Uteri W Perkins (1761 - 1844)

Born 16 Jul 1761 in Lincoln, North Carolina

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah (Gant) Perkins — married 1782 in Buncombe, North Carolina, United States

Descendants

Died 11 Mar 1844 at age 82 in Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois, USA

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Biography

Son of Robert Biggans Perkins and Elizabeth Lollar.

Ute served about five months in the Revolutionay War. He enlisted in May of 1778 and served two months as a private in Captain Joseph McDowell's company. Three months later he served three months as a private in Captain David McFall's Company (both companies were in Colonel Brevard's North Carolina regiment).

He married Sarah Gant, July 15, 1781. Ute, Sarah and their family were the first white settlers in Fountain Green Township, Hancock Co., IL.

He died 11 Mar 1844 and is buried at Webster Cemetery, Webster, Hancock County, Illinois.^[1]

Family links from FindAGrave:^[1]

Parents:

Robert Biggan Perkins (1735 - 1823)

Elizabeth Lollar Perkins (1740 - 1823)

Spouse:

Sarah Gant Perkins (1760 - 1845)*

Children:

Reuben Perkins (1783 - 1871)*

Levi Perkins (1787 - 1876)*

Ephraim Adkinson Perkins (1792 - 1856)*

Absalom Perkins (1797 - 1850)*

William Gant Perkins (1801 - 1886)*

Sarah Lavinia Gant Perkins Vance (1801 - 1836)*

Research Notes

In the Spring of 1839, we again started westward to gather with the Saints, but when we arrived within twenty miles of Commerce, later Nauvoo, it was thought best to remain there and build a town at a place called PERKING SETTLEMENT. Land was soon purchased and a town laid off and called Ramus, signifying Branch, afterwards changed to Macedonia. (Our Pioneer Heritage, Vol. 15, p.241-242)

I had baptized several and organized a branch of the Church at Crooked Creek, eight miles distant in what was called the Perkins Settlement. (Joel Hills Johnson Excerpts from Autobiography (1802-1868), BYU-S, p.6)

Ute Perkins Revolutionary War Soldier^[2]

The following info should be used as a guide. The info should be verified and incorporated into this bio and sources found and cited. The info is copied from the archived GeoCities website:^[3]

72. UTE PERKINS (ROBERT BIGGEN, RICHARD, RICHARD, RICHARD, ROBERT) was born July 16, 1761 in Tryon, Lincoln County, North Carolina, USA, and died March 12, 1844 in Macedonia, Hancock County, Illinois, USA. He married SARAH GANT July 15, 1781 in Buncombe, Ashville, North Carolina, USA, daughter of WILLIAM GANT and ANNA WOOD. She was born April 22, 1760 in Lincoln County, North Carolina, USA, and died June 06, 1845 in Carthage, Hancock County, Illinois, USA.

Ute Perkins was described by a descendant as medium tall, with a light complexion and blue eyes. He had the earliest birthdate of any Mormon. He was drafted in 1773 to Capt. John McDowell's Company, then was in Capt. David McFall's Co. He was shot through the breast with a musketball that went through and lodged in a shoulder-blade; his pension number was R8118 NC. From the NC State Dept. of Archives, Revolutionary War Pay Voucher No. 4485, Morgan District: "This certifies that the Board of Auditors have allowed Ute Perkins Twenty Pounds four Shillings for Militia Service agreeable to an act of General Assembly in such case made & given under our hands this 28th day of August 1784." In 1789, he left for Abbeville and Pendleton Counties, South Carolina. In 1799 he went to White Co., Tennessee. In 1827, he traveled by oxen team to Fort Green township, Illinois, where he was the first white settler. His death took place in Hancock Co., which is now Webster County, Illinois.

Ute moved to Abbeville Co., South Carolina in 1787, then moved to White Co., TN in 1802, moved to Fort Green, IL (Perkinsville, Hancock Co., IL) were first white family in area around Carthage & Nauvoo, IL. When he joined church, in 1837, he boasted as being the oldest member at that time. States birth date as 15 Jul 1761 Bladen Co., NC

Revolutionary War Pension Application R.8118:

Summary: Ute Perkins was born July 15, 1761 in Lincoln County, North Carolina. While residing in Lincoln County, North Carolina he enlisted in May, 1778 and served two months as a private in Captain Joseph McDowell's company, Colonel Brevard's North Carolina regiment. About three months later, he volunteered and served three months as a private in Captain David McFall's Company, in the same regiment. ...Ute Perkins moved from Lincoln County, North Carolina in 1779 to Abbeville County, South Carolina where he lived for about twelve years, then moved to Pendleton Co., South Carolina and lived about five years. He then moved to White County, Tennessee where he lived about twenty years, then to Morgan County, Illinois and from there to Hancock County. ...Ute applied for a pension 1 Dec 1834, then a resident of Carthage, Hancock Co., Illinois. The claim was not allowed because he did not give six months service, as required by the pension laws. Visit RootsWeb for a detailed copy of the application.

He had a residence in Fountain Green, Hancock County, Illinois, just a little over a mile NE of Macedonia

Tax: 1842, Ramus, Hancock, Illinois. cattle 10; horses 10; wagons 20; clocks 5; prop. not enum. 50; amt. of P. Prop. 95; residence 6N 5W cattle 10; horses 10; wagons 20; clocks 5; prop. not enum. 50; amt. of P. Prop. 95; residence 6N 5W

1790 United States Census: Pendleton County, South Carolina, p. 85. Ute Perkins: 1 male 16+ [Ute Perkins, age 29]; 3 males -16 [Reuben, age 7; Levi, age 3; and Robert B., age 1]; 2 females [Sarah, age 30; Lavina, age 5]

1800 United States Census: Abbeville, Abbeville County, Sourth Carolina, p. 11: Note: Not all ages fit but was no other possible for Ute Perkins on the census. In the Ancestry census index the name is Ule Perkins. Ute Perkins: 1 male 45+ [Ute Perkins, age 39]; 1 male 16-25 [Reuben, age 17]; 2 males 10-16 [Levi, age 13; Robert B., age 11]; 3 males - 10 [Ephraim, age 9; ??; ??]; 1 female 45+ [Sarah, age 40]; 1 female 16-25 [Lavina, age 15]; 2 females -10 [Dicy, age 7; Sarah, age 5]

1810 Census: Ute Perkins should be in White County, Tennessee and there are no available copies for that county. Only Rutherford county exists.

1820 Census: White Co., Tennessee, p. 366: Utey Perkins: 1 male 45+ [Ute Perkins, age 59; 1 male 16-25 [??]; 1 female 45+ [Sarah, age 60]; 2 females 16-25 [??, ??]; 1 female -10 [??]

1830 Census: Hancock Co., Illinois, p. 289. Note: Cuty Perkins in the index; Looks the same handwritten. Could be a copy error as often the federal images we see are copies sent to Washington. Cuty Perkins: 1 male 60-70 [Ute, age 69]; 1 female 70-80 [Sarah, age 70].

1840 Census: Hancock Co., Illinois, p. 173. Note: Utez Parkins in Ancestry.com index; Handwriting looks to be Utey Purkins Sr. and below is Utey Purkins. Utey Purkins Sr.: 1 male 70-80 [Ute, age 79]; 1 female 70-80 [Sarah, age 80].

"When old Ute Perkins died in April (actually March 11) social ties between the two towns snapped." [Susan Sessions Rugh, Those who Labor in the Earth: The Families and Farms of Fountain Green, Illinois, p. 145] (It's understandable, as, throughout the years, Ute had been in the habit of regularly visiting the general store in Fountain Green of Hopkins and Tyler. In addition to making a purchase or two he probably enjoyed passing the time of day with old friends--general stores were the social gathering place in those days.)

See a copy of his will at RootsWeb

In the name of God Amen.

I Ute Perkins of the county of Hancock and State of Illinois being in feeble health but of Sound mind and mem-ory do make this my last will and testament.

First. I wish all my last? debts to be spedily settled.

Second. I will and bequeth unto my beloved wife Sara[h] Perkins during her lifetime all my property of whatever name or nature or wherever found.

Thirdly. After the decease of my wife It is my will and desir[e] that my son William G. Perkins shall have and retain to him and His and assigns forever all the following described lands To wit: The west half of lot No. Second and all of lot no. Third Block No. Eight in Town of Macedonia in the County of Han [cock] and State of Illinois.

Fourthly. All the remainder of my property of whatso[ever] kind it is my will and desire shall be divided equally betwe[en] all my Children William G. Perkins not excepted.

Fourthly. It is my will That my son William G. Perkins shou[ld] be and I hereby appoint him Executor of this my last will an[d] testament. Done at Macedonia this tenth day of November in the year of our Lord Eighteen hundred and forty three. In w[it-] ness where of I have hereunto set my hand and seal the da[te] above written.

Witness: Ab. Lincoln; Samuel Miles Isom; William G. Perkins

Ute (his X mark) Perkins {Seal}

State of Illinois

Hancock County Probate Court 19 April 1844

This day came Ab. Lincoln and William Perkins two credible witnesses, and on there Oaths do say th[at] they were present and saw the above named Ute Perkins si[gn] the annexed and foregoing last will and testament and [ac-] knowledge the same to be his free act and desire and that [they] believed the same testator to be of sound mind and memory [at] the time of signing the said last will and testament. {Seal} Witness David Greenleaf Probate Judtic[e] of the Peace.

Headstone Inscription: "Ute Perkins, North Carolina, Pvt., Capt. D. McFall's Co. Revolutionary War, July 15, 1761, March 11, 1844"

Macidonia (now Webster Co., Ill.) is where Ute was buried, not in Nauvoo where the memorial statue stands. The Perkins settlement of 1828 became the Crooked Creek Branch of the Church, later renamed Ramus.

See also http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~uteperkins/index.htm

Other sources include:

1. Clifford L. Gant, John Gant ca. 1713-1783 of Virginia and North Carolina; his Life, Ancestry and Descendants with Information on Other Early Gant Families in America and Europe (La Quinta, California, Clifford L. Gant).
2. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Nauvoo Temple Endowment Register, Appendix A, second company.
3. Salt Lake City Death Records, #32 Absalom Perkins.
4. W. G. Perkins household, 1880 U.S. Census, Utah, Washington Co., St. George City, dwelling 10, family 11, ED 93, sheet 3C, p. 346 (Ancestry.com), image 3 of 62).

Notes for SARAH GANT: Sarah Gantt was described by a descendant as a "Holland Dutch" woman, very tall, dark-complected, with black hair and black eyes.

Children of UTE PERKINS and SARAH GANT are:

194......i......REUBEN PERKINS, b. March 04, 1783, Lincoln County, North Carolina, USA; d. October 22, 1871, Bountiful, Davis County, Utah, USA.

.....ii......LAVINA PERKINS, b. Abt. 1785; m. JOHN LOLLAR, Abt. 1820, Lincoln County, North Carolina, USA.

195......iii......REV. LEVI PERKINS, b. October 15, 1787, Lincoln County, North Carolina, USA; d. July 12, 1876, Cookville, Putnam, Tennessee, USA.

196......iv......ROBERT BIGGIN PERKINS, b. Abt. 1789, Pendleton District, South Carolina, USA; d. 1863, Barry County, Missouri, USA.

197......v......EPHRAIM ADKINSON PERKINS, b. February 25, 1791, Pendleton District, South Carolina, USA; d. March 22, 1856, Burnside, Hancock County, Illinois, USA.

.....vi......DICEY PERKINS, b. Abt. 1793.

198......vii......SARAH LAVINIA GANTT PERKINS, b. January 11, 1795, White County, Tennessee, USA; d. December 18, 1836, McDonough, McDonough, Illinois, USA.

199......viii......ELIZABETH LOLLAR PERKINS, b. December 21, 1796, Abbeville, South Carolina; d. November 06, 1850, Webster, Hancock County, Illinois.

200......ix......ABSOLOM PERKINS, b. November 22, 1797, Pendleton District, South Carolina, USA; d. January 13, 1850, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, USA.

201......x......WILLIAM GANTT PERKINS, b. January 01, 1801, Jackson County, Tennessee, USA; d. March 08, 1883, St. George, Washington, Utah, USA.

.....xi......ANNA WOOD PERKINS, b. January 03, 1801, White County, Tennessee, USA; d. December 18, 1836, White County, Tennessee, USA; m. WILLIAM PRYOR, Abt. 1822; b. Abt. 1786.

202......xii......HANNAH PERKINS, b. Abt. 1808, White County, Tennessee, USA; d. Aft. 1870, Hancock County, Illinois, USA.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/165541931/utero-perkins: accessed 24 August 2023), memorial page for Utero “Ute” Perkins (15 Jul 1761–11 Mar 1844), Find a Grave Memorial ID Find A Grave: Memorial #165541931, citing Nauvoo's Old Cemetery, Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois, USA; Maintained by Patrick Walton (contributor 48259046).
2. ↑ [ http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=document&guid=fbd83e51-e8b5-4d51-af0b-16953d30464c&tid=10501119&pid=1037374838 Ancestry.com.
3. ↑ The Perkins Family of Maryland by Jane A. Leavell (littlecalamity [at] hotmail.com) - Generation 6

See also:

• http://records.ancestry.com/ute_perkins_records.ashx?pid=17999828