Father: Timothy Perkins, Jr.
Mother: Tabitha Anderson
Spouse: Margaret Hannah Woods
m: 29/Jan/1818 - Grayson Co., VA
Child-1: Isaac - b: 1820 - NC
m: Sarah *****
2: John
- b: 1821 - NC
3: Anna
(Indiana) - b: 1823 - NC
m: Jesse Crocker - 5/Jan/1848 - Crawford Co., IL
4: Manson
- b: Feb/1826 - NC
m: Jane Pollock - 5/Apr/1866 - Bureau Co., IL
5:
(unnamed daughter) - ~1834 - IL
6: Addie
Tabitha - b: 1836 - Bureau Co., IL
d: 1926 - bur: Pleasant Hill Cem., Boyd Co., NE
m: Merrill Josiah Stearns - 4/Jul/1864 - Bureau Co., IL - div:
Oct/1877
7: Rebecca
- b: 1840 - IL - nra: 1860
8: Malvina
- b: 1842 - Bureau Co., IL
d: 1886 - Bureau Co., IL - bur: Greenfield Cem.
m: Stephen F. Holbrook - 21/Jul/1864 - Bureau Co., IL
9: Johnson
- b: Mar/1846 - IL
m: Edith or Audenia ***** - ~1872
Biographical Details:
Stephen Thomas Perkins was a son of Timothy, Jr. and Tabitha Anderson Perkins and was born March 31, 1798, in Grayson County, Virginia. About 1800, as a young child he moved with his parents to Ashe County, North Carolina, which lies immediately to the south of Grayson County. Stephen evidently grew up in this locality, which seems likely to have been in the vicinity of Little Helton Creek. Nevertheless, on January 29, 1818, Stephen Thomas Perkins married Margaret Hannah Woods in Grayson County. They subsequently settled in Ashe County and reportedly had nine children of which only four can be identified, viz., Isaac, John, Anna, and Manson. Accordingly, the Perkins household appeared in the population schedule of the 1830 US Census for Ashe County and consisted of two male children, one under five years of age and the other between five and ten. In addition, one adult male between thirty and forty years of age was listed and can be confidently identified as Stephen Thomas Perkins himself. Of the two male children, it would seem probable that they should be identified as sons, Isaac and Manson, which further suggests that son, John, died as a small child sometime in the 1820's. Likewise, the household also included two females between five of ten, one between ten and fifteen years, and an adult female between twenty and thirty years of age. Naturally, the adult female can readily be identifed as Margaret Hannah Woods Perkins. Moreover, it would seem evident that one of the younger females was undoubtedly Stephen and Margaret's daughter, Anna, but the other two cannot be identified and, as such, are perhaps children unknown to history. Probably at the encouragement of relatives and friends, in 1833 Stephen and Margaret Perkins moved to the "Great Forest" of Illinois, in particular to Bureau County, and reportedly had five more children.1,2 Within this context, Stephen's first cousin, Timothy Perkins, son of Jabez, had settled in this locality a few years earlier. Similarly, William and Anna Bonham Russell also settled in neighboring Putnam County, Illinois, about the same time. Of course, Anna Russell and Margaret Perkins were also first cousins. Accordingly, the household of Stephen Perkins appeared in the population schedule of the 1840 US Census for Bureau County, Illinois, and included two male children less than five years of age, one between ten and fifteen years, one between fifteen and twenty, an adult male between thirty and forty and an adult male between forty and fifty years of age. The older adult male is almost certainly Stephen himself; however, the younger adult male remains unidentified, but was likely a relative. Similarly, the two adolescent males were probably Stephen and Margaret's sons, Isaac and Manson. The two young male children cannot be confidently identfied, but again, perhaps, were children that did not survive to adulthood. Likewise, the household also included two female children under five years of age, two between five and ten, two adolescent females between fifteen and twenty years, and an adult female between thirty and forty years of age. Of course, the adult female must be Margaret herself. Concomitantly, one of the adolescent females was likely daughter, Anna, and the two young females were probably daughters, Rebecca and Tabitha. The other adolescent female was likely an unidentified daughter that died before 1850, but this is merely speculation. Concomitantly, of the reported five children born in Illinois, only four can be identified, viz.. Tabitha, Rebecca, Malvina, and Johnson. This suggests that one of the females indicated by the 1840 population schedule was a daughter otherwise unknown to history. Moreover, it would seem likely that this child would have been born, perhaps, about 1834 and, thus, would have been about five or six years old. These four minor children are listed by name in the household of Stephen and Margaret Perkins in the Bureau County population schedule of 1850. In addition, an adult son, Manson (although incorrectly indentifed as "Madison") and two evidently unrelated individuals, Alonzo and Elisabeth Kenyon, also appeared. Likewise, in the Bureau County population schedule of 1860, the household of Stephen and Margaret Perkins consisted of themselves, Manson (incorrectly identified as "Marion"), Tabitha, Rebecca, Melvina, and Johnson along with a boarder, Terrence Kelly. In both 1850 and 1860, the Perkins family was resident in Clarion Township, which lies in the estreme northeast corner of Bureau County and includes the village of Clarion. Stephen Thomas Perkins died September 14, 1867, and was buried in Greenfield Cemetery in Bureau County. Accordingly, in 1870 his widow was still living in Clarion Township with her youngest son, Johnson. In addition, her son, Manson, was evidently living close by with his wife and young son. Margaret Hannah Woods Perkins died in 1880 and was buried with her husband in Greenfield Cemetery. It is not definitely known why Stephen Thomas Perkins migrated from North Carolina to Illinois, but as with other pioneers of the nineteenth century, the desire for better land and more opportunity substantially motivated westward migration.Source Notes and Citations:
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: pg. 172.Additional Citations:
back to bio.2. Of the children of Stephen Thomas and Margaret Hannah Woods Perkins, five appear in subsequent census and cvil records, viz., Anna, Manson, Tabitha, Malvina, and Johnson.
Anna Perkins married Jesse Crocker in 1848 in Crawford County, llinois. He was born in 1822 in Wayne County, North Carolina. After their marriage they settled in Crawford near the village of Hutsonville, which lies on the Wabash River which separates Illinois and Indiana. They were the parents of eight children, viz., Isabel, Lawrence, Nancy, Isaac, Henry, James, Eliza, and Cresenda. Not all the children survived. Jesse and Anna Crocker evidently both died before 1900, but no burial places are known.
a. Children of Anna and Jesse Crocket can be confirmed from census records. (1850 US Census Population Schedule for Crawford County, Illinois, National Archives, Washington DC: pg. 199B, (microfilm roll - M432_104; img. 73); 1860 US Census Population Schedule for Crawford County, Illinois, National Archives, Washington DC: pg. 425, (microfilm: roll M653_171; img. 428); 1870 US Census Population Schedule for Crawford County, Illinois, National Archives, Washington DC: pgs. 44B-45A, (microfilm: roll M593_214; imgs. 90-1); & 1880 US Census Population Schedule for Crawford County, Illinois, National Archives, Washington DC: pg. 299B, (microfilm: roll T9_183; img. 422).)
Manson Perkins did not marry until he was forty years old. His wife, Jane Pollock, was born in November of 1840 and, thus, was much younger. They married in Bureau County in 1866 and were the parents of one son, Steven, and a daughter, Bessie, who evidently did not survive. Both Manson and Jane Perkins died after 1900, but no details are known.
b. The family of Manson and Jane Perkins can be confirmed from census records. (1870 US Census Population Schedule for Bureau County, Illinois, National Archives, Washington DC: pg. 209B, (microfilm: roll M593_190; img. 103); 1880 US Census Population Schedule for Bureau County, Illinois, National Archives, Washington DC: pg. 48A, (microfilm: roll T9_177; img. 98); & 1900 US Census Population Schedule for Bureau County, Illinois, National Archives, Washington DC: pg. 163A, (microfilm: roll T623_238; img. 332).)
Tabitha Perkins married Merrill Josiah Stearns in 1864. He was born September 17, 1838, in Worcester Coounty, Massachusetts. They were living in Black Hawk County, Iowa, in 1870 with a young son, Charles. They evidently also had a daughter, Grace Ada, born about 1873. Unfortunately, the marriage seems to have failed and Merrill and Tabitha reportedly divorced in 1877. Indeed, in 1880, Merrill appears to have remarried and was living in Webster County, Iowa. Concomitantly, Tabitha was keeping house for James C. Stearns in Lee County, Illinois. The relationship between James and Merrill Stearns is not known, but, perhaps, they were brothers. In any case, it is clear from the 1880 Lee County population schedule that James and Tabitha Stearns were not married. Neither Merrill or Tabitha (who seems to have reverted to her first name "Addie") have been found in census records of 1900. Merrill Stearns died April 13, 1910, in Cass Co., Minnesota and was buried in the Stearns Grave Yard. Addie Stearns never remarried and in 1910 and 1920 was living with her daughter and son-in-law in Nebraska. She died in 1926 and is buried in Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Boyd County, Nebraska.
c. Marital status of Tabitha (or Addie) and Merrill Stearns can be confirmed from census records. (1870 US Census Population Schedule for Black Hawk County, Iowa, National Archives, Washington DC: pg. 382A, (microfilm: roll M593_377; img. 173); 1880 US Census Population Schedule for Lee County, Illinois, National Archives, Washington DC: pg. 411B, (microfilm: roll T9_225; img. 544); 1880 US Census Population Schedule for Webster County, Iowa, National Archives, Washington DC: pg. 444A, (microfilm: roll T9_369; img. 590); 1910 US Census Population Schedule for Holt County, Nebraska, National Archives, Washington DC: pg. 145B, (microfilm: roll T624_848; img. 296); & 1920 US Census Population Schedule for Boyd County, Nebraska, National Archives, Washington DC: pg. 241B, (microfilm: roll T625_980; img. 488).)
d. Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Boyd County, Nebraska (www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=101156&CScn=Pleasant+Hill&CScntry=4&CSst=31&CScnty=1811&, continuously updated).
e. Stearns Grave Yard, Cass County, Minnesota (www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=2495797&CScn=Stearns&CScntry=4&CSst=25&CScnty=1320&, continuously updated).
Malvina Perkins married Stephen F. Holbrook on July 21, 1864, in Bureau County. They had one known son, James L. Unfortunately, it appears that Stephen Holbrook died before 1870 since in the corresponding Bureau County population schedule, Malvina and James were living with her mother and brother. Likewise, in 1880 they were still living with her mother and Malvina explictly indicated that she was a widow. Even so, some researchers assert that Stephen Holbrook lived until 1916 and died in Gage County, Nebraska. This seems unlikely since he was buried in Greenfield Cemetery in Bureau County. Moreover, his tombstone indicates that he was a Sergeant in Company B in the Fifty-Second Regiment of Illinois infantry. Malvina Perkins Holbrook died in 1886 and is buried in Greenfield Cemetery with her husband. Their son, James, was living with his uncle, Manson Perkins, in 1900.
Johnson Perkins married about 1872 to Edith or Audenia; however, her maiden name remains unknown. They had two known children, Pearl and Harris Dow, and evidently remained in Bureau County until after 1880; however, before 1900 the family moved to neighboring La Salle County and settled in the vicinity of Troy Grove. Johnson Perkins evidently died after 1910. Within this context, Harris Dow Perkins was the father of Dow W. Perkins who was a notable researcher of Perkins geneaology.
f. The marriage and cChildren of Johnson Perkins can be confirmed from census records. (1880 US Census Population Schedule for Bureau County, Illinois, National Archives, Washington DC: pg. 46A, (microfilm: roll T9_177; img. 94); 1900 US Census Population Schedule for La Salle County, Illinois, National Archives, Washington DC: pg. 283B, (microfilm: roll T623_317; img. 572); & 1910 US Census Population Schedule for La Salle County, Illinois, National Archives, Washington DC: pg. 244B, (microfilm: roll T624_301; img. 493).)
back to bio.
3. 1830 US Census Population Schedule for Ashe County, North Carolina, National Archives, Washington DC: pg. 37, (microfilm: roll M19_118; imgs. 75-6).4. 1840 US Census Population Schedule for Bureau County, Illinois, National Archives, Washington DC: pg. 193, (microfilm: roll M704_354; imgs. 161-2).
5. 1850 US Census Population Schedule for Bureau County, Illinois, National Archives, Washington DC: pg. 193B, (microfilm roll - M432_99; img. 19).
6. 1860 US Census Population Schedule for Bureau County, Illinois, National Archives, Washington DC: pg. 540, (microfilm: roll M653_158; img. 541).
7. Marriage Register, Bk. 1, Grayson Co., VA, pg. 16, Library of Virginia, Richmond, VA, (microfilm: roll - City and County Records #18). ("Grayson County Marriages 1793-1836", Jeffrey Weaver (tr), New River Notes, www.newrivernotes.com/index.htm, 2015.)
8. George B. Harrington, Past and Present of Bureau County, Illinois, The Pioneer Pub. Co., Chicago, IL, 1906: pgs. 111-2.
9. Nehemiah Matson, Reminiscences of Bureau County, Republican Book and Job Office, Princeton, IL, 1872: pgs. 326-8.
10. Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, Illinois State Archives & Illinois Genealogical Society, Springfield, IL, 2015. ("Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900", www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/databases/marriage.html)
11. Greenfield Cemetery, Bureau County, Illinois (www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=1019885&CScn=Greenfield&CScntry=4&CSst=16&CScnty=695&, continuously updated).