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Perry is the smallest township in the county. It occupies the northeast corner of the county and embraces that part of congressional township 77, range 21, lying north of the Des Moines River. On the north it is bounded by Jasper County; on the east by Red Rock Township; on the south by the Des Moines River, which separates it from Swam Township, and on the west by Polk County. Its area is about twelve square miles.
This is one of the original ten civil townships established by the county commissioners on January 6, 1847, when it was erected under the name of "Cincinnati Township. The only record that shows how the name was changed is the erasure of the word Cincinnati in the commissioners' minute book and the word Perry written above. It is said, however, the name Perry was adopted, soon after the township was organized, in honor of Commander Perry, who won the decisive naval battle on Lake Erie in the War of 1812.
As originally created, the township included all of township 77, range 21, embracing, in addition to the present Township of Perry, all of Swan Township. The early elections were held north of the river and the great flood of 1851 caused some dissatisfaction among the settlers in the southern part and in 1852 Perry was reduced to its present size.
The surface is generally somewhat hilly, except in the bottom lands along the river, and was originally covered with a growth of timber. Coal deposits are found along the Des Moines River, but the mines have not been developed to any extent, except at Morgan |p, 117| Valley, on the Wabash Railroad, where the Wild Rose Company formerly operated large mines, now exhausted.
Perry is situated west of the old Indian boundary line and was not subject to settlement until the fall of 1845. In that year the following persons located claims: Joshua Lindsey, Robert Allison, Mordecai Yearns, Daniel Kyger, Asa Hughes, Charles Owen, Alfred Vertrice and Hezekiah Jay. (The last name appears in some of the early histories of Marion County as "Gay," but in Book A, page 66, in the county recorder's office, the name is written "Jay" in connection with the founding of the Town of Perryville.) In 1846 came Thomas Carr, William Hughes, Joseph McWilliams, William Gregory, Samuel Waterman, Peter Braus and his two sons--James M. and Benjamin.
In the establishment of election precincts, on March 2, 1846, all that part of the county "west of the old Indian boundary and north of the Des Moines River," was made the Gopher Prairie Precinct, with the voting place at the house of Asa Hughes. When Cincinnati Township (now Perry) was erected the following January it was ordered that the first election should be held at the house of William Markly. Mr. Markly lived south of the Des Moines River, in which is now Swan Township. The first township officers were: Asa Hughes, Joshua Lindsey and Harrison Freel, trustees; Daniel Kyger and Hezekiah Gay (or Jay), justices of the peace; James M. Brau, clerk; Joshua Lindsey and James M. Braus, constables.
Among the pioneers was a family named Moon. It seems that Mrs. Moon had all the qualifications required by a woman of the frontier. One day, during her husband's absence, she learned that their young dogs had a deer at bay not far from the house. Taking a rifle, she started out to reconnoiter, and in order to see over the tops of the tall weeds climbed upon a log that lay over a stump and was elevated some distance from the ground. From this point of vantage she could see the deer plainly, only a short distance away, and taking deliberate aim fired. But just then she lost her balance and fell to the ground, before she had time to discover the effect of her shot. Fortunately she was not hurt, and she hurried forward to look for the game. She found the deer down, apparently dead, but when she she went a little closer to make sure the wounded and enraged animal offered combat, knocking her down and tearing off part of her clothing with its sharp hoofs. Mrs. Moon, though somewhat bruised, did not lose her presence of mind, but rolled under a log, where the infuriated deer could not reach her. Then emerging from the other side quickly reloaded the gun and shot the deer through the head, putting |p. 118| an end to its suffering and laying in a supply of venison for the family.
The first religious services in the township were conducted by a Methodist minister named Kline. The first school was taught by Miss Patience Drouillard at her residence in 1850, with from fifteen to twenty scholars in attendance. James M. Braus taught the second school and had about thirty scholars enrolled. The first regular schoolhouse, a hewed log structure, was built by William Cowman, at a cost of about one hundred dollars. In 1914 there were four school districts, in which six teachers were employed and 106 pupils were enrolled.
Perry, being the smallest of the townships, is naturally the lowest in wealth and population. The United States census for 1910 gives the population as 351, and the assessed value of taxable property in 1913 was $365,336.
The Wabash Railroad runs through the township, following in a general way the course of the Des Moines River. Percy and Morgan Valley are the railroad stations. At the latter place the railroad company has a short spur to some coal mines north of the village.