Person:William Perkins (102)

This is the William Perkins of Topsfield who moved to Sutton with a wife Elizabeth. He d. in 1741, and his widow married Cornelius Putnam.

His wife is often said to be Elizabeth Nelson. This appears wrong and is contradicted by any study of the records of Topsfield. See a discussion of the identify of his wife on Which Widow Elizabeth Perkins Married Cornelius Putnam. It is almost certain his wife was actually Elizabeth Towne.

There are births of three William Perkins in Topsfield of about the age to marry in 1732. There are marriage records for two. There appears to be the death record of one, "an aged man who Died Suddenly" on 29 Feb 1776. It is difficult to sort them out with any certainty.

The three births are, from Source:Topsfield, Essex, Massachusetts, United States. Vital Records to the End of the Year 1849, p. 85:

• William, s. Mr. Timmothy and Edna, Nov. 21, 1698 [Timothy and Edna Hazen of Rowley, m. 1686]
• William, s. John and Elisabeth, Mar. 22, 1701 [unknown parents; children: Eleanor 1699, William 1701, John 1702, Elizabeth 1705, Mary 1706]
• William, s. Zacheus and Rebeckah, May 4, 1710 [Zaccheus and Rebecca ---, first child 1705]

The two marriages are, from Source:Topsfield, Essex, Massachusetts, United States. Vital Records to the End of the Year 1849, p. 175:

• William and Elizabeth Towne, Jan. 20, 1731-2.
• William and Elisabeth Nelson of Newbury, at Newbury, Apr. 18, 1734.

In the baptism of son William in 1732 and daughter Elizabeth in 1734, the father is called William Jr., and this is clearly the William who married Elizabeth Towne. This should indicate that he is the younger of two (since there are only two marriage records) or middle of three (since there are three birth records). Meanwhile the birth of Apphia labels her father William Sr.

Source:Perkins, George Augustus. Family of John Perkins of Ipswich, Mass, on p. 2:15, identifies the William who moved to Sutton as the son of Zaccheus and Rebecca Perkins, b. 1710, but as he gives him the wrong wife, and children that don't belong to him but not children that do, and fails to mention the other two William Perkins in town, or give any evidence (outside of Zaccheus' will in 1732 mentioning his son William), this source lacks credibility. Source:Hazen, Tracy Elliot. Hazen Family in America, p. 34, identifies the William who married Elizabeth Towne as the son of Timothy and Edna, but this clearly conflicts with labeling him Jr. in the baptism records above, since the son of Timothy would be the oldest of the three.

At this point, no conclusion can be drawn about which William Perkins married each of the Elizabeths in Topfield.

1. ↑ Sutton, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States. Vital Records of Sutton, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849. (Worcester, Massachusetts: Franklin P. Rice, 1907)
   128.

   PERKINS, Mary, d. William and Elisabith, [born] March 20, 1741. [Father recently deceased. CR Bap. May 3.]

2. ↑ Massachusetts. Probate Court (Worcester County). Probate files, 1731–1881. (Salt Lake City, Utah: Digitized by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 2012)
   Case 46007 Perkins, William Sutton 1740.

   31 Oct 1740 (appraisors sworn 28 Oct 1740): Inventory of Willim parckins Late of Sutton Desestt: £1132, by Samuel Barton, Francis Dudley, Samuel Chase.
   4 Nov 1740: Bond of Elizabeth Perkins Widdow of Sutton as adm'x of her late husband late of Sutton yeoman Dec'd [note: name of husband not explicitly specified]
   14 May 1742: Account of Cornelious Putnam and Elizabeth Putnam formerly Elizabeth Perkins adm'x of William Perkins late of Sutton, allowed.
   10 Jun 1760: Account of Cornelius Putnam who marry'd Eliz'a Pekrins widow of W'm Perkins late of Sutton Dec'd, allowed.
   [from 45963] 24 May 1742: Bond of Cornelious Putnam of Sutton as guardian of Abigail Perkins daughter of William Perkins aged about 4 years.
   [from 45979] 24 May 1742: Bond of Cornelious Putnam of Sutton as guardian of Elizabeth Perkins daughter of William Perkins aged about 8 years.
   [from 45997] 24 May 1742: Bond of Cornelious Putnam of Sutton as guardian of Mary Perkins daughter of William Perkins aged about one year.
   [From 46006] 2[4?] May 1742: Bond of Cornelious Putnam of Sutton as guardian of Unis Perkins daughter of William Perkins aged about 6 years.