Asahel Perry

Asahel Perry married Polly Chadwick at Middlebury, Genesee County, New York on 26 March 1806. After they were married, they made their home in Madison, Madison County, New York. Here, their first six children were born. They moved to Middlebury, Genesee County, New York in 1815. In Middlebury, four more children were born to them.

Their children were:

1. Isaac Perry, born 4 May 1807 in Madison, Madison County, New York.
2. Lucy Ann Perry, born 22 February 1809 in Madison, Madison County, New York. She married Isaac Story.
3. Willard Perry, born on 3 August 1810.
4. William Chadwick Perry, born 26 january 1812. He married Eliza Brown in October 1835.
5. Orrin Perry, born 19 May 1814 in Madison, Madison County, New York. He married Eliza Mather.
6. Hiram Perry, born 29 April 1816 in Madison, Madison county, New York. He married Eva Nellis in 1853.
7. Steven Chadwick Perry was born on 22 December 1818 in Middlebury, Genesee County, New York. He married Susannah Colista Hidden; and later, married Anna Maria Hulet. Later, he married Margaret Eleanore Stewart. Afterwards, he married Mary Boggs.
8. Philander Jackson Perry, born 29 September 1821 in Middlebury, Genesee County, New York. He married Arvilla Pratt on 27 May 1850.
9. Lewis Perry, born 13 December 1825.in Middlebury, Genesee County, New York.
10. Polly Maria Perry, born 16 June 1832 in Middlebury, Genesee County, New York. She married William Smith on 19 May 1850.

From the 1850 federal census, Asahel and Polly Perry lived in Utah County, Utah Territory (presently State of Utah), with none of their children. The family at that time consisted of only:

• Head Asahel Perry 67
• Wife Polly Perry 61

It was while living at Middlebury, that Asahel Perry and his family first heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ preached. Later, the father and mother, two sons and one daughter were baptised into the Church. The first missionaries to bring the Gospel to the Perry family were: Aaron C. Lyon and John P. Green. In the late summer and fall of 1832, Brigham Young and his father and his brother Joseph Young, and other elders held meetings at the home of Asahel Perry in Middlebury, Genesee County, New York. Asahel Perry was baptized a member of the Church on 4 August 1833, and was then set apart to preside over the branch of the church in Genesee County.

In 1836, Asahel Perry sold his property in Genesee County; also land he owned in Erie and Chataqua Counties and moved to Kirtland, where he lived and assisted in the building of the Temple at Kirtland. In the spring of 1838, he moved to Missouri and settled in Davies County, but in the fall of the same year, he was expelled with the Saints from that place and they spent the winter of 1838-1839 in Caldwell county. In February 1839, the Saints were expelled from the State of Missouri under the order of Governor Lilburn W. Boggs.

The family lived near Quincy, Illinois until the spring of 18409, when they moved to Commerce, Illinois, which was later namve Nauvoo. They lived here until the expulsion of the Saints from this place. During this time, Asahel Perry performed a short mission to the State of New York. He left his home at Quincy, Illinois on 11 June 1840 and traveled as far east as New York, his "old home town," visiting with his sons and daughter. He returned home on 15 november 1840, having traveled a distance of 1,449 miles although he preached the Gospel to his son=s and daughter on this mission and his son Stephen also carried the Gospel message to them twice in later years. Not one of them ever joined the church, except the three who joined the same time their father and mother joined.

In th spring of 1846, Asahel crossed the Mississippi River, having lost in the expulsions all the property he owned except one Indian pony, an old one-horse wagon, a very small amount of household furniture and a few implements. He was compelled to remain in the Mississippi bottoms during the sumer of 1846 on account of severe sickness as he was near death at that time.

Late in the fall with some assistance he traveled as far west as the Des Moines River and about 20 miles from Nauvoo where they spent the winter. While here the saints were attacked by mobs many times.

In the fall of 1847 with the assistance of his sons Philander and Stephen they moved to Mt. Pisgah, Iowa.

In the fall of 1849 he was called to preside over the branch of the church at Mt. Pisgah, which position he held until the spring of 1850 when he started on the trail of the saints to Utah in Captain Bennett’s Company. In October 1850 he arrived at Hobble Creek, now known as Springville. On March 20, 1851 he was set apart to preside over the branch of the Church at Springville, Utah and was also a member of the High Council of the County.

He was later ordained a Patriarch at the General conference in Salt Lake City, being the first Patriarch of the Springville Branch. He was a member of the legislature. They owned farmland and a chair factory in Springville. He died as he had lived, firm in the faith of the Gospel of the Son of God, on February 16, 1869 at age 85. His wife, Polly Chadwick Perry, remained a faithful member of the Church to the end of her time and died at Springville December 30, 1878 age 89 years.

They had made many sacrifices. At one time they had much property and were considered wealthy people at that time, but they gave their money to the Church at the time of the building of the Kirtland Temple. They also left six of their loved ones, one a daughter, in New York, and the mother never saw but one of them again. One son, Willard, came to Utah on a visit.

They received their endowments in the Nauvoo Temple December 17, 1845.

Asahel Perry was President of the first branch that came to Springville. He was the first Patriarch of that branch. His son Philander acted as scribe. He was a member of the High Council. He was a member of the Legislature three years. He was an Election Judge four years. He was a Farmer. Stephen Perry was counselor to his father.

Aunt Mariah Smith remembers that the Prophet Joseph and his wife, Emma Smith and their adopted daughter visited Grandpa Perry’s family.

• Residence: Williamsburg, Hampshire, Massachusetts, United States