IchabodPerry
ICHABOD PERRY, one of theearly setters of this county, residing in Mount Sterling, was born in Claibornecounty, Tennessee, July 18, 1815. His father, Edmond Perry, was a nativeof North Carolina and served in the war of 1812, receiving a land warrantfor 160 acres; but it is not known that this was ever located. His fathercame from the same State, and removed from there to Claiborne, Tennessee,where he purchased land and carried on farming until 1831, when he cameto Illinois. He spent his last years in Brown county. The maiden name ofhis wife was Rebecca Yarberry, also a native of North Carolina. She diedin Brown county, also. Their son, Edmond, was a natural mechanic, but neverlearned a trade, and as he was very fond of hunting, he put in a good dealof time in that way. He resided in Tennessee until 1831, when, with hisparents and others and wife and ten children, he emigrated to Illinois,and after four weeks overland travel landed in Morgan county. He renteda log cabin, three quarters of a mile from Jacksonville, and there spentthe winter, and in the spring of 1832 came to that part of Schuyler thathas been included in Brown county. He settled on a tract of vacant landin what is now Cooperstown township, and at once built a log cabin in theusual manner of the settlers, with rough hewn logs and puncheon floor.He lived in that place for about a year when he found out that he had builthis house on the wrong land. He then moved to the adjoining quarter andput up a log cabin there, and later purchased this land, paying therefor$200, mostly in property. It was military land. This included the southwestquarter of section thirty, and he turned his attention to the improvementof the land, and resided in this locality until his death. The maiden nameof his wife was Rachel Bridges, daughter of William and Sarah Bridges,who moved from Tennessee to Missouri in 1831, and spent the rest of theirdays there.Ichabod was sixteen yearsold when he came to Illinois with his parents. The country was sparselysettled and but little improvement has been made anywhere. For some yearsthe people lived on the produce of their farms and on the wild game thatabounded in the forests. His mother used to card, spin and weave, and dressedher children in homespun made by her own hands. The father, being a skilledhunter, used to kill a great many deer. He dressed the skins, and in thewinter the boys used to wear pants made of that material. Ichabod receivedhis early education in the public schools of Tennessee. These were taughton the subscription plan, each family paying according to the number ofchildren sent. He made the best of his opportunities, and in later yearshas improved his mind by extensive reading. He remained with his parentsuntil he was twenty-one and then began life for himself. In 1836 he wentto the Territory of Iowa. At the time of his marriage he located on wildland in section 24, of Mount Sterling township, which he occupied for fifty-threeyears. He bought other tracts of land at various times, and at one timewas the owner of 800 acres. He has assisted each of his children to homes,and now lives with his daughter, Mrs. Ward.
In 1838, he married MarthaBell, born in Kentucky, January 1, 1818, daughter of Robert and JennieBell. She died January 7, 1892. He has four children living: Oliver H.,married to Martha McMillian; Lewis C., married first to Columbia Sharon,and for his present wife, Julia Dennis; Ethan Allen, married Delia Sharon;and Mary, married to William Ward. Mr. Perry is an ardent supporter ofRepublican principles. In 1846, etc., when he was a Democrat, he was Justiceof the Peace two terms.
Biographical Review ofCass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois, Biographical Review PublishingCo., Chicago, 1892, pages 241-242.
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