James Alexander Pearl (1807 - 1897)

Born 17 Apr 1807 in Knox County, Ohio, United States [uncertain]

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth H (Berry) Pearl — married 25 Dec 1827 in Knox County, Ohio, United States

Husband of Elizabeth J. (Wiseman) Pearl — married 6 Jul 1847 in Holt County, Missouri, United States

Descendants

Died 1 Dec 1897 at age 90 in Halsey, Linn, Oregon, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Becky Kraemer [send private message]

Biography

Birth

Rev. James Alexander Pearl was born according to his own family Bible on 17 April 1807 in probably Knox County, Ohio, United States. His most probable parents according to the Pearl Family Website are Alexander Perrill (c. 1770-c.1814) and Grace Beaumont (c. 1770-c. 1815) who were married on 29 May 1791 in Frederick, Maryland. Since he was orphaned at such an early age, it is difficult to know for certain that these were his parents, but there is fairly good evidence. The name as his father used it was Perrill. James used Pearl. There were many Perrill families in Maryland.

Marriages and Families

He married twice.

1. Elizabeth Berry (1808-1845) on 25 December 1827 in Knox County, Ohio.
2. Elizabeth J. Wiseman (1827-1890) on 6 July 1847 in Holt County, Missouri.

Children of the Pearl-Berry Marriage

1. Rev. Joseph A. Pearl was born on 18 March 1829 in Amity, Knox, Ohio, United States. He married Sarah Wiseman (1829-1904) on 25 August 1848 in Newark, Andrew, Missouri. Joseph died on 14 August 1894 in Linn County, Oregon, United States.
2. James Smith Pearl was born on 18 December 1830 in Knox County, Ohio, United States. He died on 26 August 1844 in Missouri, United States.
3. John Alexander Pearl was born on 1 July 1833 in Knox County, Ohio, United States. He married Miranda Ruth Michael (1839-1919) on 21 September 1854 in Linn County, Oregon. John died on 5 September 1864 in Brownsville, Linn, Oregon, United States.
4. Hannah Jane Pearl was born on 25 September 1835 in Knox County, Ohio, United States. She died on 18 August 1844 in Missouri, United States.
5. Malinda Pearl was born on 7 January 1838 in Knox County, Ohio, United States. She married Silas John Keeney (1831-1875) in 1855 in Linn County, Oregon. Malinda died on 5 June 1869 in Halsey, Linn, Oregon, United States.
6. Isabella Caroline Pearl was born 19 January 1840 in Knox County, Ohio, United States. She married Henry Harrison Kirk (1836-1910) on 28 December 1854 in Linn County, Oregon. Isabel died on 9 July 1920 in Linn County, Oregon, United States.
7. Elizabeth Ann Pearl was born on 15 September 1842 in Knox County, Ohio, United States. She married Rev. Isaac Newton VanWinkle (1837-1917) on 23 February 1865 in Linn County, Oregon. Elizabeth died on 9 May 1920 in Salem, Marion, Oregon, United States.
8. Hannah R. Pearl was born on 17 May 1845 in Missouri, United States. She died on 4 August 1845 in Missouri, United States.

In 1840 James was listed on the tally only United States Federal census in Pike Township, Knox, Ohio. There were 13 members of his family at the time; so there are probably more children or relatives not shown here.

Children of the Pearl-Wiseman Marriage

1. Minerva Pearl was born on 2 April 1848 in Missouri, United States. She died on 23 June 1853 in Santiam, Linn, Oregon, United States.
2. Mary Pearl was born on 11 May 1850 in Jackson Township, Andrew County, Missouri, United States. She married William Robinett (1846-1908) on 6 February 1868 in Linn County, Oregon. Mary died on 22 August 1884 in Linn County, Oregon, United States.
3. William Henry Pearl was born on 29 June 1852 on the Oregon Trail, United States.
4. Silas Harrison Pearl was born on 16 September 1856 in Brownsville, Linn, Oregon, United States. He married Ella Rose Rader (1862-1944) c. 1882. Silas died on 13 April 1914 in Seattle, King, Washington, United States.
5. Redman Pearl was born on 4 September 1858 in Linn County, Oregon, United States. He died on 27 January 1940 in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States.
6. Sherman H. Pearl was born in September 1863 in Oregon, United States.
7. Florence Mabel Pearl was born on 29 June 1868 in Brownsville, Linn, Oregon, United States. She married David Lincoln Stewart (1860-1914) c. 1892. Florence died on 10 November 1944 in Portland, Multnomah, Oregon, United States.
8. Henrietta Pearl, called Etta, was born on 21 September 1871 in Linn County, Oregon, United States. She married Earl McDaniel (1871-1930). They divorced before 1920. Etta died on 10 August 1937 in Los Angeles County, California, United States.

Wagon Train West to Oregon

He sold out his holdings in Andrew County, Missouri in the spring of 1852 and undertook the trip to Oregon with the Wagon Train, under the command of Captain Henry Schooling, which consisted of about 150 persons that left on 8 April 1852 from the Martinsburg, Peak, Illinois area. He purchased two wagons, ten yokes of oxen, some loose cattle and horses, and without mishap or accident arrived at the Dalles. They continued the journey to Jefferson, where they remained until the fall of 1853; then Mr. Pearl located a donation claim of 320 acres, seven miles southeast of Halsey, and followed agricultural pursuits until 1880; in that year he retired, and has since lived with his children at Halsey. Hines, H.K. page 1179. The children who accompanied he and his second wife were Joseph 23, John 18, Malinda 14, Isabel 12, Elizabeth A. 9, Minerva 4, Mary 1, and in the womb was William Henry who would be born on the trail on 29 June 1852. They lost little Minerva on 23 June 1853 shortly after their arrival in Oregon.Lang & Himes, page 781.

According to An 1852 Pioneer's Journal, two Pearl families (Senger, et al state that these were undoubtedly James and son Joseph.) fell in with the other wagons about 6 August. An incident reported by Elizabeth Pearl (Her manuscript can be found in the Oregon Historical Society in Portland, Oregon.) who was to later marry Isaac Van Winkle goes like this:

At some point, the wagons reached the Columbia River and were loaded on a flatboat to be floated to near the falls, I presume near what is now The Dalles. As they were about to land, a problem with the wind arose and the raft drifted toward the current rather than toward shore. Fortunately, some men noticed their plight and ran to the shore. Seeing this, the boatman tossed a coil of rope towards them. It fell short but the men formed a human chain and went into the water. They managed to grasp the rope and returned to shore to brace themselves in the rocks for the upcoming mighty tug of the raft. Gradually, the great craft and its load slowed and was pulled back out of the current. All was saved.

They arrived in Oregon in September 1852.

Occupations

He was a blacksmith, a farmer, and a Methodist minister.

Death and Burial

Rev. Pearl died on 1 December 1897 in Halsey, Linn, Oregon, United States at the age of 90. He was buried in the Category: Brownsville Pioneer Cemetery, Brownsville, Oregon, Brownsville, Linn, Oregon. Find A Grave: Memorial #63191876

James was born about 1807. He passed away about 1897.

Sources

• Joseph Pearl family Bible.
• Lang, Herbert O. & Himes, George Henry. History of the Willamette Valley. Portland, OR: G.H. HImes, 1885. Page 781.
• Linn County, Oregon Pioneer Settlers, Oregon Territory Donation Land Claim Families to 1855. Vol. 12, pp 60-61 is John A. Pearl.
• Linn County, Oregon Pioneer Settlers, Oregon Territory Donation Land Claim Families to 1855. Vol. 15, pp 32-34 is James pearl.
• Linn County, Oregon Pioneer Settlers, Oregon Territory Donation Land Claim Families to 1855. Vol. 2, pp 69-71 is Joseph Pearl.
• Hines, Harvey Kimball. An Illustrated History of the State of Oregon. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company, 1893. Joseph Pearl is on page 1179, the 2nd biography. He was still alive and living in Halsey at the time the book was written. Find book here [1]
• 1830 United States Federal Census in Monroe, Knox, Ohio. Tally only. Head of household is James Pearl. 3 total family members consisting of 1 male under 5, 1 male 20-29, 1 female 20-29. The people would be James Alexander Pearl, Elizabeth (Berry), wife and 1st son, Joseph A. Pearl. 2nd son wasn't born until December of that same year.
• 1840 United States Federal Census in Pike, Knox, Ohio. Tally Only. Head of household James Pearl 30-39; wife 30-39; with 11 children. Children at that time would be Joseph b. 1829; James b. 1830; John b. 1833; Hannah b. 1835; Malinda b. 1838; Isabel newborn. It lists 3 boys and 8 girls. The other 5 girls aged 3, 5, 9, and 2 of them 10-14 we don't know.
• 1850 United States Federal Census on 18 December in Jackson, Andrew, Missouri. 1850: Pearl, James 43, farmer, head; Elizabeth 23, wife; John 16, farmer, son; Melinda 12, daughter; Elizabeth 8, daughter; Minerva 2, daughter, Mary 1 month, daughter.
• 1860 United States Federal Census on 10 July in Linn County, Oregon. 1860: Pearl, James 54, farmer, head; Elizabeth 31, wife; Elizabeth 17, daughter; Mary 10, daughter; William 8, son; Martha 7, daughter; Silas 4, son; Redman 1, son. Next door is John Pearl 27.
• 1870 United States Federal Census on 7 September in Brownsville, Linn, Oregon. Page 13, lines 20-26. Pearl, James 63, farmer, head; Elizabeth 43, wife; William H. 17, farm worker, son; Silas 13, farm worker, son; Redmond 11, son; Sherman 7, son; Florence M. 1, daughter.
• 1880 United States Federal Census on 24 June in Halsey, Linn, Oregon. 1880: Pearl, James A. 73, at home, head; Elizabeth 53, wife; Redman 22, farmer, son; Sherman 17, son; Florence 13, daughter; Etta 10, daughter.
• Huston, H.C.. An 1852 Pioneer's Journal. A reprint of this can be found in the Beaver Briefs, vol. 22, number 3, pages 81-84, number 4 pages 103-6 and vol. 23 number 1, pages 13-16.
• Pearl Family Research Pages by Clyde M. Senger, Orlie Gerdes, and Evelyn Gerdes. Rootsweb Pearl Pages are an excellent source for early Oregonians with sources provided. The authors state that descendants are arranged by generations and within each generation by relationship to the 20 children of James Pearl. Find here

[2]

• Early Oregonians. Oregon State Archives, Salem, Oregon. The full article is found here.
• More information about the Oregon Trail article found here
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/63191876/james-alexander-pearl: accessed 21 July 2023), memorial page for Rev James Alexander Pearl (17 Apr 1807–1 Dec 1897), Find a Grave Memorial ID 63191876, citing Brownsville Pioneer Cemetery, Brownsville, Linn County, Oregon, USA; Maintained by clyde senger (contributor 46957595).

Footnotes

• My mother's research.