years the most prominent surveyor of Babylon Town, passed away Tuesday at his winter home in West Palm Beach, Fla., as the result of a heart condition. He had been ill a week. Funeral services are this afternoon at 2:30 o'clock in the F. B. Powell and Son funeral chapel, Amityville. The Rev. Marion J. Creeger, pastor of the First M. E. Church, will officiate and interment will follow in the Amityville Cemetery.

Mr. Jervis was born in the family homestead on Lower Great Neck road, Copiague, the son of Scudder Carl and Mary Purdy Jervis. As a youth he dabbled in surveying and [the newspaper is torn here and a line or two is missing]...

(Continued from Page One)

ment Company, of Hallet T. and N. O. Clock who developed Clock boulevard; of the Pinelawn Cemetery and the Amityville Cemetery, to mention a few.

In later years Mr. Jervis became associated with the municipal staff of the City of New York and was employed as a city surveyor for 15 years. He had retired some years ago and with Mrs. Jervis spent the summers at the homestead and the winters in West Palm Beach.

Surviving besides the widow are two children: a daughter, Mrs. William W. Smith of Amityville; a son, Charles M. Jervis, who is in charge of a sugar plantation at Marcane, Cuba; and four grandchildren, Sara and Scudder J. Smith, and Joel Russ and Charles M. Jervis, jr.

Mr. Jervis was a descendant of old Long Island families on both sides. His paternal grandfather, Joel Jervis, was a justice of the peace of Huntington town, which then included Babylon town area, and was one of the county's most prominent citizens. His most famous case was that in which Walt Whitman, the poet, was defendant in an assault case. Whitman was acquitted by a jury the foreman of which reported to the court that Whitman "hadn't hit him (the complainant) hard enough."

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The Palm Beach Post 

West Palm Beach, Florida

4 January 1939

Deaths And Funerals

Joshua Purdy Jervis
     Joshua Purdy Jervis, 86, husband of Mrs. Mary Miller Jervis, died Tuesday afternoon at his home, 411 Fifty-second Street. They had been winter residents here for the last 14 winters, coming from Copiague, L. I. he was a retired civil engineer of New York City, having spent 20 years in that capacity.
     He is survived by his wife, a son, Charles M. Jervis, Morcane [sic], Orient, Cuba; a daughter, Mrs. W. W. Smith, Amityville, L. I.; four grandchildren and one sister.
     The body will be sent today by Mizell-Simon Mortuary, to Amityville for services and burial. Mrs. Jervis and a grandson, Scudder Jervis Smith, Amityville, will accompany the body.

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The Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Brooklyn, New York

4 January 1939

     JERVIS--At West Palm Beach, Florida, on January 2, 1939, JOSHUA P., beloved husband of Mary J. Jervis. Services at chapel of F. B. Powell and Son, Amityville, L. I., Friday at 2:30 p.m.

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The Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Brooklyn, New York

5 January 1939Thursday

Joshua P. Jervis, Noted Surveyor

Expert Who Fixed Old Suffolk-Queens Line Dies in Palm Beach

     Amityville, Jan. 5--Funeral services will be conducted tomorrow at 2:30 pm in Powell's Funeral Chapel for Joshua P. Jervis, the man who surveyed the boundary line between Suffolk and Queens counties before the creation of Nassau County. He died Monday in his Winter home in West Palm Beach, Fla., at the age of 86.  

     A man of diversified interests and activities, which included service at Zach's Station as a member of the old U. S. Life Saving Service, Mr. Jervis was the author of a book of surveying notes which has been constantly consulted by officials of Babylon Town whenever boundary problems have arisen in the township.

     Mr. Jervis was identified with numerous surveying and engineering tasks in this section. He was employed by the Amityville Land and Improvement Company, which was engaged at one time in developing the waterfront of this village, and by Hulet T. and N. O. Ploch who started the development of property in West Amityville. He also surveyed the plots which became the present cemetery of this village and the Pinelawn Cemetery north of Lindenhurst.

Born in Copiague

     Born in East Amityville, a section now known as Copiague, he was the son of Scudder Carl Jervis and Mary Purdy Jervis. As a young man he studied carpentry and for a time was the only teacher of a one-room school which stood in that hamlet. He later became a trustee of the local Board of Education.

     When he left East Amityville, he followed the sea for a time and then joined the old life saving service, during which time he was on duty at Zach's Station during the famous blizzard of 1888.

On New York City Staff

     After studying surveying and engineering, he became associated with the engineering staff of the City of New York, a position he held for 15 years before retiring. He came later to Suffolk County where he became widely known for his surveying services.
     Surviving are his widow, Mary J. Jervis; a daughter, Mrs. William W. Smith of Union Ave.; a son, Charles M. Jervis, of Cuba, and four grandchildren, Scudder and Sara Smith and Joel and Charles Jervis, Jr.
     The services will be conducted by the Rev. Marion J. Creeger, pastor of the First M. E. Church of Amityville. Burial will be in the Amityville Cemetery.

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The Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Brooklyn, New York

25 January 1939

JERVIS--On January 24, 1939, Mary J., wife of the late Joshua P. Jervis and mother of Charles M. Jervis and Grace P. Smith. Funeral services at the chapel of F. B. Powell & Son. Amityville, L. I., Thursday at 2:30 pm.

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The Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Brooklyn, New York

26 January 1939

Mrs. Mary Jervis, Surveyor's Widow

     Amityville, Jan. 26--Funeral services will be conducted today for Mrs. Mary J. Jervis, 83, widow of Joshua P. Jervis, well-known surveyor in this section. She died Tuesday in the home of her daughter, Mrs. William W. Smith, on Union Ave.

    Mrs. Jervis died three weeks to the day after the death of her husband in West Palm Beach, Fla. Mr. Jervis was noted as a surveyor in Suffolk County and in Manhattan. At one time he compiled a book of notes which are often consulted by Babylon Town officials interested in boundary demarcations in the town.

     She was born in Madison, Ohio, the daughter of John H. Miller and Sarah Ann Miller. Her mother died in Copiague in 1923 at the age of 93. Her father died in 1901 having been active in Government service as a master mechanic. He was in charge of the construction of the Fire Island Lighthouse.

     A resident of Copiague 68 years, Mrs. Jervis had spent the past 20 years as as a Winter resident of West Palm Beach. Beside her daughter she leaves a son, Charles of Marcane, Cuba, and two sisters Mrs. T. E. Carman of Amityville and Mrs. F. L. Allen of St. Petersburg. Fla.,

     Services will be conducted in Powell's Funeral Chapel by the Rev. Marion J. Creeger, pastor of the First M. E. Church of Amityville. Burial will be in Amityville Cemetery.

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The Palm Beach Post

West Palm Beach, Florida

26 January 1939

Deaths And Funerals

Mrs. Mary J. Jervis
     Word was received here Wednesday of the death Tuesday in Amityville, L. I., of Mrs. Mary J. Jervis, of 411 Fifty-second Street, West Palm Beach. She was at the home of her daughter, Mrs. William Smith.
     Mrs. Jervis’ death followed by exactly three weeks that of her husband, Joshua P. Jervis, who died at their home here. She is survived by a son, Charles Jervis, who lives in Cuba, and a grandson, Scudder Smith.

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The Times Record

Troy, New York

9 August 1956, Thursday  Page 31 

Retired Minister Dies At Coila

    Rev. Arthur Cuthbert Wright, 77, of Coila, near Cambridge, died yesterday at his residence after an extended illness.

    Born in Chester, he was the son of the late Prof. Abraham and Amelia Wickham Wright, descendants of the earliest Dutch settlers to that area.

    He completed his theological studies as Christian Biblical Institute, now a part of Defiance College. Mr. Wright was ordained in February, 1904, at Dykemans Baptist Church which was his first pastorate.

    His later pastorates were in Babylon, L.I.; Doylestown, Pa.; Freenhold, N.J.; West Newton, Pa.; Philadelphia, Pa.; and Park Baptist Church, Staten Island.

    He left New York in 1926 and became affiliated with the Federated Church, Castleton, Vt., where he served for 10 years prior to retiring. After retirement, he settled in Coila but resumed church activities by assisting at Shushan United Presbyterian Church for eight years before ill health forced him to retire permanently.

    Mr. Wright is a member of the Park Baptist Church, Staten Island, and the Lee Lodge, F&AM, of Castleton, Vt.

    His first wife, the former Miss Sarah Jervis of Copiague, L.I., died in 1916. He married the former Miss Cora Thomson of Philadelphia, Pa., in 1920.

    Survivors are his wife; a nephew, Rev. Raymond W. Masters, D.D., of Haworth, N.J., and a niece, Miss Mildred Kerner of Chester.

    The funeral will be held from the Ryan Funeral Home, Cambridge, at 2 p.m. Wednesday with Rev. J. P. Cogdell of East Greenwich officiating. Interment will be in Woodlands Cemetery, Cambridge.

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Newsday Nassau Edition

Hempstead, New York

2 August 1962, Thursday  Page 106

SMITH--Grace Purdy, on August 1, 1962, in her 84th year. Beloved wife of William W. Smith. Mother of Sara W. and Scudder J Smith. Also survived by two grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Reposing at the Powell Funeral Home, 67 Broadway, Amityville, L.I. Religious and Eastern Star Services Friday at 2:30 PM. Family will receive friends 2:30 to 4:30 and 7 to 9:30 PM, Thursday.

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Newsday Nassau Edition

Hempstead, New York

18 March 1974, Monday  Page 35

SMITH--WILLIAM W. Long-time resident of Amityville on March 17, 1974. Beloved father of Sara Danielson and Scudder Smith. Also survived by two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Services to be held at the Powell & Lieblang Funeral Home, 67 Broadway, Amityville, on Wednesday, 9:30 AM. Interment to follow in Amityville Cemetery.

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