Gaston, Joseph.  "The Centennial History of Oregon, 1811-1912."  Vol. 3. 
Chicago, Clarke Publishing Co., 1912. p. 309.
 
ROBERT B. PURVES

     is residing on the old donation claim taken up by his maternal grandfather,
David E. Stearns, in Jackson county, near the present town of Talent. He was
born on that farm November 29, 1871, the son of James and Arminda (Stearns)
Purves. The grandfather crossed the plains with ox teams from Illinois to Oregon
in 1853, settling on Wagner creek, Jackson county, where he took up a donation
claim of three hundred and twenty acres on which he and his wife, Fidelia
Stearns, spent the remainder of their lives. The father and mother are now
residing in Ashland, having removed to that place from the farm in 1910.
     Robert B. Purves obtained a common-school education in the district school
near the old homestead, his education being somewhat limited, however, as he was
the second in order of birth in a family of ten children and his services on the
farm were needed to help support the family. As soon as he was large enough to
hold the plow he was put to work and thus continued to assist his father with
the farm work until he reached maturity, when he also engaged in mining during
the winter months. In 1898 and 1899 he conducted a dairy business in Klamath
county in partnership with an uncle, O. A. Stearns. During the time he was thus
employed he purchased from one of his cousins the northwest forty acres of the
home farm, which had been acquired by his brother as an inheritance. He made his
home upon that place until 1910, when he sold the farm and bought sixty-seven
acres of land, upon which he now resides. He follows general farming, making a
specialty of raising alfalfa.
     Mr. Purves was married in 1901 to Miss Charlotte Whittington, of Jackson
county, but a native of Missouri. She removed to Oregon with her father, William
Whittington, in 1888. Mr. and Mrs. Purves are the parents of four children,
Floyd B., Clyde Deward, Margaret Isabelle and Robert William.
     Politically Mr. Purves is an adherent of the principles and policies of the
republican party but has never been an office seeker, although he is at present
a member of the school board.He belongs to Talent Lodge, No. 211, I. O. O. F.,
and also is a member of Oregon Lodge, No. 348, W. O. W., of Phoenix. He is one
of the progressive, highly respected and public-spirited citizens of the Wagner
creek district and is a successful agriculturist and valued citizen.


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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in August 2007 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.