David Perkins (abt. 1693 - bef. 1746)

Born about 1693 in Brandywine Hundred, New Castle, Delaware

Ancestors

Died before 8 Oct 1746 before about age 53 in Kent, Maryland

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Biography

David was probably born after the family moved to Brandywine Hundred, New Castle Co., in what today is Delaware. If he had been born in Hampton, New Hampshire there would be a record of him there.^[1] He is the third son listed in his father's will of 1703, named after Jonathan who was born in 1691 and before Isaac.^[2]

His father wanted him to be apprenticed and he may have learned stone cutting at the quarry or the skill of a millwright at the mill, both of which adjoined the family farm on the south side. If he was born in 1693 he would have been 21 in about 1714. His brother Daniel had moved to Kent Co., Md., before 1710 and built a mill on Morgan’s Creek in Kent County by 1712.^[3] During the next several years he built at least two more or used the power source to power three mills: a grist mill; a saw mill, and a fulling mill. It is likely that he was helped by David Perkins over the next decade as David acquired skills and/or the judgement related to a millwright, and they were both members, at least until 1725 in David's case, of the Shrewsbury Episcopalian Church in Kent Co.^[4]

James Smith sold a tract of land called Worth’s Folly to George Dunkan, which after surveying was 846 acres. The deed mentions when James Smith bought the land he had two unnamed partners, Daniel and David Pearkins, and they each owned one third of it. On page 23 of this book are two receipts, one from David Pearkins to George Dunkan for £35 dated April 13, 1719, and another from Daniel Pearkins to George Dunkan for £35 dated April 14, 1719, releasing their interest in the tract of land known as ‘Worth’s Folly.’^[5]

A David Pearkins and wife Sarah of Kent County, Maryland sold land in adjacent Queen Anne County, Maryland on March 28, 1722. Queen Anne County was formed from southern Kent and northern Talbot counties in 1706. His name is spelled Pearkins in the Queen Anne County record. Shrewsbury Parish records has: “David Perkins and Sarah Reding was joined together ye 18th day of February 1722.” The last number is squiggly and could be a 3, but considering the last entry for the land sale, I believe it is 1722. Subsequent copies made of the Shrewsbury records transcribe the date as 1723. I will put an image of this on the page. There are no more family records for them at Shrewsbury. In 1725, David Perkins was asked to sell 600 pounds of tobacco for the parish for 22 shillings per hundred weight (records p. 116). He returned the tobacco in September of that year, so perhaps he couldn’t get that much for it (p. 125). There are no further records for David Perkins in the Shrewsbury Parish. David Pearkins seems to have parted ways with the Shrewsbury Parish after 1725 and joined with the Quaker's 'Cecil' Meeting in Lynch, Kent Co., Maryland. He is mentioned several times in the records for 1735-6. His brother Ebenezer moved here after 1725 and may have influenced his change.

David Perkins of Kent Co., Maryland received a patent for 519 acres on 3 October 1734.^[6] This tract was located northeast of present-day Ransom, Jefferson County, West Virginia on Flowing Springs Run on the north with West Virginia County Road 17 (Flowing Springs Road) through the center of the property north to south.^[7] This property was sold to "Isaac Perkins of Opeckon in Orange County of the Colony of Virginia" for £35 on 17 May, 1740 by David Perkins of Kent County, Maryland. It looks as if he traveled to Virginia at least once.

There is no family information for David and Sarah Perkins found at churches in Kent Co. I will have to use his will for the children. On August 10, 1742 (it looks like 1749, but the will was proved Oct. 8, 1746), David Perkins of Kent Co., MD, signed his will, whereln he names his wife Rebecca and gives her one third part of his movable estate and the half of his movable estate and dwelling estate while she remains a widow. Did he remarry or did she use her middle name? His daughter Sarah and her heirs are to receive all of his lands in “New Castle County, Pennsylvania,” but I have found no record for these lands. Perhaps he re-married and Rebeccah inherited some? His son David is left the remaining part of his estate both personal and real. He names his wife and son David to be the executors of his will. On the eighth of October, 1746, Rebecca and David Perkins, “being of the people called Quakers,” affirm the validity of David Perkins will. On October 8, 1748, Rebecca and David Perkins are named executors of the estate, but David is not one of the three guaranteeing the bond of £1,500. He must be over 21 but not have any appreciable assets.^[8] David Perkins’ estate inventory was appraised on November 10, 1748. His older brother Daniel had died around the first of the year 1748 and his nearest kin listed are Daniel and Thomas Perkins. They are not mentioned in his will and so are probably the two sons of his brother Daniel. His executors, Rebecca and David Perkins, both named as Quakers, solemnly affirmed and declared the accuracy of the inventory.^[9] There are additional inventories added to his estate in 1749 and 1752 and Rebecca is the administrator and a Quaker in them.

Sources

1. ↑ The History of the Town of Hampton New Hampshire Vol. 1 by Joseph Dow Salem Press 1893. "Daniel b. June 1685, Abigail, b. Aug. 11, 1687, Jonathan, b. May 10 1691"
2. ↑ Philadelphia Co PA Will #166 book B page 453 1703
3. ↑ Kent Co., Maryland deed book 6, page 288 1712
4. ↑ Shrewsbury Parish records several sources including Maryland State archives https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccolm/m0000/m0300/m339/pdf/m339.pdf
5. ↑ Kent County deed book 8 pages 17- 23 1719
6. ↑ Orange Co VA Deeds Book 2 page 45
7. ↑ Deed Orange Co., Va., deed book 4 pages 193-4 1740
8. ↑ Kent Co., Md., Admin Bond book 4 pages 296-7 1748
9. ↑ Kent Co., Md., probate inventory book pages 553-5 1748