Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-04-18
THE PERFECT MAN.
0EArH OF 4 REMARKABLE CHARAC-
TER IT WHITE BEAR.

His WAYS Were Ways Of P1easantness, and
All His Paths Were Peace--strange and
Eventful Career--A Marriage That Was
to Have Been, but Was Not--Inheriting
Fortune on His Death Bed--A Hunter
Hermit Life, a Lonesome End and a Rural
Grave.
The GLOBE has previously annouced the
death, on Saturday last, at White Bear Lake,
of Mr.. Frank Perfect. AS tae deceased was
an old settler of this State, had led pc
culiar Life, and was somewhat noted, his de-
mise is worthy of more than merely passing
mention.
About 50 years ago, Mr.. Perfect was born
in Pontefract, Yorkshire, England, his
father being a well-known banker there.
Upon the death of his father, over quarter
of century since, Mr.. Perfect removed to
Canada. The family estate having by the
demise of the father and according to the
English law of primogeniture, fallen to the
exclusive share of the dcceased's elder
brother, Mr.. Frank Perfect found himself
reduced to comparatively low financial cir
cumstances, and this fact was probably the
cause of his seeking home i'll the western
continent, just as many hundreds of the sons
OF wealthy English families have done
before him, and continue to do 50.
Some months after Mr.. Perfect's arrival in
Canada, he was joined by his former school
mate, Mr.. Fred Whitaker, who is connected
with the world famous Yorkshire WOODEN
manufacturer of that name. In 1852, or there
abouts-at any rate during the regnancy of
President Pierce-Messrs Perfect and Whit
taker came to Superior City, Wis, where
they located, near what then promised to be
Furnishing city, their land patents being
signed by tho President just named above.
Here the two friends, who, it may be here
stated, have lived together, with few and
short intervals, ever since their meeting in
Canada, met MI. John Aubrey, another
John Aubrey Paul, and he is-being still
alive in England-the son of Sir John Dean
Paul, the English banker, whose name was,
some rs years ago, echoed the world over in
connection with what is now termed "inan-
cial crookedness,'' for which he was tried
and condemned to life term of penal SER
vitude. In this respect they manage mat
tiers somewhat differently across the water
tina II they do here. With Mr.. Aubrey was
his wife, daughter of Sir James Key, Bt.,
most estimable and accomplished lady,
who is yet most favurabIy remembered by
many old settlers in this city and vicinity,
for Ler many deeds of unostentatious chart
ty. Among others of her bencfactions, was
the erection of the Episcopal church of st.
John in the Wilderness of White Bear Lake,
the cost OF which, in the purchase of its
site, it's construction and its furnishing, was
betrayed from her own means and from the
collections solicited by her from friends in
England. The building has been removed
to the vicinity of Williams hotel, and the
little burial ground formerly surrounding it
has been suffered to run wild from neglect.
Shortly after Mr.. Perfect's advent in Su-
perior City, the Aubreys removed thence to
White Bear lake, in this vicinity. About
1853, Mr.. Perfect followed them, with his
friend Whitaker, and there, or in that neigh
borhood, he has ever since resided. Near the
time of his arrival at White Bear lake, MI.
Perfect was to have married Canadian
lady, the wedding preliminaries having been
SO far settled that be bought farm of 16O
acres, situated on the lovely banks Of Lake
Louisa, Washington county, whereon he
built q fine residence, which he intended to
make his homestead. The wedding, howey-
er. never took place. Mr.. Perfect abandoned
his farm, and has ever since passed his life
with MIR. Whitaker, the two assuming an
almost hermit-like existence, keeping bache-
ior's ball, surrounded by their dogs
subsisting as hunters, and ekine
out their livelihood, thus obtained
by a slender income which Mr.. Per-
feet derived, for a time, from England
This hunter-life had been begun in Superior
City, and his prowess therein was remark
able; in fact, species of instinct with him.
In this regard he was noted all over the
wooded section stretching from White Beal
Lake to Lake Superior. He was as familiar
with those trackless forests and their bound
ing streams as the denizen of city is with
It's streets. His unerring rifle has laid low
hundreds of deer, and, to the feathered and
furred creation, his skill as marksman
proved equally fatal.
About two years ago, Mr.. Perfect relin.
quished, for time, his hunting life, and &C.
cepted employment in the wheat warehouse
OF Mr.. Gregory, at Deer Park, near Hudson
Wis. Mr. Gregory was another Britisher
having formerly been proprietor of the we'll
known Gregory's hotel, Leicester square
London. MIR. Gregory may be remembered
Killed his own brother-in-law while sur
prised by Mr.. and Mrs. Gregory in the act
of burglarizing Mr.. Gregory's store 1t was
while working at the elevator that Mr.. Per
feet, combin, with the neglect incident to
the half-Indian mode of life he had led SO
long, contracted the di sease which carried
him of, congestion of the lungs, aggravated
no doubt, by other complications. The dust
OF the wheat In the elevator proved too much
Tor the lungs, then growing aged, which had
known only, for SO heightened q period, the
contact with the fresh air of unchecked and
unladen breezes.
The deceased suffered severely in his last
illness, during which he received the most
motherly nursing from Mrs. Clark, IN Eng
lish lady residing at White Bear Lake. He
was conscious, however, to the end, spend
ing the last days of his life in arranging his
accounts, and making the most minute ar
rangement for the payments of his debts,
which, with other matters, were the subject
OF his will. Two weeks before his death, he
had received intelligence Of the demise of
his elder brother, whose wife and onlv
daughter had preceded the husband and
father adown the dark valley. This,
had he lived. would have raised MIR.
Perfect, the humble hunter, to
comparative at1luence, and it had been his
intention to purchase a farm in Douglas
county, whereon he purposed settling. But
the reelntless hand of grim death frustrated
his schemes. MIR. Perfect was buried on
Monday in the church yard of st. John
in the Wilderness, the cemetary purchased
by the lady he always delighted in honor
ing.
Notwithstanding his eccentricitic mode
OF life, Mr.. Perfect was ever the gentleman.
He was highly educated, was wonderful