Purcell Cemetery Mystery

During my many years of genealogical research about my family lines, I have enjoyed the process for a number of reasons, such as learning the history of this country and countries of origin as my ancestors lived it and therefore gaining a better understanding of my place in that history. And the compulsion of adding one more relative to the growing tree; I have begun to collect dead relatives like others collect Beanie Babies. But there is also the love of a good mystery and the thrill of discovery. Many genealogical mysteries have been solved with the help of the always generous genealogy community. Consider the following mystery and see if you can help.

Purcell Cemetery

Located in Alba, Jasper County, Missouri, the Purcell Cemetery, also known as the Friends Cemetery, contains the following grave records. Some are family members and are in the same section and/or plot. The eldest known member of the family, David J. Purcell, came to Missouri from Kentucky in the late 1700s or early 1800s. These also included descendants of John Purcell (1818-1884) from Hardin County, Kentucky. His grave and that of his immediate family are found in a private graveyard on his former farm (Purcell Farm) and that graveyard is still there, if deteriorated. Otherwise the names marked with asterisks (*) are wives of his sons George Duncan Purcell (1847-1923), James Frederick Purcell (1856-1909) and Franz Siegel Purcell (1861-1916).

But the rest are descendants of David J. Purcell (1814-1881) from Kentucky, his three wives and his 10 known children, as well their spouses and children. If this is your ancestry, I have created a detailed family tree for David and would be glad to share it. But I am interested in his own ancestry in Kentucky and before. My family hailed from Kentucky about the same era and then migrated to the same towns in Jasper County, Missouri, and yet I cannot find a connection with this family, nor any mention of family members in our records. Please contact me (editor.pfa@gmail.com if you have information about this numerous Purcell family.

Each Plot has 8 graves

*Anna Gillfillan Purcell Section H Plot 24 No stone-no name on old

1864-1930 map. Maybe near husband Franz Siegel Purcell below

Baby Boy Purcell Can't locate grave Not listed on old map

1916-1916

Carl Leslie Purcell Section I Plot 46

1886-1980

Chester Edward Purcell Section H Plot 51

1888-1955

Crystal Faye (Mills) Purcell Section K Plot 36

1927-1971

David J. Purcell Can't locate grave Not listed on old map

1814-1881

Edna May Purcell Section H Plot 51

1909-1910

Eileen June Purcell Section B Plot 1

1925-1926

Fay Katherine (Ford) Purcell Section B Plot 1

1887-1965

Franz Seigel Purcell Section H Plot 24 Old map-no stone

1861-1916

*Gulia Elma Purcell Section H Plot 22 1st wife of George Duncan Purcell

1848-1872

Imogene Purcell Section K Plot 19 Stone may be dirt covered.

1927-1927 Will try to dig it out.

Infant Son Purcell Section G Lot 2 Son of Austin & Della

1906-1906

James H Purcell Obit says "Purcell Farm"

1959-2015

John Hamilton Purcell Section B Plot 22

1853-1939

Laura Lenora Purcell Section H Plot 48

1877-1878

Lawrence Bedford Purcell Section A Plot 59

1917-1991

Lola Mabel Purcell Section I Plot 46

1896-1970

Lucy Sabine Purcell No Stone found, not on old map

1899-1921

Margaret Elizabeth McKinley Purcell Section H Plot 23

1853-1932

Marvin Edward Purcell Section K Plot 36

1920-2010

*Mary E Draper Purcell Section I Plot 38 1st wife of James Frederick Purcell

1838-1880

Maude Ethel Martin Purcell Section H Plot 51

1891-1971

Phyllis June Purcell No Stone found, not on old map

1948-1948

Priscilla Dean Gary Purcell Section K Plot 37

1932-1992

Ralph Edward Purcell Section H Plot 51

1911-1912

Randy Eugene Purcell Section L Plot 41

1957-2008

Robert Eugene Purcell Section K Plot 37

1930-1972

Robert L Purcell Section L Plot 56

1927-1994

Ronald Paul Purcell Section A Plot 59

1953-2019

Ruth P Davis Purcell Section A Plot 59

1923-1995

Sadie Lenora Ford Purcell Section K Plot 19

1889-1928

Samuel Bedford Purcell Section B Plot 1

1884-1941

Triplet Girls Purcell No Stone Found, not on old map

1920-1920

Viola M. Purcell Schell Section K Plot 36

1918-1982

Willard Franklin Purcell Section K Plot 19

1882-1939

William David Purcell Section H Plot 51

1848-1934