HISTORY OF STEPHEN PERRY AND ANCESTORS PAGE 1 Perry means "Pear Tree". Most Perry coat of Arms have a pear on them. Perry is also a pet name for Peter, Pierre and Perrigrine. In some provinces, it can also mean "Son of Harry". Stephen Perry was born 12 August 1794 in Chester, Windor, Vermont. His parents were Daniel Perry and Sarah (Sally) Whitmore. Stephen Perry's first Perry ancestors to come to America were Edmund Perry and wife Sarah. Edmund Perry was born about 1585 in Devonshire, England. He brought his family of 10 children to America, probably in 1632 aboard the ship "Lion". There were 4 daughters and 6 sons in this family. The second son John was Stephen's progenitor. The youngest son, Edward was the ancestor of Admiral Oliver Hazard and Commodore Matthew Perry. Edmund Perry settled at Sandwich, Barnstable, Massachuchets. As his sons matured and married they spread to other locations in Massachuchets. L. Tom Perry's ancestors were in Massachuchets at the same time, but so far, a connection has not been made. His line does cross our Knight and Wright lines. At the time that Edmund Perry emmigrated, Charles I was sitting on the throne of England. He was a difficult king, who was later tryed for treason and was executed in 1649. Emmigration was very difficult under his reign. Many people were being persecuted for their religious and political beliefs. Other people choose to come illegally to avoid the stiff emmigration laws. My research leads me to believe that the Perry's fell into one of these categories. According to the "Genealogy of Massachuchets" written by William R. Cutter, published in 1910. A Thomas Perry with a wife named Sarah Stedman and a small son named Moses, appeared in Scituate, Mass. Here, another son was born whom they named William. The wife age of moses, infant William and subsequent sons born to them agree with the family of William Perry, 3rd son of Edmund and Sarah Perry. William appears to have changed his name to Thomas and his small sons name from Thomas to Moses. This situation and the general scarcity of information leads me to the conclusions already stated. Stephen Perry was who he was because of the courage and perseverance of his ancestors. His Grandfather, Amos Perry fought in the Revolutioary war. Stephen's oldest son Josiah Henry Perry wrote the following statement. "Amos Perry signalized (means: to make conspicuous) his name as an officer in the American Army during the long heavy struggle with Great Britian, which terminated in our freedom from bondage and our gaining our independence, especially on Bunker Hill where with his own gun he killed an English Officer. (1) He was also a Sea Captain and may have used his boat to futher the cause of freedom. No official record of this service has been found. It's possible that he used his Sea Captains rank and volunteered for specific battles. His oldest brother Daniel Perry served as a Civil Servant in that same war.