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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Union County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1890.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Benjamin Joseph Perry, who is closely associated with the agricultural interest of the county, and who as a citizen and neighbor is held in the highest estimation was originally from Texas, his birth occurring in that State, on February 5. 184-; His father, Ezekial Perry, was a native of South Carolina, born in 1804, and was in the Indian wars of Georgia. He was married in Tolbert County, Ga., to Miss Rebecca May, a native of Georgia, born in the year 1808, and seven children were the fruits of this union, Benjamin J. Perry being the youngest in the order of birth. The parents soon after marriage settled in Stewart County, Ga., and there made their home until 1837, when they immigrated to Texas, settling in Washington County. In 1842 they left Texas intending to settle in Mississippi, but finding the way obstructed by high water in the Ouachita River, they settled in Union County, Ark., near Champagnolle, at which place they remained for about twelve years. They then moved to a point seven miles north of El Dorado, and here he continued his occupation as a farmer until 1857, when his wife died, and he afterward made his home with his children, they being all married except Benjamin J. and living in Union County. About ten years after the death of his wife, he married the Widow Bennett, of Calhoun County, and resided in that county until his death, which occurred in 1876 at the age of seventy-two years. He was a zealous member of the Primitive Baptist Church. Benjamin J. Perry spent his youthful days on the farm, attended some of the country schools, which, as is well known, was very inferior in those early days of Arkansas. At the age of eighteen he began to work for himself, with his mind fixed upon a good education, which he determined to secure by honest toil and hard study, but upon the very eve of his effort to secure the priceless jewel, all his hopes and expectations of being a scholar were blighted by the beginning of the late war. At the age of nineteen years he quit school and enlisted in the second company raised in Union County, Ark., known as Capt. Nollin’s company, which was attached to the Third Arkansas Regiment at Lynchburg, Va., and lettered E. The regiment was attached to Roberson’s brigade, Hood’s division, Longstreet’s corps, Army of Virginia. His experience as a soldier, and the horrors of war commenced on July 17, 1861, by marching from Lynchburg to the Alleghany Mountains, and then into regular camp at Greenbrier River; he was in the little battle that was fought at that place on October 3, 1861. He was with the command in its march from Greenbrier River to Winchester, Bath and Romney; was in two skirmishes on this trip, his command in the early spring of 1862 left Gen. Jackson and the Valley of Virginia, and took its place in the brigade division and corps above mentioned, to which it had at this date been assigned. In the summer of 1882 he was taken sick, and after staying in the hospital a few weeks was furloughed, and stayed with relatives in Lowndes County, Ala., until January, 1863, when he returned to his command; was in the battle at Gettysburg, Penn., on July 2 and 3, 1863. On the return of the army to Virginia, the corps to which he belonged was detached and sent to Georgia to reinforce Gen. Bragg, then at Chickamauga; he was in the battle at that place on September 19 and 20, 1863, and was slightly wounded by a piece of bombshell at Lookout Mountain; near Chattanooga he was made corporal. He was with the command at the siege of Knoxville; on May 5, 1864, returned to Virginia and rejoined Gen. Lee at the Wilderness; was in the battle at that place on the 6th. In this battle he was severely wounded, a ball passing through his right lung. The latter part of June he was furloughed, and again visited Lowndes County, Ala. Where, on August 26, 1864, he married Miss Lucinda Carolina Perdue, a daughter of Mr. John Perdue, a well known and highly esteemed citizen of that county, who died at the age of eighty-eight years. In December, 1864, Mr. Perry returned to his command, being yet unable to perform active field service. He was assigned to duty as detective on the cars from Richmond to Danville, Va., and was there engaged until the close of the war. At Danville he heard of the surrender of Gen. Lee, and at once set out for home. On his way home he was captured at the Autauba River, near Lincolntown, N. C, and was the same day paroled. He reached his home at Sandy Ridge, Lowndes County, Ala., on May 5, 1865. After a residence of two years in Alabama, Mr. Perry returned to Union County, Ark., and began farming. In 1873 he bought a tract of land containing 120 acres, five miles southeast of El Dorado, on which he now resides, and although originally a wild place in the woods he has eighty acres cleared, all under fence and good and convenient buildings on the same. He raises upon an average about one-third of a bale of cotton, and ten bushels of corn per acre. Mr. and Mrs. Perry’s marriage resulted in the birth of eleven children, of which six are yet living: Mary Rebecca (the eldest, died in infancy), William Harrison (is married and resides in Ouachita County, Ark.), Arrie Deller (is married and resides in Union County, Ark.), Eudora, Lucinda, Margett, Elmira and Susan Catherine are single and reside with their parents. Martha, Elizebeth, Eujenior, Carolina, Emmer, Estell and one unnamed all died in infancy. Benjamin Charley, the youngest, was born on June 13, 1886, and resides with his parents. Mr. and Mrs. Perry joined the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in 1864, and as their children grew up, they also became members of that church. In 1874 Mr. Perry was licensed to preach, and for eleven years he served in that denomination as a local preacher. In 1883, from choice, he and his family moved their membership into the Methodist Protestant Church, and he was continued by that church as a preacher, and was ordained elder by it in 1884, and is yet serving in that denomination as a minister of the gospel. Mr. Perry held the office of school director nine years. He also served one Term as justice of the peace.

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This family biography is one of 84 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Union County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Union County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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