he name of Edward¹ Perry first appears in the records of Sandwich, Plymouth Colony, for November 1652 when he was a member of a committee to acquire and store fish for the town’s use. In 1653 he was appointed a grand juryman. He was surveyor of highways in 1657, 1658, and 1674. As early as 1654 he was fined for conduct unacceptable to the established church. Efforts to determine Edward’s parentage and his relationship to others of the Perry name who were present in the Town of Sandwich, Mass. have so far been difficult. Historian Samuel Eliot Morison in his book, Old Bruin comments, "The utmost efforts of genealogists employed by his more affluent descendants have failed to discover who Edward’s parents were or from what part of England he came, although tradition states that Edward was from Devonshire". It seems reasonable to suppose that Hannah Perry Dillingham and Deborah Perry Harper, who were members of the Sandwich Society of Friends, were relatives. Margaret Perry, who married Edmund Freeman, Jr., and thus was sister-in-law to Edward Perry, may have also been a relative. Ezra Perry, another Perry of Sandwich, was not associated with the Friends, but even so it seems likely that he too, was related to this Edward¹ Perry. The Plymouth Colony Court records contain this entry, "7 Jun 1659 - Ezra Perry is allowed by the Court to be Executor of the Estate of Sarah Perry, there being noe other (although she hath many friends in the Country), that claimeth interest in the Estate, having put in securities into the Court to be accountable for the Estate encase it shall be required by any that hath better title thereto..." The wording of this entry demonstrates clearly that Sarah Perry had no blood relatives in Sandwich, but may have been closely connected to Ezra, and perhaps Edward¹, by marriage. It has been suggested that she was step-mother to Ezra, and that he had claim to her estate based on the right to a dower residue. It could be argued that the Perry family group came to Sandwich with a widowed step-mother in order to live under the protection of one of the pioneer Sandwich families to whom the widow's husband and/or these minor children may have been closely related. Edward¹ Perry married about 1653. From this fact it has been assumed he was born about 1630. The Plymouth Colony records contain an entry for 7 Mar 1654 under the heading of "fines": "Edward Perry, for unorderly proceeding, contrary to order of the Court, about his marriage, is fined five pound." On the same date: "Thomas Tupper, for his negligence in not causing Edward Perry, of Sandwidg, to bee by him orderly married, being by the Court appointed to merry persons there, was required henceforth to desist, and is not intrusted with that business any more." On 6 Jun 1654 the Court again imposed a fine: "Edward Perry, for refusing to have his marriage rattifyed before Mr. Prence according to the order of Court, is fined five pounds for this present Court, and soe five pounds for every Generall Court that shall bee during the time of his said neglect for the future." Edward Perry was one of many colonists whose religious beliefs differed from the majority view. About 1657, he joined the newly formed Society of Friends. Regularly throughout the years his name appeared in the court records. In 1658, 1659, and 1660 he and other Quakers were fined for refusing the oath of fidelity. In 1659 he was fined for "using threatning speeches" to the marshall. In 1663 he was called to account for a "rayling letter which hee wrote to the Court". Nevertheless, he was respected enough to be appointed to share in community duties. In 1671 he and Ezra Perry were to view the damage done to the Indians by the "Horses and Hoggs of the English" and he and James Skiffe were appointed to "have inspection of the ordinaries". Reportedly, Edward was the clerk of the Sandwich meeting of Friends from 1672 to 1694. One historian states that Edward was the author of several tracts setting forth the Quaker philosophy. This claim has not yet been substantiated. Edward Perry named his wife Mary as executrix of his will written at Sandwich 29 Dec 1694. The will was proved 12 Apr 1695. Edward requested that he be buried at "Spring Hill burying place, among my friends there". This spot is a short distance from the present Quaker meeting house and cemetery in Sandwich, Mass. Nine children were named in his will, all referred to by their first names only. Was Edward¹ Perry a younger brother to Ezra Perry of Sandwich? Certainly one cannot rely on a naming pattern to prove relationship, but such patterns sometimes can offer clues for further research. The names Ezra and Edward Perry chose for their children have interesting similarities. Some suggest that Deborah (Perry) Harper of Sandwich was a sister to Ezra and Edward, possibly named for their mother. It has been postulated that Sarah Perry of Sandwich was step-mother to Ezra, and the name Sarah appears in both Ezra’s and Edward’s families. Perhaps the children’s names of Samuel and Benjamin memorialized older kinsmen left behind in England. At this time, no one knows for sure! The above notes were taken from Rhode Island Descendants of Edward Perry by Rosemary Canfield of Pacific Grove, CA 1988. She used the following sources as well: "Ezra Perry of Sandwich, Mass. (c. 1625 - 1689)," in the New England Genealogical Register #115, (1961): 88; History of Barnstable Co., Mass. by Simeon L. Deyo, New York: H.W. Blake & Co., 1890. 1:174; Vital Records of Rhode Island, 1636 - 1850 by James N. Arnold. 21 volumes, Providence: Narragansett Historical Publishing Co., 1891 - 1912. 7:100, 116; 4:54; One Hundred and Sixty Allied Families by John Osborne Austin, Salem, Mass.: 1893. [STACYN.GED]

From perry.dec. Married Mary Freeman (1631-1695) [John Paine, "The Freemans," NEHGR, xx, 59. [BINGHAM.GED]

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