William, Nathaniel, Francis, Joshua, Jeremiah, John and 
Burwell Perry, the seven brothers, are supposedly the sons 
of Phillip Perry III of Nansemond county, Virginia.  Displeased 
with their father's second marriage, left home circa 1740s and 
migrated to North Carolina establishing themselves in several 
areas, mostly in Perquimans and the Franklin/Bute/Warren area.  
While there are records which lend credence to this claim, no 
record has yet been found clearly stating it as fact.

There are those who consider the claims false because of the 
lack of proof. While their concern regarding the undocumented 
claims is valid, we should not discount family tradition 
entirely.  By sharing the information we may discover the proof.
Or, prove it false. 

The purpose of the Burrell Perry Research Group is to identify 
our Burrell Perry and his two wives, Mary Ann Rainwater and 
Jane Botts.  We, also, want to identify his parentage and 
verify or disprove the claims concerning the seven Perry 
brothers of Virginia and North Carolina.  For this purpose 
we have individually and collectively accumulated much data. 
Because of the destruction of so many records it may be 
impossible to achieve our whole purpose in entirty. The 
following letter from Mr.Patrick McKenna to Pete Hamilton 
is included as a partial explanation concerning the origins 
of the seven brothers.

"Hi, Perry researchers --- This is Pete Hamilton, third great-
grandson of the Burrell Perry who married Hester Bird. We have
been "debating" the parentage of the "seven brothers", and 
specifically whether or not they were the sons of the Phillip
Perry who died 1751 in Perquimans County, NC.  Someone said 
that Mrs. Eudora Hodges had left some papers with the Dallas 
Library that might shed some light on this question.  I've 
made some inquiries, and yesterday received a letter which I 
will now retype in its entirity.  It is from Patrick McKenna 
of the Dallas Public Library.

"Your letter today was most welcomed and, although you do 
not trace your heritage in it, I assume you are from one 
of the 7 brothers named Perry.  (I am from two: William 
and John. Down the line, second cousins Josiah Dixon Perry,
son of Solomon Perry and Mary Louiza (or Louisa) Crudup )
married Rebecca Perry, (daughter of Joshua Perry and Patty 
Cheves). The "Battle Book", which you should see, mistakenly 
lists her as Rebecca Hare, but I have the original marriage 
bond copy from Franklin County, and this proves my point.  
Josiah D. was the son of Solomon, gr-son of old John ( wife 
unknown, but she was dead by 1796 ).  Joshua (abv) son of 
old William.  William died at 103 years, but this is 
calculated, not proven, as I see it.

Mr. Hamilton, I must warn you the Perry information you 
are quoting from appears to me to be from "History of the 
John Wesley Perry Jr. Family", part II.  This book is
erroneous, poorly researched, and ... an undocumented, 
sloppy and wasteful book.  It causes more harm than it 
contributes. I bought a copy when it first came out, and 
was so disappointed I threw my copy away.  He confuses a 
Solomon Perry Sr. of Granville Co, who died, will dated 
Feb 15, 1843, with the true grandson of John Perry, namely
the Solomon Perry of Franklin Co, who died in 1815  
(according to the Raleigh paper "from camp fever" - which 
means either typhoid or typhus fever, both are called 
"camp fever".) He was a milita private in the War of 1812, 
and that's where he contracted this malady, due to unclean
water and poor hygiene.

I would like to give you a capsule rundown on our 
Perrys.  The seven brothers are William (believed to 
be the oldest, although the DAR Patriot Index has 
Joshua as a year older - Joshua 1725, than William - 
I question this), Joshua, Jeremiah, Nathaniel, Francis 
(the only one who eventually moved out of the Warren/
Franklin Co. area - to Wake Co), John, and Burwell 
(the youngest and the one most well-heeled).  About 
Jeremiah we know the least.  Joshua was a Revolutionary 
soldier, our only one - he is the one who married Mattie 
Rush.  On the other hand two of the seven brothers refused
to sign the allegiance - swearing devotion to the Patriot 
side (in old Bute - the book excapes me today, so I can't
give you their names). Anyway, we Perrys had a house 
divided about the Revolution. Old William did patriotic 
service for the Patriots;  Old John did nothing, I guess.

I am digressing.  Two things I want to say from your 
letter.  First you state one of the sons is William 
"Wiston".  All these boys have only one first name
( and those are either English or Bibical ).  No one 
had the middle name "Wiston" or any middle name. Also, 
you keep saying the boys came to Granville (this is 
in the Wesley Perry book too). Actually they came 
even earlier than that; they came when it was Edgecombe 
County, and they did not all come together.  We know 
this through the tax lists, and other things. Eudora
Hodges worked this all out. ( More about her in a minute ). 
They came in ( I am working strictly today from guessing ) 
1742 through 1750. They were there when it was Edgecombe;  
Granville; Bute; Franklin/Warren (in order). True, there 
is a separate Perry deed book in Franklin.  But they are 
all court records.  There is no Perry court book.

Now the following is HEARSAY (no documentation is known 
to back up this story whatsoever.)  Supposedly the father 
( I doubt we will ever know his name; too many researchers 
for too many years have searched fruitlessly everywhere to 
find his name ) married a second time after the first wife 
died.  Then the sons, angry at him for doing this, went to
North Carolina, they say. Actually, the Perrys settled in 
Nansemond River area originally, which became Nansemond 
County. It is true they owned land over into Isle of Wight 
County, but they seem to have lived only in Nansemond, not 
Isle of Wight.  Of course Nansemond's records have burned 
three times. Also there was a Robert Perry there early, but 
no proof of any kin has been found back to him. Also the 
story goes, an eighth son remained behind (the oldest) with 
his father, because under the law of progenitor the oldest 
son inherited everything in the estate, and the other
children were to get nothing. That is how early English 
law worked; later this practice was abolished.  Also they 
supposedly never discussed in the later years their father 
or even his name.  ( I cannot believe 7 boys would not even 
mention their father's name, no matter how they felt about 
him.  But we just don't know.)

Years ago one member of the Perry family even went to
England, to Yorkshire, where supposedly our Perry line 
came from.  No proof of Yorkshire either.  This descendant 
found nothing.  I am not convinced it was even Yorkshire 
we came from.  I do believe it was England, but where oh 
where. . .

Another point; there are no Philip or Phillip names 
anywhere in the children or grandchildren of the 7 
Perry brothers.  Eudora Hodges has worked on all 7 
bros. and insisted on documentation. She is the dearest
of the dear, my very favorite cousin (although it is far 
back, her great-grandfather, Dr. Harwood Pope Perry, and 
my gr-gr-g. Josiah Dixon Perry, were brothers).  ....  
We have laughed, wept, and strained over the Perrys and 
love it, lots. She went, for many years, up to Franklin/
Warren and Raleigh every summer. I hasten to tell you yes, 
she did contribute things here ( but mostly on Texas or
Dallas odds and ends ). Her entire collection, supervised 
by she herself, has been duplicated and is housed in the 
Harrison Co Historical Society, Old Courthouse, Peter 
Whetstone Square, Marshall TX 75670; 214/938-2680.  Eudora 
is so meticulous, I know it is a joy to see her work.  She 
is not so sharp on remembering things on the phone - she's 
90, remember.

I'm a Library Associate here.  Be glad to help you, if I can.  
Keep in touch,   Patrick McKenna" "

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