Children: Georgia (22 Oct 1906), Osman Arlo (17 May 1908), Victor (19 May 1910), Esther Anetta (Wade) (30 Jun 1912), Ruth (Pingry) (Matthews) (9 Nov 1917), Ralph (9 Nov 1917)
Perry was born in Dubois County, Indiana near the town of Crystal. His future wife, Lillie Polson, lived nearby. He and Lillie married when he was 20. It was hard to make a living in the southern Indiana hills, but Perry was resourceful and a hard worker. For a while, he owned a team of mules and hired out for jobs that required moving heavy things. After the birth of his first four children, and the death of his oldest child, Georgia, he moved the family to Elizabeth, Indiana (near Louisville, Kentucky) where he farmed. Twins Ruth and Ralph were born in Elizabeth.
Perry read in a farm journal about chicken farmers that were successful in Maryland. He moved the family to Marydel, Maryland (on the Delaware border) and started raising chickens. They made the trip by train. He started with two dozen chicks that he raised in an upstairs room. The family at that time included a nephew, Elvan Able whose mother had died. Perry’s father, Thomas Polson Jr soon joined them. A baby boy was born in Maryland, but died shortly after birth. The chicken farming was successful and grew for several years. They loaded chickens and/or eggs onto a truck and drove them to Newark, Delaware, or sometimes to Dover. Osman drove the truck. Perry never learned to drive. Daughter, Ruth recalls having her first ice-cream cone on a trip to Dover.
The chicken business became so successful that it became too much for Perry to handle and he took on a partner. He trusted the partner too much and the partner skipped town with most of their money. Perry had heard from someone he knew in Indiana that had wanted help starting a chicken farm, so they decided to move back to Indiana. Nephew, Elvan was now a young man and he decided to stay in Maryland. They modified the truck so it would accommodate the whole family along with their belongings and headed back to Indiana.
When they arrived at their friends place which was near Cowan, Indiana (south of Muncie), they were very disappointed with the situation. The people had exaggerated how well prepared they were. They stayed a couple weeks, but realized that it was not going to work. Perry found a place to rent that was nearby. It was a vacant house on a dairy farm. Perry, Osman, and Victor found whatever jobs they could to support the family. It was fall when they arrived, so they hired out to farmers to help with the harvest. They hauled things with the truck, and hired out as laborers for anything they could find. The only heat in the house was a stove in the kitchen and a stove in the living room. During the winter, everyone slept downstairs. During the day, the upstairs was a play area for the twins if it was too cold to be outside. During this time, Perry’s father, Thomas began to have some health issues. He would occasionally feint and fall. One day, he feinted and fell against the stove in the living room. He had some serious burns, but recovered and lived a couple more years.
In the spring, Perry found a job in Muncie and the family moved into town on Burlington near the White River. Lillie also found a job, and Esther was in charge of the house during the day. After a year, they moved to 2124 Mulberry Street in Muncie where they remained for several years. Perry and the family first started attending the Pilgrim Holiness Church, but when they changed pastors, he moved to the South Side Nazarene where they were a fixture for years.
Around 1932, Perry bought a farm east of Muncie near the town of Yorktown. He farmed this land until a heart attack made the labor too much for him. At that point, he and Lillie purchased a rooming house in Muncie. They operated this for several years. In their later years, they sold the rooming house and shared a house with their son Osman and grandson, Keith Polson.
Perry was born in Dubois County, Indiana near the town of Crystal. His future wife, Lillie Polson, lived nearby. He and Lillie married when he was 20. It was hard to make a living in the southern Indiana hills, but Perry was resourceful and a hard worker. For a while, he owned a team of mules and hired out for jobs that required moving heavy things. After the birth of his first four children, and the death of his oldest child, Georgia, he moved the family to Elizabeth, Indiana (near Louisville, Kentucky) where he farmed. Twins Ruth and Ralph were born in Elizabeth.
Perry read in a farm journal about chicken farmers that were successful in Maryland. He moved the family to Marydel, Maryland (on the Delaware border) and started raising chickens. They made the trip by train. He started with two dozen chicks that he raised in an upstairs room. The family at that time included a nephew, Elvan Able whose mother had died. Perry’s father, Thomas Polson Jr soon joined them. A baby boy was born in Maryland, but died shortly after birth. The chicken farming was successful and grew for several years. They loaded chickens and/or eggs onto a truck and drove them to Newark, Delaware, or sometimes to Dover. Osman drove the truck. Perry never learned to drive. Daughter, Ruth recalls having her first ice-cream cone on a trip to Dover.
The chicken business became so successful that it became too much for Perry to handle and he took on a partner. He trusted the partner too much and the partner skipped town with most of their money. Perry had heard from someone he knew in Indiana that had wanted help starting a chicken farm, so they decided to move back to Indiana. Nephew, Elvan was now a young man and he decided to stay in Maryland. They modified the truck so it would accommodate the whole family along with their belongings and headed back to Indiana.
When they arrived at their friends place which was near Cowan, Indiana (south of Muncie), they were very disappointed with the situation. The people had exaggerated how well prepared they were. They stayed a couple weeks, but realized that it was not going to work. Perry found a place to rent that was nearby. It was a vacant house on a dairy farm. Perry, Osman, and Victor found whatever jobs they could to support the family. It was fall when they arrived, so they hired out to farmers to help with the harvest. They hauled things with the truck, and hired out as laborers for anything they could find. The only heat in the house was a stove in the kitchen and a stove in the living room. During the winter, everyone slept downstairs. During the day, the upstairs was a play area for the twins if it was too cold to be outside. During this time, Perry’s father, Thomas began to have some health issues. He would occasionally feint and fall. One day, he feinted and fell against the stove in the living room. He had some serious burns, but recovered and lived a couple more years.
In the spring, Perry found a job in Muncie and the family moved into town on Burlington near the White River. Lillie also found a job, and Esther was in charge of the house during the day. After a year, they moved to 2124 Mulberry Street in Muncie where they remained for several years. Perry and the family first started attending the Pilgrim Holiness Church, but when they changed pastors, he moved to the South Side Nazarene where they were a fixture for years.
Around 1932, Perry bought a farm east of Muncie near the town of Yorktown. He farmed this land until a heart attack made the labor too much for him. At that point, he and Lillie purchased a rooming house in Muncie. They operated this for several years. In their later years, they sold the rooming house and shared a house with their son Osman and grandson, Keith Polson.
Children: Georgia (22 Oct 1906), Osman Arlo (17 May 1908), Victor (19 May 1910), Esther Anetta (Wade) (30 Jun 1912), Ruth (Pingry) (Matthews) (9 Nov 1917), Ralph (9 Nov 1917)
Perry was born in Dubois County, Indiana near the town of Crystal. His future wife, Lillie Polson, lived nearby. He and Lillie married when he was 20. It was hard to make a living in the southern Indiana hills, but Perry was resourceful and a hard worker. For a while, he owned a team of mules and hired out for jobs that required moving heavy things. After the birth of his first four children, and the death of his oldest child, Georgia, he moved the family to Elizabeth, Indiana (near Louisville, Kentucky) where he farmed. Twins Ruth and Ralph were born in Elizabeth.
Perry read in a farm journal about chicken farmers that were successful in Maryland. He moved the family to Marydel, Maryland (on the Delaware border) and started raising chickens. They made the trip by train. He started with two dozen chicks that he raised in an upstairs room. The family at that time included a nephew, Elvan Able whose mother had died. Perry’s father, Thomas Polson Jr soon joined them. A baby boy was born in Maryland, but died shortly after birth. The chicken farming was successful and grew for several years. They loaded chickens and/or eggs onto a truck and drove them to Newark, Delaware, or sometimes to Dover. Osman drove the truck. Perry never learned to drive. Daughter, Ruth recalls having her first ice-cream cone on a trip to Dover.
The chicken business became so successful that it became too much for Perry to handle and he took on a partner. He trusted the partner too much and the partner skipped town with most of their money. Perry had heard from someone he knew in Indiana that had wanted help starting a chicken farm, so they decided to move back to Indiana. Nephew, Elvan was now a young man and he decided to stay in Maryland. They modified the truck so it would accommodate the whole family along with their belongings and headed back to Indiana.
When they arrived at their friends place which was near Cowan, Indiana (south of Muncie), they were very disappointed with the situation. The people had exaggerated how well prepared they were. They stayed a couple weeks, but realized that it was not going to work. Perry found a place to rent that was nearby. It was a vacant house on a dairy farm. Perry, Osman, and Victor found whatever jobs they could to support the family. It was fall when they arrived, so they hired out to farmers to help with the harvest. They hauled things with the truck, and hired out as laborers for anything they could find. The only heat in the house was a stove in the kitchen and a stove in the living room. During the winter, everyone slept downstairs. During the day, the upstairs was a play area for the twins if it was too cold to be outside. During this time, Perry’s father, Thomas began to have some health issues. He would occasionally feint and fall. One day, he feinted and fell against the stove in the living room. He had some serious burns, but recovered and lived a couple more years.
In the spring, Perry found a job in Muncie and the family moved into town on Burlington near the White River. Lillie also found a job, and Esther was in charge of the house during the day. After a year, they moved to 2124 Mulberry Street in Muncie where they remained for several years. Perry and the family first started attending the Pilgrim Holiness Church, but when they changed pastors, he moved to the South Side Nazarene where they were a fixture for years.
Around 1932, Perry bought a farm east of Muncie near the town of Yorktown. He farmed this land until a heart attack made the labor too much for him. At that point, he and Lillie purchased a rooming house in Muncie. They operated this for several years. In their later years, they sold the rooming house and shared a house with their son Osman and grandson, Keith Polson.
Perry was born in Dubois County, Indiana near the town of Crystal. His future wife, Lillie Polson, lived nearby. He and Lillie married when he was 20. It was hard to make a living in the southern Indiana hills, but Perry was resourceful and a hard worker. For a while, he owned a team of mules and hired out for jobs that required moving heavy things. After the birth of his first four children, and the death of his oldest child, Georgia, he moved the family to Elizabeth, Indiana (near Louisville, Kentucky) where he farmed. Twins Ruth and Ralph were born in Elizabeth.
Perry read in a farm journal about chicken farmers that were successful in Maryland. He moved the family to Marydel, Maryland (on the Delaware border) and started raising chickens. They made the trip by train. He started with two dozen chicks that he raised in an upstairs room. The family at that time included a nephew, Elvan Able whose mother had died. Perry’s father, Thomas Polson Jr soon joined them. A baby boy was born in Maryland, but died shortly after birth. The chicken farming was successful and grew for several years. They loaded chickens and/or eggs onto a truck and drove them to Newark, Delaware, or sometimes to Dover. Osman drove the truck. Perry never learned to drive. Daughter, Ruth recalls having her first ice-cream cone on a trip to Dover.
The chicken business became so successful that it became too much for Perry to handle and he took on a partner. He trusted the partner too much and the partner skipped town with most of their money. Perry had heard from someone he knew in Indiana that had wanted help starting a chicken farm, so they decided to move back to Indiana. Nephew, Elvan was now a young man and he decided to stay in Maryland. They modified the truck so it would accommodate the whole family along with their belongings and headed back to Indiana.
When they arrived at their friends place which was near Cowan, Indiana (south of Muncie), they were very disappointed with the situation. The people had exaggerated how well prepared they were. They stayed a couple weeks, but realized that it was not going to work. Perry found a place to rent that was nearby. It was a vacant house on a dairy farm. Perry, Osman, and Victor found whatever jobs they could to support the family. It was fall when they arrived, so they hired out to farmers to help with the harvest. They hauled things with the truck, and hired out as laborers for anything they could find. The only heat in the house was a stove in the kitchen and a stove in the living room. During the winter, everyone slept downstairs. During the day, the upstairs was a play area for the twins if it was too cold to be outside. During this time, Perry’s father, Thomas began to have some health issues. He would occasionally feint and fall. One day, he feinted and fell against the stove in the living room. He had some serious burns, but recovered and lived a couple more years.
In the spring, Perry found a job in Muncie and the family moved into town on Burlington near the White River. Lillie also found a job, and Esther was in charge of the house during the day. After a year, they moved to 2124 Mulberry Street in Muncie where they remained for several years. Perry and the family first started attending the Pilgrim Holiness Church, but when they changed pastors, he moved to the South Side Nazarene where they were a fixture for years.
Around 1932, Perry bought a farm east of Muncie near the town of Yorktown. He farmed this land until a heart attack made the labor too much for him. At that point, he and Lillie purchased a rooming house in Muncie. They operated this for several years. In their later years, they sold the rooming house and shared a house with their son Osman and grandson, Keith Polson.
Family Members
Siblings
