Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-07-14


day morning. the 9th inst, one Of the most
distinguished Episcopal ministers OF the
South in the person of Rev. Edmund I.
Perkins, long a resident of this city, and
many years ago rector of st. Matthews
church when it was located at Twelfth
and Byron streets. The deceased will be
remembered by the elder members of the
. congregation and also by many of our
older citizens
Edmund 7. Perkins was born In Rich
mond. Va, October s. 1923, his father be-
ing George Perkins. a wealthy commits
sion merchant and planter. The family
was an old one, the grandfather of DR..
Perkins having been a Colonel in the war
for independence. and his grandmother
a niece of Richard Henry Lee, one of the
signers of the Declaration of Independ-
ence.
DR.. Perkins was educated at the Epis-
copal High School in Alexandria. Va, and
at the Virginia Theological Seminary. He
was ordained a deacon in 1S47, and the fol-
lowing year was promoted to the priest
hood He soon removed to Parkersburg
where for six years he was rector OF the
Episcopal church He then removed to
Wheeling. being chosen rector OF st. Mat
thews p. E. church, and filed that pulpit
for eight years.
When the war broke out he entered the
Confederate service as chaplain-at-large
In the field and hospital, and performed
missionary work In the army under Cen
eral Robert E. Lee, being always at the
front at times of battle.
After the war he became rector of Isle
of Wight county. Va, and year later
was called to the pulpit of st. James p
e. church. Loudon count. Va. There he
remained for two years, and was then
chosen rector of st. Pauls P. E. church,
Louisville, succeeding Rev. +. NJ. Whit
tie, who had been promoted to be Bishop
of Virginia. Rev. Perkins entered upon
his duties in Louisville In May, 1868. at
once taking a high rank among the clergy
of the city. He increased the congregation
from 1872 to more than 1,000, and was large
ly instrumental in building up four other
Episcopal churches. He resigned the rec
| torship in 1894, having twice before ten
dered his resignation, and shortly after,
on st. Paurs day, Januar-' Is, 1894, his
church was destroyed by fire. Since his
resignation he had been living in retire
ment.
In all church work DR.. Perkins was
active and energetic, he having been a
member of the Louisville Standing Com
mittee from the time he entered the do
cese, and represented the diocese in the
General Convention continuously from
1868. He was chairman of the Committee
on Canons. chaplain of the Protestant
Episcopal Orphanage. and of Norton IN
Urinary from it's foundation, besides filing
other important parts in church organiza-
lions. His sermons nearly always read,
were scholarly and logical. and his deliv-
cry was forceful and earnest, although he
never made any attempt at oratorlcal dis
play, but stated his arguments in such a
straightforward and simple manner that
there was no difficulty in following the
thread of his argument.
Dr. Perkins was united in marriage May
Is, 1s4S, to Miss Mary Addison. of George
town, D. c., who died August %, 1891. The
surviving children are Mrs. Walter Wal
ker and Mrs DR.. C. G. Edwards of Louis
Vile, and Mr.. E. T. Perkins. of the
United States Geological Survey.