Birth year is approximate and based on a mix of census and other. The family of Aaron Perry were always told that he was "born [in Anson Co., NC] to a Green and sold to a Perry". A transcribed Anson County Will ("Anson County NC Wills, Vol. 2, 1834-1846" by L. Willis) shows a James Green leaving "negro boy named Aaron" to son Henry Green in 1836.
Great grandson, Aaron Perry, also recalls that Aaron had a brother named Lewis Green as well as a couple of sisters.
He married Charlotte Ashcraft in April 1859 (record of cohabitation in Union County, NC Aug. 13, 1866).
Children that we know of as seen in census records and from death certificates with brief additional information beside their names such as their married name or who they married or their death date/year:
Thomas (Mary Redfern) death date: 27 Mar 1920
George (Ella Johnson in Lancaster Co., VA in 1893; has at least 3 children, possibly dies before 1910)
John (Alice Gathings) death date: 14 Jan 1946
Eugenia (born Dec 1870 per 1870 census)
James (born about 1871)
Martha (_____Baker) death date from Find A Grave: 11 Dec 1919
Peter (Lizzie) death date: 13 July 1947
Frances (born about 1875)
Roxie (per descendant, Vera Barnes, marriedJacob Carelock) Death date: 11 Apr 1936
Hugh (Maggie Rorie; Lola) Death date: 28 July 1951
Tea (per death certificate, son, died 6 Mar 1920; not to be confused with Tom/Thomas)
Ellison (Daisy Hamilton in 1906; Wilma in ?)
William/Willie/Will T (Martha; Lilly) Death date: 19 Feb 1954
Henry (born June 1884 per 1900 census)
May (born June 1890 per 1900 census)
------
1870 Union County, NC, Census in the Lanes Creek Township(Twp) in the Beaver Dam Post Office area shows Aaron, age 30, as a farmer. With him is Violet (about age 25, difficult to read the 2nd number of her age). The "Violet" name has been pondered over by family and myself and we have speculated that Charlotte, as that is the only name for a wife ever associated with Aaron, must have liked this name or perhaps it was even a nickname. With them in the census (ages in parenthesis) are: Thomas (5), George (3), John (2) and Eugenia (6 months and noted as being born in December of that year). Eugenia is not seen in the next census so it is assumed that she dies before 1880.
----------
1880 Union County, NC census - Lanes Creek Twp
Aaron is listed as age 38 and a farmer. Charlotte is listed as age 34. With them in the census (ages in parenthesis) are:
Thomas (14), George (13), John (11), James (9), Martha (7), Peter (6), Frances (5).
----------
1900 Union County Census, Lanes Creek Twp
This census is interesting in that one can assume that Aaron had lost his wife very recently. The "Wd" for widowed was written over something else in the marriage column and he answered the question as to how many children had been born (his answer is 15 with 9 living). This question was for females who had given birth, not males. It is quite possible that the enumerator knew the family and thought Charlotte was still living as he asked the question.
Aaron also answers that his month and year of birth are Sept 1848, age 51.
Living with Aaron are the following with the month and year of birth as well as the usual age in parenthesis for this bio:
Ellison, June 1885 (16)
William, Oct 1888 (11)
Henry, June 1884 (15) -- yes, the enumerator did not go in the usual order
May (Mary?) Jan or Jun 1890 (10)
None in the family can read nor write. Aaron would later become a staunch advocate for education as his grandchildren came along -- the advocacy for education, a trait shared to me by descendants, is also verified by his name appearing in a list published in The Monroe Journal (July 20, 1915, p1) of school committeemen. He was appointed to the Philadelphia School in the Lanes Creek township. NOTE: During this time there were school committeemen for each community appointed to serve - it is imagined that they served as liaisons between the County's School Board and the community.
-----------
Per a brief church write-up for Robinson AME Zion Church in "Sweet Union" by Suzanne Pickens, 1970, Aaron Perry was a trustee for this church in 1892 along with Harry Hastey and a Mr. Harrell. See page 338 of this book. The deed was dated 9 Sept. 1892, Union County, NC.
----------
One memory related to the Philadelphia School was shared with me from a great-grandson (Aaron Perry, son of Tom and grandson of Hugh Perry). This involved Aaron's mother (Rosa) and her best-friend, Eula. It seems they had begun to get a bit rowdy and their grandfather, the elder Aaron Perry, decided to pay a visit to the schoolmaster in the hopes of getting them under control. To get there, he rode a donkey. While he was inside discussing the matter, one of the girls decided to let his donkey go and then they hid in the bushes. Upon coming out of the schoolhouse and finding his transportation gone he commenced to run down the road shouting "who let my donkey loose?". This sent the girls into fits of giggles. It is not known if they were "taken to task" about this but one would imagine so.
----------
In "Memoirs of John Peter Parker: Experiences of Growing Up on a Union County Farm in the Early 1900s" it is learned that Aaron was referred to as "Lawyer" in his later years "because of his distinguished look and judicial manner." This book is available in the Dickerson Genealogy & Local History Room of the Union County Library.
----------
During the war bond effort of WWI, speakers were selected to appear at the local schools to encourage those of their communities to purchase war bonds. This list of mostly teachers and ministers was published in The Monroe Journal on Feb. 15, 1918. Aaron Perry was the speaker for the Gulledge School. This is a testament to his influence in his community.
----------
Monroe Enquirer, October 17, 1927, p.5:
"Uncle Aaron Perry...will be 82 year old next Saturday...invited family and friends to home of son, Willie Perry, near Philadelphia Church for a reunion and picnic.
----------
Civil War (1861-1865)-
Aaron served as a body servant to Lt. Col. John B. Ashcraft, Co. D, NC 37th, in the War Between the States (aka Civil War); he was a slave owned by Capt. William Perry (d. 1870) at the time. Wlm. Perry's lands bordered Alfred Ashcraft's & others -- Alfred was the father of John B. Ashcraft. It is speculated that John and Aaron were well acquainted with each other before the war.
In October of 1864, Aaron was awarded $10 (ten) by a Union County court order that read: Ordered by the Court that the County trustee pay D Rushing [sheriff] Ten Dollars to be paid over to a Slave of Capn [Captain] Wm [William] Perry by the name of Aron [Aaron] for meritorious Conduct in arresting some Yankeys [Yankees] and forty Cent for this Order (we shared the image of this from our microfilm of court records but Find A Grave removed it without any notice to us).
He began receiving a pension for his service in 1929. Eugene, son of John Ashcraft, was one of those who verified Aaron's service during the war.
His notice of death, coupled with Weary Clyburn's, read in part (Monroe Journal, April 1, 1930, page 1)- "Aaron was reared in Lanes Creek. He was sent to Ft. Fisher with Maj. J. B. Ashcraft's battalion." [after John mustered out due to ill health, most likely this was when Aaron was sent to Ft. Fisher for only a short time] Continuing with the death notice: "He had already become a man of standing and trustworthiness in his community, though a slave...Uncle Aaron was an honorable and truthful man. He was solid, sober, and would have made a good New England puritan had time and circumstance fitted."
A testament to his long-standing respect can be seen when his son John died in 1946, sixteen years after his own death; the last line of John's obituary read: "John was the son of Aaron Perry, a man who was well known in his day." (Monroe Journal, Jan. 18, 1946, page 5)
----------
Another memory from a great-grandchild, Mabel Perry Glenn -- when he was old he had a long white beard and was known to walk wherever he wanted to go. She was told he would walk all the way to his son's home in the Sun Valley area. He also loved to walk to the courthouse (historic) in Monroe and sit with the other men and tell "tall tales" or just reminiscence of days gone by.
----------
The family believes that Charlotte is buried on the old Ashcraft Farm with her former mistress. Susan Ashcraft (wife of Benjamin Ashcraft). See the partition of A. Ashcraft's property Feb. 3, 1864, Union County, NC, Deed Book 6, p. 320, showing Charlotte's name in the list of enslaved individuals being given to Susan.}
Much more can be learned about Aaron Perry at the Union County Public Library, Monroe, NC. -bio written by Patricia M. Poland [updated in 2023 using some of a blog post I wrote in 2012]
Great grandson, Aaron Perry, also recalls that Aaron had a brother named Lewis Green as well as a couple of sisters.
He married Charlotte Ashcraft in April 1859 (record of cohabitation in Union County, NC Aug. 13, 1866).
Children that we know of as seen in census records and from death certificates with brief additional information beside their names such as their married name or who they married or their death date/year:
Thomas (Mary Redfern) death date: 27 Mar 1920
George (Ella Johnson in Lancaster Co., VA in 1893; has at least 3 children, possibly dies before 1910)
John (Alice Gathings) death date: 14 Jan 1946
Eugenia (born Dec 1870 per 1870 census)
James (born about 1871)
Martha (_____Baker) death date from Find A Grave: 11 Dec 1919
Peter (Lizzie) death date: 13 July 1947
Frances (born about 1875)
Roxie (per descendant, Vera Barnes, marriedJacob Carelock) Death date: 11 Apr 1936
Hugh (Maggie Rorie; Lola) Death date: 28 July 1951
Tea (per death certificate, son, died 6 Mar 1920; not to be confused with Tom/Thomas)
Ellison (Daisy Hamilton in 1906; Wilma in ?)
William/Willie/Will T (Martha; Lilly) Death date: 19 Feb 1954
Henry (born June 1884 per 1900 census)
May (born June 1890 per 1900 census)
------
1870 Union County, NC, Census in the Lanes Creek Township(Twp) in the Beaver Dam Post Office area shows Aaron, age 30, as a farmer. With him is Violet (about age 25, difficult to read the 2nd number of her age). The "Violet" name has been pondered over by family and myself and we have speculated that Charlotte, as that is the only name for a wife ever associated with Aaron, must have liked this name or perhaps it was even a nickname. With them in the census (ages in parenthesis) are: Thomas (5), George (3), John (2) and Eugenia (6 months and noted as being born in December of that year). Eugenia is not seen in the next census so it is assumed that she dies before 1880.
----------
1880 Union County, NC census - Lanes Creek Twp
Aaron is listed as age 38 and a farmer. Charlotte is listed as age 34. With them in the census (ages in parenthesis) are:
Thomas (14), George (13), John (11), James (9), Martha (7), Peter (6), Frances (5).
----------
1900 Union County Census, Lanes Creek Twp
This census is interesting in that one can assume that Aaron had lost his wife very recently. The "Wd" for widowed was written over something else in the marriage column and he answered the question as to how many children had been born (his answer is 15 with 9 living). This question was for females who had given birth, not males. It is quite possible that the enumerator knew the family and thought Charlotte was still living as he asked the question.
Aaron also answers that his month and year of birth are Sept 1848, age 51.
Living with Aaron are the following with the month and year of birth as well as the usual age in parenthesis for this bio:
Ellison, June 1885 (16)
William, Oct 1888 (11)
Henry, June 1884 (15) -- yes, the enumerator did not go in the usual order
May (Mary?) Jan or Jun 1890 (10)
None in the family can read nor write. Aaron would later become a staunch advocate for education as his grandchildren came along -- the advocacy for education, a trait shared to me by descendants, is also verified by his name appearing in a list published in The Monroe Journal (July 20, 1915, p1) of school committeemen. He was appointed to the Philadelphia School in the Lanes Creek township. NOTE: During this time there were school committeemen for each community appointed to serve - it is imagined that they served as liaisons between the County's School Board and the community.
-----------
Per a brief church write-up for Robinson AME Zion Church in "Sweet Union" by Suzanne Pickens, 1970, Aaron Perry was a trustee for this church in 1892 along with Harry Hastey and a Mr. Harrell. See page 338 of this book. The deed was dated 9 Sept. 1892, Union County, NC.
----------
One memory related to the Philadelphia School was shared with me from a great-grandson (Aaron Perry, son of Tom and grandson of Hugh Perry). This involved Aaron's mother (Rosa) and her best-friend, Eula. It seems they had begun to get a bit rowdy and their grandfather, the elder Aaron Perry, decided to pay a visit to the schoolmaster in the hopes of getting them under control. To get there, he rode a donkey. While he was inside discussing the matter, one of the girls decided to let his donkey go and then they hid in the bushes. Upon coming out of the schoolhouse and finding his transportation gone he commenced to run down the road shouting "who let my donkey loose?". This sent the girls into fits of giggles. It is not known if they were "taken to task" about this but one would imagine so.
----------
In "Memoirs of John Peter Parker: Experiences of Growing Up on a Union County Farm in the Early 1900s" it is learned that Aaron was referred to as "Lawyer" in his later years "because of his distinguished look and judicial manner." This book is available in the Dickerson Genealogy & Local History Room of the Union County Library.
----------
During the war bond effort of WWI, speakers were selected to appear at the local schools to encourage those of their communities to purchase war bonds. This list of mostly teachers and ministers was published in The Monroe Journal on Feb. 15, 1918. Aaron Perry was the speaker for the Gulledge School. This is a testament to his influence in his community.
----------
Monroe Enquirer, October 17, 1927, p.5:
"Uncle Aaron Perry...will be 82 year old next Saturday...invited family and friends to home of son, Willie Perry, near Philadelphia Church for a reunion and picnic.
----------
Civil War (1861-1865)-
Aaron served as a body servant to Lt. Col. John B. Ashcraft, Co. D, NC 37th, in the War Between the States (aka Civil War); he was a slave owned by Capt. William Perry (d. 1870) at the time. Wlm. Perry's lands bordered Alfred Ashcraft's & others -- Alfred was the father of John B. Ashcraft. It is speculated that John and Aaron were well acquainted with each other before the war.
In October of 1864, Aaron was awarded $10 (ten) by a Union County court order that read: Ordered by the Court that the County trustee pay D Rushing [sheriff] Ten Dollars to be paid over to a Slave of Capn [Captain] Wm [William] Perry by the name of Aron [Aaron] for meritorious Conduct in arresting some Yankeys [Yankees] and forty Cent for this Order (we shared the image of this from our microfilm of court records but Find A Grave removed it without any notice to us).
He began receiving a pension for his service in 1929. Eugene, son of John Ashcraft, was one of those who verified Aaron's service during the war.
His notice of death, coupled with Weary Clyburn's, read in part (Monroe Journal, April 1, 1930, page 1)- "Aaron was reared in Lanes Creek. He was sent to Ft. Fisher with Maj. J. B. Ashcraft's battalion." [after John mustered out due to ill health, most likely this was when Aaron was sent to Ft. Fisher for only a short time] Continuing with the death notice: "He had already become a man of standing and trustworthiness in his community, though a slave...Uncle Aaron was an honorable and truthful man. He was solid, sober, and would have made a good New England puritan had time and circumstance fitted."
A testament to his long-standing respect can be seen when his son John died in 1946, sixteen years after his own death; the last line of John's obituary read: "John was the son of Aaron Perry, a man who was well known in his day." (Monroe Journal, Jan. 18, 1946, page 5)
----------
Another memory from a great-grandchild, Mabel Perry Glenn -- when he was old he had a long white beard and was known to walk wherever he wanted to go. She was told he would walk all the way to his son's home in the Sun Valley area. He also loved to walk to the courthouse (historic) in Monroe and sit with the other men and tell "tall tales" or just reminiscence of days gone by.
----------
The family believes that Charlotte is buried on the old Ashcraft Farm with her former mistress. Susan Ashcraft (wife of Benjamin Ashcraft). See the partition of A. Ashcraft's property Feb. 3, 1864, Union County, NC, Deed Book 6, p. 320, showing Charlotte's name in the list of enslaved individuals being given to Susan.}
Much more can be learned about Aaron Perry at the Union County Public Library, Monroe, NC. -bio written by Patricia M. Poland [updated in 2023 using some of a blog post I wrote in 2012]
Birth year is approximate and based on a mix of census and other. The family of Aaron Perry were always told that he was "born [in Anson Co., NC] to a Green and sold to a Perry". A transcribed Anson County Will ("Anson County NC Wills, Vol. 2, 1834-1846" by L. Willis) shows a James Green leaving "negro boy named Aaron" to son Henry Green in 1836.
Great grandson, Aaron Perry, also recalls that Aaron had a brother named Lewis Green as well as a couple of sisters.
He married Charlotte Ashcraft in April 1859 (record of cohabitation in Union County, NC Aug. 13, 1866).
Children that we know of as seen in census records and from death certificates with brief additional information beside their names such as their married name or who they married or their death date/year:
Thomas (Mary Redfern) death date: 27 Mar 1920
George (Ella Johnson in Lancaster Co., VA in 1893; has at least 3 children, possibly dies before 1910)
John (Alice Gathings) death date: 14 Jan 1946
Eugenia (born Dec 1870 per 1870 census)
James (born about 1871)
Martha (_____Baker) death date from Find A Grave: 11 Dec 1919
Peter (Lizzie) death date: 13 July 1947
Frances (born about 1875)
Roxie (per descendant, Vera Barnes, marriedJacob Carelock) Death date: 11 Apr 1936
Hugh (Maggie Rorie; Lola) Death date: 28 July 1951
Tea (per death certificate, son, died 6 Mar 1920; not to be confused with Tom/Thomas)
Ellison (Daisy Hamilton in 1906; Wilma in ?)
William/Willie/Will T (Martha; Lilly) Death date: 19 Feb 1954
Henry (born June 1884 per 1900 census)
May (born June 1890 per 1900 census)
------
1870 Union County, NC, Census in the Lanes Creek Township(Twp) in the Beaver Dam Post Office area shows Aaron, age 30, as a farmer. With him is Violet (about age 25, difficult to read the 2nd number of her age). The "Violet" name has been pondered over by family and myself and we have speculated that Charlotte, as that is the only name for a wife ever associated with Aaron, must have liked this name or perhaps it was even a nickname. With them in the census (ages in parenthesis) are: Thomas (5), George (3), John (2) and Eugenia (6 months and noted as being born in December of that year). Eugenia is not seen in the next census so it is assumed that she dies before 1880.
----------
1880 Union County, NC census - Lanes Creek Twp
Aaron is listed as age 38 and a farmer. Charlotte is listed as age 34. With them in the census (ages in parenthesis) are:
Thomas (14), George (13), John (11), James (9), Martha (7), Peter (6), Frances (5).
----------
1900 Union County Census, Lanes Creek Twp
This census is interesting in that one can assume that Aaron had lost his wife very recently. The "Wd" for widowed was written over something else in the marriage column and he answered the question as to how many children had been born (his answer is 15 with 9 living). This question was for females who had given birth, not males. It is quite possible that the enumerator knew the family and thought Charlotte was still living as he asked the question.
Aaron also answers that his month and year of birth are Sept 1848, age 51.
Living with Aaron are the following with the month and year of birth as well as the usual age in parenthesis for this bio:
Ellison, June 1885 (16)
William, Oct 1888 (11)
Henry, June 1884 (15) -- yes, the enumerator did not go in the usual order
May (Mary?) Jan or Jun 1890 (10)
None in the family can read nor write. Aaron would later become a staunch advocate for education as his grandchildren came along -- the advocacy for education, a trait shared to me by descendants, is also verified by his name appearing in a list published in The Monroe Journal (July 20, 1915, p1) of school committeemen. He was appointed to the Philadelphia School in the Lanes Creek township. NOTE: During this time there were school committeemen for each community appointed to serve - it is imagined that they served as liaisons between the County's School Board and the community.
-----------
Per a brief church write-up for Robinson AME Zion Church in "Sweet Union" by Suzanne Pickens, 1970, Aaron Perry was a trustee for this church in 1892 along with Harry Hastey and a Mr. Harrell. See page 338 of this book. The deed was dated 9 Sept. 1892, Union County, NC.
----------
One memory related to the Philadelphia School was shared with me from a great-grandson (Aaron Perry, son of Tom and grandson of Hugh Perry). This involved Aaron's mother (Rosa) and her best-friend, Eula. It seems they had begun to get a bit rowdy and their grandfather, the elder Aaron Perry, decided to pay a visit to the schoolmaster in the hopes of getting them under control. To get there, he rode a donkey. While he was inside discussing the matter, one of the girls decided to let his donkey go and then they hid in the bushes. Upon coming out of the schoolhouse and finding his transportation gone he commenced to run down the road shouting "who let my donkey loose?". This sent the girls into fits of giggles. It is not known if they were "taken to task" about this but one would imagine so.
----------
In "Memoirs of John Peter Parker: Experiences of Growing Up on a Union County Farm in the Early 1900s" it is learned that Aaron was referred to as "Lawyer" in his later years "because of his distinguished look and judicial manner." This book is available in the Dickerson Genealogy & Local History Room of the Union County Library.
----------
During the war bond effort of WWI, speakers were selected to appear at the local schools to encourage those of their communities to purchase war bonds. This list of mostly teachers and ministers was published in The Monroe Journal on Feb. 15, 1918. Aaron Perry was the speaker for the Gulledge School. This is a testament to his influence in his community.
----------
Monroe Enquirer, October 17, 1927, p.5:
"Uncle Aaron Perry...will be 82 year old next Saturday...invited family and friends to home of son, Willie Perry, near Philadelphia Church for a reunion and picnic.
----------
Civil War (1861-1865)-
Aaron served as a body servant to Lt. Col. John B. Ashcraft, Co. D, NC 37th, in the War Between the States (aka Civil War); he was a slave owned by Capt. William Perry (d. 1870) at the time. Wlm. Perry's lands bordered Alfred Ashcraft's & others -- Alfred was the father of John B. Ashcraft. It is speculated that John and Aaron were well acquainted with each other before the war.
In October of 1864, Aaron was awarded $10 (ten) by a Union County court order that read: Ordered by the Court that the County trustee pay D Rushing [sheriff] Ten Dollars to be paid over to a Slave of Capn [Captain] Wm [William] Perry by the name of Aron [Aaron] for meritorious Conduct in arresting some Yankeys [Yankees] and forty Cent for this Order (we shared the image of this from our microfilm of court records but Find A Grave removed it without any notice to us).
He began receiving a pension for his service in 1929. Eugene, son of John Ashcraft, was one of those who verified Aaron's service during the war.
His notice of death, coupled with Weary Clyburn's, read in part (Monroe Journal, April 1, 1930, page 1)- "Aaron was reared in Lanes Creek. He was sent to Ft. Fisher with Maj. J. B. Ashcraft's battalion." [after John mustered out due to ill health, most likely this was when Aaron was sent to Ft. Fisher for only a short time] Continuing with the death notice: "He had already become a man of standing and trustworthiness in his community, though a slave...Uncle Aaron was an honorable and truthful man. He was solid, sober, and would have made a good New England puritan had time and circumstance fitted."
A testament to his long-standing respect can be seen when his son John died in 1946, sixteen years after his own death; the last line of John's obituary read: "John was the son of Aaron Perry, a man who was well known in his day." (Monroe Journal, Jan. 18, 1946, page 5)
----------
Another memory from a great-grandchild, Mabel Perry Glenn -- when he was old he had a long white beard and was known to walk wherever he wanted to go. She was told he would walk all the way to his son's home in the Sun Valley area. He also loved to walk to the courthouse (historic) in Monroe and sit with the other men and tell "tall tales" or just reminiscence of days gone by.
----------
The family believes that Charlotte is buried on the old Ashcraft Farm with her former mistress. Susan Ashcraft (wife of Benjamin Ashcraft). See the partition of A. Ashcraft's property Feb. 3, 1864, Union County, NC, Deed Book 6, p. 320, showing Charlotte's name in the list of enslaved individuals being given to Susan.}
Much more can be learned about Aaron Perry at the Union County Public Library, Monroe, NC. -bio written by Patricia M. Poland [updated in 2023 using some of a blog post I wrote in 2012]
Great grandson, Aaron Perry, also recalls that Aaron had a brother named Lewis Green as well as a couple of sisters.
He married Charlotte Ashcraft in April 1859 (record of cohabitation in Union County, NC Aug. 13, 1866).
Children that we know of as seen in census records and from death certificates with brief additional information beside their names such as their married name or who they married or their death date/year:
Thomas (Mary Redfern) death date: 27 Mar 1920
George (Ella Johnson in Lancaster Co., VA in 1893; has at least 3 children, possibly dies before 1910)
John (Alice Gathings) death date: 14 Jan 1946
Eugenia (born Dec 1870 per 1870 census)
James (born about 1871)
Martha (_____Baker) death date from Find A Grave: 11 Dec 1919
Peter (Lizzie) death date: 13 July 1947
Frances (born about 1875)
Roxie (per descendant, Vera Barnes, marriedJacob Carelock) Death date: 11 Apr 1936
Hugh (Maggie Rorie; Lola) Death date: 28 July 1951
Tea (per death certificate, son, died 6 Mar 1920; not to be confused with Tom/Thomas)
Ellison (Daisy Hamilton in 1906; Wilma in ?)
William/Willie/Will T (Martha; Lilly) Death date: 19 Feb 1954
Henry (born June 1884 per 1900 census)
May (born June 1890 per 1900 census)
------
1870 Union County, NC, Census in the Lanes Creek Township(Twp) in the Beaver Dam Post Office area shows Aaron, age 30, as a farmer. With him is Violet (about age 25, difficult to read the 2nd number of her age). The "Violet" name has been pondered over by family and myself and we have speculated that Charlotte, as that is the only name for a wife ever associated with Aaron, must have liked this name or perhaps it was even a nickname. With them in the census (ages in parenthesis) are: Thomas (5), George (3), John (2) and Eugenia (6 months and noted as being born in December of that year). Eugenia is not seen in the next census so it is assumed that she dies before 1880.
----------
1880 Union County, NC census - Lanes Creek Twp
Aaron is listed as age 38 and a farmer. Charlotte is listed as age 34. With them in the census (ages in parenthesis) are:
Thomas (14), George (13), John (11), James (9), Martha (7), Peter (6), Frances (5).
----------
1900 Union County Census, Lanes Creek Twp
This census is interesting in that one can assume that Aaron had lost his wife very recently. The "Wd" for widowed was written over something else in the marriage column and he answered the question as to how many children had been born (his answer is 15 with 9 living). This question was for females who had given birth, not males. It is quite possible that the enumerator knew the family and thought Charlotte was still living as he asked the question.
Aaron also answers that his month and year of birth are Sept 1848, age 51.
Living with Aaron are the following with the month and year of birth as well as the usual age in parenthesis for this bio:
Ellison, June 1885 (16)
William, Oct 1888 (11)
Henry, June 1884 (15) -- yes, the enumerator did not go in the usual order
May (Mary?) Jan or Jun 1890 (10)
None in the family can read nor write. Aaron would later become a staunch advocate for education as his grandchildren came along -- the advocacy for education, a trait shared to me by descendants, is also verified by his name appearing in a list published in The Monroe Journal (July 20, 1915, p1) of school committeemen. He was appointed to the Philadelphia School in the Lanes Creek township. NOTE: During this time there were school committeemen for each community appointed to serve - it is imagined that they served as liaisons between the County's School Board and the community.
-----------
Per a brief church write-up for Robinson AME Zion Church in "Sweet Union" by Suzanne Pickens, 1970, Aaron Perry was a trustee for this church in 1892 along with Harry Hastey and a Mr. Harrell. See page 338 of this book. The deed was dated 9 Sept. 1892, Union County, NC.
----------
One memory related to the Philadelphia School was shared with me from a great-grandson (Aaron Perry, son of Tom and grandson of Hugh Perry). This involved Aaron's mother (Rosa) and her best-friend, Eula. It seems they had begun to get a bit rowdy and their grandfather, the elder Aaron Perry, decided to pay a visit to the schoolmaster in the hopes of getting them under control. To get there, he rode a donkey. While he was inside discussing the matter, one of the girls decided to let his donkey go and then they hid in the bushes. Upon coming out of the schoolhouse and finding his transportation gone he commenced to run down the road shouting "who let my donkey loose?". This sent the girls into fits of giggles. It is not known if they were "taken to task" about this but one would imagine so.
----------
In "Memoirs of John Peter Parker: Experiences of Growing Up on a Union County Farm in the Early 1900s" it is learned that Aaron was referred to as "Lawyer" in his later years "because of his distinguished look and judicial manner." This book is available in the Dickerson Genealogy & Local History Room of the Union County Library.
----------
During the war bond effort of WWI, speakers were selected to appear at the local schools to encourage those of their communities to purchase war bonds. This list of mostly teachers and ministers was published in The Monroe Journal on Feb. 15, 1918. Aaron Perry was the speaker for the Gulledge School. This is a testament to his influence in his community.
----------
Monroe Enquirer, October 17, 1927, p.5:
"Uncle Aaron Perry...will be 82 year old next Saturday...invited family and friends to home of son, Willie Perry, near Philadelphia Church for a reunion and picnic.
----------
Civil War (1861-1865)-
Aaron served as a body servant to Lt. Col. John B. Ashcraft, Co. D, NC 37th, in the War Between the States (aka Civil War); he was a slave owned by Capt. William Perry (d. 1870) at the time. Wlm. Perry's lands bordered Alfred Ashcraft's & others -- Alfred was the father of John B. Ashcraft. It is speculated that John and Aaron were well acquainted with each other before the war.
In October of 1864, Aaron was awarded $10 (ten) by a Union County court order that read: Ordered by the Court that the County trustee pay D Rushing [sheriff] Ten Dollars to be paid over to a Slave of Capn [Captain] Wm [William] Perry by the name of Aron [Aaron] for meritorious Conduct in arresting some Yankeys [Yankees] and forty Cent for this Order (we shared the image of this from our microfilm of court records but Find A Grave removed it without any notice to us).
He began receiving a pension for his service in 1929. Eugene, son of John Ashcraft, was one of those who verified Aaron's service during the war.
His notice of death, coupled with Weary Clyburn's, read in part (Monroe Journal, April 1, 1930, page 1)- "Aaron was reared in Lanes Creek. He was sent to Ft. Fisher with Maj. J. B. Ashcraft's battalion." [after John mustered out due to ill health, most likely this was when Aaron was sent to Ft. Fisher for only a short time] Continuing with the death notice: "He had already become a man of standing and trustworthiness in his community, though a slave...Uncle Aaron was an honorable and truthful man. He was solid, sober, and would have made a good New England puritan had time and circumstance fitted."
A testament to his long-standing respect can be seen when his son John died in 1946, sixteen years after his own death; the last line of John's obituary read: "John was the son of Aaron Perry, a man who was well known in his day." (Monroe Journal, Jan. 18, 1946, page 5)
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Another memory from a great-grandchild, Mabel Perry Glenn -- when he was old he had a long white beard and was known to walk wherever he wanted to go. She was told he would walk all the way to his son's home in the Sun Valley area. He also loved to walk to the courthouse (historic) in Monroe and sit with the other men and tell "tall tales" or just reminiscence of days gone by.
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The family believes that Charlotte is buried on the old Ashcraft Farm with her former mistress. Susan Ashcraft (wife of Benjamin Ashcraft). See the partition of A. Ashcraft's property Feb. 3, 1864, Union County, NC, Deed Book 6, p. 320, showing Charlotte's name in the list of enslaved individuals being given to Susan.}
Much more can be learned about Aaron Perry at the Union County Public Library, Monroe, NC. -bio written by Patricia M. Poland [updated in 2023 using some of a blog post I wrote in 2012]
Gravesite Details
The family chose a simple military style marker in 2011; Brick edging around grave covered with white rock.
