John Perry

  General Notes:

JOHN4 PERRY (Elijah,3 John,2 Ezra1), born 26 July 1739, died in Sandwich, Mass., 11 May 1809, He married in Sandwich, 24 July 1763, BATHSHEBA GIBBS (Sandwich town records, vol. 1, p. 122; Thomas C. Perry's Note Book, p. 56), born there 29 Aug. 1740, daughter of Silvanus4 Gibbs (Benjamin,3 John,2 Thomas1) by his wife Bathsheba (? Pope).

The children: "Hannah, Silvanus, John, Martha, Barsheba & Elijah of John & Barsheba Perry" were baptized together 23 Nov. 1777 in the Sandwich Church and the daughter Deliverance Perry was baptized there 13 June following. This church record is useful in the identification of this particular John Perry since, during the last quarter of the eighteenth century there were no less than five contemporary men in Sandwich named John Perry. This John Perry was called "Miller John." He learned the trade of miller with his father for whom he operated the grist mill (supra) on Little Mill Pond, which he leased from his father in 1773. He built his home on a knoll north of the Little Mill Pond. His father's will gives him real estate including the paternal homestead which is still standing, and which he gave to his son Elijah (vide post). In 1794 he owned pew No. 6 (presumably the one he received by his father's will) and contributed $39½ to the Congregational Church.

The will of "Miller John" Perry was dated 12 Feb. 1805. He gives to his wife "Barsheba" one-third of his real estate, livestock and the use of all household goods for life. To his daughters: "Hannah Bourne, Barsheba Perry" and "Deliverance Bourne" he makes bequests and directs that at their mother's death all household goods are to be equally divided among them. He gives to his son Silvanus Perry one-third of the real estate, including the house that Silvanus lives in and the barn and one-third of the wearing apparel; one-half the "pew in Monument Meeting House," etc. To his son Elijah he gives one-third the real estate, including the testator's house and barn, with reservation of the widow's life tenure. He gives to his two grandsons, Henry and Allen Bourne, sons of his daughter Martha (Perry) Bourne, to his two grandsons Prince and Freeman Allen Perry, sons of his "son John Perry, deceased." He directs these last named two grandsons to pay a legacy of $30 each to their sisters, Lydia, Martha and Mary Perry. The sons Elijah and Silvanus Perry are named co-executors. Witnesses: Elisha Perry (evidently "Squire" Elisha5 Perry, son of Timothy), Ellis Perry (this is Capt. Ellis Perry, son of Timothy4) and Daniel Perry, his nephew, son of Elijah4 Perry. Will proved in 1809 (Barnstable County Probate).
Thomas C. Perry gives this date of death for this John Perry. He states that this and other dates for this family group are taken from the "Miller John Perry's Family Bible in 1850." We do not find a date of death recorded in the Sandwich town or church records. The date of birth on the town records is shown as above, and this is confirmed by the church records, which show "John, bapt. 2 Sept. 1739, son of Elijah & Hannah Perry." Thomas C. Perry's Note Book gives the year, in error, as 1740. Again, the Sandwich town records record births of only the first two of "John & Bathsheba" Perry's children. But these two dates check precisely with the Note Book. All other dates check exactly, also, with contemporary sources.
[Ezra Perry of Sandwich, Mass. (c. 1625-1689), By Lydia B. (Phinney) Brownson, of Buzzard's Bay, Mass., and Maclean W. McLean, of Pittsburgh, Pa., NEHGS 115 (1960)]

This John Perry was known as "Miller John", and operated a grist mill on Little Pond, with his father. In 1794, he owned "Pew #6." [PERRY.TXT]

  Noted events in his life were:

• Census: John Perrey, 1790, Sandwich, Barnstable, MA. ³⁴⁴

• Will, 12 Feb 1805, Sandwich, Barnstable, MA. ^139,196

John married Bathsheba Gibbs, daughter of Silvanus Gibbs and Bathsheba Pope, on 24 Jul 1763 in Sandwich, Barnstable, MA ^70,139.^,314 (Bathsheba Gibbs was born on 24 Aug 1739 in Sandwich, Barnstable, MA ³¹⁴ and died after 13 Feb 1805 ³¹⁴.)