Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2013, All Rights Reserved U.S. Data Repository Please read U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the US Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ ========================================================================= U.S. Data Repository NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization. Non-commercial organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the consent of the transcriber prior to use. Individuals desiring to use this material in their own research may do so. ========================================================================= Formatted by U.S. Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== Biographical History of Cherokee County, Iowa W. S. Dunbar & Co., Chigago - 1889 [page 381-382] ROBERT PERRY deceased, was among the first men to brave the hardships and privations of pioneer life in Cherokee County, Iowa. He was born in the North of Ireland in August, 1832, and was the son of ROBERT and MARY (BANKS) PERRY; his youth was passed in his native land, and in England. Desirous of seeing the New World, and discovering what fortune it held for him, he emigrated to the United States at the age of twenty-three years, and settled in Massachusetts. He was married in Connecticut to Miss CATHERINE MCDERMOTT, a native of the County of Donegal, Ireland; she was born in February, 1838, and is a daughter of JOHN and SARAH (BARR) MCDERMONT. At the age of fifteen years she emigrated to America and settled at St. John's, New Brunswick, where she remained two years, removing at the end of that time to Massa- chusetts; there she lived until her marriage to Mr. PERRY. Having seen only a small portion of this country, Mr. and Mrs. PERRY resolved to push farther to the west, so in 1856 they removed to Cherokee County, Iowa, arriving at the Sioux River in June of that year. It was indeed a wild outlook, and hearts less stout would have been discouraged; there were few white people in the county, and Indians were numerous. Mr. PERRY took a homestead of eighty acres in section 28 and built a log house, which he made his home for several years; later he removed some distance west in the same township, locating in section 29, where he improved one of the best farms in the neighbor- hood; he resided there until 1882, when he went to Cherokee, making his home there until his death, which occurred in August, 1888. ROBERT and CATHERINE PERRY had born to them nine children, six of whom are living: CAROLINE PEARSON, of Pilot Township; SARAH MESSER, of Wakefield, Nebraska; AGNES MATILDA, at home; ROBERT BANKS, of Pilot Township; JOHN and FRANK, at home. The two older children were born in Massachusetts, and the others in Cherokee County. JENNIE died at the age of five years and five days. Politically Mr. PERRY was a strong adherent to the principles of the Democratic party. He served as sheriff of the county with much credit to himself, and to the best interests of the public. He was a man frank in manner, strictly honest, and had many friends. Mrs. CATHERINE PERRY is one of the few women now living in the county who have witnessed the wonderful improvement and growth of the county and towns, the erection of numerous comfortable homes with which the surrounding country is thickly dotted, the building of railroads, and numberless other changes for the better. Mrs. PERRY is a worthy and consistent mem- ber of the Roman Catholic Church, in which faith she was reared. She has brought up her children in a way that reflects credit upon her teaching and example. ===========================================================================