The Perkins Family
This family is of Puritan stock, descending from the William Perkins, who was one of �the five men� in 1635, who were elected selectmen, to govern the town affairs of Roxbury, Massachusetts Bay Colony, in its earliest years. Thomas Lambe was the chairman of this committee.
Zebediah Perkins was born in New Millford, in the Connecticut Valley.
He was married to Lucy Story, from Vermont.
_____ Perkins, son of Zebediah Perkins and Lucy Story, was born in 1819, in New Millford, Connecticut Valley.
He was married at age 19, about 1839, to Catherine Williams, also of the Connecticut Valley. Catherine died about 1856.
He was married again about 1862/3, to Della ___, moved to Illinois, then to Kansas in the early 1870�s.
Children:
William Perkins, son of _____ Perkins and Catherine Williams, was born in 1851, probably in Millford, Connecticut Valley, and died in 1923.
He was married to Berta Ardella Wentz, who was born in 1859. The family moved to the Dakota Territory in 1887, before it became a state in 1889, living for some years in Hurley, and Parker for 5 years. Neither town appears on today�s maps.
In the fall of 1898, they returned to Spearville, Kansas. Bertha Ardella died in 1903; William died in 1923, both probably in Spearville, Kansas.
Children:
Herbert Ansel Perkins, son of William Perkins and Ardell Wentz, was born 7 June 1885, in Spearville, Ford County, Kansas. He was a painter, by profession.
He was married 14 August 1906, in Spearville, to Cora Grace Elmore, who was born in April 1892 in Missouri, daughter of Philander (Mac) Elmore and Katherine ___.
Cora died in April 1915, and was buried at Spearville. Her tombstone, which is in error, says �1890-1916.� Herbert died 15 November 1941, in Dodge City, Ford County, Kansas, and was buried in Maple Grove Cemetery, in Dodge City. All the children were born in Spearville.
Children:
Copy of Letter by Mrs. Emma Perkins Ditto
�Salem, Oregon, March 1968
�Dear Cousin,
�The Perkins and Williams families came over to America during the early days of Massachusetts Colony - from England, or maybe from Wales. My grandpa, born 1819, told me that some of his ancestors came over on the Mayflower. Some of the families later moved to the Connecticut Valley. Here Zebediah Perkins was born, and he married Lucy Story from Vermont. My grandfather was born there. He was your great, grandfather. The Williams family also moved there. My grandfather married Catherine Williams when he was 19. It was here that my father and your grandfather were born. The town was New Millford - now disappeared and unknown, but was within a days drive from Scranton. Grandpa�s wife died when my father was about nine, and Will was likely about 5.
�He married again about 1862, or 63, moved to Illinois, where they lived for some years, then to Kansas in early 1870�s, her name Della, lived in Kansas until 1886, then to Dakota Territory (1887), no north or south then, it was divided in 1889. They arrived there in a prairie schooner at our place with two little boys and a baby girl who was later your Aunt Emma. Their address was Hurley, a number of years, and later Parker for 5 years. Ora, Guy, Lee, and Frank were born in Dakota. Ora was a blue baby and could never play like other children. She passed away just as they were getting ready to go to Kansas, the fall of 1898. I have been told that Uncle Will bought the place they lived on before he left Kansas.�