Family talk:Edmund Perry and Sarah Betts (1)

Sandwich Perry's [5 November 2008]

Bill, I remember having an exchange with you several years ago regarding this family. I descend from Ezra. The relationship between him and the others is indeed curious as evidenced by Sarah's estate. However, while it is possible that unrelated Perry's settled in Sandwich, around the same time I find it highly unlikely. The membership in the Quaker society as evidence of non-relation is weak at best since the family arrived in 1639 and the Quakers were not founded until 1652 by which time, all of the alleged children were adults. Choice of religion, especially a new sect would be more likely influenced by spouses, not siblings. Welcome to werelate. This site is relatively new, and now that the duplicates are being rapidly cleaned up, perhaps we will see some serious collaboration.--Scot 18:02, 4 November 2008 (EST)

Scot,

DNA evidence does show that Ezra and Edward's descendants share a recent common ancestor. The strange language in the administration of the estate of Sarah Perry in Sandwich says that Ezra was the only person with an interest in her estate. Brownson and McLean in the article in NEHGS Register in 1961 concluded "that neither Ezra nor any of the other Perrys were closely related by blood to the deceased widow Sarah Perry." The article suggests that Sarah was Ezra's step-mother. Because of the DNA evidence perhaps Ezra and Edward were cousins. I have not been able to find any contemporary record of Edmund's existence. The same goes for the maiden name of Sarah Perry.

What is the basis for your statement that the Perry family arrived in 1639? Did the entire family arrive or was it just one person who is mentioned at that time?

The birth years on these Perrys are guesses. The places of birth are unsubstantiated. As you have stated, the alleged relationship is simply because they share a common surname and lived in the same place. That works sometimes and sometimes it doesn't. Take a look at the Charles Anderson's discussion on the Cookes in "The Great Migration Begins." Francis Cooke had a son John Cooke Junior, or John Cooke the younger." But there was also a John Cooke, Sr. or John Cooke the elder, who appears on the Plymouth Tax List in 1634 and in three other records. The antecedents of John Cooke Sr are unknown. Dr. Anderson concludes "There is no indication that he was related in any way to FRANCIS COOKE." (Upper case emphasis was in the original.)

I share your hope that this site will produce some serious corroboration and not be filled up with all the garbage that can be found on other internet family trees. Serious corroboration to me requires documentation from contemporary sources. That has been notably lacking in most of the accounts of the Perrys.

Bill--Bill Wright 11:21, 5 November 2008 (EST)