Nathaniel Perley (1745 - bef. 1779)

Born 11 Oct 1745 in Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah (Dutch) Bacon — married 2 Nov 1769 in Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts

Descendants

Died before 6 Jul 1779 before age 33 in at sea

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Biography

Nathaniel Perley served as a minuteman under Captain Daniel Rogers during the Revolutionary War. Their company marched from Ipswich to Lexington for the Battle of Lexington and Concord on 19 April 1775. ^{[1] [2]} This was the first skirmish of the Revolutionary War and witness to "the shot heard 'round the world," a phrase coined by Ralph Waldo Emerson.

After his military service, Nathaniel Perley became a successful privateer. ^[3] On 15 Aug 1776 he was commissioned the commander of the "Success," earning him the title of "Captain." The ship eventually fell into British hands and all on board were captured. All of the men, including Captain Perley, were ordered to perform menial duties. As the captain of the ship, he should have been accorded certain privileges and been treated with respect by the British Captain, but was not. He spit on the British officer and was instantly shot dead, leaving his wife with several small children. ^[4] He died intestate, but his estate was probated on 6 July 1779. ^[5]

Birth

Nathaniel was born on 11 October 1745 in Ipswich, Essex County, Massachusetts. ^[6] His parents were Samuel Perley and Ruth Howe. ^[7]

Death

Nathaniel was killed before 6 July 1779 off the coast of Massachusetts. He died intestate and his estate went in for probate on 6 July 1779. ^{[8] [9]}

Marriage

Captain Perley was married to Sarah Dutch, daughter of Benjamin Dutch. ^[10] They had seven (7) children:

• Hannah Perley (1771-)
• Nathaniel (1771-?)
• William (abt 1771-?)
• Ebenezer (abt 1773-?)
• John (abt 1775-1816)
• Samuel (1775-1830)
• Sarah (Perley) Wells (1778-1861)

Sources

1. ↑ Porter; pg. 321
2. ↑ Essex County Probate Index
3. ↑ Porter; pg. 321
4. ↑ Porter; pg. 321
5. ↑ Essex County Probate Index
6. ↑ MA Vital and Town Records; citing pg. 292 Ipswich Births
7. ↑ Vital records of Ipswich, Massachusetts; Vol. I, Ipswich Births, pg. 292.
8. ↑ MA District and Probate Court
9. ↑ Essex County Probate Index
10. ↑ Vital Records of Ipswich, Massachusetts; Vol. II, Ipswich Marriages, pg. 148.

• Vital records of Ipswich, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849. Salem, MA: The Essex Institute, 1910.
• Sanborn, Melinde Lutz. Essex County, Massachusetts Probate Index, 1638-1840, Salem, Massachusetts: Essex County; database, "Essex, Massachusetts Probate Records, 1648-1840," Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1997 (Ancestry link : accessed 5 March 2018); citing File Number: 21505.
• Massachusetts County, District and Probate Courts; database and digital images, "Massachusetts, Wills and Probate Records, 1635-1991," Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. (Ancestry link : accessed 5 March 2018); citing Massachusetts, Essex County, Probate Records; Author: Massachusetts. Supreme Judicial Court (Essex County); Probate Place: Essex, Massachusetts.
• Porter, Juliet, compiler. A Porter Pedigree, being an account of the ancestry and descendants of Samuel and Martha (Perley) Porter of Chester, N.H., who were descendants of John Porter, of Salem, Mass., and of Allan Perley, of Ipswich, Mass., Worcester, Massachusetts, n.p., 1907.
• Town and City Clerks of Massachusetts. Massachusetts Vital and Town Records. Provo, Utah: Holbrook Research Institute (Jay and Delene Holbrook); database and digital images, "Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988," Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 5 March 2018)