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