John Perrin

As printed in 1902

JOHN PERRIN.

The members of the Perrin family have ever been worthy of respect and regard, and John Perrin possessed a character that commanded the esteem and good will of all with whom he came in contact and for many years was classed among the valued and representative citizens of his community. He was born in Springfield township, Clark county, April 15, 1812, on the farm now occupied by his family, and was a son of John Perrin, whose sketch is given above. He was reared upon the home farm, pursuing his education in a log schoolhouse, and he remained with his parents until their death, when he inherited the old homestead. He continued to reside upon that place until his death, which occurred June 27, 1888. In the meantime he had erected a fine brick residence, had built good outbuildings and had greatly improved his farm, making 1t one of the valued and attractive country seats of the locality. His birth occurred in a log house which stood upon the site of the present home of the family. The latter was erected in 1870 and is the fourth house which had occupied the same site on the Perrin farm. The Perrin homestead comprised twelve hundred acres of land, owned by his father, John Perrin. The first house built here was of rough logs and after a time it was replaced by a more substantial and comfortable residence, built of hewed logs. The third house was built of brick. In 1870 John Perrin, of this review, remodeled the building and improved it as we see it to-day. At the time of his death he owned over six hundred acres of land. He was a representative and energetic farmer, and everything about the place was kept in good condition. He used the latest improved machinery in operating his land and was untiring in his work, so that he was, enabled to provide his family with a good living. On the 9th of March, 1853, Mr. Perrin was united in marriage to Miss Mary Dunn Roush, who was born in Berkeley county, West Virginia, on the 2d of February, 1825, her parents being Martin and Margaret (Patton) Roush. Her paternal grandparents were natives of Germany and on leaving that country crossed the Atlantic to America. The grandfather was quite well-to-do and became the owner of a good plantation and a number of slaves in Virginia. It is thought that Martin Roush was born at the old family home in that state. He, too, was a planter and slave-holder, and he continued to conduct his plantation until 1847, when he sold out and came to Ohio, residing in Madison county for about twelve months. On the expiration of that period he removed to Springfield, purchasing a farm near the town, now known as the Slaughter farm. Upon that property he spent his remaining days, passing away in 1877, when eighty-six years of age. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Margaret Patton, was born in Greencastle, Franklin county, Pennsylvania. She, too, passed away and was laid to rest by the side of her husband in Ferncliff cemetery.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. John Perrin were born seven children: Margaret Amelia; Ellen Nora, the wife of Dr. James E. Studebaker, a resident of Springfield; John Martin; Mary Belle: Ida Lavina, who died November 28, 1897, and was buried in Ferncliff cemetery; Minerva Cooper; and Catherine McKee, who died December 23, 1864, at the age of seven years and five months. Mr. Perrin, the father, was interred in the old family cemetery, within two hundred yards of where he was born, but on the 12th of October, 1898, his remains were removed to Ferncliff cemetery. While he led a quiet life, his attention being given to his farm, he was a man who possessed many sterling traits of character. He was prompt and honest in all of his business dealings, was energetic in carrying on his work, was true to his duties of citizenship and devoted to his family.

As printed in A Biographical Record of Clark County Ohio (1902). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.