Biographies - Elmira Township

William, G. Perkins, born in Orange county, Vermont, January 19, 1819, is the son of Lemuel and Lucretia (Gentleman) Perkins.

Lemuel Perkins was a native of New Hampshire. He was the son of Timothy Perkins and Betsy Gentleman. Timothy Perkins, a native of England, was a soldier in the revolutionary war, and after the war he engaged in farming in the state of New Hampshire, remaining there until his death. Betsy Gentleman was a native of Connecticut, her parents coming from France. Lemuel Perkins enlisted for the war of 1812 at the age of fourteen, served seven years in the army, and after the war he engaged in the cooper trade. He was married in 1817 to Lucretia Gentleman, and had by her two children, the subject of our sketch being the oldest. Daniel died when two years old, in the town of Tapsham, Orange county, Vt. His wife died in 1823, and in 1833 he married Miss Hetty Pomeroy, a native of Vermont, by whom he had one child, Jane, who married and is living at Tapsham, Vt. He remained in Vermont the greater part of his life, and died there about the year 1838.

The subject of our sketch passed his boyhood on a farm. When he was old enough to take part in heavy labor he helped to cut the timber and then assisted in building the second steamboat that ever ran on Lake Champlain, called the Burlington, commanded by Capt. Sherman. He became a boatsman on the boat, followed the lake marine for a short time, and in October, 1840, he left Buffalo, N. Y., for Chicago, Ill., being nine days making the trip. After landing in Chicago he removed to Ottawa, of this state, and engaged in teaming and breaking prairie.

He was married in November, 1846, to Miss Elizabeth Lyle, daughter of William and Atlanta (Darling) Lyle.

After his marriage he was employed on the Chicago & LaSalle or Illinois canal, and worked at this until the canal was finished, being the man who drew the last stone, and also helped to place the last stone on this great public work. After he finished his canal job he engaged in farming, and remained so engaged until 1856, when he removed to Kansas, where he made a stay of a few months. For a short time afterwards he traveled around, first from one state to another, but in 1857 he settled in Elmira township, purchased 160 acres on section 8, and engaged in farming and stock-raising. Remaining on his first purchase until 1866, he purchased 160 acres on section 9, and removed to it, and has remained on this purchase up to the present, having added forty acres more to his last purchase in Elmira, and 330 acres in Osceola township. He has, since coming to Stark county, been engaged in farming and stock-growing.

In politics he is democratic; is not a member of any church, but supports all denominations alike. He has a family of ten children, namely: Hazen H., married and living at Kewanee; Charlotte, married, living at Chicago; Charles E., married, living in Penn township; Mary, married, living in Elmira township; William L., unmarried, living in Osceola township; James, unmarried, living in Osceola township, Ida M., married, living in Elmira township; Phoebe, married, living in Osceola township; John, at home; George, married, living at home.

The subject of our sketch in an early day was looked upon as being king of the hunters in this county, having, in company with his old hunting friend, David Fulk, of Osceola, killed the last deer that there is any record of in this township.