Asa Perley

A Patriot of the American Revolution for MASSACHUSETTS. DAR Ancestor # A088985

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https://historicipswich.org/2017/03/23/colonial-houses-of-boxford/

1760 Built house on land that was his GF Thomas Perley immigrant

BOX.68, Asa Perley House, Salem Rd, Boxford MA 1760. The land was two hundred years ago in the possession of Thomas Perley, son of Allan and Susanna (Bokenson) Perley, the emigrant ancestors of the Perley family in America. Mr. Perley was succeeded on the homestead, by a device in his will, by his son Thomas, who was born in 1668 and who resided with his father as long as the latter lived. In his will he divided his farm between his sons Thomas and Asa. Thomas had that part now known as the Cleaveland farm, and Asa’s portion included the homestead. Asa Perley took up his residence in the house in which he was horn (in 1716) and had always lived, after his marriage, in 1738, with Susanna Low of Essex. He was afterward married to Mrs. Apphia Porter of Danvers and to Mrs. Ruth Kimball of Bradford. In 1760, or about that date, he took the old house down and erected the mansion now standing. After completing the house and caring for the surroundings he set out a sapling elm, which grew to be one of the largest and most beautiful elms in the state. Here Asa lived while passing through his distinguished career. For ten years he was a selectman; in 1771, 1772, 1780 and 1781, he was representative from Boxford to the General Court, and in 1775 — that noted year in the history of the nation — he was a member of the Provincial Congress. The records of this Congress show that in it he held prominent positions, and private papers in the possession of his descendants indicate that he was privy to those secret discussions and manoeuvres that characterized the opening months of the American Revolution. It is a fact worthy of mention that seven of his sons fought in that struggle for independence. At Mr. Perley’s death, the place came into the possession of his son Samuel. (from Perley)