Perry, Howard Wolcott 1835-1921

PERRY, JOHNSTON, SANFORD, WOLCOTT

Posted By: Linda Linn (email)
Date: 1/7/2012 at 11:16:00

Humboldt Independent
2-17-1921

Howard Wolcott Perry.
Howard Wolcott Perry, born at Springfield, Illinois, July 8th, 1835, was the only son of Colonel Carlton H. Perry and Elizabeth Wolcott Perry. The family became early residents of Keokuk, Iowa.

Carlton H. Perry was a prominent and enterprising man in Southeastern Iowa, in early days. He was a
leader in the liberal religious thought in Keokuk and one of the founders in that city of the oldest Unitarian church in Iowa. He was engaged in large business projects and was one of three or four men of his city who organized a company and built a railroad running northwesterly from Keokuk in Iowa. In connection with this enterprise those railroad builders, as was customary in the early days, received concession of public lands from the government. The lands assigned them were located in Humboldt and a number of neighboring counties. This son, Howard, helped to select his father's share in these lands. One of the tracts selected, embracing nearly all of section thirteen in Rutland township, was transferred to this son as his own farm. Sometime in the into seventies he built upon this farm and otherwise improved and cultivated it and made a home for himself and family thereon. This continued the family home until about 1897 when failing health suggested retirement, from the farm, and two hundred forty acres of the land was sold, and a residence property acquired in Humboldt which has since been the well known Perry home.

In 1871 Mr. Perry was married to Miss Kate E. Johnston of Mount Zion, Iowa, who was his faithful helpmeet until her death in 1906. From this time he remained a widower to the end of his days. A young and promising son, Carlton Perry, was also taken by death In the early years of their life in Humboldt. Three daughters, Maud, Josephine and Elizabeth Wolcott became the housekeepers and with their father constituted, the family to which, later, was added an adopted son familiarly known both by his real name, Ben Sanford, and by the one more familiar, perhaps, Holly Perry.

After finishing high school the daughters found employment in important positions in town, save the eldest one Miss Maud, who has ever remained the faithful homekeeper. Miss Josephine has for a considerable number of years been assistant to the Postmaster of the town and since the retirement of Postmaster Ray has been the acting Postmistress. Miss Elizabeth, after several years service in the post office became deputy county treasurer, a position which she still retains.

Mr. Perry failed in health gradually for a number of years and a few weeks ago added to his already serious infirmities by a fall resulting in a broken hip which confined him to his bed until he was on Tuesday, February 8th, released from all his earthly afflictions. His funeral was held from the home on the afternoon of Thursday, Rev. Fleming Mobbs, minister of the Unitarian Church, officiating.

Mr. Perry was a man of well defined convictions which he did not hesitate to make known, as occasion offered, and often in emphatic terms, in his religious views he was a liberal of the radical type and always ready to discuss questions pertaining to his views. He was an ardent admirer of Thomas Paine and student of his writings in which he became a firm believer. A very obstinate deafness denied him the privilege of taking much part in conversation but he read a great deal and was well informed upon the topics of the day. Ho was one of the valiant sons of the Republic, now few and rapidly decreasing in number, who served in the Civil war. It is an unusual coincident that both he and his father served in the same company. The father was colonel of the Third Regiment of Iowa Cavalry and the son a private in Company H the same regiment.

Aside from the daughters above named and the adopted son, he leaves surviving, his sister, Kathryn Wolcott Perry, whose name is well known in Humboldt county as owner of a considerable acreage of its farming land. This sister has been a woman of exceptional executive ability supervising and directing her own large financial affairs. Altho now eighty-three years of age, still keeps keenly abreast with the current affairs of the world and frequently crosses the ocean in journeys to and from her villa on the Island of Capri where she has spent most of her time for many years.

Gravestone Photo
 

Humboldt Obituaries maintained by Karen De Groote.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen