Perry/Perrin/Porter Cemetery
Submitted by Mabel Phillips.
April 2006.
The Porter Cemetery beside the church at the corner of 11th street and F Hwy/bus 14/65 in Ozark was originally on land homesteaded by the Perry Family. A couple of years ago, Wayne Glenn found a will of one of the Perry family leaving much of her estate to protect and preserve the Perry Family Cemetery with implicit instruction on what sort of monuments to buy and concrete structures to build. The documents made very clear that the family cemetery she meant was the one which now has NO MARKER for any Perry, and left me thinking earlier - when Perry Cemetery was mentioned and seemed to be on same spot as the "Porter Cemetery" that it was a typo. It is not. The Cemetery with just a few Chaudoin and Porter stone was orginally beside the Perry farmhouse and was the Perry Family Cemetery. If all that was not confusing enough, there was the fact that the Perry lady leaving the will had married a Perrin, creating a third name for the Cemetery - Perrin. I wonder what on earth happened that either the stipulations of the will were not carried out or all those stones have been destroyed - I would guess the first happened.
Further:
West Finley Perry Family Cemetery 27N 21W 27 A In 1919, Manda J. (Perry) Perrin in her will leaves money to enclose the "old grave yard on the Perry homestead, now owned by the heirs of George Porter". This certainly makes it appear that the three are indeed the same place - Perry for the family who owned the land when the cemetery started, Perrin for the Perry daughter who married a Perrin and left money in her will to enclose the cemetery and Porter for the family who later owned the land and buried their family there.
LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF M. J. PERRIN
I, M. J. Perrin, of the City of Ozark of Christian and State of Missouri, being of sound mind and disposing memory, do make, publish and declaure this my last will and testament, herby revoking all former wills by me made.
1. I direct that my executors, as soon as convenient, and at a time when, in there judgment it would be to the best advantage to my estate, sell, at public or private sale, all my property, real, personal or mixed, so that my entire estate shall be converted to cash.
2. I direct that all my just debts, my funeral expenses and the expense of my last illness be first paid; and after the expense of probating this my last will, I direct that the following expenses of improving the burial grounds specified be next paid, the same being contained in item three following.
3. I direct that a substantial concrete wall be built around that part of the Perry Grave Yard (said grave yard being located on the Old Perry Homestead, now owned by the heirs of George Porter) which is now enclosed with a wire fence, so as to enclose the graves of my family, and give sufficient protection to the same. At the Odd Fellows Cemetery, I direct that a suitable double monument be erected at the graves of myself and that of my husband, Rice Perrin; and that the graves of Q. Q. Perry and Willie Sims be each marked with a small stone. It is my request that the expense of this item shall not exceed the sum of one thousand dollars.
4. After the three items above are provided for, I give and bequeath unto John E. Perring of Dallas County, Missouri and unto Solon Perrin of Seneca, Missouri, whole brothers of my beloved husband, Rice Perrin, now deceased, the sum of Six hundred dollars; and unto Charles Mitchell of Springfield, Missouri, a half brother and Lucy Manion of Seneca, Missouri, a half sister of my beloved husband, Rice Perrin, deceased, each the sum of Two Hundred Dollars; and unto Anna Beckley, Charles Mitchell, Nellie Moore, Richard Mitchell, Etta D. Mitchell, Mare Mitchell and Ralph Mitchell, all of Springfield, and children of my husband’s half-brother, Monroe Mitchell, the sum of two hundred dollars to be divided equally. Should my estate be insufficient to meet the payments as in this item provided, then it is my will that whatever sum is remaining shall be divided among the legatees in this item named in the proportion to what each sum as herein set forth bears to the whole sum so remaining.
5. After the above items are provided for, I give and bequeath unto my brother, G. T. B. Perry of Springfield, Missouri the sum of One Hundred Dollars and unto my brother, Roderick Perry of Collinsville, Oklahoma, the sum of One Hundred Dollars.
6. After all the above items are provided for, I give and bequeath unto my brother, Alfred Perry of Mineola, Texas one-half of all the remainder of my estate and unto Grace (Perry) Keener of Baxter Springs, Kansas and unto Beatrice Collins McRae, each one-fourth of all the remainder of my estate.
7. I do hereby appoint F. W. Barrett and Herbert Rogers Co-Administrators of my Estate.
[Note: This was found and provided by Wayne Glenn. It is odd and sad, however, to realize that Mrs. Perrin's efforts to preserve and maintain her family graves was so futile that not one hint remains in the cemetery of the Perry graves she says are there.] See the Reminiscent History of the Ozark's write-up on Mrs. Perrin's brother, G. T. B. Perry.
I thought I would look into these families. This is what I found:
1850 KY Logan County Dist 1 Household 821-832
Perren, Martha 29
[ JOHN B. PERRIN 16 Dec 1809 - 4 Aug 1848 son of CHARLES & CATHERINE
(JAMESON) PERRIN- JBP d in LOGAN CO., KY mar MARTHA ANN HOCKERSMITH
2
Nov 1818 - 28 Jun 1885 daughter of JOHN & JUDITH ( SAUNDERS)
HOCKERSMITH
She mar/2 1856 in Logan Co. KY; B. Ellis Mitchell - they moved to
Seneca, Newton Co MO in the 1860’s where both Ellis & Martha died]
, Henry 8
, Rice 6
, Solon 5
, John E. 2
1850 KY Logan County Dist 1 Household 153-160
Perry, John T. 35 m Farmer 2,000 KY
, Mary E. 25 f Housekeeping KY [nee Mary Ewing]
, Mary 5 f KY
, Ewing 2 m KY
, George Thomas Perry 1 m KY
1860 KY Logan County Dist 1 Russellville P. O. Household 357-339
Perry, John T. 45 m Farmer KY
, Mary 34 f Housekeeping KY
, Amanda 14 f KY
, Ewing 13 m KY
, George 11 m KY
, Qiletus 10 m KY
, Alfred 5 m KY
, Roderick 4 m KY
, Elizabeth 2 f KY 25 Jun 1858 - 5 Apr 1891 - m Alexander Hamilton
Collins
, James 1/12 m KY
Perry, Nathan 38 m farm laborer KY
1860 KY Logan County Dist 1 Russellville P. O. Household 765-737
Mitchell, Ellis 34 farmer $4,670 $9,545 KY
, Martha 41 Keeping House
, William 14
, Sarah 12 - married step-brother, Solon Perrin
, Bedford 8
, Fanny 6
, Charles 3
, James 1
Perrin, Henry 18 farm laborer $1,250
, Rice 16 farm laborer $1,250 - married Marion/Amanda J. Perry
, Solon 14 farm laborer $1,250 - married step-sister, Sarah Mitchell
, John 12 farm laborer $1,250
Page, Hugh 8
[Mitchell family moved to Seneca, Missouri]
1870 MO Christian County Finley Twp Household 108 10
PERRY John 58 FARMER KY
Mary 45 KY
Quince 23 KY
Julia 18 KY
Alfred 17 KY
Roderic 14 KY
Bunid 12 KY
Marian 6 KY
Morra 7\12 KY -
may be the “Mamie” who married a Sims/Symes/Simms
1876 Agricultural Census of Christian County, MO
Perry, Rodoic w m 18 - 21 Finley-091-02 Read/Write
Perry, Bern w m 10 - 18 Finley-091-03
Perry, Bettie w f 10 - 18 Finley-091-04 Read/Write
Perry, Mary w f under 10 Finley-091-05 Read/Write
Perry, M. E. w f over 45 Finley-093-01 Read/Write
Perry, William w m 21 - 45 Finley-093-02
1880 MO Christian County Finley Twp Household 87
Perry, G. T. B. w m 29 married school teacher KY
, Nannie w f 27 wife married keeping house KY
, F. G. w f 10 dau single MO
, John G. w m 4 son single IN
, Rose w f dau single MO
1880 MO Christian County Finley Twp Household 334
Perry, M. E. w f 55 widow KY
, William Ewing w m 34 son KY
, John B. w m 15 son single KY
, Minnie H. w h 10 dau single KY
Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation
Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
Rice PERRIN Self M Male W 34 KY Marble Dealer VA KY
Mandy PERRIN Wife M Female W 30 KY Keeping House KY
KY
Mamie PERRY SisterL S Female W 11 MO KY KY -
married Symes/Simms/Sims
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source Information:
Census Place Springfield, Greene, Missouri
Family History Library Film 1254688
NA Film Number T9-0688
Page Number 241A
Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation
Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
B. E. MITCHELL Self M Male W 56 KY Farmer KY KY
Martha A. MITCHELL Wife M Female W 60 KY Keeping House
KY VA
Bedford MITCHELL Son S Male W 26 KY At Home KY KY
Monroe MITCHELL Son S Male W 21 KY At Home KY KY
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source Information:
Census Place Seneca, Newton, Missouri
Family History Library Film 1254705
NA Film Number T9-0705
Page Number 447C
Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation
Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
Solon PERRIN Self M Male W 34 KY Farmer VA KY
Sarah PERRIN Wife M Female W 31 KY Keeping House KY
KY
Guy PERRIN Son S Male W 4 MO KY KY
William PERRIN Son S Male W 2 INDIAN TER KY KY
Stilwell TRUAX Other S Male W 34 OH Keeping Livery
OH
OH
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source Information:
Census Place Seneca, Newton, Missouri
Family History Library Film 1254705
NA Film Number T9-0705
Page Number 441A
1900 MO Christian Finley/1 073
Keith PERRY W M Head Sep 1858 41 S KY KY KY Day Laborer
1900 MO Christian Finley/1 253
Rice PERIAN W M Head Nov 1844 55 M 32 KY VA KY Farmer
Mary J. PERIAN W F Wife Aug 1849 50 M 32 KY KY KY School Teacher
Mary E. PERRY W F Mo-in-law May 1825 75 W 10-5 KY KY KY
Willie SYMES W M Nephew May 1892 8 S MO MO MO
1875 Land Tax Records of Christian County, MO
1875 Perry, M. E. 80 Acres S1/2 SW1/4 Sec 27 27 21 Assessed Value: $500
Personal Property Tax Records of Christian County, Mo 1879 - 1900
Perry, A. Porter #2278 1891 $140 1.17 Pd Dec 1, 1891
Perry, A. L. Finley #1798 1887 $44 0.51 A L Perry Jan
Perry, A. L. Finley #1924 1888 $44 0.51 Paid Feb 13 1889
Perry, A. L. Porter #2043 1889 $124 1.00 Pd Dec 30/89
Perry, A. L. Porter #2011 1890 $113 0.91
Perry, Al Finley #1767 1886 $206 1.85 Jan 27 1887
Perry, G. T. B. Finley #1355 1880 $130 1.56 Paid
Perry, G. T. B. Finley p084 1881 $91 1.11 Paid
Perry, G. T. B. Finley #1463 1882 $85 1.03 Paid
Perry, G. T. B. Finley #1422 1883 $91 1.08 Jan 1 1884
Perry, G. T. B. Finley #1526 1884 $67 0.81 Dec 31 84
Perry, G. T. B. Finley #1753 1886 $258 2.31 Jan 4th 1887
Perry, G. T. B. Finley #1809 1887 $293 3.39 G T B Perry Dec
Perry, G. T. B. Finley #2028 1889 $1,395 11.17 Paid Dec 27/89
Perry, G. T. B. Finley #1988 1890 $600 4.80 Pd Feb 28/91
Perry, G. T. B. Finley #2249 1891 $39 0.29 Pd Jan 29/92
Perry, M. E. Finley p073 1879 $289 3.92 Paid in full
Perry, M. E. Finley #1358 1880 $168 2.03 Paid
Perry, M. E. Finley #1466 1882 $187 2.26 Paid
Perry, M. E. Finley #1421 1883 $160 1.92 Jan 1 1884
Perry, M. E. Finley #2029 1889 $24 0.20 Paid Jan 7 1890
Perry, M. E. Finley #1987 1890 $12 0.10 Pd Jan 31/91
Perry, M. E. Finley #2265 1891 $12 0.10 Pd Nov 5/91
Perry, M. E., Mrs. Finley p084 1881 $133 1.49 Paid
Perry, M. E., Mrs. Finley #1516 1884 $352 4.23
Perry, Q. Q. Finley #1789 1887 $10 0.12 Q Q Perry Jan
Perry, W. H. Polk #1968 1888 $95 1.10
Perrin, J. E. Finley #1990 1890 $40 0.30 Pd Dec 31-1890
Perrin, J. E. Finley #2266 1891 $40 0.32 Pd Feb 1/92
Perrin, R. Finley #1989 1890 $1,124 8.43 Pd Feb 6/91
Perrin, Rice Finley #2253 1891 $66 0.56 Pd Nov 5/91
Perrin, Rice Finley #2871 1900 $170 2.98 1101 Dec 15 1900 Rice Perrin
Could some of this documentation be put on the page with the
Porter/Perry/Perrin Cemetery page so that, even though the graves are
unmarked, evidence is presented to support the information that this is
the same cemetery, and unmarked graves of Perry and Perrin family
members are in that cemetery. Mabel Philips.
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