Jean-Pierre Pury

Jean-Pierre Pury (1675 – 17 August 1736) was an explorer, geographer and colonist from the Principality of Neuchâtel. He served as mayor of Lignières and worked as a wine merchant before losing his wealth to a fire. He then worked as a corporal for the Dutch East India Company, which inspired him to found his own colony. After years of campaigning, he was granted permission by the British Crown to establish a settlement in the Province of Carolina. He established the Colony of Purrysburg (present day Purrysburg, South Carolina) and lived as a planter on 12,000 acres. His colony, made up of mostly Swiss Protestants, was relatively unsuccessful.

Early life and family Pury was born in 1675 in Neuchâtel, Principality of Neuchâtel (in present-day Switzerland) to Henry Pury and Marie Hersler. His father, who was a tradesman of tin pottery, died when he was an infant. Left destitute, the Court of Justice of Neuchâtel appointed the bourgeois Martinet as curator over Pury's property and affairs. Given his position, Jean-Pierre resigned from his post as mayor on 17 September 1711.

Colonial pursuits Dutch East India Company In May 1713, Pury boarded the Prince Eugenius bound for Batavia, Dutch East Indies. He had been made a Corporal for Dutch East India Company and helped lead the Huguenot congregation in Batavia. Pury then left Batavia for France.

Province of Carolina While living in France, Pury presented his theories to Horatio Walpole, 1st Baron Walpole, the British Ambassador to France, and asked that they be brought before King George I with the hopes of being granted permission to form a colony. The book of theories was brought before Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle in July 1724. The book was examined by the Board of Trade for legality and feasibility. The Board summoned Richard Shelton, Secretary of the Lords Proprietor of Carolina. In June 1726, Pury was granted permission to start a colony in Carolina. In exchange, he was granted 12,000 acres of land. In 1731, Purry led an expedition to Carolina and founded the Colony of Purrysburg along the Savannah River. The colony was relatively unsuccessful, and Pury died of malaria in 1736. He was succeeded by his son, Charles, as head of the colony. Charles was later killed by one of his slaves. Mémoire présenté à Sa Gr. Mylord Duc de Newcastle ... sur l'état présent de la Caroline et sur les moyens de l'améliorer, Londres, G. Bowyer, 1724. Spéculation sur les changes étrangers, pour la commodité des banquiers et autres négocians, contentant le juste rapport avec les principales place d’Europe, Paris, Chez Knapen, 1726. Description abrégée de l’état présent de la Caroline Méridionale, Neuchâtel, 1732.