The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1899-1900, 1899-09-06

|
81 should weary you to continue, as
new thoughts of boyish days come
flowing into ones mind. But | would
like to say more Of that ancestral tree
which would require more research
than l have at my command here,
hence you will excuse me, and with
remembrances to you all ! am
Most cordially and sincerely yours,
George Fitch Perkins. "
We see by Mr.. Perkins's letter the
good disposition and kind hospitality
thas is trait of this Perkins family.
The next toast was responded to by
the Oldest member of the Perkins fam
lily present, Mrs. Truman Baker, "The
Tree Transplanted," "
"Ours is no sapling, chance-sown by the fount-
ain,
Blooming in Beltane In winter to fade.
When the whirlwind has stripped every leaf
from the mountain,
The more shall Clan-Alpine exaut in her
shade"
ut is very little we know for GER
tainty of the ancestry of the Perkins
family. But not long ago was told
by man who said his mother was a
Perkins, from New London, Conn,
that she was related not far back to
/
my father. He said a history was be-
ing written of the family and would
soon be published. Also, that the rec
ord had been traced to Scotland and
that we were descendants of the Scot
tish chief, Terhopothis. is true and
perhaps not, but l am confident we are
of Scotch descent.
Zone of the branches from the old
Connecticut tree dropped off and found
his way up the Connecticut valley un-
til he reached the foothills of the
Green mountains, near Mount Tom,
and planted himself on t. rocky soil
Of Beckett, Mass. In the natural course
of events he made an alliance with
limb of another tree called Dewey.
Hence we have what we call the
Dewey Perkins branch of the old Con-
necticut ancestral tree.
at grew and thrived on those bleak
hills for nearly twenty-five years, then
undertook to uproot and transplant to
the Eldorado OF the then far west,
the new Connecticut. This was no
small undertaking. Only thirty miles
of railroad then in existence in this
country. 1t must be y canal from
Albany to Buffalo and Lake Erie from
Buffalo to Cleveland or overland by
team. We took the latter. We left
Beckett in 1888, nine persons in all
Milton, the oldest, had enigrated the
year previous), Louisa, Miss Austin,
who was accompanying us. 0rrin,
Lydia, Abel, John, Jane, father and
mother. / well remember the last
night we spent in the old town. 1t
was with Uncle Allen Dewey's family,
our Cousin Bells father. In the
morning while the last good-by were
being said and the last hand shakes
given, found my cousin, Charlotte,
my most intimate playmate, crying
behind door. /, child-like, was too
delighted over the trip to think Of cry
ing She said, "If you care anything
for me, You would cry, too.
"At last we were all loaded into a
large spring wagon with oil-cloth
cover and three seats, one made 80 as
to be converted into two. The spaces
under the seats were filled with boxes
and baggage and several trunks were
strapped on behind; drawn by one
span of horses.
''It proved to be LONG and tedious
journey. We boarded ourselves most
of the time and spent the nights where
we could find Accommodations for so
many. The country through which we
passed was often sparsely settled. The
boys often slept in the wagon and the
girls often on the floor OF some log
hotel.
II recollect our stopping one night
at log house, and the family were
eating their supper of honey clapper'
and mush. We had very little supper
that night and started in the morning
before we had our breakfast.
"Our route lay along the Erie canal
sometimes for long distance. The
boys would often get ride on a boat
or on the canal horse and often we
would all walk in the tow-path.
Near Syracuse our horses gave out
and we were put aboard a scow boat,
horses, wagon and all, save the two
young ladies', who took faster boat
and went on ahead. At Rochester we
unloaded and started with horses and
wagon again.
"At Meadville, Pa, we rested nearly
week and visited mothers uncle, Jim
Burchard and family. We did some
baking and washing and started on
again, till we reached Windham, Port
age county, then took another rest
with old Beckett friends and cousins Of
father (Conunt by name). after which
we made the final start for the prom
ised land, not land flowing with milk
and honey, but with mud and frog