Perry
Washburn was
born in 1822 in Adams, NY, and died February 14, 1911 in Macomb, NY. His first wife was Persa F. Smith who was the daughter of
Stephen Smith and Polly Thornton. They were married on February 13, 1843 in Heuvelton NY. He later married Calista Maria Hastings Covel
in 1875 following his first wife’s death. Information received from the Macomb town clerk in 1997 shows that
Perry was listed as an 88 year-old retired farmer when he died from bladder
disease in 1911. His parents were listed as Rufus and Orilla
Washburn and his place of birth was given as Adams NY.
Figure 1: Photo of Photo of Perry
Washburn
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In
1860, Perry and his family are shown in the census as living in Macomb. Perry is listed as 37
year old farmer, born in New York. His wife is listed as
‘Percy’, age 36. Eight children are listed: Henry D (age 16), Amy J
(14), Minerva (13), Polly E (9), Harriett A (6), Sylvia (4),
Ruth (3), and Stella (1). 53 year old Polly Smith, the mother of Persa, is also listed. The farm they lived on was
valued at $4400 and they showed personal property worth $1800.
In 1870
the family is still in Macomb. Perry and Persa are both shown as 48-years old. Listed with
them are Polly (19), Sylvia (17), Jena (12 – called Ruth in 1860),
Estella (10), and George E (8). His daughter Minerva (also known as
Annette) is married and she and her husband George Tann
are also living at home. One additional person, Alvin Clute – age 18, is
also listed. Alvin may be the son of Perry’s
cousin Alida. The farm is valued at $7000 in
this census and the amount of personal property has increased to $3500.
In
1880, Perry is listed with his second wife, Calesta.
They are still living in Macomb, though it is shortly after
this time that they move to Minnesota. Perry is shown as 57
years old and Calesta as 52 years old. Living
with them are Perry’s son George and Calesta’s son
Bernie Covel.
Figure 1 shows a photograph kept in the collection of
Sylvester Washburn Jr, nephew of Perry. This
photograph appears to be of a frame photo or portrait of Perry Washburn.
In
1892 Perry applied to the US government to receive a
‘dependent father’s pension’ due to his son Henry’s death in the civil
war. Many papers relative to his pension application exist at the
National Archives and it is from these documents that information including the
date of his marriage to Persa can be found. In
1894, Perry submitted this deposition as part of the pension application
process:
Figure 2: Amy
Washburn Truax (right), Father Perry Washburn
(left), daughter Carrie Truax Hurst (back) and
Grand daughter Marion Hurst (front)
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“I am 71 years old, P.O. as above. I
have lived here nearly 12 years. My home was formerly in St. Lawrence Co
NY, P.O. Macomb. I am an applicant for pension on account of my son Henry
D. Washburn, my only son, who died in service at Armory Square Hospital at Washington. He died August 4, 1863. I believe he died of wounds incurred or injury
incurred on the R.R. by a collision just after the battle of Gettysburg.
My
wife, the mother of the soldier, died I think 20 years ago last July, on the
old homestead. My son Henry D. Washburn was never married. His
mother’s name was Persy Smith before the marriage.
I
own a farm of 297 acres of land in St. Lawrence Co, Macomb P.O..
It is rough, rocky land valuable chiefly as a dairy farm or grazing farm.
There may be 55 acres that can be plowed. The buildings have been built
some 30 years. The house needs shingling and painting. The barns
are old and not of very great value. I think the barn is insured for $400
and the house for $1600, I think. I think the insurance represents the
full value of the buildings.
The
farm has been rented for some 12 years. I don’t know the assessed
value. The man pays the tax who is on the
land. I rent the whole thing cash received and he pays the required
tax. Any extras as building school tax I pay if any. He pays me
$350 cash annually.
I think the farm would
sell for about $15.00 per acre. I would not want to take that. I
have tried to sell it for some years but have had no offers and have set no
price. I sought to sell for $2000. I don’t think it would sell for
that. I don’t think I could sell it for $15.00. A similar farm
nearby sold for $9.00 per acre at auction on a partition suit.
I
own here this house and lot and I bought and own farm land in the town of Maine in this county. I paid
$1000 for the land in the town of Maine. This place would not
sell for $500 not more than that. The land in the town of Maine would not sell for more than
$600. I don’t think it would sell for that. I have no other means
of income. I get nothing from the land in the town of Maine. There are $151 acres
about. I could not rent it for enough to pay the taxes.
I
am indebted on the farm in St. Lawrence Co. NY in the sum of $1200. There
has been a mortgage on the place for 30 years. My property here is not
encumbered. I pay 6% interest on the mortgage.”
In
1900, Perry and his second wife Calesta are listed in
the census for Fergus Falls, Otter Tail County, Minnesota. They indicate that they
were married in 1875 and Calesta indicates that she
had 9 children with 7 still living. These are likely children from her
first marriage.
Figure 3 shows a picture of Perry and Calesta
Washburn, along with their son George Elmer his wife Cora and their first two
children. It was likely taken around 1890 since George and Cora were
married in 1885. George died October 27,
1899.
The following notice was printed in the Gouverneur Free Press announcing his
death:
October
27, 1899: George, only son of P. S. Washburn, died in Minneapolis while being operated on.
Suffered very much from asthma and went 17 years ago to Minnesota to find some relief. He
was 38 years old, left wife and four children and five sisters: Mrs. Wm
Watson, Mrs. Fred Sterling, Mrs. James Bayne, and Mrs. H. J. Hurlbut.
In
1910, Perry had returned to Macomb New York and was shown in the census
listing as living with his daughter Sylvia and her husband William Watson.
Perry
Washburn is buried in Pierces Corner Cemetery in Macomb NY, as are his wife Persa, daughter Annette, and son Henry. The obituary
for Perry Washburn found in the St. Lawrence Republican on February 22, 1911 stated:
“Mr. Washburn was born near Adams, Jefferson County. When he was three years
of age his parents settled near Pierces Corners, a section of this county then
a wilderness. The family during their early tenure of the property
cleared a 300 acre farm. As a young man Mr. Washburn evidenced much
interest in hunting and during his old age delighted in relating tales of
thrilling adventure in the forest lands about his home when he went in quest of
panther, bear and other ferocious game that infested the wilderness recesses of
southern St. Lawrence county.
Twenty
nine years ago Mr. Washburn went west, locating at Fergus Falls, Minn., where he engaged in
farming. Five years ago, following a successful experience in the west, he
returned to Macomb and has since made his home
with his children. Mr. Washburn was twice married. His first wife
was Miss Percy Smith of the town of Macomb, whose death occurred over 30
years ago. His second wife was Mrs. Calista Coville of Macomb, who died five years
ago. Five daughters survive. They are Mrs. William Watson, Mrs.
Fred Sterling, amd Mrs. James Bayne all of Macomb,
Mrs. M. J. Truax of Gouverneur, and Mrs. Homer Hurlbut of Watertown.”
Also,
on February 23, 1911, the Journal in Maine, Otter Tail County, Minnesota reported:
“Word
has just been received by M. I. Truax that Perry S.
Washburn, who formerly lived in the township of Maine and also in this city
died at Gouverneur, NY on Feb 14th from old age. He was 88
years and 6 months old. He sold his farm and residence here a few years
ago and went back to New York to live with his
children. Mr. Washburn was married twice and his second wife died here
about five years ago. Mr. Washburn was a man of strong character and
pronounced views and was a good citizen.”
Lastly,
sometime after his death, a large article was printed on the life history of
Perry Washburn who was called a Macomb Pioneer. This article contained
quite a bit of exaggerated information, including references to his
grandfather's brother Captain Rufus having served in the revolutionary war
under Washington and claiming his grandfather came direct from England. However, it provides an
interesting insight into how Perry was regarded so it is included as follows:
Life History of Macomb Pioneer
Perry
Washburn whose death occurred Feb 14 had interesting history
Perry
S. Washburn, aged 89 years, died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. William
Watson, in the town of Macomb, Tuesday morning, Feb 14, at 6
o'clock. Mr. Washburn was taken ill in October and since that time has
been steadily failing so that his death was not entirely unexpected. He
is survived by five daughters, Mrs. William Watson, Mrs. James Bayne and Mrs.
F. G. Sterling of Macomb, Mrs. M. J. Truax of Gouverneur,
and Mrs. H. J. Hurlbut of Watertown. The
funeral was held from the late residence, Thursday, Feb 16. The interment
was at the State Road cemetery. Upon the wish
of Mr. Washburn, himself, his four grandsons acted as bearers. They were
B. H. Truax, H. D. Tann, S.
A. Bayne of Macomb, and C. A. Watson of St. Lawrence University.
Perry
S. Washburn was born near Adams in Jefferson county
in the year 1822. He was of English descent, his grandfather Nehemiah
Washburn coming direct from England and settling in the Connecticut valley. His son, Rufus
Washburn, emigrated to what was then the wilds of New York state, settling first in Oswego, and then moving northward
into Jefferson County.
Mr.
Washburn came from a family of soldiers. His grandfather Nehemiah served
in the war of 1812, taking part in an engagement with the British troops near
Ogdensburg. A brother of Nehemiah Washburn, Captain Rufus Washburn,
served in the Revolutionary war under Washington. Several years after the
war, he was drowned in the Oswegatchie river at Smith's Mills, the present site of Elmdale, while returning from a town meeting at
Gouverneur. Months later, his body was found about three miles down the
river lodged in an old tree top. Perry Washburn's brother, Simon Washburn,
served in the civil war, as did also his son, Henry Washburn, who was killed
near Annapolis Junction. Elmer L.
Watson served as an officer in the navy during the Spanish-American war.
Rufus
Washburn moved from Jefferson County to the town of Macomb, then a part of the
town of Gouverneur, when Perry was only one year of age. The Washburn's
long cabin, which was one of the first in the region, was built on the land now
owned by Thomas Harmer. There he chopped, logged and cleared the land to
raise corn for the subsistence of his family. He died in 1828, when Perry
was only six years of age. Besides Perry, he was survived by four
children. Orrila Washburn, who married Chauncey Day, Cynthia Washburn who married
Joshua Houghton, Sylvester Washburn who married Jane Hurst, and Simon Washburn
who married Emily Rounds. Two years after the death of her
husband, Mrs. Rufus Washburn married Oliver Rounds, whose father, Joseph
Rounds, had served under Washington from the beginning of the war
to the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown. The family then moved
from Macomb to the foot of Mud lake, in the town of Depeyster.
Perry
received his early education in a little log school house, near the site of the
present Mud Lake school.
At seventeen, his education was completed, and he began to clear a parcel of
land in the town of Macomb on the old state road, where
the Washburn farm is now located. The house was built in March,
1843.
In
December 1842 he married Percie Smith, daughter of
Stephen Smith and on the fourth day of April, following, he moved to his newly
constructed home on the shores of Hickory lake.
The
Washburn farm was a typical English home. Every necessity of life was
raised or manufactured on the farm. Everything was done on a large scale.
Grain and potatoes were raised by the thousands of bushels and sugar from the
large bush was manufactured and sold by the barrel. In connection with
the farm, lime, potash, and black salts were manufactured. The potash and
black salts had a ready market in Montreal, and he often made trips down
the river to the old French city.
In
1880, Mr. Washburn's wife died and a year later he married Calesta
Hastings. In 1882, he rented his farm and moved to Minnesota where he purchased a house and
lot in the city of Fergus Falls, where he lived until
1906. In June of that year, he sold his property in the west and came
east to spend his declining years with his children.
During
his life, Perry Washburn always stood for what was best. His philosophy of
life was simple, but pure, and the courage of his convictions was never
lacking. During his long and useful life, he was gifted with an
extraordinary memory, and this faculty remained unimpaired up to the day of his
death. Scenes of his boyhood remained with him always with an astonishing
vividness. He was personally acquainted with many of the old
Revolutionary soldiers, amongst whom was Solomon
Gross, who at one time signed a note for him. In his last few hours, the
extraordinary strength of the man was brought forth. He seemed to be an
inspiration within himself. Almost his last words were, "What is
life? It is character, a good name, and a clear conscience."
It was his philosophy of life.
Children
of Perry Washburn and Persa Smith are:
i.
Henry D Washburn, born 1844; died 1863 in Washington DC.
ii. Amy Jerusha
Washburn, born October 16,
1844; died June 17, 1927. Married Milton Truax.
iii. Minerva Annette Washburn, born July 12, 1847; died 1874 in New York. She
married George Tann.
iv. Polly Evaline
Washburn, born 1851; died March 11, 1879 in New York. She
married Chauncy Tyler.
v. Harriet O Washburn, born August
1853 in New York; died April 29, 1913 in New York. She
married Frederick Sterling.
vi. Sylvia S Washburn, born June
1854 in New York. Died September 15, 1931 at her home in
Hammond, NY
vii. Ruth S Washburn, born 1857 in New York.
viii. Cynthia Washburn, born May 27, 1858; died September 11, 1923 in Mexico, Oswego County, NY. She
married Homer Hurlbut.
ix. Estella C Washburn, born
February 1859; died November 11,
1917. She married James Bayne.
x. George Elmer Washburn, born 1861
in New York; died October 27, 1899 in Minnesota. He
married Cora Dell Claypoole