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The death of
Amos Perry, which occurred in 1908 at his home in Edgewood,
was widely regretted, as he was a man of strict integrity and
marked public spirit. He was a resident of Delaware county for
fifty-four years, removing here when a young man of twenty years,
and was always heartily in sympathy with every measure for the
advancement of the common interests. He was born near Penn Yan,
Yates county, New York, on the 9th of April, 1834, a son of
Matthew H. Perry, who was born in Massachusetts in 1796. The
latter accompanied his parents to New York when a lad of ten
years and resided there until 1835, when he took his family to
Kane county, Illinois. The journey was made partly by boat, the
family going up the Illinois river to Joliet and thence to Kane
county, where they settled. The father was a farmer and
wagon-maker. He was of English descent and was related to
Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, who won fame in the War of 1812.
Matthew H. Perry passed away on the 1st of March, 1890, respected
by all who knew him. His wife was a native of Rhode Island, born
about 1797, and she passed away in 1876. In religious faith she
was a Freewill Baptist and the sincerity of her belief was
manifest in her daily life.
In the family were eleven children, six sons and five
daughters, of whom five of the sons entered the Union service
during the Civil war. Two died in the south during hostilities
and one lost an arm in the service.
Amos Perry was but a year old when he was taken by his
parents to Illinois. He grew to manhood in Kane county, that
state, but in 1854, when twenty years of age, came to this
county, settling on land on sections 33 and 34, Coffins Grove
township. He engaged in farming until the outbreak of the Civil
war, when lie enlisted in the Third Iowa Battery and served until
the close of hostilities. He then returned to this county and
devoted his time to the management of his affairs. He developed
his farm and brought the land to a high state of cultivation. He
held the respect of those who came in contact with him, the more
so as all that he accomplished for many years was done under a
great handicap, as for thirty years he was blind. He lost one eye
while serving in the army.
On the 17th of February, 1860, Mr. Perry was united in
marriage with Miss Violet E. Minkler, a daughter of Alanson and
Elizabeth (Minkler) Minkler. She was born in Erie county, Ohio,
on the 6th of June, 1844, and by her marriage she became the
mother of seven children: Mrs. Effie Tripp, Mrs. Edith Utley,
Mrs. Burch, Mrs. Hobbs, Mrs. Pogue, Willard and Ernest.
Mr. Perry passed away April 26, 1908, when
seventy-four years of age, and the funeral sermon was preached by
Elder Hubbell, who had known Mr. Perry well for a number of
years. The interment was made in the local cemetery. Mr. Perry
was constant in his support of the republican party, believing
that its policies are the most adequate to the needs of the
country. His honesty was never questioned and his interest in
civic affairs was great. His memory is still cherished by his
many friends and the good that he did still lives. |
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