James Perry of Perrymount

James Perry was born sometime around 1670 most likely in Ulster, Ireland. His ancestry is unknown, though he may be related to the County Tyrone Perrys. What is known is that he was a practicing attorney by 1698 in Lisburn, County Down, Ireland. He married Anne Swift sometime before 1700 and had six children. After the fire of 1707, James and family moved to Belfast where his youngest son John was born. By 1720, the family had settled near Gortmoria and named their home Perrymount where records of James Perry come up several times throughout the next decade. James again appears in records near the end of his life. They involve his estate settlement. His will was written in 1753 and proved in 1756. His will didn't mention Anne, so she probably predeceased him.

Anne Swift was the daughter of Adam Swift and Martha Hopper. She was born between 1669 and 1675 when her mother died. Reportedly, Anne's marriage to James Perry wasn't agreeable to her father Adam or her first cousin Jonathan Swift, the writer. Jonathan even mentioned his dislike of James Perry in a letter, but Adam finally seemed to have settled the matter when he included Anne in his will. Anne and James Perry had six children: Swift Perry, Adam Perry, Martha Arnold, Joseph Perry, Jane Usher, and John Perry.

Swift Perry
Swift Perry was born abt 1697 in Lisburn, Down, Ireland. He became a country attorney like his father and first appears in records as such in 1734. By 1748, he was living in Dromore, Down, Ireland where he started having problems with his father's ideal of what should be the future of Perrymount. A couple of court appearances didn't seem to change things and Swift's nephew James Arnold received Perrymount, but Swift did receive land in County Armagh from his father in 1750. After James Perry's death, Swift appears in many records throughout the next few decades until 1781, when he may have retired. The next time he is in a record is one mentioning his death in late 1783. We do not know his wife's name, but we know the names of several of his children; James Perry, Adam Perry, John Perry, Martha Bateman, and Swift Perry II.

Adam Perry
Rev Adam Perry was born abt 1699 in Lisburn, Down, Ireland. He married Anne Phipps in 1725 while attending Trinity College where he received his Doctor of Divinty in 1748. He then became a schoolmaster at the college and then makes his last known appearance in his father's will in 1756. Nothing much is known about Adam after this except that he and Anne had a son named Charles and perhaps one named Adam.

Martha Arnold
Martha Perry Arnold was born abt 1701 in Lisburn, Down, Ireland. She married Rev Edward Arnold sometime in the 1720's. Edward attended Trinity College and became curate of Tullylish in 1730. He was born abt 1696 and died in 1764. Martha may have died sometime between 1748 and 1753 since she is was involved in a court case in 1748, but is not mentioned in her father's will in 1753. She was at least died by 1761 when her husband Edward asked in his will to be buried beside her. Both were buried in the Waringstown Churchyard in Warinstown, Down, Ireland. Martha and Edward had five children; James Arnold, Esq., Richard, John, Margaret, and Anne Frances.

Joseph Perry
Joseph Perry was born abt 1704 in Lisburn, Down, Ireland. He attended Trinity College, but didn't complete a degree and instead went to America where he married Isabella Charlton. They lived in Frederick and Washington Counties in Maryland. Joseph was involved in the American Revolution. He made his will in 1777 and died abt 1785. Isabella died sometime after the will was probated in 1795. They had at least six children; Martha, Jane, Isabella, Ann, Eleanor, and Alice. Family tradition states that they also had another daughter that died in infancy and a son named James.

Jane Usher
Jane Perry Usher was born abt 1707 in Lisburn, Down, Ireland. She married Edward Usher in the late 1720's. Either they both moved to America or Jane did after Edward's death. Edward died while their three daughters were still small and Jane may have later married James Knox. Jane is mentioned in her father's will in 1756 and may have been living in Augusta County, VA after 1772 when James Knox's will was probated. Jane and Edward had three children; Ann Jane, Margaret, and Martha. One report lists another daughter that died in infancy. If Jane was married to James Knox, they had seven children; James, John, Robert, Jean, Abigail, Elizabeth, and Mary.

John Perry
Rev John Perry was born abt 1709 in Belfast, Antrim, Ireland. He married Elizabeth Quinn in the 1730's. John attended Trinity College where he received his BA in 1731. He then became curate at Annahilt, Down, Ireland by 1742 until 1754. He is then mentioned in his father's will in 1756 and nothing afterwords has been found. John and Elizabeth had at least one child; Daniel Perry and possibly a Joseph and Robert as well.

Helpful Links

 * [James Perry on the Perry Research Website]
 * Perry Family Groups
 * Perrys of Ireland