1228.Allen Perley. Born ca 1608. Allen died in Ipswich, MA on 28 Dec 1675.25
Allen came to New England on the Planter from London, age 27. He settled at Ipswich, freeman 18 May 1642.25
From the History and Genealogy of the Perley Family, by Martin Van Buren Perley112, 1906:
Allan Perley, the emigrant ancestor ol the Perley Family in America, was born in Wales, England, in the first quarter of the year 1608, and died in Ipswich, Massachusetts, 28 Dec, 1113e married, in the year 1635, Susanna Bokesen, or Bokenson, who died in Ipswich, 11 Feb., 1692, after a widowhood of sixteen years.
Mr. Perley came to this country, at the age of twenty-two years, in the fleet with Governor Winthrop, and located in “Charlestowne Village,” on land which is now included in the city of Woburn and called “Button-end,” near a tract of meadow [now covered by the clover-leaf intersection of Interstate roots 93 and 95] which has been known for two and a half centuries as “Parly meddowe,” through which meanders a brook spanned by a plank bridge ... six and a half feet wide, and known as “Parly brook.” The name is found in probate records, and in the colonial records, 2:75, as it is spelled above; and it is pronounced by the citizens of Woburn today as it is here spelled. Why he relinquished his settlement is a matter of conjecture. The rigors of his first winter were extreme; the sufferings of the settlers were intense. “The weather,” reads Lendrum’s History of the American Revolution, “held tolerable until the 24th December, but the cold then came on with violence. Such a Christmas eve they had never seen before. From that time to the 10th of February their chief care was to keep themselves warm, and as comfortable in other respects as their scant provisions would permit. They were so short of provisions that many were obliged to live upon clams, mussels, and other shell-fish, with groundnuts and acorns, instead of bread. One that came to the Governor’s house to complain of his sufferings, was prevented, being informed that even there the last batch was in the oven. The poorer sort were much exposed, Iying in tents and miserable hovels, and many died of scurvy and other distempers.” Such an experience would dishearten the most resolute; in fact, “some of the Board of Assistants,” according to Bancroft’s History of the United States, “men who had been trusted as the inseparable companions of the common miserv or common success, disheartened by the scenes of woe, sailed tor England.” Many others also went home for the same cause.
The statement in Lambert's History of the New Haven Colony, that in 1684 "the colonies at Watertown, Dorchester and Newtown (Cambridge) had become so crowded by the accessions of new planters, that many left," affords another suggestion. He may have sold his grant and improvements, all his local rights and interests, feeling assured of finding another location as good or better. The great attraction to Boston and vicinity was the learned, wealthy, and noble Governor Winthrop, but our ancestor seems to have found more attraction in the younger Winthrop at Ipswich. However it may have been with our ancestor—whatever his reason or motive for leaving, he remained long enough to stamp his name indelibly upon the territory and to record the unquestioned fact of his possession. According to the manuscript chart of the family, “From thence he moved to Ipswich in 1634.” By the town records, he was in Ipswich in 1635.
But before identifying himself with Ipswich history, he visited England; for he was there “20 Aprilis, 1635,” according to a record in the Augmentation office, London, and set sail that month for New England. He located in Ipswich, on High street, a short distance from Governor Bradstreet and the Waldo family. The place was and is the second houselot northwest of the High-street cemetery, and it is remarkable that it has the same shape and area now that it had then — two and a half centuries ago. Alexander Knight’s homestead was on the northwest, George Smith's on the southeast, “a drift way” on the northeast, and High street on the southwest. At present the new part of the cemetery is on the northeast. It was a picturesque spot. Located on the western slope of Town hill and agreeably elevated from the street, it commanded a fine view of the verdant slopes of Turkey and Timber hills and the ridge-range of houses along Scott’s lane, the present Washington street. The deep frontage of his lot afforded ample opportunity to arrange a spacious avenue from the street to his dwelling, with flowering plants and shrubbery on either side, after the fashion of the average gentleman of the old country. Whatever he did in the matter, his selection of grounds of such possible improvements, attest his good taste and judgment, educated, no doubt, by the experiences of his early life. There he brought his young wife and began the business of life anew; there most of his children were born; thence have radiated the family name and influence.
He resided there about seventeen years, selling, 3 Sept., 1652, for £21, his “dwelling house and homestead” to Walter Roper, carpenter, of Topsfield. Mr. Roper, 15 July, 1680, devised his “house, barn and homestead,” valued at £80, (the “carpenter” having built a new house?), to his son John. John Roper died 27 Nov., 1709, leaving by will dated 22 Nov., 1709, his “mansion house, barn and homestead,” valued at £100, to his “loving cousin Benjamin Dutch.” Mr. Dutch divided the property into half parts, “through the chimney from top to bottom,” and 8 Feb., 1737, sold the northwestern half to John Browne, 4th, of Ipswich, and 16 June, 1741, the southeastern half to Nathaniel Lord, Jr., of Ipswich, hatter. Mr. Browne, 18 Jan., 1776, devised his part to his widow, who, as Lydia Thornton, 28 June, 179G, sold the premises to the same Nathaniel Lord, Jr., as above, who then owned the whole original estate. Mr. Lord, 8 Aug., 1796, devised it to his sons Abraham and Isaac. Abraham died intestate and childless, and in the division of his estate, 9 Oct., 1811, his interest in this property was settled upon his brother Isaac, who then owned the whole. Isaac, 17 May, 1825, devised it to his son Levi, who, 4 June, 1869, left it to his son George Edward Lord-, who now owns it and resides there.
On the opposite page [page 5 of the Perley Famliy] is shown the estate as it was in November, 1908. The proud little white rooster, back near the big elm, shows the elevation at that point above the street. There was an old well, now filled, about half way of the fence between the western comer of the house and the street; and it was probably Allan, “our father which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle.” The house stands about a rod from the street; the northwestern part is probably a century or more old; the southeastern was built in 1847, when the whole structure was moved forward probably its width, in order to be on a line with the house next to it. The elms, front and rear, are fine American specimens, old and symmetrical, and afford a gracious shade from summer heat.
Mr. Perley was a large land-holder, and besides possessions in Essex, Rowley and Boxford, he had in Ipswich, in 1635, land at Heartbreak hill; in 1640, 1 : 3 mo., a road from Rowley to Salem was laid out “over the falls at Mile river and by marked trees over Mr. Appleton’s meadowe, called Parlye meadowe”; he was a commoner in 1641; he owned a houselot on Mill street in 1642, the street being now called Washington, and the lot being traversed by Mt. Pleasant street; he had a planting lot on Town hill in 1645; “att a meeting of the seven men the 8th (5) 1651” there was “granted to Alen Perlye ( in exchange for Thirty acres more or less at Chebacco lyeing on the west syde of his meddowe) the sume of forty-five acres of upland lyemg beyond Mr. Winthropes farme Joyneing up to some of the ppriatyes thereabouts”; he was granted 10 acres by the town in 1660; he owned one and a half shares in Plum Island in 1664, and, at some time, five acres of upland and marsh called Reedy marsh. In 1670, he had liberty of the town to cut timber for a “barne.”
He was admitted to the privileges of freemen, 18 May, 1642; was a grand juror 25 Sept., 1660, and at various times was witness to legal documents, and served on important committees; he was upon the coroner’s jury in the case of his neighbor, Alexander Knight’s child Nathaniel, who, while alone, was so burned that he diedkn a few hours. He was excused from training in 1656 and again in 1664. A court record reads: 1669, Sept. 28, Tobiah Colman vs. Allen Perley, for taking up and detaining his horse. Verdict for pl. 50s., no costs—a case probably wherein the law regarding fielddrivers was not rigidly followed. In November, 1662, there was Allen Perley vs. Henry Batchelder, “for not giving him lawful assurance of land” located near a pond, and Batchelder lost.
Mr. Perley was a man of considerable importance, and was held in good esteem. The location of his home, as referred to above, and his clear-penned signature to his will, though he was then nearly seventy years of age, witness a gentle birth, experience and character. The presence of pewter upon his table was a mark of more than ordinary social rank, and the probate inventory of his estate shows his busmess connections to have been with the honored and best citizens. Coming to America with the Puritans in 1680, he must have been a cordial sympathizer with them in their persecutions and their faith, although it was not till late in life that he was received into full church-fellowship. He and his wife joined the church 12 Aug., 1674
Ca 1635 Allen married Susanna Bokesen. Susanna died in Ipswich, MA on 11 Feb 1692.25