Individual Details

William G. "Grief" Perkins

(31 May 1821 - 9 Mar 1908)



"Past & Present of Greene County, Missouri" found in Kansas City Library had biography of William H. Perkins, whose father was known as "Grief" Perkins. Says that "Grief had two brothers and two sisters, all deceased except for Mrs. Hayden (sic) who lives in Texas". Grief Perkins was born in Logan County KY. Evidence has been found of two Perkins families living in the right place and time and an older Grief Perkins died in Logan County KY. He was likely the uncle of the Grief Perkins later found in Missouri.
Grief Perkins found in Greene Co MO 1850 Census with spouse Martha and children Mary and Daniel. This agrees with the above article.

Land entried of Grief Perkins were in Sections 36 & 25 of T29, R23. He also had several lots in Brookline, the small town nearby.

1843 Green Co MO Tax Assessor's list has William G. Perkins with only his poll. He immediately follows a John Perkins who owned 1 slave, 2 horses, and 4 cows. Could this be his mother [Mrs. John Perkins] or his older brother?

1850 Greene Co Census, Campbell Twp [Springfield] Household 24. William G. Perkins, Farmer, age 29,b. KY. Martha A. 23, b. TN. Mary O. age 3 and Daniel N. age 6/12 [later this child will be William H.....?] They were living next door to Martha's mother.

1860 Census. Campbell Twp, Greene Co MO, Hh 925
Grief Perkins 39, b. KY
Martha 35, b. MO
Mary 12. William 11. Nannie 8. Daniel 9. Lucy 7. Jane 4.

Presumably this is his Civil War service.
There is a Civil War record for a William G. Perkins of Missouri who served as a Sgt in Company C, 3rd Battalion of Missouri Cavalry, Confederate Army. He enlisted 20 Jan 1862 for one year. However, he is said to have been born in Rone (sic, Roane) County, Tennessee, and was a farmer. This man had enlisted at Pond Springs, MO - which is in Greene Co. Another card states he enlisted in Springfield, Greene Co. He had previously served 3 months as a private in Company A, then appointed 3rd Sgt, Aug 1862; 1st Sgt Oct 1862. 28 Feb 1863, marked as "Deserted" which was common in the Confederate Army records and often just meant they had not a clue where he was - certainly his one year enlistment was up. However, he was present in March & April of 1863. On the Muster Card for July & August, 1863, he was noted "Absent, cut off with Lowring at Baker's Creek". This was the last card.

From the Springfield Republican 14 Feb 1896:
"A large number of neighbors assembled at the residence of Mr and Mrs G W Perkins near Brookline Thursday and celebrated their half century wedding anniversary."

1900 Census. Brookline Twp, Greene Co, MO, Hh 4
W. G. Perkins, b. May 1821, age 79, married 63 years, b. TN, father b. NC, mother b. TN
Martha, wife, b. Feb 1827, age 73, had 11 children, 7 are living, b. TN, father b. NC, mother b. TN
Ollie Stephens, granddau, b. Dec 1883, age 16
Jennie Stephens, granddau, b. Jul 1892, age 7
[children are daughters of Mary Jane "Jennie" Perkins]

Buried at Brookline Cemetery, Greene Co MO

Events

Birth31 May 1821Logan County, Kentucky
Marriage12 Feb 1846Greene County, Missouri - Martha Ann Beal
Death9 Mar 1908Greene County, Missouri
BurialBrookline Cemetery, Brookline, Greene County, Missouri

Families

SpouseMartha Ann Beal (1827 - 1908)
ChildMary Olive Perkins (1847 - 1925)
ChildWilliam H. Perkins (1850 - 1923)
ChildNancy Ann Perkins (1851 - 1935)
ChildDaniel V. Perkins (1853 - 1875)
ChildLucy Elizabeth Perkins (1855 - 1912)
ChildMartha Jane "Jennie" Perkins (1857 - 1893)
ChildMargaret Perkins (1859 - 1859)
ChildJohn Thomas Perkins (1861 - 1928)
ChildNelly L. Perkins (1863 - 1863)
ChildLaura Virginia Perkins (1864 - 1931)
ChildAmanda Minerva Perkins (1866 - 1940)
FatherJOHN PERKINS (1789 - 1835)
MotherMARY JANE "POLLY" DUNLAVY (1789 - 1849)
SiblingJohn R Perkins (1819 - 1884)
SiblingBenjamin C. Perkins (1822 - )
SiblingOlive Judith "Judy" Perkins (1821 - 1904)
SiblingMARY JANE PERKINS (1826 - 1918)
SiblingFrank Perkins ( - )

Endnotes