Say hello to the Perkins family, whose photos are part of my generation's uncle DeRand's family history archive.
Who are the Perkins
- and why should we care? Their story is below, but first I'll talk about some photos.
(Click photos to enlarge 'em.)
▲ The note on the back of this first picture is labeled, simply, "Perkins family". Based upon the photo below, which is labeled, "Aunt Nannie Perkins", the woman in front appears to be Nannie Anderson Perkins. If that's correct, the bearded gentleman next to her is her husband, Samuel W. Perkins. Their children's names were Emsley O., Isa Edith, Jonathan F. and Margaret R. Perkins. More about them is included in the story below.
Since Samuel was born in 1849 and appears to be 55-60 years old here, this family photo appears to be circa 1899-1904.
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In the photo below, Nannie looks younger than she does above, so it appears to be circa 1885.
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◄ This photo is labeled "Samuel and Nancy (as opposed to Nannie) Perkins birthday party". I've inserted an arrow to point out where Samuel is standing. Nannie appears to be standing to his right - and slightly behind him. (Click to enlarge it.)
He looks to be about the same age here as he does in the family photo above. If that's correct, this birthday photo would also be circa 1899-1904.
Here's a simplified descendancy chart showing how the Perkins family fits into our family tree.
Samuel Perkins married Elizabeth Hart;
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Their daughter, Margaret Perkins, married Rev. James Anderson. Her brother Jonathan is discussed below;
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Their son, Dennis Parrot Anderson, married Margaret Skinner Bonar;
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Their daughter, Mary Elizabeth "Mollie" Anderson, married W.G. Cash;
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Their daughter, Leona Cash, married Fleetwood Churchill Jones;
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Their son, Carleton Duane Jones, married Nelle Virginia Field;
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Fleeta Claire, Paul Wesley and Virginia Lee Jones were the parents of my generation. Their brother DeRand Jones had no children.
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Following is some detail that explains our connection to the stories below.Mollie (Mary Elizabeth) Anderson Cash, wife of W.G. Cash, was my generation's GG grandmother. Her sister, Nannie Anderson Perkins, was the aunt of Leona Cash, our great grandmother.
Nannie married Samuel W. Perkins. Here's a bit of his heritage.Samuel Perkins [1788-1861], married Elizabeth Hart Perkins. Click here to see a transcription of an 1843 document where Samuel purchased acreage in Kirkwood Township in Belmont County, Ohio.
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One of their sons, Rev. Jonathan Perkins [1820-1887] married Rebecca Majors (1825-1902)
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One of their sons, Samuel W. Perkins [1849-1912], married Nannie A. Anderson.
“My Family Tree” software tells me Samuel W. is my generation’s 1st cousin 5 times removed. His father, Jonathan, was our GGGG grand uncle; Samuel W.'s grandfather, Samuel, is our GGGGG grandfather. In a publication created as part of Belmont County, Ohio’s, centennial celebration in 1903 are biographical sketches of some of the county’s early citizens. There I found the following info about the Perkins branch of our maternal ancestral family.
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"Samuel W. Perkins, a farmer and stock raiser residing in section 17, Kirkwood township, Belmont County, was born in this township July 14, 1849. He is a son of Rev. Jonathan and Rebecca (Majors) Perkins, and a grandson of Samuel Perkins, after whom he was named. The last named was soldier in the War of 1812, and his widow received a pension for nearly 15 years.
[Samuel W.'s father] Rev. Jonathan Perkins was born June 15, 1820, where the house of our subject now stands, and was a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church for many years. He traveled the Moorefield circuit and was senior minister of the circuit. He later had a local charge and was a man of great popularity, enjoying the distinction of having united in marriage and buried more people than any other minister in the county.
He [Jonathan Perkins] served as justice of the peace some 12 or 15 years, and his efforts were successful in amicably settling the differences of his neighbors without the intervention of the courts. During the Civil War he was captain of a military company which he took out to oppose the Morgan raid. He was a strong abolitionist and believed in a vigorous prosecution of the war. [Morgan's Raid was a highly publicized incursion by Confederate cavalry into Indiana and Ohio during the Civil War.]
At one time he owned nearly a section of land and was a very successful farmer. In 1872 he had a large quantity of wool destroyed in the great Boston fire, but his loss was comparatively slight, owning to the property being insured. [See the bottom of this page for info about "section of land".]
His death, which occurred Aug. 28, 1887, was widely deplored, as he had lived a very useful life and came from one of the early families of the county. He joined the church at the age of 17 years and ever after was a consistent Christian. He served as a class leader in the church at Salem, and during a period of 15 years never missed a class meeting.
He was united in marriage Feb. 8, 1846, to Rebecca Majors, who was born in section 18, Kirkwood township, Sept. 9, 1825, and died Aug. 25, 1902. She was a lifelong member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and for many years was quite active in church work. She was a great home woman until the death of her husband, when home lost its charms, and she thereafter spent her declining years at the homes of her children, whose chief joy was ministering to her wants.
Eight children blessed the union of Rev. and Mrs. Perkins, five of whom survive, namely: Sarah E., wife of George E. Smith; Samuel W.; Margaret R., wife of J. W. Anderson, a minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church of Wichita, Kansas; Josephine O., wife of Albert S. Reynolds, a justice of the peace of Kirkwood township, and N. S. G., who resides where his father lived.
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Samuel W. Perkins was educated in the common schools and later at Hopedale, after which he took to agricultural pursuits. He has 210 acres of well improved land, and all is underlaid with coal. He raises some stock that he sells, and winters about 35 head. He is one of the substantial men of his township, of which he is now serving his second term as trustee.
March 29, 1876, Mr. [Samuel W.] Perkins was united in marriage with Nannie A. Anderson, a native of this county, and a daughter of D. P. [Dennis Parrot] and Margaret Anderson, the former of whom died in 1890, and the latter April 18, 1902, at the age of 86 years.
Mr. [Dennis Parrot] Anderson and wife had the following children: Rev. J. W.; Mary, wife of Rev. W. G. Cash, superintendent of schools at Morristown for a time; Nannie A., and Ella M., wife of G. W. Warrick, who resides on the old Anderson homestead in this county.
Our subject [Samuel W.] and his wife have four children, as follows: Emsley O., a member of the class of 1904 at Athens College; Isa Edith, who married F. J. Hamilton, a manufacturer of cigars at Hendrysburg, O., and has daughter, Carrie L.; Jonathan F., who lives at home on the farm, and Margaret R., who is attending school.
Our subject and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he has been trustee and steward. He has frequently served as superintendent of Sunday-schools and has been a leader for about 10 years. Fraternally he is a member of the Knights of Pythias. In politics he is a Republican."
Source, with gratitude to Sharon Wick for her efforts in transcribing the biographies found in the book!
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The sentence in the centennial article above about Jonathan Perkins forming a military company in response to Morgan's Raid intrigued me, for I knew nothing about the raid. In researching it I learned that Morgan's Raid in the summer of 1863 spread terror among the populace of Ohio.
Confederate general John Hunt Morgan started out with almost 2500 men and went north from Tennessee through Kentucky, then eastward through southern Indiana into Ohio. The red line in the map below shows the route they followed. As you can see, they went eastward across southern Ohio before heading northward when they reached the Ohio River in southeastern Ohio.
Source
The map below shows where Belmont County is is relation to the rest of Ohio. As you can see, it's in southeastern Ohio, bordering the Ohio River, and was in the general direction in which Morgan was headed as he crossed southern Ohio. Because Morgan's marauders were getting their food, fresh horses and other provisions by raiding civilians as they proceded, they represented more than a theoretical threat to the populace.
As news of the Confederate Cavalry's advance across the Ohio River reached the Statehouse, Ohio's governor issued a proclamation calling out the Ohio militia to protect the southern counties from Morgan's Raiders.
The raiders passed within a stone's throw of Belmont County - and therefore our ancestral family - which probably explains why Jonathan did what he did in gathering a company of volunteers to defend themselves.
Source
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Moses Perkins is another of Samuel's sons (and Jonathan Perkins' brother). Moses also had a biographical sketch in the centennial book. “My Family Tree” software says Moses is my generation’s GGGG grand uncle and his father, Samuel, is our GGGGG grandfather.
Here’s what the author said about Moses and his family in 1903.
"Moses Perkins, a prominent farmer, stock raiser and dealer, residing in section 11*, Kirkwood township, Belmont County, was born on the farm now owned by his nephew, Samuel W. Perkins, December 6, 1829. [Moses] is a son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Hart) Perkins.
His parents were both natives of Maryland. His father, Samuel, came to Kirkwood township as early as 1802, when the forest had scarcely been touched by the hand of man. He built a shed in which to live until the completion of his house, and the 160 acres which comprised his home farm have since been in possession of the Perkins family. He held no offices and was a good farmer, giving that work his entire attention.
He [Samuel] served as a private during the War of 1812, and made an honorable record as a soldier. He died at the age of 73 years, and was survived six years by his wife, who died at the age of 80 years.
He and his wife were both faithful members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. To their union were born the following children: Nelson, who farmed in this county until his death at the age of 60 years; Rebecca, the wife of Reuben Mitcalf, died at the age of 75 years; Maria, who died at the age of 20 years; Cassander, [or probably Cassandra] who died at the age of 25 years ; Jonathan, a record of whose life appears in the biography of Samuel W. Perkins; William, a farmer of this county, who died at the age of 60 years; Delilah, who died at the age of 27, was the wife of Fielder Perkins; Letha, who died at the age of 16 years; and Moses, the only surviving member of the family. Four of the girls died of scarlet fever within four months.
Moses Perkins was educated in the common schools of his community, and as a boy assisted in the work upon the farm. He has disposed of 60 acres of the original tract held by him, but retains some l00 acres, which are planted to wheat and corn for the most part. The land is well improved and is underlaid with coal which has never been leased or sold. He is one of the reliable citizens of his township, and wherever known is held in the highest esteem.
Mr. Perkins was joined in marriage November 11, 1853, with Rebecca J. Murphy, a native of this county and a daughter of L. D. and Elizabeth Murphy, the father a native of Ohio and the mother, of Maryland. She is one of nine children, the others being: Delilah, who resides in Wisconsin, is widow of George Weeden, who was killed as a soldier in the Union Army; Brice M., a farmer, living in Wisconsin; Sarah J., wife of David Majors, of Kirkwood township ; A. C., deceased ; Asbury, a farmer of Kirkwood township ; Hamilton, a farmer of Kirkwood township; James A., deceased; and L. D., deceased, who was a farmer in Belmont County and later in Wisconsin.
Mr. and Mrs. Perkins have three children : Elizabeth, wife of Wilson McWilliams, a farmer of the county, has four children living, - Weldie, Campsie, Frederick, and Eva B.; Mary F., wife of O. B. Groves, a contract plasterer of Barnesville, has six children, - Forest and Belle, deceased, Gertrude, Everett, Moses and Willard; and Rosa I., who married Colbert Sheppard, and both are deceased, leaving one child, Mary Ethel, who married Oliver M. Smith, September 6, 1902.
Mrs. Perkins is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Source: Centennial History of Belmont County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens
Edited and compiled by Hon. A. T. Mckelvey 1801 – 1901
Published by Biographical Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois, 1903
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*In U.S. land surveying, a "section" is an area nominally one mile square, containing 640 acres. Nominally, 36 sections make up a survey township on a rectangular grid. As the townships are based on meridians (of longitude) which converge towards the north pole, some sections which vary slightly in size are necessary to compensate. These unusually sized sections generally occur at the northern or western-most edges of townships.
The legal description of a tract of land in the parts of the United States that use this system includes the name of the state, name of the county, township number, range number, section number, and portion of a section. Sections are customarily surveyed in halves and quarters, and further subdivision in halves and quarters is common. A quarter quarter section is 40 acres, and is the smallest unit of agricultural land commonly surveyed. The phrases "front 40" and "back 40," referring to fields of crops on a farm, refer to quarter quarter sections.
Source
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Please refer to the disclaimer on the index page of this blog for a statement regarding the accuracy of - and documentation for - the information presented in this blog.
Last revised 8/23/2010
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