Welcome! I really enjoy exchanging information with people and love that this blog helps with that. I consider much of my research as a work in progress, so please let me know if you have conflicting information. Some of the surnames I'm researching:

Many old Cape families including Kelley, Eldredge/idge, Howes, Baker, Mayo, Bangs, Snow, Chase, Ryder/Rider, Freeman, Cole, Sears, Wixon, Nickerson.
Many old Plymouth County families including Washburn, Bumpus, Lucas, Cobb, Benson.
Johnson (England to MA)
Corey (Correia?) (Azores to MA)
Booth, Jones, Taylor, Heatherington (N. Ireland to Quebec)
O'Connor (Ireland to MA)
My male Mayflower ancestors (only first two have been submitted/approved by the Mayflower Society):
Francis Cooke, William Brewster, George Soule, Isaac Allerton, John Billington, Richard Warren, Peter Browne, Francis Eaton, Samuel Fuller, James Chilton, John Tilley, Stephen Hopkins, and John Howland.
Female Mayflower ancestors: Mary Norris Allerton, Eleanor Billington, Mary Brewster, Mrs. James Chilton, Sarah Eaton, and Joan Hurst Tilley.
Child Mayflower ancestors: Giles Hopkins, (possibly) Constance Hopkins, Mary Allerton, Francis Billington, Love Brewster, Mary Chilton, Samuel Eaton, and Elizabeth Tilley.

Monday, June 4, 2012

Luke Perkins ca 1640-1710 and Hannah Long 1637-1715

Luke Perkins was born ca 1640, probably in Hampton, New Hampshire, the son of Abraham and Mary (maiden name unknown) Perkins.

An indenture dated 4th mo. 3d day 1654, states that Luke Perkins, aged about 'fortene' with the consent of his parents puts himself apprentice to Samuel Carter, shoemaker, both of Charlestown.

Luke married Hannah Long on 9 March 1662/63, likely in Charlestown, Mass. She was born 3 March 1636/7 at Charlestown, the daughter of Robert Long by his second wife, Elizabeth, whose maiden name is not known. Hannah had married first Henry Cookery.

Hannah was admitted to the First Church at Charlestown on 29 March 1668.
Copy of an oil painting of the First Church, Charlestown

Children:

Henry
John who died young
Luke who died young
Luke who married Martha Conant
Elizabeth who married Nicholas Lobdell
John
Abraham
Hannah who married Richard Way
Mary

I descend from Luke. I wrote about that couple here..

Luke served in Capt. Thomas Prentice's Company, listed on a treasurer's report dated 24 April 1676, under the command of Lt. Edward Oakes. He was paid 19 shillings, 8 pence.

The Middlesex Troop arrived at Swansey (Swansea), at Miles' garrison, and was fired upon by Indians. Mr. Church was also with them. Several were wounded, so they withdrew. Next day they were fortified by Capt. Mosely's volunteers, and they charged across a bridge and drove the Indians from the "Neck." On June 30 they rode to Rehoboth. The next day the troop was divided, with one division serving under Lt Edward Oakes. It seems both troops rode back by the same route. Prentice's men came upon Indians burning a house, but could not get at them, because of a delay caused by having to tear down fences that were in the way, giving the Indians time to retreat to a swamp. Lt Oakes' forces discovered them and chased them over a plain, killing two of Philip's top men, also losing one of their own men, John Druse. Capt. Prentice's men spent the next few days searching the swamps, but then went with the army to Narraganset. After they returned to Swansey and learned that Philip was hiding in Pocasset Swamp, the majority of Massachusetts troops were sent to Boston. Capt. Prentice and his troop were ordered to scout towards Mendon, where the Indians had lately made an assault upon the people, killing several. The troopers met Capt. Johnson's company at Mendon. On 3 Dec 1675, Capt. Prentice was appointed to command a troop of horse in the Narraganset campaign, seeing much action, including battle at Bull's garrison and scouting raids.

It appears Lt Oakes was at Lancaster after its destruction Feb 10, 1675/76, and after that was scouting between Marlborough and Medfield, at was quartered at the latter with his troop during the attack 21 Feb. He also submitted a small bill for billeting his troop at Billerica, no date.
Depiction of a Native American attack during King Philip's War

Luke Perkins died at Charlestown on 20 March 1709/10. His son, Luke Perkins of Ipswich, was appointed administrator of the estate on 12 March 1712/13. Inventory: House 62 pounds, personal property 17 pounds. In the account of administration, widow Hannah was named, also son Luke, grandchild Elisabeth daughter of Jeremiah Wright, and Sarah daughter of William Emery.

Hannah died at Charlestown 16 November 1715.

Luke Perkins of Plympton, as administrator of the estates of his father and mother, sold the old homestead in Charlestown the year his mother died.

I have read that Luke and Hannah may be buried at Copp’s Hill Burial Ground in Boston, without surviving headstones.
Copps Hill Burial Ground
Photograph of Copp's Hill source: cityofboston.gov

Sources Not Listed Above:
Joseph W. Porter, An Account of Part of the Family of Abraham Perkins of Hampton NH, who lived in Plymouth County, Mass., NEHGR, Vol. 50, 1896

Asa W. Brown, Perkins Family of Hampton, NH, NEHGR, 1858, Volume 12

George Madison Bodge, Soldiers in King Philip's War, A Critical Accounting of That War with a Concise History of the Indian Wars of New England from 1620-1677, 1896

Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Begins, 1995

2 comments:

  1. One frustration with rolls in Bodge is that pay dates do not reflect dates of duty. Compensation was settled in arrears. Amount paid [i]does[/i] indicate span of service, however.

    [i]General Register of the Society of Colonial Wars, 1899-1902[/i] (1902), p. 729 supports your research: "PERKINS, LUKE, 1640-1710, Charlestown, Mass. Under Lieut. Edward Oakes, King Philip's War." I would caution you that it’s an error-strewn text, based solely on member assertions.


    [i]History of Ipswich, Essex, and Hamilton[/i] by Joseph Barlow Felt (1834), p. 147, 'Military Concerns 1675’ citing "Salem Church Records," offers “Luke Perkins states, that a company, in which he was this year, went out against the enemy, and they were returned unharmed." Following on from sentence beginning “The company from Ipswich …”

    It strikes me as odd, that there would be three of the same name at Ipswich. I have been researching scandalous Luke Perkins (c1649-c1695), born at Ipswich to John Perkins, Jr. (1609-1686), and who – at Ipswich in 1677 – married (first) Elizabeth Jaquis (various).

    [i]History of Lynn, Essex county, Massachusetts: including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscott, and Nahant[/i] by Alonzo Lewis and James R. Newhall (1865), p. 238 coneys "One of the soldiers in Philip's war, whose name was Luke Perkins, says that when he was detached, in 1675, to go against the Indians, he went to request the prayers of Mr. Cobbet, who prayed that the company might be preserved, and they all returned in safety." Reverend Thomas Cobbett (1608-1685) led Ipswich meeting from 1655 until his death … and had documented history with both Luke and father John Perkins, Jr. (See ‘A Narrative of New England's Deliverances’ by Thomas Cobbett.)

    Given later life choices, this 1675 religiosity seemed out of character. See [i]The History of the First Church, Charlestown: In Nine Lectures, with Notes[/i] by William Ives Budington (1845), p. 211, ‘Seating the Meeting House. Charlestown Selectmen appointed Luke Perkins “to prevent the disorderly running out of youth in time of public worship,” beginning in April 1674. From p. 212: “This practice was continued until 1682, when Luke Perkins was appointed to attend to this business, for which he was to receive £3 per annum.” A time frame in which Luke Perkins (c1649-c1695) was decidedly unchurched.

    Noting Biblical name ‘Abraham’ in your account, both of these men were probably named for a Luke Perkyns of Hillmorton Parish, Warwickshire. John Perkyns, Sr. (1583-1654), born there, died Ipswich, had paternal uncles Abraham and Isaache who migrated to Hampton. They are to have married Wyth (various) sisters there.

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    1. Thanks for sharing your research! I'll respond to you via email.

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