Samuel Dinsmore Purviance (January 7, 1774–1806) was a Congressional Representative

United States House of Representatives

The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...

 from North Carolina

North Carolina

North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...

; born on Masonboro Sound at Castle Fin House, near Wilmington, North Carolina

Wilmington, North Carolina

Wilmington is a port city in and is the county seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population is 106,476 according to the 2010 Census, making it the eighth most populous city in the state of North Carolina...

; attended a private school; studied law; was admitted to the bar

Bar (law)

Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...

 and practiced at Fayetteville, North Carolina

Fayetteville, North Carolina

Fayetteville is a city located in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States. It is the county seat of Cumberland County, and is best known as the home of Fort Bragg, a U.S. Army post located northwest of the city....

; also owned and operated a large plantation

Plantation

A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...

; In about 1792 he married Mary Brownlow (c.1774–January 23, 1802), daughter of John Brownlow and Rebecca Evans of Cumberland County, North Carolina. He was member of the State house of commons

North Carolina General Assembly

The North Carolina General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The General Assembly drafts and legislates the state laws of North Carolina, also known as the General Statutes...

 in 1798 and 1799; member of the State senate from Cumberland County

Cumberland County, North Carolina

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 302,963 people, 107,358 households, and 77,619 families residing in the county. The population density was 464 people per square mile . There were 118,425 housing units at an average density of 181 per square mile...

 in 1801; trustee of Fayetteville Academy

Fayetteville Academy

The Fayetteville Academy was established in 1970 as a private school for both males and females. The current Fayetteville Academy, although not an heir to the original Fayetteville Academy by continuous charter, was established in 1970.-History:...

 in 1803; elected as a Federalist

Federalist

The term federalist describes several political beliefs around the world. Also, it may refer to the concept of federalism or the type of government called a federation...

 to the Eighth Congress (March 4, 1803-March 3, 1805); continued the practice of law in Fayetteville; died on the Red River

Red River (Mississippi watershed)

The Red River, or sometimes the Red River of the South, is a major tributary of the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers in the southern United States of America. The river gains its name from the red-bed country of its watershed. It is one of several rivers with that name...

in 1806, while on an exploring expedition into the West.

External links

• U.S. Congress Biographical Directory entry