Nicholas Perry (1715 - 1805)

Born 1715 in Jersey, Channel Islands

Descendants

Died 1805 at about age 90 in Western Bay, Newfoundland

Biography

There is conflicting information about the origins of Nicholas Perry. Oral history makes his birth place as Jersey. Other family traditions claim he was born in Devon but lived in Jersey before coming to Western Bay. He was one of the first settler to establish himself at Western Bay (North)^[1].

On coming to shore for the purpose of securing caplin bait, he landed at the beach on the north side of Western Bay and with an axe, blazed his bounds through what was at that time a massive forest of timber. He began at the top of the slope which leads from the cove, and went east along the waterfront for approximately 800 yards; then backtracking to the top of the slope again, he went west for about 80 yards (approximately) and from here at a right angle he went north for about 400 yards; then again at a right angle he went east for 800 yards and then south to his bounds at the waterfront. To take a sufficient amount of water frontage, and with little doubt, a view of blocking rival settlers, he then crossed what is known to this day as "Perry's Cove Droke" and went in a southerly direction and blazed along for about 20 yards to the rear of the cliff until he came to what is know as "Red Land".

Family oral history notes that Nicholas Perry had two daughters, Adelaide and Matilda, and four sons, Noah, Philip, William and John. In his will of 1760 Jacques Vibert also mentions Mary of the daughter if Nicholas Perry and James Vibert Perry who he notes is a brother of Mary Perry. These two children were under the age of 21 in 1760 . James Vibert Perry died before he turned 21. Jacques (James) may have singled this two out possibly because they were from a second marriage.

His plantation in Western Bay can be reconstructed based on the property holdings of his sons: 190 yds. from S. to N. bounded on the N. by Jno. & Matthew Dalton on the S. by Lowgy's Point 350 yds. from H.W.M. H.W.M. to the W. bounded on the W. by the woods 251 yds. from S. to N. bounded to the westward bounded by Michael Fowlow & Co. By 1805 the combined property had 1 stage 2 Flake, 5 Houses 4 Gardens 2 Meadow In 1766 Nicholas Perry became indebted to George Davis. The court ruled Perry is to give Davis a proper security for his debt, or Deputy Cartwright or Justice Garland will intervene.

They fished with their father during the summer, and at the conclusion of the voyage, being an industrious and aggressive family, they would till the soil with a view to raising vegetables for their consumption during the ensuing year. The piles of rock which serve as part enclosure of the estate and which were built into walls are mute testimony as monuments to the memory of these energetic pioneers.

Sources

1. ↑ A history of the first settlers of Western Bay, (North). Written by Robert Penney in the early 20th century and passed to his son Hedley. Accessed 2018.

• Colonial Office Secretary Letter Book vol 26, 13 Oct 1766.

Plantation Book https://nlgenweb.dreamhosters.com/cbnorth_nor22_42_05.htm

• Family oral history: https://nlgenweb.dreamhosters.com/cbnorth_norwesternbay.htm
• Will of Jacques (James) Vibert Perogative Court of Canterbury probate 1762.