The surname Perrigo is anglicized from Perigueux, a city in Guienne, France, and the English family came with the Huguenots from that place in consequence of the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, in 1685, according to "Patronimica Brittannica." But the name must have been in England at an earlier date. It is variously spelled Perigo, Perigoe, Perrigo, etc.

(I) Robert Perrigo, ancester of the family in this country, came from England without doubt, and settled in Saybrook, Connecticut before 1658. He had a suit in the Massachusetts court in 1655.
He had children:
Robert, mentioned below.
Ezekiel, born in Saybrook, June 22, 1658 (mss. of Hinman, New England Hist. Gen. Library, Boston).
Sarah, married, Nov. 9, 1683, John Royce of Norwich, born Nov. 9, 1663.

(II) Robert (2), son of Robert (1) Perrigo, was born about 1650, died April 18, 1683. He married Mary ____.
Children, born at Saybrook:
Hannah, born March 31, 1674.
Mary, April 1, 1677.
Ezekiel, mentioned below.
Abigail, July 21, 1681.
Elizabeth, Oct. 30, 1683.

(III) Ezekiel, son of Robert (2) Perrigo, was born about 1679; soldier in 1707, at Northampton; married in 1707, Mary Webb. From Connecticut the family returned to Massachusetts, and the following brothers were sons or nephews of Ezekiel:
1. Ezekiel, married, in Presbyterian church, Boston, June 8, 1725, Susanna Wilson; (second) in 1774, Sarah Farnham; and an Ezekiel, of Boston, resident of Falmouth, was published to marry Mary Ann Wooster, Aug. 4, 1753 (probably third wife). [transcriber's note: if his second marriage occurred in 1774, then a marriage in 1753 would not be his third.]

2. John Perigo, married at Rosbury, Mass., Jan. 4, 1727, Eliza Wilson, probably sister of Ezekiel's wife; John died in Boston in 1783.

3. James Perrigo, settled in Stoughton, a town adjoining Boston; married (intention dated Aug. 20), 1728, Lydia Hayward, of Bridgewater; children: i. Robert, born 1729; ii. James, April 27, 1731, settled in Killingly, Conn.; married, Dec. 30, 1758, Elizabeth Dickerman, of Boston; soldier in the revolution, from Stoughton and Wrentham, Mass., and perhaps the James at Pownal, Vermont, in the revolution, in 1777, under Colonel John Bailey.

4. David, mentioned below.

(IV) David, son or nephew of Ezekiel Perrigo, married, at Boston, Dec. 24, 1735, Catherine Alsop.

(V) Joseph, son or nephew of David Perrigo, settled in Stephentown, Albany county, New York.
Children:
1. Joseph Jr., of Stephentown, in 1790, having two sons under sixteen and one female in his family.
2. Robert, of Stephentown, one son under sixteen in his family and one female. (1790).
3. Rufus, served three months as a private in Captain Fisher's company, three months under Colonel Warener, and was stationed at Fort George; enlisted in April or May, 1780, and served ten months as private in Captain William Hutchins' company, Colonel Ebenezer Allen's regiment (see Vermont Revolutionary Rolls); enlisted in 1781, in Captain Daniel Comstock's company (Vermont), Colonel Samuel Fletcher's regiment, and served nine months as corporal; applied for pension July 21, 1832, then living at Georgia, Vermont, giving date of birth as 1761 (should be 1760 or 1762); he was of Halfmoontown, New York in 1790, and had one son and two females in his family.
4. Branscom (Brownson) was of Clarendon, Vermont, in 1790, and had one son and one female in his family.
5. David, mentioned below.
6. Elijah was of Georgia, Vermont in 1790.
7. Dr. John was of Clarendon, Vermont, in 1790.
8. Polly, married David Wilson and settled in Canada.

(VI) David, son of Joseph Perrigo, was born June 30, 1761, at Keensboro, now Whitehall, New York. His mother was a Flint. He was a soldier in the revolution. According to his pension application dated April 24, 1818, he enlisted Dec. 25, 1776, and was a drummer under Captain Simeon Smith, in Colonel Seth Warener's regiment (of Vermont and New Hampshire), enlisting at Albany for three years. The Vermont Rolls show he was from Pownal, Vermont.

James and David Perrigo were living at Pownal in November, 1766, and signed a petition (Vermont Hist. Society Coll. V. 1, p. 284).
He [David I presume] engaged in the battles of Hubbardton and Bennington. In 1818 he was living at Highgate, Vermont. At the battle of Bennington his drum was ruined by a British bullet, and kicking the worthless instrument down the hill, he seized the musket of a fallen comrade and went into the fight, from which he emerged with a drum captured from the enermy. He beat this drum at the funeral of his friend, General Ethan Allen.
"He settled at Willsboro, New York, removing in 1804 to Georgia, Vermont, and later to Highgate.
He was a devout Methodist.
He died at Highgate, July 2, 1826, and his widow drew a pension after his death.
Children:
Lucy, Ebenezer, Polly, Zimri, Clarissa, Elijah, Pamelia, Heman, Huldah and Sylvester Flint (mentioned below).

(VII) Sylvester Flint, son of David Perrigo, was born in Georgia, Vermont, Aug. 1, 1806, and died at Potsdam, New York, Dec. 30, 1883. He acquired a common school education in Highgate, Vermont, and there learned the trade of carpenter and joiner. He removed to Potsdam, March 31, 1836, and conducted a farm in connection with his building operations.
He was a member of the state militia while in Vermont, and his commissions have been preserved. He was appointed orderly sergeant of his company by Governor Crafts, was promoted to rank of ensign, then lieutenant and captain.
He lived with his won during his last years, and died at Potsdam.
He married Laura Brooks, born at Swanton, Vermont, Feb. 5, 1816, died in Potsdam in 1888, daughter of Chester and Sally (Burnell) Brooks, formerly of Lanesborough, Mass., but later of Swanton, Vermont.
Children:
Eunice, Elbert Melvin, Herman Lewis, Mary Arvilla, Harlan Sylvester (mentioned below), Lucy Ann, Stephen Frank and Isadore Clarissa.

(VIII) Harlan Sylvester Perrigo, son of Sylvester Flint Perrigo, was born June 22, 1843, at Potsdam, and educated there in the public schools, at St. Lawrence Academy, and at Middlebury College in Vermont, from which he was graduated Aug. 11, 1870. He taught school in Belvedere, Illinois, and in Johnson and New Haven, Vermont.
In 1877 he returned to Potsdam and established an insurance agency, which he has conducted since. In 1881 he was elected school commissioner of the third district of St. Lawrence county, and filled this responsible office six years. He was also trustee of school district No. 8, Potsdam.
In politics he is a Republican.
He is a member of the Delta Kappa Epsiolon fraternity of Middlebury College; of Racquette River Lodge of Free Masons, No. 213, of Potsdam, and has been secretary, junior and senior warden and master. He is past high priest of St. Lawrence Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, of Potsdam, and past commander of St. Lawrence Commandery, Knights Templar; worthy patrons of Vega Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, No. 98; member of Excelsior Lodge, No. 548, Odd Fellows, of Potsdam, of which he is a past and present noble grand. He was a member of New Haven, Vermont, Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, and is a member of the Presbyerian church.

He married , Nov. 27, 1870, Josephine Anna Giffin, of Edwardsville, New York, daughter of Horace and Roxalana (Wright) Giffin, granddaughter of Alpheus Wright, a cousin of Silas Wright. Her paternal great-great-grandfather was a lieutenant in the revolution, and took part in the battle of Bunker Hill.
Children:
1. Mabel Josephine, born Jan. 21, 1876; died in infancy.
2. Alice May, born May 2, 1877; graduate of Potsdam State Normal School and Clarkson School of Technology in domestic sciences; married Ernest J. Brown; one child, Josephine Perrigo Brown.
3. Jessie Roxalana, born 1880; died aged two years.
4. Harlan Sylvester, born Dec. 30, 1886; graduate of Middlebury College, classw of 1910.
5. Louise Laura, Feb. 10, 1889; graduate of the Potsdam State Normal School, class of 1910.

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