Rees Washington Perkins Sr. (1812 - 1895)

Born 8 Dec 1812 in Marion, Mississippi, United States

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 4 Jul 1895 at age 82 in Calcasieu, Louisiana, USA

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Biography

The Daily Press of Lake Charles, Louisiana, July 6, 1895:

A Calcasieu Pioneer A Sketch of the Long and Upright Life of the Late Reese W. Perkins

Mr. Reese W. Perkins died on the 4th inst., at his home near Edgewood in this parish, and was buried at the old family graveyard, on Hickory Branch, by the side of his first wife, who was buried there in July 1890. Mr. Perkins or Grandpa Reese, as he is generally called, was born in Mississippi, Dec. 8, 1812, and was 82 years, 6 months and 26 days old. His father, who was also named Reese, with his mother and several brothers and sisters immigrated to this state in 1824, and settled in the western part of the parish, hence Mr. Perkins was raised and lived the balance of his life, from 12 years of age, within a radius of 18 miles from Westlake, having lived at Hortman's Ferry, Big Woods, Hickory Branch and finally settled, about 25 years ago, in the pine woods, near Edgewood.

Mr. Perkins outlived all his early associates except one uncle, Jacob Ryan, of this city, who can give a graphic and interesting description of the many episodes of their boyhood days in Calcasieu, then St. Landry parish. Mr. Perkins was married Nov. 18, 1834, to Miss Vianna Coward, a daughter of Major Hardy Coward of Big Woods. By this union he was blessed with seven children, four boys and three girls. One of the girls died in childhood; the others were reared to manhood and womanhood, and the mothers and fathers of large families. His sons were Allen J. Perkins, lately deceased, Iven A. Perkins and Jack Perkins, who are living in the neighborhood of Edgewood, and who were almost daily companions of their venerable and aged parent and who lived on an intimacy with him that was child like in its simplicity, confidence and affection, furnishing a picture of parental and filial devotion that is rarely met with in life.

His fourth son, Reese W. Perkins, preceded him across the river several years ago, dying in early manhood, in the very bloom of life. His eldest daughter, Mrs. O. S. Lyons, died several years ago. His youngest daughter, Mrs. John Lyons, of Sugartown, arrived at her father's bedside a few hours before he expired, but too late to receive any recognition from her idolized father. Her grief was indescribable and incomprehensible to the average mortal, and only appreciable by that type of noble and true-hearted daughters among whom she is a shining light. Mr. Perkins had five brothers--James Perkins, father of Rev. Wm. Perkins, Hon. E. A. Perkins, Samuel J. Perkins and Eugene Vebbre, deceased, Mrs. David A. Lyons and Mrs. (?) Faucher, all of this parish; Miranda Perkins, father of W. E. Perkins, Irwin Perkins and Mrs. David Morgan, also of this parish; Wm. K. Perkins of Copiah Co., Miss.; Samuel Perkins, who moved to Clear Creek, Galveston Co., Texas, and whose family now live in Houston, Texas; and Jackson Perkins, the youngest brother, who died in early manhood. His sisters, six in number, were Margaret, Hepsy, Rebecca, Letha Ann, Martha and Harriet. Hepsy Perkins married Willis Butler, Letha Ann married Wm. Coward, Eliza married Needham Coward, and Margaret married Allen Coward--these four sisters and their families finally moving to and settling in and near Houston, Texas. Martha married a Mr. Townsend, of East Feliciana parish, moved to that parish, reared a family there, and is living there yet. Harriet married D. W. Neelan, who moved to Jasper County, Texas.

Burial

Crownpoint Cemetery, Westlake, Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, USA ^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/34919409/reese-washington-perkins: accessed 03 April 2023), memorial page for Reese Washington Perkins (8 Dec 1812–4 Jul 1895), Find A Grave: Memorial #34919409, citing Crownpoint Cemetery, Westlake, Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, USA; Maintained by John Paul Woodley (contributor 47577689).

• "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCJQ-235 : 22 December 2020), Riss Perkins, Calcasieu, Louisiana, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

• "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFP3-1CV : 18 February 2021), Ries W Perkins, 1860.

• "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8QT-ZDW : 29 May 2021), Rees W Perkins, 1870.

• "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MD6K-WZ2 : 14 January 2022), Rees W. Perkins, Calcasieu, Louisiana, United States; citing enumeration district , sheet , NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm