• General Notes

  From Susan Perry, March 27, 2003:
  
  I located a xerox copy of the article in the Martinsville, Indiana (Morgan County Library) genealogy file cabinet - "Perry" folder.  On the bottom of the cut out xerox copy is a handwritten date: Dec. 14, 1936.  The headlines read:
  "Mrs. Rachel Perry Nearing Century Mark. 
  Indianapolis women, born in Green township (Indiana), will  celebrate hundredth birthday Wednesday. 
  Birthday Dinner Has Been Planned. 
  The Indianapolis Star of Sunday contained the following that will be of interest to many Morgan County persons." 
  
  "Nearly one hundred years ago, in a humble log cabin in Green township of Morgan County, Mrs. Rachel Perry, 728 North Emerson Ave, was born.............Mrs. Perry's father was a Methodist minister of English descent and her grandmother, she says, was a cousin of George Washington. 
  Schools in the days of Mrs. Perry's childhood were often great distances from home and consequently only the boys were allowed to go, while the sisters obtained their education at home.  Mrs. Perry's mother wove clothes for the family of ten and Mrs. Perry's first shoes were made from cloth by her mother.  Mrs. Perry was married to Elzy M. Perry, Sept. 27, 1885"
  (You show 1855 so I don't know if paper made error or what as I don't have other evidence yet of her marriage date). 
  The article continues about her life and mentions her children and that she walks about the house and yard without assistance and makes her bed every day.  However, unable to read fine print and does not wear glasses but reads her bible and newspaper headlines regularly.  Her only infirmity is deafness and that she has never voted.  "
  Mrs. Perry is the second oldest child in her family with the death two years ago of a brother, Richard who lived in a log house in Morgan County, within two miles of his birth place."
  This would be correct as I also have Richard's obituary; age 88 years died ( Sept. 1934) at his home east of this city on rural route 1....the deceased is survived by three sons, Elza, James and Herman Perry of Johnson County and a sister Rachel Perry of Indianapolis.
  I also have the obituary of my 3rd great grandfather; Thomas Perry  Born: 1850 Died: Dec 1926...survived by one sister Rachel Perry of Indianapolis and one brother Richard A. Perry)  "She is now the last surviving member of the large family.  She is unable to remember even a cousin who might be living."
  
  NOTE: I also have other sources that refer to the same Miss Rachel Perry married to Elzy Perry.
  
  With the possibility that Rachel's mother Elizabeth Thompson's line  could be the grandmother that Rachel is referring to......  I believe that Elizabeth's parents were John Wesley Thompson (B: 1786 NC and died in Morgan Co. before 1859) and wife was Mary Elizabeth Nichols died before 1843.  Rachel could also be referring to her father's mother Mrs. Rebecca (Pierce) Perry.  Would be interesting to discover when Rebecca (Pierce) Perry died.  As I wonder if Rachel heard from this from her parents or actual living Grandmother or other family member.
  
  I have discovered the name of Pierce in Washington's family tree.  However, have still not discovered the connection.  I am starting to think it may be her grandmother was a cousin by marriage through the Washington genealogy line.  Have not yet researched if Nichols is in Washington's family tree....as this name is a recent new source.
  Hope to hear from you in the future.
  Susan Perry
  PrrySus@@aol.com
  
  The newspaper article reads  (Dec.  14, 1936) :
  
  "Mrs. Perry was married to Elzy M. Perry, Sept. 27, 1885 (This year is not
  correct) in Morgan County.  Mr. Perry died April 12, 1914.  The couple came
  to Marion County when her daughter, Mrs. Mary A. Kerkhoff, with whom she
  lives, was of school age.  They settled on a farm near Glinns Valley in 1885,
  Mrs. Kerkhoff was born four miles south of Waverley on what is now the Dixie
  highway.
  
  The Perry's had three children, two of whom are still living, Mrs. Kerkhoff
  and her brother William C. Perry, 80 years old, 2824 Spann Avenue.  Another
  daughter, Mrs. Elizabeth J. Stephenson of Pueblo, Col., died in August.
  
  Mrs. Perry has lived with Mrs. Kerkhoff at the Emerson Avenue address since
  the death of her husband.  She has been a member of the Methodist church in
  Morgan County eighty-eight years."

Details of Rachel's family with Elzy Mitchell Perry