Sidney Perley
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Sidney Perley (1858 - 1928)

Sidney Perley
Born in Boxford, Essex County, Massachusetts, United Statesmap
Ancestors ancestors
Husband of — married [date unknown] [location unknown]
Died at age 70 in Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United Statesmap
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Profile last modified | Created 18 Jan 2017
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Contents

Biography

Sidney Perley, lawer and historian who had lived in Salem for many years died at Massachusetts Homeopathic Hospital on 9 Jun 1928 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts. He was born 6 Mar 1858 in Boxford, Essex, Massachusetts, son of the late Humphrey Perley and Mrs. Eunice (Peabody) Perley.[1][2][3][4]

In 1885 Mr. Perley was graduated from the Boston University law school and was admitted to the Suffolk bar that same year. From 1881 to 1886 he acted as auditor of the town of Boxford. Soon after his graduation Mr. Perley moved to Salem, where he practiced law.[3][4]

From 1900-1903, Mr. Perley was a member of the Salem school board and again from 1902-1911. He was interested in the Prohibition and Republican parties and at one time was a candidate for attorney-general and for mayor of Salem.[3][4]

As an author and poet Mr. Perley was widely known. He wrote the “History of Medford,” History of Salem,” “Historic Storms of New England.” “Dwellings of Boxford.” Poets of Essex Country,” and several law publications. From 1890-1909 he was editor of the “Essex Aniquarium.”[3][4]

Mr. Perley belonged to the Essex Institute, which he joined in 1881. He was a member also of the New England Historic-Genealogical Society of Boston.[3][4]

On June 11, 1889, he married Miss Harriet Hood Spofford of Georgetown who survived him as did a daughter Miss Eleanor Perley and a son, Richard Perley, a Salem attorney.[3][4]

Sidney Perley at rocky crevice near Salem Witch Trials execution Site

The Gallows Hill Project

In 1921, Sidney Perley (1858-1928) was the first to suggest Proctor’s Ledge as the site where the nineteen accused of witchcraft were hanged during that long ago summer of 1692, "with their bodies discarded" in a nearby crevice.

Fast forward to 2016 . . . "To identify the site, the researchers combed through maps, court documents and other primary sources, hoping to determine the location of “the house below the hill.” That phrase, discovered among nearly 1,000 pages of court records by researcher Marilynne Roach, was uttered by 51-year-old accused witch Rebekah (Blake) Eames (1641-1721) during her preliminary examination on Aug. 19, 1692. The magistrate asked if she had witnessed the five executions that occurred earlier that day and EAMES responded that she was at “the house below the hill” when she saw the executions." [The Gallows Hill Project] [5]

Publications

  • Perley, Sidney. The History of Salem, Massachusetts in Three Volumes.
  • Perley, Sidney. The History of Boxford, Essex County, Massachusetts. Published 1880.
  • Perley, Sidney. The Essex Antiquarian, Volume 1-8, 1897-1909.
  • Perley, Sidney. Historic Storms of New England: Its Gales, Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Etc. Published 1891.
  • Perley, Sidney. Mortuary Law. Published by George B. Reed, Law Publisher 1896.
  • Perley, Sidney. Poets of Essex County Massachusetts. Published 1889.
  • Perley, Sidney. N.E.Historical Genealogical Register. Volume 62,1908.page 51, Obituary of Alfred Poore 1818-1907
  • Perley, Sidney. "Goodridge Memorials," 1884;
  • Perley, Sidney. The Dwellings of Boxford, Essex County, Mass.. 1893;
  • Perley, Sidney. The Indian Land Titles of Essex County, Massachusetts. Published 1912.
  • Perley, Sidney. "Law of Interest," 1893; "Adjudicated Forms," 1895;
  • Perley, Sidney. "Mortuary Law," 1896; "Practice in the Probate Court of Massachusetts," 1898;
  • Perley, Sidney. "Practice in Personal Actions in the Courts of Massachusetts," 1902.
  • Perley, Sidney. "Principles of the Law of Interest as Applied by Courts of Law and Equity,"
  • 1893;"Practice in the Probate Court of Massachusetts," 1907;

Sources

  1. The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1847-. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2013.) 83:332 Link
  2. William Richard Cutter, Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of Boston Volume 2 (Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1908) 1065 link
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Date: Sunday, June 10, 1928 Paper: Boston Heralds (Boston, Massachusetts) Page:5.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Wikipedia
  5. "Gallows Hill in Salem, Mass." History of Massachusetts Blog https://historyofmassachusetts.org/where-is-the-real-gallows-hill/. Accessed 19 Aug. 2023.




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Sidney's Antiquarian is on-line. His walk-abouts have been of tremendous help.

Note (09/21/2019) - The Antiquarian copies at Peabody disappeared. Our links now go to digital copies at Hathi Trust.

And, accurate. Comparison of one map with its modern equivalent: How close is close? II

It was wonderful to find Sidney's Profile. We'll be pointing to it frequently. He mentioned The Massachusetts Magazine which published writers like Col. Thomas Higginson, F. M. Thompson, R.A. Douglas-Lithgow, MD, LLD, and others.

posted by John M. Switlik

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