Father: Timothy Perkins, Sr.
Mother: Miriam Sperry

Spouse-1:  Nancy Ann Creekmore? - b: ~1775 - VA
  d:  ~1830 - KY - bur: Jellico Creek Cem., Whitley Co.

Child-1: Solomon
          2: Timothy
          3: Jesse Alvin
          4: Lucy - b: !0/Apr//1792 - Wythe Co., VA
                         d: 22/Aug/1851 - bur: Liggett Cem., Livingston Co., MO
                        m: Nathan Coxe - 21/Jul/1812 - Knox Co., KY
          5: Amy - b: 7/Aug/1794 - Grayson Co., VA
                        d: 1/Aug/1862 - Whitley Co., KY - bur: Redbird Cem.
                       m: Harrison White - 30/Nov/1815 - Knox Co., KY
          6: Sarah (Patty) - b: 1795 - Grayson Co., VA
                                     d: 1835 - Bureau Co., IL
                                    m: Joseph Screech
          7: Jabez, Jr.
          8: William
          9: Nancy - b: 1803 - Grayson Co., VA
                           d:  ~1860 - Wayne Co., TN
                          m: Dempsey E. White - 24/Jan/1819 - Whitley Co., KY

Spouse-2: Nancy White - b:  ~1795
  d:  ~1845 - KY - bur: Jellico Creek Cem., Whitley Co.
  m: 27/Dec/1835 - Whitley Co., KY

Biographical Details:

It is generally believed that Jabez Perkins was born at or near New Haven, Connecticut, on November 6, 1766, and was the third son of Timothy, Sr., and Miriam Sperry Perkins.  Furthermore, it is known that the extended Perkins-Sperry family had migrated to northwestern North Carolina by 1772 or shortly thereafter and probably settled in what was then either Rowan or Surry County.  There is good evidence that his father, Timothy Perkins, Sr., was a loyalist, i.e., Tory, during the Revolutionary War.  Moreover, it is very likely that Timothy, Sr., died (or was killed) before 1784 since in that or the previous year, George Morris was appointed in Wilkes County, North Carolina, as guardian for "Gebas" (viz., Jabez) Perkins.¹  (Wilkes County was formed in 1777 from Surry County and the District of Washington, both of which had been formed from Rowan County in 1770 and 1776, respectively.)  Within this context, it is probable that Jabez married in Wilkes County at about this time, i.e., 1784.  Many researchers identify his wife as Nancy Ann Creekmore; however, this assertion is not beyond dispute.  In particular, Mr. Steven C. Perkins, who has extensively researched the Perkins and Creekmore families, has reached the conclusion that no convincing evidence has yet been found in support of  her existence as a member of the Creekmore family; hence the identity of the wife of Jabez Perkins should be properly regarded as unknown.  It is believed that Jabez Perkins and his wife left North Carolina and settled just across the border in Virginia shortly after their marriage and, thus, it is probable that their son, Solomon, was born in this locality in 1784.  At this time, this region would have been part of Montgomery County.  (Additionally, there is evidence that several of Jabez Perkins' brothers together with his uncle, Joseph Perkins, Jr., also moved to the same locality either at about this same time or no more than a few years later.)  Nevertheless, in 1789 Jabish (sic - Jabez) Perkins was appointed in Wilkes County as an administrator of the estate of  his maternal uncle, William Sperry, which implies that, evidently, he remained in a close relationship with his relatives in North Carolina.  Even so, in 1793 "Jebish Pirkins" was assessed tax in Wythe County, Virginia, on one tithable, two horses, and no slaves.  Moreover, the list indicated that he was then resident in that part of Wythe County that was subsequently organized as Grayson County.  Accordingly, he was assessed tax in Grayson County, Virginia, on one tithable and three horses in 1800.  Likewise, "Jabes Purkins" was assessed tax in 1805 on two tithables and five horses.  The additional tithable almost certainly corresponds to one of his sons, i.e., Solomon, Timothy, or Jesse.  However, the name of Jabez Perkins did not appear on the land tax list of that year, which indicates that he was evidently not a land owner.  Even so, it appears that two or three of his brothers did own land in Grayson County and, hence, it is probable that they were all living in close proximity and farming together.  Nevertheless, there is evidence that in 1807 Jabez Perkins was party to a lawsuit against Elisha Blevins in Ashe County, North Carolina.  The details are not clear, but as with other members of the Perkins family, it is an indication that he had property or business interests in both Virginia and North Carolina irrespective of his place of residence.  Subsequently, "Javas" Perkins was called to serve on a grand jury in Grayson County in April of 1810, which indicted defendant, Gilbert Sexton, for murder.²
 
By all accounts, Jabez Perkins and his family moved to Knox County, Kentucky, about 1812 or 1813.  Again, according to the work of Steven C. Perkins, Jabez obtained a warrant on October 5, 1813, for survey of two hundred acres; however, the survey was not actually returned until August 24, 1821.³  Moreover, the corresponding land patent belongs to the "Tellico Patent Series", which covered lands in southeastern Kentucky ceded by the Cherokee Indian Nation under the terms of the 1805 Treaty of Tellico.  It is probable that this land parcel was located a few miles west to southwest of the present town of Williamsburg, Kentucky, along Jellico Creek.  Evidently, the sale price was ten cents per acre because on January 22, 1828, Jabez paid off his debt of twenty dollars for the full price of the parcel.  Moreover, as was usual practice on the frontier, it is clear that he actually occupied the land before the patent was granted since, he applied to the Whitley County Court for permission to build a grist mill on his own land, which was granted in November of 1820.⁴  Of course, Jabez was a farmer and on June 21, 1819, his cattle mark (a smooth crop and slit in each ear) had also been recognized by the county court.  Concomitantly, the household of Jabez Perkins appeared in the population schedule of the 1820 US Census for Whitley County and consisted of three individuals, viz., an adult male and adult female both older than forty-five years of age and a male between eighteen and twenty-six years.  Obviously, the older couple should be identified as Jabez and his wife themselves.  The younger male was probably their son, William, who did not marry until 1821.  Subsequently, Jabez Perkins was granted two more land patents in Kentucky, viz., for a fifty acre parcel located on or near Jellico Creek (survey of April 3, 1824) and for a parcel of one hundred and fifty acres located several miles to the northwest in the drainage of Eagle Creek (survey of July 9, 1826).⁵  The second parcel apparently straddled the Pulaski-Whitley County boundary.  (At present, as a consequence of formation of McCreary County in 1912, Whitley and Pulaski Counties no longer share a common border; however prior to that year they adjoined.)  Within this context, the household of "Jabus Pirkins" (i.e., Jabez Perkins) appeared in the population schedule of the 1830 US Census for Pulaski County, Kentucky, and consisted of only an older adult couple.  Even so, the age apparently recorded for Jabez was fifty to sixty years, which is too low since he should have been over sixty at this time; however, such errors in ages of older persons were not unusual in nineteenth century census records and this discrepancy should not be regarded as serious`.  Moreover, the location is consistent with his latest land patent.  Concomitantly, it is reported that "Jabeth" Perkins and his son, William,  migrated to north central Illinois in 1833.⁶  (Perhaps, after the death of Jabez' first wife, but this is only a speculation.)  Indeed, his son, Timothy, had moved to Illinois about 1828 and another son, Jesse Alvin, settled in Putnam, later Bureau County, Illinois, in 1833 or 1834.  This is further supported by a land patent issued in the name of Jabez Perkins on August 1, 1838, for eighty acres that had been purchased for cash on July 13, 1835.⁷  The location of this parcel is about eight and a half miles south to southeast of the present town of Princeton, Illinois, and two and a half miles west of the town of Hennepin.  Moreover, a consecutively numbered patent was issued in the name of William Perkins on the same date for purchase of another eighty acre parcel in the same section.  Even so, it is reported that William returned to Kentucky and although not definitively affirmed, it would seem that Jabez also returned.  Furthermore, this is consistent with the work of Steven C. Perkins, who asserts that Jabez Perkins married Nancy White on December 27, 1835, which was the same day that he made his last will and testament.⁸  The circumstances surrounding the marriage are unknown; however, this does imply that his first wife (reputed to have been Nancy Ann Creekmore) evidently died after 1830 since census records imply that she was probably still living in 1830.  The will of Jabez Perkins was probated in February of 1836, which means that Jabez had probably died a short time earlier, perhaps, in the month of January.  It has been reported that he was buried in the Jellico Creek Cemetery in Whitley County; however, there no longer seems to be any marker.  His second wife appears to have survived into the 1840's.

1. Eleanor Baker Reeves, A Factual History of Early Ashe County, North Carolina -- Its People, Places and Events, privately published, P. O. B. 286, West Jefferson, NC; printed by Taylor Pub. Co., Dallas, TX, 1986: pgs. 172-4.
     "(2) Jabez b 11/11/1766 Connecticut."  Other researchers state the birth date of Jabez Perkins as the sixth of November.  Perhaps, the eleventh corresponds to his baptism, but this remains undetermined.
     "In the Wilkes Co. N. C. will and estate book I found that in 1783 Geo Morris was appointed guardian for Gebas (Jabez) Perkins.  Jabez, a son of Timothy Sr, had been born in 1766.  So in 1783 he would have been a minor age 17.  The only reason for appointing a guardian in those days was to handle the interest a minor had in land, and he probably was an heir to his deceased father Timothy Sr."  Steven C. Perkins generally corroborates this account by Ms. Reeves, but states that the guardian was appointed in 1784 rather than 1783.  However, the date is of little importance within this context.
     "Another reason (for the guardianship) is suggested by the fact that Jabez was a minor when he married Nancy Ann Creekmore.  Now as then the marriage of minors must be approved by a parent.  If a parent is not living, it must be by a person in loco parentis - i.e. a guardian."  According to the common law prevailing at the time, an orphan was by definition a minor whose father had died, regardless of whether the mother was still alive.  Commonly, but not always, the widowed mother was appointed as guardian; however, if she remarried and, thus, came under the control of her new husband, an independent guardian might be appointed instead.
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2. "At a Superior Court begun and held for the County of Grayson on Tuesday the 3rd day of April 1810.
     Present, William Brockenbrough, Judge
     The following persons begin retained as Grand Jurors, to wit: Daniel Keith, foreman, Enoch Osborne, George Cornelias, Silas Peace, Charles Anthony, Robert Hill, James Atkins, William Bird, Samuel Bird, George Keith, Christopher Keith, Javas Perkins, Ebenezer Lundy, John Williams, Stephen South, John Isom, Jr., and George Ring, who being sworn received a charge from the court and retired to considered their presentments and after some time returned into court and presented a bill of indictment against Gilbert Sexton for murder, indorsed a true bill."  (Superior Court Order Bk., 1809-1832, Grayson Co., VA, pg. unk., Library of Virginia, Richmond, VA,  (microfilm: roll - City and County Records #28).  (Jeffrey Weaver (tr), New River Notes, www.newrivernotes.com/index.htm, 2015.))
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3. "Jabez Perkins received Knox Co. Circuit Court Certificate No. 160 for 200 acres of land on 5 Oct. 1813.  This is now called Tellico Grant No. 575.  It was surveyed on 24 August 1821 and was in the new county of Whitley on the Gelico River (Jellico Creek).  He paid off his mortgage for the full price of $20.00 to the Commonwealth of Kentucky on 22 January 1828."  Although it is implied here that the survey was authorized by a "certificate" from the Knox County Court, it is more likely that Jabez obtained a warrant from the Kentucky Land Office because the County Court Order Patent series did not begin until 1836.  (Steven Curtis Perkins, "Ancestry of Jabez Perkins, 1766-1836, of New Haven, CT., Ashe/Wilkes Co., NC, Grayson Co., VA, Bureau/Putnam Co., IL, and Knox/Whitley Co., KY", freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~scperkins/jabez.html, 1989-2001.)
     This grant can be further identified with the following entry compiled in the work of Jillson:
Kentucky Land (Tellico) Grant No. 575;  Grantee: Perkins, Labes (sic - Jabez); 200 acres; County: Whitley; Water Course: Jellico Cr.;  Survey Date: 24/Aug/1821: Grant Bk. 2, pg. 1.  (Willard Rouse Jillson, The Kentucky Land Grants - Vol. I, Part 1, Chap. V, Filson Club Pub., Louisville, KY, 1925: pg. 448.)
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4. "June Term, 1819  At a county Court holden for the boddy of Whitley County on Munday the 21st day of June 1819."
     "Ordered by the court that a smooth crop & slit in each year be established as the mark of Jabez Perkins."  (Minute Bk. 1, 1818-1822, Whitley Co., KY, pg. 59.)

"November Term, 1820  At a county court holden for the body of Whitley County on Monday the 20 day of November 1820."
     "Ordered by the court that Jabez Purkins Sr. be allowed to build a water Griss mill on his own land on the waters of Jellico river with in two years."  (ibid., pg. 115.)
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5. Kentucky Land Grant;  Grantee: Perkins, Jabiz; 50 acres; County: Whitley; Water Course: Gillico;  Survey Date: 3/Apr/1824: Grant Bk. S.  (Willard Rouse Jillson, The Kentucky Land Grants - Vol. I, Part 1, Chap. VI, Filson Club Pub., Louisville, KY, 1925: pg. 681.)

 Kentucky Land Grant;  Grantee: Perkins, Jabes; 150 acres; County: Pulaski & Whitley; Water Course: Eagle Cr.;  Survey Date: 9/Jul/1826: Grant Bk. V.  (ibid.)
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6. H. C. Bradsby (ed.), History of Bureau County, World Pub. Co., Chicago, IL, 1885: pg. 110.
     "Jabeth (sic - Jabez) Perkins and his son William came in 1833; but William returned to Kentucky."
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7. The United States of America; Certificate No. 1320;  To all to whom these presents shall come, Greeting: Whereas Jabez Perkins, of Putnam County, Illinois has deposited in the General Land Office of the United States, a Certificate of the Register of the Land Office at Galena whereby it appears that full payment has been made by the said Jabez Perkins according to the provisions of the Act of Congress of the 24th of April, 1820, entitled "An Act making further provision for the sale of Public Lands," for the East half of the North East quarter of Section thirty six, in Township fifteen, of Range nine East, in the District of lands subject to sale at Galena, Illinois, containing eighty acres according to the official plat of the survey of the said Lands, returned to the General Land Office by the Surveyor General, which said tract has been purchased by the said Jabez Perkins.
     Now Know Ye, That the United States of America, in consideration of the Premises, and in conformity with the several acts of Congress, in such case made and provided, Have Given and Granted, and by these presents Do Give And Grant, unto the said Jabez Perkins and to his heirs, the said tract above described: To Have And To Hold the same, together with all the rights, privileges, immunities, and appurtenances, of whatsoever nature, thereunto belonging, unto the said Jabez Perkins and to his heirs and assigns forever.
     In Testimony Whereof, I, Martin Van Buren, President Of The United States of America, have caused these Letters to be made Patent, and the Seal of the General Land Office to be hereunto affixed.  Given under my hand, at the City Of Washington, the first day of August in the Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight and of the Independence Of The United States the Sixty third.  By The President: Martin Van Buren; By M. Van Buren, Jr. Secretary; Jos. S. Wilson, Acting Recorder of the General Land Office ad interim  (US Land Patent Certificate No. 1320; IL, Vol. 428, pg. 209, Bureau of Land Management, Washington, DC, issued 1 Aug 1838.  (BLM GLO Records, http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/default.aspx, 2016.))

Federal Land Sale: July 13, 1835.  80 Acres: East Half of Northeast Quarter of Section 36, Township 15 North, Range 9 East of Principal Meridian 4 (Arispie Township) in Bureau (formerly Putnam) County, Illinois.  Purchaser: Jabez Perkins; Rate: $1.25 per acre; Price: $100.00.  (Field General Land Office Register, Vol. 708, pg. 119, Illinois State Archives, Springfield, IL, 1957.    (Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales Database, http://www.ilsos.gov/isa/landsrch.jsp, 2015.))
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8. I Jabus (sic - Jabez) Perkins of the County of Whitley and State of Kentucky being sick and low in boddy but of Sound Mind and disposing memory and Calling to mind the mortality of man and knowing that it is appointed for all men to die I make and ordain this my last will and testament in the followung manner,
     To wit, first of all I will my sole to God that gave it and my body to be buried in a decent and Christian like maner and Touching on my Worldly Estate which it hath pleased God to bles me with I dispose of in the maner following,
     To wit, I give and bequeath to my Son Timothy Perkins One Dollar
     I give and Bequeath to my Son Jesse Perkins One Dollar
     I give and bequeath to my Son Jabes Perkins One Dollar
     I Give and Bequeath to My Daughter Lucy Cox one Dollar
     I Give and Bequeath to my Daughter Patty       ah One Dollar
     I Give and Bequeath to my two Daughters Amy White and Nancy White one Note of Land on Demcey White to be Eaqually devided between them
     I give and bequeath to my Son William Perkins all of my land in the State of Illinois and all my land in the State of Kentucky and all of my waggons and oxen and horses and stock of Every kind and farming tools and all of my house hold and kitching furniture and my ----- hanner and my Will is that together with the rest that William Perkins Support and Take Care of my Wife Nancy Perkins So long as she lives
     I give and Bequeath to the heirs of Sollomon Perkins -----
     Ratify and Confirming this to be my Last Will and Testament in witness I have here unto set my hand and seal this 27th of December 1835
/s/Jabes (his X mark) Perkins
Atest: B.B. Creekmore, John Moses, Wm. B. Creekmore
     State of Ky Whitley County CT Feby Term 1836
The last will & testament of Jabes Perkins Decd was produced in and proven by the oaths of B.B. Creekmore & John Moses & Wm B. Creekmore Subscribing Witnesses which is ordered by the Court to be recorded.
A coppy test: ----------------
     According to Steven Perkins, "Nancy Perkins renounced the will on 13 Feb 1836.  The inventory was recorded 3 Mar 1836."  Thus, it is probable that Jabez had died a short time previously, perhaps, in late January or early February.  (Will Bk. 1, Whitley Co., KY, pgs. 13-9 & 61-2.)  (Steven Curtis Perkins, "Ancestry of Henry Franklin Perkins", freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~scperkins/hperkanc.html, 1989-2001.)
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Additional Citations:

9. 1820 US Census Population Schedule for Whitley County, Kentucky, National Archives, Washington DC:  pg. 126, (microfilm roll - M33_28; img. 137).

10. 1830 US Census Population Schedule for Pulaski County, Kentucky, National Archives, Washington DC:  pg. 55, (microfilm roll - M19_41; imgs. 112-3).

11. 1840 US Census Population Schedule for Whitley County, Kentucky, National Archives, Washington DC:  pg. 208, (microfilm roll - M704_126; imgs. 131-2).

12. Will Bk. 1, Wilkes Co., NC, pgs. 123, 254, & 262.  (Steven Curtis Perkins, "Ancestry of Jabez Perkins, 1766-1836, of New Haven, CT., Ashe/Wilkes Co., NC, Grayson Co., VA, Bureau/Putnam Co., IL, and Knox/Whitley Co., KY", freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~scperkins/jabez.html, 1989-2001.)

13. Wythe County Personal Property Tax List of 1793, Library of Virginia, Richmond, VA, (microfilm: roll - Personal Property Tax Records #350). (Jeffrey Weaver (tr), New River Notes, www.newrivernotes.com/index.htm, 2015.)

14. Grayson County Personal Property Tax List of 1800,  Library of Virginia, Richmond, VA, (microfilm: roll - Personal Property Tax Records #139).  (Jeffrey Weaver (tr), New River Notes, www.newrivernotes.com/index.htm, 2015.)

15. Grayson County Personal Property Tax List of 1805,  Library of Virginia, Richmond, VA, (microfilm: roll - Personal Property Tax Records #139).  (Jeffrey Weaver (tr), New River Notes, www.newrivernotes.com/index.htm, 2015.)

16. Court Minutes - 1807, Ashe Co., NC, pg. unk.  (Jeffrey Weaver (tr), New River Notes, www.newrivernotes.com/index.htm, 2015.)

17. Grayson County Personal Property Tax List of 1810,  Library of Virginia, Richmond, VA, (microfilm: roll - Personal Property Tax Records #139).  (Jeffrey Weaver (tr), New River Notes, www.newrivernotes.com/index.htm, 2015.)

18. Jordan R. Dodd, Kentucky Marriages to 1850, Ancestry.com, Provo, UT, 1997.  (Available online at www.ancestry.com)

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19. Liggett Cemetery, Livingston County, Missouri (www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=2251521&CScn=Liggett&CScntry=4&CSst=26&, continuously updated).

20. Redbird Cemetery, Whitley County, Kentucky (www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=1992373&CScn=Redbird&CScntry=4&CSst=19&, continuously updated).

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