Los Angeles County, CA, Biographies

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives 
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm


VOLNEY K. PURDY 
 
was born in Greene County, New York, in 1831. He is the son of William and Lucy 
(Clark) Purdy, both of whom were natives of that State. Mr. Purdy was reared as 
a farmer, having the advantages of such a schooling as was afforded by the 
common schools of that date. When eighteen years of age he started out in the 
world to earn his own living, and was for some time engaged in farm labor and 
afterward was employed on the Hudson River upon freighting schooners and other 
vessels, until 1852. He then went as a passenger on the ship North American, for 
a voyage around Cape Horn to California. This voyage ended in San Francisco on 
September 1 of that year. Soon after his arrival in that city he proceeded to 
the mines, and first located at Auburn, Placer County, and later in Sierra 
County. He spent the next four years in mining occupations in those counties, 
and then, his health failing, he was compelled to abandon that enterprise, and 
in 1856 returned to New York. Having recovered his health, he came the second 
time to California in 1858, and located at Petaluma, Sonoma County. There he 
engaged in farming and the dairy business, in Marin County. At that time many 
portions of the county were almost entirely unsettled, and Mr. Purdy states that 
the Indians were at times very troublesome, so much so that the settlers often 
banded together and drove them back to the mountains, which was not always 
accomplished without some severe fighting. Mr. Purdy remained in that county 
until 1868, at which time he located in San Francisco. He was a resident of that 
city for the next six years, and among his various occupations was that of 
omnibus driver for John McGlynn, and stage driving. In 1871 and 1872 he was 
sailing master of a yacht in San Francisco Harbor. In 1874 the subject of this 
sketch came to Los Angeles County and took up his residence at the Azusa. 
Locating forty acres of land about three miles south of the present site of 
Azusa, he successfully contested the grant-holder's claim to this land until he 
secured a Government title. He was also during that time engaged in mining 
enterprises in the San Gabriel Ca�on. In 1887 he sold twenty acres. The other 
twenty acres, which he is now devoting himself to improving, is located on Azusa 
avenue. Three acres are in citrus fruits of the budded varieties; two acres are 
producing peaches, and the rest of his land is devoted to general farming. Mr. 
Purdy is well known in the community, where he has resided for the past fifteen 
years. In political matters he is a strong Republican; was a stanch Union man 
during the civil war, and a member of the military company enrolled at Petaluma. 
He is a stock�holder and one of the incorporators of the Azusa Water Development 
and Irrigation Company. Mr. Purdy is unmarried.
 
An Illustrated History of Los Angeles County, California �  Chicago, The Lewis 
Publishing Company, 1889   Page 588
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler