Joseph F. Perkins
PERKINS, CACKLEY, MAXWELL, EDWARDS, SEWELL, MEREDITH, NEALLY, HUNTER, MOHLER, HENRY, BOYER, BAIRD, VAN DORN, EVANS
Posted By: Volunteer - Rich Lowe
Date: 10/1/2001 at 12:18:43
(The following biographical sketch was prepared for publication in this paper by the Bonaparte Centennial Committee.)
Joseph F. Perkins was born in Pocahontas County, West Virginia, July 21, 1816, a son of Francis Traverse Perkins and Mary Anne Cackley, better known as "Granny Perkins." Joseph was one of nine children in a family of limited means, so started out to make his way in the world at the age of seventeen. He went first to Cincinnati, but because of the prevalence of cholera in the city at that time, traveled to Lima, Indiana, where he remained until 1836 when he came to Iowa. He made his claim on the south bank of the Des Moines river opposite the present town of Bonaparte. The log cabin home was erected a little east of where the last pier of the Des Moines river bridge now stands.
He was married to Eliza Maxwell in January of 1837, and they were the parents of two children, Joseph and Mary. The mother died Oct. 4, 1844. May became the wife of John Edwards and they were the parents of Leo Edwards. Joseph went to Ketchum, Idaho. He and his wife had one daughter, Josie McCoy.
In 1839 Mr. Perkins accompanied the large group of homesteaders who went to Burlington to the public auction of land and bid in his 63 acres at $1.25 per acre, paying for it with money he had earned working for William Meek at seventy-five cents per day. Then he purchased more land until he owned 333 acres which was valued at $30 per acre. He was a staunch Democrat and served in several official positions in the township. He was a breeder of thoroughbred horses, an auctioneer and also operated a ferry across the Des Moines river.
Joseph Perkins was married to Eliza Myers April 1, 1847, and to them seven children were born: Sarah, Robert, William H., Jane, James C., Ellen and Allen.
Robert died at the age of twenty-four. His wife was Samantha Sewell and their daughter, Cora, died in 1904.
William H. married Josephine Smith and three of their seven children now living are Otto R. Perkins of Bonaparte, Dorothy Perkins and H. R. Perkins of Orange, Calif. William died in 1936.
James C., who died in 1934, married Luella Meredith. Both of their children, Shirley, and Mrs. Gertrude Neally, are deceased.
Jane married Thomas Johnson and their children, Bart, and Mrs. Hallie Hunter are deceased.
Ellen was the wife of Noah Mohler and their children are Mrs. Lem Henry, Jr., of Bonaparte, and Joseph Mohler, who died a few years ago.
Allen was married to Belle Boyer and their son Bruce, died. Another son, Charles, lives in California. Allen later was married to Mrs. Bina Meredith. He died several years ago.
Sarah, the eldest, married Andrew Peterie of Van Buren county and they were the parents of Clyde N. Peterie and Mrs. T. B. Baird. Today at eighty-nine years of age it is a real pleasure to talk with her of early days. Her mind is clear and she has an amazing memory of many anecdotes connected with pioneer families. She says she and her six brothers and sisters were born in the log house and moved with their parents to the brick house which still stands south of town, east of highway 79. She does not know the exact date that they moved but it was in the early days of the Civil War. She remembers soldiers searching the house for firearms, in the absence of her father. One covered wagon that her father was ferrying across the Des Moines river proved to contain a runaway slave, so Mr. Perkins returned the load to the opposite bank and it was retuned back to the southern state from where it came.
Mrs. Peterie tells of Van Dorn and Evans families staying in their home, en route from California where they had gone during the gold rush. They were laden with bags of gold which they hid in the Perkin's home during their stay. Mrs. Van Dorn sold pies in the mining camp made from apple butter she had taken from Iowa with her, and they were eagerly bought.
Joseph Perkins was a member of the Masonic lodge and the I. O. O. F. He died in 1893, his wife having passed away in 1885.
--- written by Carribelle Perkins Donnelly
Source: Van Buren Record, 1937
Van Buren Biographies maintained by Rich Lowe.
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