Ezra Perry Sr. (abt. 1625 - 1689)

Born about 1625 in England

Husband of Elizabeth (Burgess) Perry — married 12 Feb 1651 in Sandwich, Plymouth Colony, New England

Descendants

Died 16 Oct 1689 at about age 64 in Sandwich, Barnstable, Massachusetts Bay Colony

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Ezra Perry Sr. migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Unknown Origin

There are claims on the internet that Ezra Perry was the son of Edmund Perry and Sarah Crowell, but there is no evidence of this. Apparently Edmund Perry and Sarah Crowell married in England, but nothing further is known of them.

Their contemporary records from Massachusetts, and the reasons why many believe that Ezra was one of the sons of Edmund and Sarah Perry, have been summarized on pages 13-14 of Rosengarten's book at Archive.org (cited below).

In 1659 Ezra Perry of Sandwich (in Plymouth Colony) was appointed administrator of the estate of Widow Sarah Perry "because there is no other," but there is no further evidence that he was her son, except for the fact that he named a daughter Sarah. The cryptic phrase "because there is no other" could be explained by the supposition that Ezra's presumed brother Edward was presumably being disqualified because he had become a prominent Quaker, and 1659 saw the height of Quaker persecution in Plymouth Colony.

"Circumstantial evidence suggests that this Ezra Perry was closely related to others of the name in Sandwich and probably also in Scituate, Mass. Conclusive evidence regarding the precise nature of these relationships is still to be found."^[1]

POSSIBLE SIBLINGS^[1]:

• Margaret Perry, married Edmond Freeman, Jr. in 1651.
• Hannah Perry, married Henry Dillingham in 1652.
• Edward Perry, married Mary Freeman about 1653.
• Deborah Perry, married Robert Harper in 1654.

Biography

Death: Oct. 16, 1689 in Sandwich, Barnstable County, Massachusetts, USA. Ezra was one of the earliest settlers of Sandwich, Massachusetts. He became a minister in 1657. In 1679 he was constable. He married Elizabeth Burgess in Sandwich on February 12, 1651/52. Children: Ezra Perry Jr, Deborah Perry Pope, John Perry, Sarah Perry Swift, Samuel Perry, Benjamin Perry(cenotaph here), and Remember Perry Tobey.

The following is quoted from "Ezra Perry of Sandwich, Mass. (c. 1625-1689)," by Lydia B. (Phinney) Brownson, in New England Historical and Genealogical Register, vol. 115 (1960), pp. 86-90:

"The first recorded notice of EZRA1 PERRY in America is found in the Sandwich town records, where at a Meeting 6 mo. 7, 1644 we learn that "divers persons engaged freely to pay in goods and merchantable corn" toward the repair of their Meeting House. Ezra Perry pledged an amount of nine shillings toward this project (Sandwich town records; Frederick Freeman, "Annals of Sandwich" in The History of Cape Cod, vol. II, p. 45).

"After his first appearance in the records nothing more is found until his marriage: "Ezra Perry & Elizabeth Burge were maried the 12th day of ffebruarie, Anno. Dom. 1651" (May, Des., 14:109 ). Elizabeth (Burges) Perry... was the only daughter of Thomas and Dorothy Burges of Sandwich. Thomas Burges was in Sandwich in 1637, Representative to the General Court, 1642, fought in the Narragansett War, 1645., etc. Savage calls him "one of the chief men of the town." Through the agency of Capt. Miles Standish he received a grant of land 3 March 1652/3 in Manomet, the area later called Monument, lying to the north of the Sandwich Settlement which was named Herring River Village (within the township of Sandwich). This deed shows that the land lay "to the Eastward of Thomas Burgis his sonne in lawes house" thus proving that Ezra Perry was then resident, though he probably did not yet own land, in Manomet. He does not appear on a list of Sandwich land owners in 1658 (Plymouth Colony Deeds, May. Des., vol. 2, p. 29; Sandwich town records).

"The births of his first three children are recorded in Sandwich: Ezra, in 1653; Deborah, in 1654; and John, in 1657 (May. Des., 14: 171). A hiatus in the records then occurs until we find the births of his son Samuel, in 1667; Benjamin, in 1670; and Remembrance, in 1676. By his will we know that he had at least another daughter, Sarah Perry, born about 1659.

"The town records show that "Lieftenant" Perry received 4 shillings pay 4 April 1657 for service in the militia. Yet he seems not to have played a prominent role in the public life of the community. The fact that he married the daughter of one of its chief men, and that his eldest son married a daughter of the powerful Governor Prence, attests to his standing, however. His multitude of descendants represent an astonishing variety of people, including President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, the first wife of President Theodore Roosevelt, and several contemporary genealogists as well as the present compilers. Among these was Capt. Thomas Crosby Perry (1807-1885), who kept a genealogical Note Book to which the attention of all those concerned with early Sandwich history and genealogy is hereby directed.

"The next item referring to Ezra Perry appears in the Plymouth Colony Court Records, vol. 3, p. 163: "June 7, 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 any interest to the Estate, having put in securities into the Court to be accountable for the Estate encase it shall bee required by any that hath better title thereto. ..." He presented the Inventory on the Estate of Sarah Perry, deceased, on the following day, June 8th.

"All the printed accounts which we have seen appear to base their claim that Ezra Perry and his "brother Edward Perry the Quaker" were sons of the "widow Sarah Perry of Devonshire, England,"on the above statement, but the wording of the record makes it quite clear that neither Ezra nor any of the other Perrys in Sandwich were closely related by blood to the deceased widow Sarah Perry. There is, however, an implication that Ezra Perry had some claim on the estate (perhaps for himself, possibly on behalf of others also). It would be consistent if Ezra's claim had been based on right to a dower residue of the estate of a step-mother. 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 some one of the pioneer Sandwich families to whom the widow's husband and/or these minor children may have been closely related. But such a suggestion is sheer conjecture in the absence of further evidence and is useful only in furnishing an added clue for research in England.

"A deed from the Sachem Quachatasett to Mr. John Alden, dated in Plymouth 27 July 1661, mentions a tract of land "on that side of Manomet River next unto Sandwich: the bounds of which is from the lands of Esra Perry, ..." (Plymouth Colony Deeds, May. Des., vol. 18, p. 88). But Ezra Perry was then still resident on his father-in-law's tract which the latter, Thomas Burges, obtained, says Thomas C. Perry, "from the Plymouth Court in consideration for his public service in 1652" (Note Book, p. 66).

"On 10 July 1663 "Thomas Burge, Senr. of the Towne of Sandwich, ... planter ... in consideration of a valluable sume; to him already payed by his son in law Named Esra Perry of. the towne aforesaid ... planter" conveys "one halfe of a certain tract ... of land at Manomett in the jurisdiction aforesaid, which said tract was purchased by Captaine Standish by the appointment of the Court, of Josias of Nausett an Indian Sachem ... as appears by a deed bearing the date the third of March Anno Dom 1652 ... bounded to the Northwards ... by a tree to the Eastward of the said Perry's house ..." (Plymouth Colony Deeds, May. Des., vol. 18, p. 86) . Thomas C. Perry says this tract lay on both sides of the Monument River, nearly the whole length of it (Note Book, p. 66). Two other deeds, bearing the same date as above, disposed of the remainder of Thomas Burge's 1652 tract; since he sold one-quarter to son Joseph Burge and the remaining quarter to Lt. Josiah Standish of Sandwich (son of Capt. Miles Standish) (May. Des., vol. 18, p. 89).

"On 29 May 1665 Ezra Perry agreed to assist in building the new Sandwich Meeting House (town records). On 25 June 1666 "The Court have graunted unto Ezra Perry a smale quantity of land in the Neck" (about 30 acres) ... "where Mr. Edmonde Freeman Junr. hath his land ..." (Plymouth Colony Court Orders, vol 4, p. 131). On 2 July 1667 "twenty acres additional graunted to Ezra Perry ... being in the purchase of Mr. Edmund Freeman, and not suitable for anyone beside, being there is no meadow on it" (ibid., p. 159).

"Ezra and Edward Perry were both appointed, 5 June 1671, to represent Sandwich on a committee "to view the damage done to the Indians by the horses and hogges of the English" (Plymouth Colony Court Orders, vol. 2, p. 62). Ezra Perry served 3 June 1674 on the Grand Enquest (ibid., vol. 5, p. 145), and again 5 June 1677 (ibid., p. 230). It is a curious fact that in a 1675 list of Sandwich men who "have just right to the priviledges of the town" of Sandwich Ezra Perry's name does not appear, though Edward Perry's does (Freeman, History of Cape Cod, vol. 2, p. 69). But in 1677 the names of Ezra Perry, Senr., and Ezra Perry, Junr., are among those "added to a list of townsmen" (ibid., p. 73). Ezra Perry was appointed Constable 3 June 1679 (Plymouth Colony Court Orders, vol. 6, p. 11). The will of "Thomas Burges Senr. of Sandwich," dated 4 April 1684, gives "to my son Ezra Perry ... two lots I bought of Edmond Freeman Junr.," directs that if a son, Joseph Burges, prefers not to accept certain land under testator's conditions, then this, too, to "son Ezra Perry," and makes "sons Ezra Perry and Joseph Burges" co-executors (Barnstable County Probate Records). The records show that Ezra Perry conveyed lands by deeds of gift to his sons, probably as each reached his majority and it is evident that each child was given also a "marriage portion" in furniture and livestock. This is made plain by the will (vide post), under which the three unmarried children received their shares of "moveables" while the absence of mention of any real property in either will or inventory proves that the lands had been disposed of by deeds poll in the testator's lifetime. The will of Ezra Perry reads as follows:

"In the name of God Amen ye 16 day of October 1689. I, Ezra Perry Senr. of Monument and Town of Sandwich being sick of body but of good and perfit memory thanks to Allmighty God and calling to Remembrance ye uncertaine estate of this Transitory Life and that all flesh must yield unto Death when it shall please God to Call, do make constitute ordaine and declare this my Last Will and Testament in manner and forme following, revoking and annulling by these presents all and every testament, testaments, will and Wills here to fore by me made and declared either by word or writing. And this is to be taken for my Last Will and Testament and none other. And first being penitent and sorry from the bottom of my heart for my sins past, most humbly desire forgiveness for ye same. I give and comit my Soule unto Allmighty God my Saviour and Redeemer in whom and by ye merrits of Jesue Christ I trust and believe assuredly to be saved and to have full remission and forgiveness of all my sins, and that my Soule with my Body at the generall day of Resurrection shall rise again with Joy and throue ye merritts of Christ's Death and Passion, possess, and inherit ye Kingdom of Heaven, prepared for His Elect Chosen. And my body to be.burried at ye ordinary place of burreing. And now for ye setling of my Temporal Estate and such goods and chattles and debts as it hath pleased God, far above my deserts to bestow upon me. I do order give and bestow the same in manner and forme following: That is to say; All my outward moveables without doars and within doars to my truly and well beloved wife as my true and undoubted and Lawful Executrix, to order and dispose of as she pleases and shall see cause to dispose of at her pleasure, excepting what I Leave and bequeathe to my well beloved son Samuel Perry, that is, two stiers of two and one heifer of four years and (a) mare coult; one bed and furniture belonging thereto and (a) gune and sword and bandaleers & one iron pot. To my well beloved son Benjamin Perry, two cows, two steeres above three years old, one bed and its ffurniture, one gune and sword. To my Daughter Remember two cowes and a bed and its ffurniture, one meare and all her increase. Also to my son Ezra one shilling. To John Perry, my son, one shilling. To Deborah, my daughter wife to Seth Pope one shilling. To Sarah wife of Ephraim Swift one shilling. As witness my hand and seal day year and month first above written. his EzraPerry [seal] mark Jacob Burg his mark James Steuart Jacob Burg and James Steuart witnesses to this will made oath in Court April ye 18: 1690 that they saw ye above Ezra Perry signe seal and declare this above written to be his Last Will and Testament. Attest Joseph Lothrop: Clerk" (Barnstable County Probate Records, vol. 1, p. 33).

"Ezra Perry died 16 Oct. 1689 (the same day that he made his will). His gravestone shows him to have been in "his 64th yr." (Sandwich Cemetery inscriptions). The inventory of his estate, dated 24 Oct. 1689, was taken by Elisha Bourne and Nathaniel Wing and shows a total persons estate of £78. 8s. and no real estate. "Elizabeth Perry ye relict of above Ezra Perry" took oath to the truth of the inventory 18 April 1690. The widow Elizabeth Perry died (apparently intestate since there is no record of the settlement of her estate) 26 Sept. 1717 "in her 88th yr." Both her gravestone and that of her husband were clearly legible in 1929."^[1]

Ancestor of U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt

According to Wiki Tree's Relationship Finder tool, U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (Roosevelt-1) is a descendant of Ezra Perry's daughter Deborah (Perry) Pope.

1. Franklin is the son of Sara Ann (Delano) Roosevelt [confident]
2. Sara is the daughter of Warren Delano II [confident]
3. Warren is the son of Deborah (Church) Delano [confident]
4. Deborah is the daughter of Capt. Joseph Church [unknown confidence]
5. Joseph is the son of Mercy (Pope) Church [confident]
6. Mercy is the daughter of Capt. Lemuel Pope [unknown confidence]
7. Lemuel is the son of Deborah (Perry) Pope [unknown confidence]
8. Deborah is the daughter of Ezra Perry Sr. [unknown confidence]

This makes Ezra Perry the sixth-great grandfather of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Lydia B. (Phinney) Brownson and Maclean W. MacLean, "Ezra Perry of Sandwich, Mass. (c. 1625-1689)" in New England Historical and Genealogical Register, vol. 115 (1961), p. 86.

• Sandwich Historical Commission: Ezra Perry : accessed 15 Apr 2018.
• Atwood, Clara. "Ezra Perry of Sandwich, Massachusetts, and Some of His Descendants." The Journal of American Genealogy, First Quarter (Jan-March) 1922, p. 37 and ff. (free copy at Archive.org).
• Cutter, William Richard. New England Families, Genealogical and Memorial (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1914). Vol. 2. See Perry p. 895 ff. at Archive.org here.
• Greenlaw, Lucy Hall. List of Ezra Perry's Children, Records of Sandwich, Massachusetts. The Genealogical Advertiser (Cambridge, Mass: 1901) p. 2.
• Rosengarten, Ruth Vesta Pope Werner. Ezra Perry of Sandwich, Massachusetts, and Some of His Descendants in Saratoga County, New York. (Washington, D.C., 1955). Available at Archive.org as a free download. See especially "The Descendants of Ezra Perry - Second Generation" on p. 20 and ff.
• Swift, C.W. Sandwich and Bourne: Colony and Town Records (Boston: C.W. Swift, 1912). Free copy at Archive.org. Several references to Ezra Perry may be found by searching for his name within the book.
• Find A Grave: Memorial #41307635 Image of Gravestone. burial at Old Town Cemetery, Sandwich, Barnstable County, Massachusetts. (1625-16 Oct 1689) b. allegedly at Bridford, Teignbridge District, Devon, England
• Will and Probate: Probate and Guardianship Records, 1674-1950 (Barnstable County, Massachusetts); Author: Barnstable County (Massachusetts). Register of Probate; Probate Place: Barnstable, Massachusetts. Source Information Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, Wills and Probate Records, 1635-1991 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Original data: Massachusetts County, District and Probate Courts. Item Description: Probate and Guardianship Records, Vol 1-2, 1674-1742; Vol 3, 1743-1747
  • Please note that a photographic image of Ezra Perry's handwritten will is available through Ancestry.com, but it is not easy to read. A typed transcription may be found at the Margaret Bready Genealogy Collection at Archive.org here.
  • Name: Ezra Perry Probate Date: 16 Oct 1689, Probate Place: Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA Inferred Death: Abt 1689, Massachusetts, USA