BURKE COUNTY, NC - BIOGRAPHIES - Early Settlers of Burke County, Part 2 The PERKINS FAMILY of Johns River, descended from a native of England, who came to the Colonies in 1732. Landing in Pennsylvania, he removed to Lincoln County, North Carolina (then Tryon), founded in 1779. By way of pre-eminence, he was known as "Gentleman John Perkins." Accompanying an exploring party led by a Moravian Bishop (from Salem, now Stokes County, the "United Brethren" having built a church there in 1763), before any grants had been issued for the rich alluvial lands of John's River and Lower Creek, which were then still untilled and unoccupied. Availing himself of this fact, he obtained grants from the State for large bodies of the best land in Western North Carolina, devising the same to his six sons, EPHRAIM PERKINS, JOSEPH PERKINS, JOHN PERKINS, ALEXANDER PERKINS, ELI PERKINS and ELISHA PERKINS, and a daughter, MARY PERKINS, whose offspring still own and live on them. (in 1894). The broad lowlands, having been cultivated in the various cereals for more than a century, without the use of fertilizers, show but little, if any, loss from the original productiveness. The name John's River was derived from "Gentleman John", perpetuating his name as long as the river flows the limpid water of this beautiful stream, from it's source near the eastern base of Grandfather Mountain, (said by distinguished geologists to be the oldest, visible, earthly formation as yet discovered.) (in 1894) JOSEPH PERKINS married MELISSA LAVENDER, a niece of Mrs. AVERY and protege of Col. WAIGHTSTILL AVERY, SR. She was of French descent, probably Huguenot. (the name La'Vender has possibly been anglicized FROM LA'VENDEE, a maritime department in the west of France), by whom JOSEPH had three sons, Dr. JAMES HERVEY PERKINS OSBORNE PERKINS, and WILLIAM PERKINS; and five daughters, ELIZABETH who married ALLEN CONNELLY, MYRA, who married DAVID CORPENING. LEAH married WILLIAM LOCKE BAIRD and SALENA, wife of LEVI LAXTON. JAMES HERVY and WILLIAM died unmarried. JOHN PERKINS, JR. married NANCY ABERNETHY, who was a niece of the wife of General PETER FORNEY of Lincoln County, a soldier of the Revolution. The maiden name of his (Peter Forney's) wife was also NANCY ABERNETHY, Mrs. PERKINS being probably her name-sake. Mr. PERKINS died, leaving but one child, SUSAN PERKINS, heiress to a large fortune in land and slaves. She married R.V. MICHAUX , a lawyer, who came to Burke in 1834 from Virginia. He was a relative of the distinguished North Carolinian, NATHANIEL MACON. "ALEXANDER PERKINS married a Miss REBECCA MOORE (a connection of Dr. BOUCHELLE). By her he had three children, two sons, THEODORE PERKINS and THADDEUS PERKINS, and a daughter, CLARISSA PERKINS. The only surviving member of this branch of the PERKINS family is THADDEUS, JR. and his family, who are the sole owners of the splendid domain on Wilson's Creek and John's River. ALEXANDER and his brother JOHN were the first to introduce horses of good pedigree and blood in Burke County, breeding from celebrated stock in Virginia, belonging to WILLIAM AMIS and Col. JOHNSON. They took great pains in training them, and delighted in showing their superiority in fleetness and bottom at long distances on the Quaker Meadows and other race courses, over the scrubs of the country." "ELISHA PERKINS, the eldest son of "Gentleman John" inherited from his father the fine alluvial lowlands on the west side of John's River, about three miles from it's mouth. He died at an early age, leaving a widow and two sons, ALFRED and JOHN, also three aughters. The widow married Major HIGHLAND who had distinguished himself during the war of the Revolution, in battles fought against the British and Tories, and was wounded at the Battle of Ramsour's Mill." "ALFRED PERKINS, a man highly esteemed for his probity, was a leading elder in the Presbyterian church. His death in the meridian of life was deeply regretted by all who knew him. He, like all the older members of the PERKINS family, was of the bone and sinew of the land. He married MARY, the youngest daughter of ROBERT CALDWELL, SR., leaving at his death, three children, ELISHA ALEXANDER PERKINS, ROBERT C. PERKINS, and JANE ELIZABETH PERKINS. Alexander reminds me very much of his father in character, form and face." "So near approach we their celestial kind, By justice, truth, add probity of mind." Note: The PERKINS family history gives the following ten children: ELISHA 1760, MARY 1762, EPHRAIM 1764, JOHN 1767, JOSEPH 1768, ALEXANDER 1774, ELI 1766, BURWELL 1771, SARAH 1776, and ANN 1780 WAYNE CO. NC DEEDS Samuel Perkins to Gray Garris – 1861 This indenture made this 13th day of November AD 1861 between Samuel Perkins of the County of Wayne & State of North Carolina of the one part& Gray C Garris of the same state & county of the other part, witnesseththat I the said Samuel Perkins for & in consideration of the sum of eleven hundred dollars to me in hand paid, the receipt whereof I dohereby acknowledge myself satisfied have granted & sold, & by thesepresents do grant bargain & sell unto the said Gray C Garris his heirs& assign forever, one certain piece of parcel of land, lying in the County aforesaid, on the South side of Nahunta Swamp, & bounded as follows viz: Beginning at a Hickory the dividing corner between Gray C Garris & JamesHolland, then runs E 74 N 160 poles to a stake in a meadow, then with said G C Garris line to a pine at the edge of the Mill Pond, the high watermark, then up the meander of the high water mark to the run of ___buryBranch, then up the run of said branch as it meanders to a bay, the dividing corner between the said Samuel Perkins, & James Holland, then NE 68 poles to the beginning, containing one hundred & two acres, more or less. I the said Samuel Perkins for myself, my heirs & assigns, do hereby warrant & forever defend & secure a good & lawful title of said land unto Gray C Garris his heirs & assigns. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal, the day & year above written. Signed sealed & delivered Samuel Perkins (Seal) in presence of Henry H Davis Nathan R Perkins Wayne County Feby 6th 1862 BLADEN CO., NC DEED BOOK 1738-1779 APRIL 26, 1770 Joshua PERKINS of Bladen planter to Richard SMITH of same, planter. 150 lbs. 125 A on a branch of Little River called Wilkersons Swamp..Wit: Abraham BARNES, Archd. MCKESAK P.80-1 BURKE COUNTY, NC - Some Early Towns and Villages PERKINSVILLE - post office established 1837; in Northern Burke on John's River; in 1884 was location of Romulus P. LAXTON'S store & boarding houses owned by J. Thadeus Perkins and Alfred PERRY