The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-01-12
Obituary.
COL. THOMAS HANDysYDE PsRKINs, OF MAssAoHu-


Thomas H. Perkins, formerly Colonel in the Massa.
chusets Volunteer Aliis died at his residence Brook
line 10 that safe the 10th instant aged eighty nine
years. He was born Dec Is, l7e4. Mr. Perkins
f the Oldest and wealthiest citizens of soston He
The senior partner Of the house OF Thomas II Per
kins Co OF Boston They owned the largest grants
quarry in Quincy, and built the Quincy railway, (ths
fri in the United statesanished in 1879 Tor the pur
pose Of ying granite from the quarry TO vessels in
the Neponhet river This house furnhed the stone for
the Bunker Hill Monument. Mr.. Perkins perhaps
the only surviving citizen Of Boston who witnessed
the massacre In King street, the 5th Of March
1870. He the dead body Of Of the victims,
and the blood frozen in the gutter. Seventy five
years afterwards he said the remembrance
clear il the event had happened only the day before
In the Of 1912 Mr. Perkins Of tho leaders OF
the federal party, and with Sullivan and Otis Com
missioner from the State Legislature to the general gov
srnmeI to request that portion Of the taxes collected
in the stae might be paid into the State treasury for
the purpose OF the defence OF the State and that al
moneys expended should DO reimbursed to the State
treasury Peace after declared and the matter
pressed. The history Of the fsderalts and the
Hartford Convention is well known. Mr. Perkins
identified with all these The father OF Mr.
Perkins inn holder in King street. Boston, AID in
1907 was licensed to sell wine only.
Thomas H. Perkins was OF Bostsn's most valued
citizens. Personally he most popular he Of ane
appearance strict honor, and with "heart open
the day 20 melting charity" HIS was real benevolence
gtnerosity without ostentation BE the feus der of
the Blind Asylum, and, by way Of example, he gave his
fine mansion house in Pearl street home for the
pills OF the ins tuton He rested from his lsbors
until he had placed the Institution frm foundstion
When the interests OK the institution required that
| It should have building in more airy and rus
urban location he secured for 1t the splendid location
Dorchester Heights which occupies. He then rsst
cd in Temple place. and when the frsste Constitution
he secured enough of her oak for the door Of
his house BE opposed the Of 1912 from political
bias but could be proud Of the victories
won by the American troops. He married early in
liie and Of his daughters Ia the wife OF Hon
Cary For several years pact be fesdsd at ha country
house but hs active spirit would not be tanned, in
his old age. When eighty years Of sgs he made the
tour OF Europe and returned in fine health and spirit
In karch last he ourneyed TO Washington to the in
Apgurstcn Of President PIERCE and though eighty and
eight years had passed his hesd lie seemed younger
| than many who had not alta ined two ucore.
Loved by Au who knew him, respected and admired by
the community the loss Of Thomas II Perkins must be
considered in Massachusetts, public calamity
The teegraphc despatch announcing the death of Mr.
Perkins give ths OF the disease from which
he DIED, bu. presume 1t gou to which complaint
| he has la'ely been victim.
We have alluded above to the commencement Of the
revolution in connection with Colonel Perkins. The fol-
lowing anecdote that the military spirit extended
| to all ranks of the community
Colonel Perkins lived State street Broad
street. About the emit Of the revolutionary
war, when the British troops occupied Bopn, there
military company OF boys organized in the town, Of
which James Perkins captain, and Thomas H. was
Of the privaes The late Dr. EIhraim Eliot also
. member Of it. Among variety OF memoranda left by
Ir. Eliot and the possession Of his descendants Ia
one relative to this juvenile train band He says So
particular the British in preventing any kind OF mi
Atary parade the &c but their own, that adms-
sion denied to company OF schoolboys to enter and
parade there. The write, member Of the company
We then marched to Fort Hill next parade day
This Hill in possession o, the Royal WEIGH Fussrs,
and obliged to content ourselves with walking
about town. We however, did parade in State street
between the Bunch Of Grapes tavern, Of Klby
street and the British Coffee House. opposite Both
filed with British oicers and the strest with soldiers
who much amused with the ,ness with which
We went through the and performed our
evolutiops
This company numerous. and attracted much ~
tention. Notice taken Of parade in tbs
| papers. James Perkins eorumanded-now one o. the
house Of James Thomas H. Perkins. Our officers wsre
clothed in scarlet and buff in imitation Of the militia
officers We had elegant standard, and allowed
two drums and two flies, with the musici,ns their
Dress Of the Boston regiment Col Hancock gave to the
company COZ plete stand Of arms, made OF wood aud
painted 30 ~ TO resemble muskets much possible.
1t O. nnued two years. The frst year James Perkins
was Captain, Nathaniel Maistsn lieutenant, Thomas
Russell ensign the second James Perkins captain Joseph
Nallus lieutenant William Miller ensign. We turned
out four or ave times each summer and often met for
drill.
{ptiv A If tha
principal families In New England. One OF his sisters
the mother OF John p. Cushing the we'll known mil
honairs another sister married the celebrated Dr. Alb
bot Of Phillips Academy 1T Exeter, the instructor Of
Glass; and Webster, and Everett and host OF other emf
nent third sitter the mother o, X. Forbes
who commanded the jamestown on her mission OF be.
nevclence to Ireland.
Colonel Perkins enctd his commerciaP life Ia part
nership with his elder brother, James, who resi-
dent Of St. Domingo when the lion of the blacks
broke out in that island and then compelled to
fer his life They sfterward embarked in the North
West Coast Canton and Calcutta trade, in which they
acquired great wealth James Perkins died about twenty
Eve years ago. and Colsne Perkins retired from active
business few years Aferward.
Previous 10 the embarkaton OF the eccentric Thomas
H. Smith, Of New York, In the Canton trade the mer-
chants Of that city derived their supplies Of chiefly
from the Psrknses and other importers the nsrd
Colonel Perkins then In the habit Of making frequent
visits TO New York. and for his accommodation he had
Office in the lower section Of the CITY, where he
transacted business with our merchants. Smith, who
then 10 the Wholesale grosery lire, Wishing TO
purchase teas of Conel Perkins, called upon that
gentleman at his hotel and treated rather cavalier
ly-Peikns giving him to understand that that not
proper pace for business transactions and that he had
Office down town where su;h matters attended
TO. Smith, who Of An irritable temperament
greatly rcensed BY this rebuke and that be would
embark in the Canton trade himself, and Ter Ne~
York independent OF Boston Be kept his word and 10
Il years became one OF the most celebrated Canton
charts In America
Colonel Perkins has viited Earops several times and
while In Paris than atty years ago. participated
with another worthy Bosoniap Joseph Russsl in ber
atlre from the consc ipton in which he had been en-