Perry Township is finely situated, in the northern part of Pike County, is almost equally diversified with timber
and prairie land, much of the surface is rolling and traversed by small creeks, and besides being in high state
of cultivation it contains several fine Mineral springs. The first settlement and improvement was made by Mathew
Dale, on Section 32, in the year 1831. The same year another settlement and improvement was made by John Wilkinson,
on same Section. Among the early settlers were David Johnson, James H. Chenoworth, B. L. Mathews, Joseph King,
Charles Dorsey, in the year 1831. First white child born in Perry Township was N. T. Phillips, Esq. First marriage
was that of Capt. B. S. Mathews and Minerva Carrington, by Esq. Van Dusen. The first sermon was preached by Rev.
Delap about the same time. The first church was built in 1835 or 1836, by the Methodist denomination. First school
was taught by Miss Hannah French, and first school house was built in 1833, in the west part of the village of
Perry.
PERRY TWP. SUBSCRIBERS
|
NAME |
Residence |
Business |
Nativity |
When came to Co. |
| Akin, Augustus | Sec. 1 | Farmer | Tennessee | 1829 |
| Akin, James | Sec. 11 | Farmer | Pike Co., IL | 1831 |
| Arnett, T. C. | Sec. 12 | Farmer | Green Co., IL | 1837 |
| Ayres, Dr. Dana | Perry | Druggist | MA | 1836 |
| Baldwin, Alex | Sec. 21 | Painter | NY City | 1836 |
| Baldwin, D. P. | Perry | Grist Mill | NY City | 1868 |
| Bond, Williamson | Sec. 36 | Farmer | Pike Co., IL | 1837 |
| Bradbury, J. M. | Perry | Cooper | Ohio | 1854 |
| Brown, J. W. | Sec. 21 | Farmer | Ohio | 1849 |
| Browning, C. T. | Sec. 21 | Farmer | Kentucky | 1833 |
| Browning, J. M. | Sec. 16 | Farmer | Pike Co., IL | 1834 |
| Calhoun, William | Sec. 12 | Farmer | Tennessee | 1835 |
| Campbell, John | Perry | Carpenter | Pike Co., IL | 1847 |
| Cleveland, J. K. | Perry | Merchant | Connecticut | 1836 |
| Coupland, James | Sec. 16 | Farmer | Scotland | 1836 |
| Curfman, Simeon | Sec. 32 | Farmer | PA | 1856 |
| Dorsey, Alex. | Sec. 21 | Farmer | Tennessee | 1828 |
| Dorsey, B. F. | Sec. 22 | Farmer | Pike Co., IL | 1832 |
| Dorsey, John S. | Perry | Farmer | Pike Co., IL | 1830 |
| Dunn, Harvey | Perry | Physician | Ohio | 1839 |
| Durbin, B. | Sec. 23 | Carpenter | Maryland | 1862 |
| Fagin, S. T. | Perry | Hotel | Ohio | 1855 |
| Franklin, E. | Sec. 6 | Farmer | Pike Co., IL | 1827 |
| Gardner, John P. | Sec. 7 | Farmer | England | 1852 |
| Gentry, Caleb | Sec. 11 | Farmer | SC | 1840 |
| Gerard, L. | Sec. 23 | Farmer | Ohio | 1856 |
| Gorbet, Wm. H | Sec. 19 | Wagonmaker | New York | 1855 |
| Grimes, Jno., L | Sec. 5 | Farmer | Virginia | 1846 |
| Grote, F. C. | Perry | Shoemaker | Germany | 1856 |
| Ham, Clayborn | Sec. 36 | Farmer | Tennessee | 1830 |
| Harrington, Martin | Perry | Retired Farmer | MA | 1836 |
| Harris, R. F. | Perry | Physician & Surgeon | PA | 1869 |
| Hinman, A | Perry | Farmer | Kentucky | 1829 |
| Hobbs, Hinson | Sec. 35 | Farmer | Kentucky | 1832 |
| Hobbs, Wm. T | Sec. 34 | Farmer | Kentucky | 1832 |
| Hume, N. D. C. | Perry | Hardware | Kentucky | 1859 |
| Johns, James | Sec. 1 | Farmer | PA | 1837 |
| Johns, L. S. | Sec. 1 | Farmer | Pike Co., IL | 1845 |
| Johnson, John | Perry | Foundry, Machine Shop | Kentucky | 1861 |
| Johnston, D. | Perry | Merchant | Virginia | 1828 |
| Kallenback, Louis | Sec. 9 | Farmer | Cass Co., IL | 1852 |
| Kellogg, T | Perry | Hotel | New York | 1833 |
| Kimball, Charles | Sec. 6 | Farmer | Vermont | 1843 |
| King, H. M. | Perry | Groceries | Pike Co., IL | 1839 |
| Kirgan, Thomas | Sec. 32 | Farmer | Ireland | 1836 |
| Lidgard, William | Sec. 1 | Farmer | England | 1838 |
| Lipkaman, Frederick | Sec. 9 | Farmer | Germany | 1843 |
| Manton, William | Sec. 26 | Farmer | England | 1854 |
| Matthews, B. L. | Sec. 28 | Farmer | NC | 1825 |
| Mayo, J. H. | Perry | Builder | Illinois | native |
| Meisen, John | Perry | Blacksmith, W'gon M'kr | Prussia | 1857 |
| Metz, D. T. | Sec. 1 | Farmer | Kentucky | 1839 |
| Metz, G. S. | Sec. 13 | Farmer | Pike Co., IL | 1841 |
| Mull, Benj. | Sec. 19 | Farmer & Merchant | PA | 1848 |
| Norvell, W. B. | Sec. 14 | Farmer | Schuyler Co., IL | 1836 |
| Oak, Jesse | Perry | Grain & Lumber | New Jersey | 1858 |
| Philpot, John | Perry | Vineyard | England | 1841 |
| Pierce, Jimeson | Sec. 7 | Farmer | Schuyler Co., IL | 1852 |
| Reed, W. A. | Perry | Blacksmith | Ohio | 18-- |
| Reeves, E. R. | Sec. 19 | Farmer | Ohio | 1852 |
| Reynolds, D. B. | Sec. 34 | Farmer | Ohio | ....... |
| Reynolds, Thomas | Sec. 26 | Farmer | New York | 1843 |
| Rickard, D. S. | Perry | Merchant | Ohio | 1839 |
| Rush, E. J. | Sec. 30 | Farmer | Indiana | 1837 |
| Schaffuit, Martin | Sec. 4 | Farmer | Germany | 1847 |
| Shastid, Jon | Perry | Merchant | Tennessee | 1836 |
| Shoemaker, B. T. | Sec. 14 | ............ | ......... | ........ |
| Six, James | Sec. 6 | Farmer | Kentucky | 1843 |
| Smith, M | Perry | Merchant | Ohio | 1853 |
| Stewart, James | Sec. 2 | Farmer | Kentucky | 1841 |
| Sutton, Henry C. | Sec. 18 | Farmer | Pike Co., IL | 1847 |
| Taylor, Simon H. | Sec. 18 | Farmer | Virginia | 1833 |
| Thiele, William | Sec. 34 | Farmer | Germany | 1851 |
| Thornberry, Harvey | Sec. 10 | Farmer | PA | 1851 |
| Triplet, Milton | Sec. 19 | Farmer | Kentucky | 1830 |
| Vail & Bros. | Sec. 19 | Farmer | Ohio | 1843 |
| Watson, B. A. | Perry Springs | Hotel | Tennessee | 1865 |
| Whitaker, James | Sec. 2 | Farmer | New York | 1836 |
| Wilson, Henry | Sec. 28 | Farmer | England | 1855 |
| Wilson, W. H. | Sec. 32 | Farmer | London, England | 1855 |
| Witham, G. W. | Perry | Merchant | Ohio | 1855 |
| Zimmerman, Geo | Sec. 4 | Farmer | Germany | 1837 |