Daniel Douglas Purcell

Mattie Henrietta Craig

Daniel Douglas Purcell was born 4 March 1859, in Alma, Illinois. He was born and raised on a farm, and was a farmer all his life.

Mattie H. Craig was born 4 January 1865, in Hadley, Illinois (small town West of Sumner).

Mattie's father, Calvin Craig, was apparently much older than her mother, Jane Shaw, and died when Mattie was small, date unknown. The Craigs then moved in with Jane's mother, Elizabeth Shaw, who lived in Salem with two of her other daughters, Elizabeth and Belle. Jane Shaw then married Aaron Shreffler, who had four boys of his own, and they lived in Tonti Township, near Alma. Aaron Shreffler died 17 January, 1903, and Elizabeth Shaw came to live with Jane and the family.

Daniel and Mattie were married 23 September, 1883. They had five children:

Dwight Comer b. 5-20-1885 d. 4-23-72

m. Carrie Broom 10-24-1912

Lara (or Lora) b. 2-25-1887

m. Merritt Caldwell

Lillian Irma (or Erma) b. 4-12-1889

m. Harry Smith

Eula Belle b. 6-3-1893

m. Wilbur Roadman

Ruth Annette b. 9-3-1897 d.

m. Arthur M. "Shine" Wilson

Daniel Purcell died in Alma in the same house he was born in, on 31 December 1927. Mattie died 11 June 1949. Both are buried at the Alma Cemetery.