Thomas Perry

Thomas Perry was the younger brother of my g-g-g-grandfather, Moses Perry. One of our Perry cousins who is actively researching our origins in Venango county, PA, is Thomas' descendant, Mary Pierotti, who sent us a long and interesting e-mail describing her own research and proposing some answers to some of the questions about Thomas and his family. We're making her message available here. What follows was one of her earliest efforts at identifying the various relationships for the rest of us; we'll add aditional information from Mary's, our own or others' research, since it may be helpful to anybody who is researching the Perrys of Venango county.

02 Jan 2002

My goal is to see where my Eliza Perry fits into the family. Eliza is the wife of George Kelse Monjar (1806-1881). They had a son, Thomas Perry Monjar (1849-1932). The Monjar line traces to an early settler (Richard Monjar) of Irwin Township, Venango County, PA. The Monjar land is located near Perry land and Baird land.

My Eliza Perry was born around 1817 according to the 1870 and 1880 Federal Census forms. She lists the birthplace of her father as New York, and the birthplace of her mother as PA.

Besides the brothers, Moses and Thomas, I have found several other Perry families in the Venango/Butler area. I have eliminated the Ozias (Marvin Perry) line because Marvin was born in Vermont, and his wife was born in New York state. There is also a Samuel Perry family located in Venango County at the time.

Some of the other confirmed names in my line are: Hoffman, Hovis, Beighley, Beighlea, Ghost, Monjar, McGill, Anderson, Watt, and Moon.

Here is what I have as a scenario:

FIRST GENERATION

Thomas Perry (brother of Moses) appeared on the census in 1810 in Scrubgrass Twp., Venango Co., Pennsylvania. There is a Thomas Perry in Scrubgrass Township in 1810 on the Census. He appeared on the census in 1850. He was born about 1781 or 1782 in New York State.

Mary Unknown (McClintock?) was born about 1793 in PA. It is possible that her father or brother is Hugh McClintock shown on the same page as G. K. Monjar in the 1860 Irwin Township Census. There was a Hugh McClintock (25 yrs.) and a James McClintock (22 yrs.) listed as Privates with the militia called VENANGO GUARDS for the year 1823. There is a Hugh P. Mcclintock in Cornplanter Township in Venango Co. in 1860. She was born on February 13, 1796 in Scrubgrass Twp., Venango Co. Pennsylvania.²¹ I believe that Karen has the wrong Mary, and that the birth date of 1796 belong to Mary wife of Thomas, Jr.).

Thomas Perry and Mary Unknown (McClintock) had the following children:

	+2	i.	Sara Margaret Perry (born in 1820).
	+3	ii.	Elvira Perry.
	+4	iii.	Thomas McClintock Perry (born on April 4, 1829). [see photo at left!]
	+5	iv.	Phoebe Perry (born in 1830).
	+6	v.	Andrew "Andy" Perry (born after 1820).
	+7	vi.	Unknown Daughter Perry (born before 1820).

SECOND GENERATION

2. Sara Margaret Perry (Thomas 2-1) was born in 1820.³ She died in 1899.³

William Baird (son of Thomas Baird Esq. and Martha McKee) was born in 1813.⁴ He was a member of the United Presbyterian Church of Clintonville. He died in 1875. He resided in West Virginia.

3. Elvira Perry (Thomas 2-1).

She was married to Solomon Thorn (son of George Thorn and Catherine Barnhart) on February 1, 1849 in Scrubgrass Presbyterian Church.⁵ Solomon Thorn was born on November 23, 1823 in Barnhart Mills, Butler, Pennsylvania.⁶ He resided near Clintonville, PA. He was a hotel keeper in Clintonville, Venango Co., PA.⁶ "In 1866 he purchased the hotel in Clintonville and ran that establishment for 16 yrs."

They were parents of 8 children, 3 of whom were: William N., b.19 July 1853, m. Olive OSBORN, d/o James Osborn; Harry; Emma, m. S.C. FRYE. He was buried in Stone Church, Venango Co., PA. Elvira Perry and Solomon Thorn had the following children:

+9	i.	William Nelson Thorn (born on July 9, 1853).
+10	ii.	Emma M. Thorn.
+11	iii.	Harry B. Thorn (born in 1866).
+12	iv.	Fred B. Thorn.

4. Thomas McClintock Perry (Thomas 2-1) was born on April 4, 1829 in Scrubgrass Twp., Venango Co. Pennsylvania in 1804. He resided in 1866 in Emlenton. [Email from George Teslik dated Dec. 2001.] He died in 1886. Scrubgrass Presbyterian Church Records list his date of death as 1886. He was the father of eight children according to the History of Venango County. He was mentioned in the records of the Scrubgrass Presbyterian Church. He entered the Scrubgrass Presbyterian Church, Crawford's Corners, Venango County, PA by exam on 2/6/1857.

He was married to Tirziah Jane Morrison on January 11, 1853.⁷ Mentioned in the records of the Scrubgrass Presbyterian Church. She entered the Scrubgrass Presbyterian Church, Crawford's Corners, Venango County, PA by exam on 2/6/1857. Tirziah Jane Morrison was born about 1828.¹ She died in 1913 in Venango Co., PA.⁴ Thomas McClintock Perry and Tirziah Jane Morrison had the following children:

13	i.	Mary Ester Perry was baptized on November 15, 1858 in Scrubgrass Presbyterian Church.7
14	ii.	Alice Jane Perry was baptized on November 15, 1858 in Scrubgrass Presbyterian Church.7
15	iii.	Cassius Calvin Perry was baptized on November 15, 1858 in Scrubgrass Presbyterian Church.7
16	iv.	Hannah Leola Perry was baptized on November 15, 1858 in Scrubgrass Presbyterian Church.7
17	v.	Elizabeth Ermelda Perry was baptized on June 19, 1865 in Scrubgrass Presbyterian Church.7
18	vi.	Carrie Perry was baptized on October 17, 1870 in Scrubgrass Presbyterian Church.7
+19	vii.	Theodore M. (Thad) Perry.
20	viii.	Sarah Maude Perry was baptized on October 17, 1870 in Scrubgrass Presbyterian Church.7

5. Phoebe Perry (Thomas 2-1) was born in 1830.

Benton Layton resided near Stone Church in Venango County, PA.

6. Andrew "Andy" Perry (Thomas 2-1) was born after 1820. He died before the 1880 census. He was mentioned in the records of the Scrubgrass Presbyterian Church. He resided at Wicks Station near Keisters Corners.³

Unknown (Matilda?) Criswell (daughter of Unknown Criswell) was born about 1821.⁸ She was possibly the daughter of James Criswell of Clinton Township. (NB James Criswell of Clinton Township had a son, Ross.) The Unknown Criswell had a sister who married Charles Pollack, Jr.

Andrew "Andy" Perry and Unknown (Matilda?) Criswell had the following children:

21	i.	Olive J. Perry was born about 1859.8 She appeared on the census in 1880.8 She resided Grove City, PA.3
+22	ii.	R. Criswell Perry (born on January 29, 1852).
23	iii.	Ross R. Perry was born in 1864.8,9 He appeared on the census in 1880.8 Listed as living in Dwelling8 with R. Criswell Perry and family. He died in 1902.9

7. Unknown Daughter Perry (Thomas 2-1) was born before 1820.¹⁰ She was married three times.³

THIRD GENERATION

9. William Nelson Thorn (Elvira Perry-2, Thomas 2-1) was born on July 9, 1853 in Butler County, Pennsylvania.⁶ He died on August 5, 1911 in Clintonville, Venango Co., PA. He was an innkeeper at the Clinton House. "He conducted the Clintonville Hotel until it was burned down a short time ago and had a large acquaintance in the two counties."--Peggy Durand. He resided in Fairview Borough, Butler Co., PA.¹⁶

He was married to Olive A. Osborn (daughter of William Osborn and Nancy Porter) on June 25, 1884.⁵ William Nelson Thorn and Olive A. Osborn had the following children:

30	i.	Esther Thorn.
31	ii.	Thomas Thorn.
32	iii.	Lewis Thorn.
33	iv.	Cora Thorn.
34	v.	Roscoe Thorn.

10. Emma M. Thorn¹⁷ (Elvira Perry-2, Thomas 2-1)

She was married to S. C. Frye.

11. Harry B. Thorn (Elvira Perry-2, Thomas 2-1) was born in 1866.¹⁸ He died on March 4, 1949.¹⁸

He was married to Della M. Hovis in 1892.¹⁸ Della M. Hovis was born on March 16, 1868 in Venango, Pa.¹⁸ She died in 1953.¹⁸

12. Fred B. Thorn (Elvira Perry-2, Thomas 2-1).

Fred B. Thorn had the following children:

35

i.

Fred W. Thorn was born about 1878.19 Living at age 32 with his uncle, William N. Thorn, in Venango County.

19. Theodore M. (Thad) Perry (Thomas McClintock-2, Thomas 2-1) was baptized on May 22, 1864 in Scrubgrass Presbyterian Church.⁷

Lucille Scott was a song writer. Theodore M. (Thad) Perry and Lucille Scott had the following children:

+36

i.

Ralph Guy Perry (born in 1900).

22. R. Criswell Perry (Andrew "Andy"-2, Thomas 2-1) was born on January 29, 1852.^8,9,6 He was buried on September 15, 1917.⁴ Scrubgrass Presbyterian Church Burial Certificate as cited by Nancy Scott. He was a farmer. There is a servant, Hattie McMillan (age 11), living with the family in 1880.

He was married to Nancy Unknown on October 25, 1877. Nancy Unknown⁸ was born about 1855. R. Criswell Perry and Nancy Unknown had the following children:

37	i.	Charley R. Perry was born about 1878 or 1879.8
38	ii.	Mary 2 Perry was born in 1880.8

FOURTH GENERATION

36. Ralph Guy Perry (Theodore M. (Thad)-3, Thomas McClintock-2, Thomas 2-1) was born in 1900. Email from George Teslik in Dec. 2001. [George has since provided further information on Ralph Guy Perry and family.]

Ralph Guy Perry and Unknown had the following children:

+43

i.

Grace Perry.

FIFTH GENERATION

43. Grace Perry (Ralph Guy-4, Theodore M. (Thad)-3, Thomas McClintock-2, Thomas 2-1).

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SOURCES

^1. 1850 US Census.
^2. karenann@ismi.net.
^3. Virgil Perry. Information from Virgil Perry passed to me through Nancy Scott.
^4. Nancy Scott. Perry Family Researcher. Nancy's list is a compliation of information from both Virgil Perry and Glenn Atwell. nrscott@prairienet.org.
^5. Durand Family. suzaner@aol.com Peggy Durand.
^6. Internet Source: [History of Venango County, Herbert C. Bell, Chicago, Brown, Runk & Co. 1890.]
^7. Marilyn Quigley Gerhold. History and Vital Records of the Scrubgrass Presbyterian Church, Crawfords's Corners, Venango County, PA. Copyright 1992.
^8. 1880 US Census.
^9. Tombstone.
^10. 1820 US Census.
^12. 1870 Federal Census.
^13. 1880 Census - PA.
^14. History of Venango County[, Herbert C. Bell, Chicago, Brown, Runk & Co. 1890.]
^15. 1840 Federal Census.
^16. 1860 US Census.
^17. GEDCOM file imported on 30 Nov 2001. This is the Thorn family tree by Peggy Durand. See ⁵.
^18. Albert Blank. Blank Family Tree, Beighley Connection. http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=blank&id=I3071.
^19. 1910 Census Miracode Index -PA. Ancestry.com.
^20. Sylvia M. Coast. Sylvia M. Coast, a descendant of Philip Ghost.
^21. William B. Rodenbaugh. BEIGHLEY, 1737-1934: Acorns from Colonial Oaks, Vol. I, 1934.
^22. Bob Hoffman. Internet Source: http://edweb.sdsu.edu/people/rhoffman/.
^23. Judith Gray. A McGill ancestor.
^24. Nancy Cleare. Letter from Nancy Cleare dated Sept. 22, 2001.
^25. Social Security Death Index.
^26. Record in the Public Library New York City.
^27. History of Venango County 1890.
^28. Harry L. Hutchinson. Excerpted from a family history compiled by Harry L. Hutchinson, great-great-great grandson of Johan Conrad Buchli, son of Johan Buehl, and confirmed against genealogy prepared by William Brown Redenbaugh.

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Please don't believe the above information as absolute truth. I am working to verify all my facts, and reconstruct a geographic connection between the families.

Please let me know if you can correct or augment any of the information above.

In Oct 2004, Mary came up with some additional information on Thomas' grandson Calvin Cassius' (or is it Cassius Calvin's?) family:

Scrips and Scraps: Scrapbook Abstracts - Venango County and Surrounding Areas page 518. - Calvin C. Perry died Sisterville, WV
Son of Thomas Perry, b Nov. 28, 1857 being in his 52nd year. Mother, brother Theodore Perry and sisters survive.

On an index card in the obituary listings of Franklin Library:
Calvin C. Perry, formerly a resident of Venango County, died at Sisterville, West Virgina on Monday, March 1st. Services at Emlenton. Interment in Emlenton Cemetery. Son of Thomas Perry, born 11/28/1857. Aged 52 years. Leaves mother, one brother (Theodore Perry of Pittsburg), and 5 sisters. March 9, 1909 is the obit notice.

Thank you, Mary, for sharing your research with us. As Mary suggests, "Please add a note that the information is preliminary, and that corrections are welcomed." That is true, in varying degrees, of everything you might see in this Carey family album! Mary, and the rest of us, would be especially interested in seeing any evidence for, or against, Eliza Perry's connections to our Perry family.

In July 2006, Mary sent us the fine vintage photo of Thomas McClintock Perry which appears next to his entry in the e-mail above.

Nancy Scott sent us the following compilation of Thomas Perry's appearances in the United States census records:

Thomas Perry (son of Thomas,² brother of Moses) PA. born c1782 New York using 1850 census as base. Wife Mary born 1793 also using 1850 census as base.

• 1810 Census PA Venango County Thomas Perry 1m 26-44, 1f -10, and 2f 16-25.
• 1820 Census PA Venango Co. Thomas Perry 1m -10, 1m 25-45, 4f -10, and 1f 26-45. (That means Eliza who was born in 1817 could have been part of this family but not the unknown daughter who married three times--once to a Lee. note from Mary Pierotti)
• 1830 Census PA Venango Co. Thomas Perry 2m -10, 1m 20-30, 1m 40-50, 1f 5-10, 2f 10-15, 2f 15-20, 1f 40-50.
• 1840 Census PA Venango Co. 2m 10-15, 1m 40-50 (too young for Thomas), 1f 5-10, 1f 10-50.
• 1850 Census PA, Venango Co., Scrubgrass Twp: Thomas Perry 68 m farmer 1000 value real estate born New York, head of household, plus Mary 57 born PA, Thos. M. 22, Phebe 20.

George and Grace Teslik provided the following information in October 2005:

Ralph Guy Perry (+36 above) married Freda Wilhelmina Steuler. They had 6 children:

• Ralph Guy Perry
• Elizabeth Jane Perry
• May Ruth Perry
• Grace Steuler Perry
• Janet Perry
• Joan Perry

The Steulers are from Hör-Grenzhausen, Germany. Steuler Industries is a major German corporation, starting as a ceramic factory in 1890 and evolving into a modern factory employing about 1100 people. It has expanded into water treatment plants, sewage disposal plants etc.

Grace's grandfather, John Steuler, came to the USA at age 14. He was an apprentice for a while and finally went into the roofing and hardware business, and later started a bank.