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John Purnell (abt. 1801 - 1833)

John Purnell aka Smith
Born about in Snow Hill, Cecil, Maryland, United Statesmap [uncertain]
Son of and [mother unknown]
[sibling(s) unknown]
[spouse(s) unknown]
[children unknown]
Died at about age 32 in Walnut Street Prison, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United Statesmap
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Profile last modified | Created 5 Mar 2021
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Contents

Biography

US Black Heritage Project
John Purnell is a part of US Black heritage.

John Purnell was born about 1801 and used several aliases, most notably John Smith.

Like his father Jacob, John Purnell was a member of the Cannon Johnson Gang. He specialized in coaxing black children to a location where they could be kidnapped and sold into slavery.

In June of 1825, while using the name John Smith, he coaxed Peter Hook, William Miller, Milton Trusty, Clement Cox and William Chase onto a small boat (probably theLittle John) and turned them over to Joseph Johnson who sold them to slave traders in Virginia.[1][2]

Two months later, in August, he did the same with Enos Tilghman, Alexander Manlove, Samuel Scomp, Joe Johnson, and Cornelius Sinclair. These boys were brought to the deep south by Ebenezer Johnson where Cornelius Sinclair was sold in Alabama, Joe Johnson was beaten to death in Mississippi, and the other boys were rescued following Joe Johnson's death.[3][2][4]

We can assume that there were many others who he also kidnapped, but we know these stories because they came to light and lead to charges being filed against John Purnell in February, 1826.[5]

In July of that year, John Smith was working in Woodbury New Jersey and was overheard bragging about the money he had made in Philadelphia by a free black farmhand. Job Brown notified Mayor Joseph Watson.[6] High Constable Samuel P Garrigues and Job Brown assembled a posse to confront him, but he had already absconded by the time the posse had been formed.[7]

In April of the next year, Mayor Watson received a new tip about both John Purnell and Bill Paragee. This time Constable Garrigues caught Bill Paragee rapidly and John Purnell went on the run to Boston where he was arrested. Constable Garrigues went to Boston to collect him from the local authorities and brought him back to Philadelphia in early June.[8][9][10]

On June 13, John Purnell was positively identified by Samuel Scomp, Alexander Manlove, Enos Tilghman, and Cornelius Sinclair as the same John Smith who had kidnapped them, but he was acquitted on a technicality because the kidnappings took place outside city limits.[9][11]

Three days later, he was retried in county court by Judge Edward King and this time the jury convicted him and he was sentenced to forty two years of hard labor.[11]

In October of the next year, he provided information that lead to the arrest of Thomas Collins.[12]

John Purnell died in his cell on March 26, 1830. The cause of his death was unrecorded.[13]

Description

  • "Mulatto man"[14]
  • "a small mulatto man"[3]
  • five feet three inches tall, of mixed race, and about twenty six years old. He had a flat face, a distinctive hair mole on his chin, and crooked, scarred fingers on his left hand[15]

Timeline

WhenAgeWho and WhatWhere
Mar 1824Jacob Purnell (John Purnell's father) cut his own throat rather than be arrested
Jun 1825[1][2]John Smith coaxed Peter Hook, William Miller, and Milton Trusty onto a schooner where Joseph Johnson tied them up.[1][2]Philadelphia[1][2], Pennsylvania
+1 day[1]John Smith captured Clement Cox and William Chase as well[1]Philadelphia[1], Pennsylvania
9 Aug 1825[3][2][4]John Smith captured Enos Tilghman and Alexander Manlove and brought them to a small sloop, the Little John[3][2][4]Philadelphia[3][2][4], Pennsylvania
10 Aug 1825[3][14]John Smith captured Samuel Scomp, Joe Johnson, and Cornelius Sinclair and brought them to the Little John[3][14][4]Philadelphia[3][14][4], Pennsylvania
10 Aug 1825[3][14]Joseph Johnson, John Smith, Bill Paragee, and Thomas Collins set sail on the Little John with Samuel Scomp, Enos Tilghman, Alexander Manlove, Joe Johnson, and Cornelius Sinclair on board[3][14][16]Philadelphia[3][14][16], Pennsylvania
12 Aug 1825[3][17]The Little John landed and Samuel Scomp, Enos Tilghman, Alexander Manlove, Joe Johnson, and Cornelius Sinclair were marched through marshes, corn fields, and brushwood by Joseph Johnson and John Smith to Joseph Johnson's house where they were confined in a garret in irons[3][17]Millsboro[17], Delaware
16 Aug 1825[3][18]John Smith drove a wagon to a larger sloop with Samuel Scomp, Enos Tilghman, Alexander Manlove, Joe Johnson, Cornelius Sinclair, Mary Fisher, and Mary Neal; Jesse Cannon, Ebenezer, and Sally Johnson followed in a gig. The new larger sloop was commanded by Robert Dunn[3][18]Nanticoke[18], Maryland
17 Feb 1826[5]Joseph Watson filed criminal charges of kidnapping and conspiracy and signed warrants for Ebenezer F Johnson, Joseph Johnson, John Purnell, and Thomas Collins[5]Philadelphia[5], Pennsylvania
6 Mar 1826[19]Grand Jury sat for the City and County of Philadelphia regarding this case[19] and three bills of indictment were issued for Joseph Johnson, Thomas Collins, Ebenezer F Johnson, and John Smith alias Spencer Francis[20]Philadelphia[19], Pennsylvania
5 Jul 1826[6]Job Brown wrote a letter to Joseph Watson letting him know that John Smith had been employed nearby and had been bragging about the money he could make in Philadelphia[6]Woodbury[6], New Jersey
Jul 1826[7]High Constable Garrigues and Job Brown assembled a posse to confront Purnell. He had already absconded[7]Woodbury[7], New Jersey
Apr 1827[8]Joseph Watson received a tip about John Purnell and Bill Paragee and dispatched High Constable Garrigues. Garrigues captured Paragee on a pilot boat on the Delaware River. Watson interrogated Paragee personally. Paragee confessed[8]Philadelphia[8], Pennsylvania
10 Jun 1827[9][10]High Constable Garrigues arrived from Boston with John Purnel in custody[9][10]Philadelphia[9][10], Pennsylvania
13 Jun 1827[9][11]John Purnell was positively identified by Samuel Scomp, Alexander Manlove, Enos Tilghman, and Cornelius Sinclair in his trial.[9] The Jury acquitted John Purnell on a technicality because the kidnappings took place just outside the city's legal boundary[11]Philadelphia[9][11], Pennsylvania
16 Jun 1827[11]John Purnell was again positively identified by Samuel Scomp, Alexander Manlove, Enos Tilghman, and Cornelius Sinclair in county court. This time he was convicted before Judge Edward King[11]Philadelphia[11], Pennsylvania
Oct 1828[12]High Constable Garrigues arrested Thomas Collins after John Purnell cracked and told them where to find him[12]Near the Naticoke watershed[12]
26 Mar 1830[13]John Purnell died. The caues of death was unrecorded[13]Arch Street Prison[13], Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Sources

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Narrative of Peter Hook, Dec 1826
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Mayor's Proclamation, January 22, 1827
  3. ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 Narrative of Samuel Scomp, June 30, 1826
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Bell, Richard. Essay. In Stolen: Five Free Boys Kidnapped into Slavery and Their Astonishing Odyssey Home, 16. New York, NY: 37 INK, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, 2020.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Bell, Richard. Essay. In Stolen: Five Free Boys Kidnapped into Slavery and Their Astonishing Odyssey Home, 143. New York, NY: 37 INK, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, 2020.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Letter from Job Brown to Joseph Watson, July 5, 1826
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Bell, Richard. Essay. In Stolen: Five Free Boys Kidnapped into Slavery and Their Astonishing Odyssey Home, 188. New York, NY: 37 INK, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, 2020.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Bell, Richard. Essay. In Stolen: Five Free Boys Kidnapped into Slavery and Their Astonishing Odyssey Home, 191. New York, NY: 37 INK, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, 2020.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7 United States Gazette, June 19, 1827
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Bell, Richard. Essay. In Stolen: Five Free Boys Kidnapped into Slavery and Their Astonishing Odyssey Home, 193. New York, NY: 37 INK, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, 2020.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 11.7 Bell, Richard. Essay. In Stolen: Five Free Boys Kidnapped into Slavery and Their Astonishing Odyssey Home, 194-96. New York, NY: 37 INK, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, 2020.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Bell, Richard. Essay. In Stolen: Five Free Boys Kidnapped into Slavery and Their Astonishing Odyssey Home, p. 200. New York, NY: 37 INK, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, 2020.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 Bell, Richard. Essay. In Stolen: Five Free Boys Kidnapped into Slavery and Their Astonishing Odyssey Home, 205. New York, NY: 37 INK, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, 2020.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5 14.6 Letter from John Henderson to Joseph Watson, January 2, 1826
  15. ↑ Bell, Richard. Essay. In Stolen: Five Free Boys Kidnapped into Slavery and Their Astonishing Odyssey Home, 196. New York, NY: 37 INK, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, 2020.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Bell, Richard. Essay. In Stolen: Five Free Boys Kidnapped into Slavery and Their Astonishing Odyssey Home, 47. New York, NY: 37 INK, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, 2020.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 Bell, Richard. Essay. In Stolen: Five Free Boys Kidnapped into Slavery and Their Astonishing Odyssey Home, 50. New York, NY: 37 INK, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, 2020.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 Bell, Richard. Essay. In Stolen: Five Free Boys Kidnapped into Slavery and Their Astonishing Odyssey Home, 79. New York, NY: 37 INK, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, 2020.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 Letter from Joseph Watson to J. W. Hamilton, February 24, 1826
  20. ↑ Letter from Joseph Watson to Benjamin Morgan and Joseph Bennet Eves, March 20, 1826

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Images: 3
1826-03-20, Joseph Watson to Benjamin Morgan and Joseph Bennet Eves, Page 1
1826-03-20, Joseph Watson to Benjamin Morgan and Joseph Bennet Eves, Page 1
1826-03-20, Joseph Watson to Benjamin Morgan and Joseph Bennet Eves, Page2
1826-03-20, Joseph Watson to Benjamin Morgan and Joseph Bennet Eves, Page2
1826-03-20, Joseph Watson to Benjamin Morgan and Joseph Bennet Eves, Envelope
1826-03-20, Joseph Watson to Benjamin Morgan and Joseph Bennet Eves, Envelope


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Rejected matches › John Parnall (bef.1800-)

P  >  Purnell  >  John Purnell

Categories: USBH Free People of Color, Needs Linked | Cannon Johnson Ring | Kidnappers | Pennsylvania, Free People of Color