Frederick Clark Perry
Surnames: Arnold, Burleson, Howard, Purvis, Shelters, Spaulding
Regions: Herkimer and Ontario Co., NY; Beloit, Rock Co., WI
From The Portrait and Biographical Album of Rock County, Wis., publ, 1889 - page 267, 268
FREDERICK CLARK PERRY, one of the substantial and respected citizens of Beloit, was born in Victor, Ontario County, N.Y., on the 2d of July, 1814. His parents, James and Sally (ARNOLD) PERRY, were descended from old New England families, and became residents of the Empire State in 1780. James PERRY was a soldier of the War of 1812, and was wounded while engaged in the battle of Buffalo. He and his wife had a family of eight children, four sons and four daughters, six of whom lived to maturity: Sally, the eldest, married Jacob BURLESON, who settled at East Bloomfield, N.Y., where both died; Frederick C. is the next in order of birth; James is a resident of Michigan; Betsy is the wife of Francis YOUNG, of Hillsdale County, Mich.; Marietta became the wife of John SHELTERS, a resident of Michigan, where she died in 1878; Peter, the youngest resides near Benton Harbor, Mich. The death of Mr. PERRY occurred in 1830. Politically, he was a Democrat, and was always well informed on all matters of public interest. Mrs. PERRY, who was a sincere Christian woman and a most estimable lady, died in 1835.
Our subject passed the days of his childhood and youth in his native county, and his education was received at the district schools. Being the oldest son of the family, on the death of his father, the whole responsibility of caring and providing for his younger brothers and sisters fell upon him, but he nobly discharged his arduous duties. Times were hard and many a cord of wood has he cut and split for twenty-five cents per cord, butting from two to three cords per day. He was offered a position in a cooper's shop by a man who lived in the neighborhood, who agreed, as soon as he could make four barrels, which was a day's work, to pay him day wages. In three days after entering the service he had so far mastered the trade as to make the four barrels per day. This shows what a young man of energy and enterprise can accomplish when put to the test. In 1838 Mr. PERRY emigrated to the West, locating in Oakland County, Mich., where he engaged in business until 1840, when he removed to Commerce, where he followed his trade for six years.
In the month of November, 1842, he led to the marriage altar Miss Asenath HOWARD, a daughter of Cheney and Asenath HOWARD, of Herkimer County, N.Y. In November, of 1853, he came to Beloit, where he has since resided. The following year he erected the home in which he still resides, but which was at that time on the prairie, being surrounded by only a few house on the west side of the river. Five children were born of the union of Mr. and Mrs. PERRY, two sons and three daughters: Harriet, wife of Thomas PURVIS, a prominent business man of Beloit; Delia, a graduate of the Beloit Seminary; Albert, who was a soldier in the late Rebellion, in the 42d Wisconsin Infantry, and is a cooper in this city; Stella, wife of Alvin SPAULDING, of Albion, Neb.; and Fred, of Beloit. Mrs. PERRY, who was a most estimable lady and was loved by all who knew her, died in Beloit, in March, 1876. In his political sentiments, Mr. PERRY is a staunch supporter of the Republican party. In 1840 he voted for William Henry Harrison, and in 1888 cast his ballot for Benjamin Harrison, his grandson. For thirty-five years he has been identified with the history of Beloit, and his honorable, upright course through all these years has won him many friends, by whom he is held in high esteem.