Peery History

A large portion of the pioneer settlers in Tazewell County were of Scotch-Irish blood. In 1611, James I, then King of England began moving colonists from Scotland and the north of England to Ulster [Northern Ireland]. His plan was to put into Ireland a Protestant population that might ultimately outnumber the Catholics and, therefore, become the controlling element in that country.

By the middle of the seventeenth century there were 300,000 of them in Ulster. Their social condition was not that of peasants, but they were intelligent yeomanry and artisans. In a document signed in 1718 by a miscellaneous group of 319 men, only 13 had to make their "mark."

It was common in Ulster to refer to Presbyterians as Scotch, to Roman Catholics as Irish, and to members of the English Church as Protestants. From this point of view is probably how the term Scotch-Irish came about.

In 1698, the English Church inaugurated persecutions against all Protestants who dissented to the doctrines of the Established Church and also English Manufacturers became jealous of the Scotch-Irish Manufacturers in Ulster and made laws that damaged the woolen industries.

Oppressions were heaped upon the Scotch-Irish in Ulster until they became unbearable. They were not permitted to have schools, their ministers were not allowed to perform marriages and they were denied the right to hold office higher than a constable.

Then they began to emigrate to America in large numbers at about the time Governor Spottswood made his famous exploration of the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. This occurred in 1716.

Pennsylvania was founded as a haven for those who suffered religious persecution. Not only did William Penn open doors for the Quakers, but he did so for people of other faiths, and by 1740 Pennsylvania became the nations first melting pot.

The Peery families of Virginia are probably four brothers that came from Scotland or the North of Ireland. They came by the way of Philadelphia. Early records show that they settled in Augusta County, Virginia near what is now Staunton, Virginia about 1740 or 1742.

That section was at that time being settled by those who were almost exclusively Scotch-Irish. Those that came by the way of Philadelphia included families of Lewis, McDowell, Breckenridge, Gillespie and Witten, and other prominent families of west and southwest Virginia.

The roads from Pennsylvania to Virginia at that time followed the old Indian trails. One went from Philadelphia and Baltimore to Pittsburgh. The southern route west started with the Great Valley Road of Philadelphia, extending southwest through the Appalachians to Fort Chissel and then the Wilderness Road leading to Central Tennessee and Kentucky (See maps following this section.)

The first four Peery settlers were John, Thomas, James and George. All of them lived and died in Augusta County, Virginia, with the exception of James whose place of death is not known. There is a tradition, which is supported by some authority, that there were five brothers. There was a Joseph Peery who is claimed by some to be the fifth brother. His descendants claim to be of German descent, but this seems improbable. However, this branch of Peerys communicated with the other Virginia Peerys, recognizing them as relatives. Many of Joseph Peerys descendants reside in Rockbridge and Botetourt Counties of Virginia. They have intermarried largely with those of German blood and this may account for their supposed German descent.

THE PIONEERS

JOHN PEERY, also spelled his name "Perry," lived near Staunton, Augusta County, Virginia, and died there in the spring of 1762. He was probably the "John Peary" whose name appears among the Augusta County Militia. His will is dated March 28, 1762. No mention is made of his wife or children in his will. The executors, John Peery and John Kirkpatrick, gave bond in the sum of 500 pounds. He devised his estate to his brother, James, and to "Mary Perey" and her children.

THOMAS PEERY was a planter and also resided near Staunton, Virginia in an area known as the Beverley Patent. His land joined James Peery's land. He died in 1762 or 1763 in Augusta County. A "Thomas Peery" was a member of Captain John Wilson's Company of Augusta County Militia in 1742. His wife's name was "Mary" and after his death she married William McFetters.

OTHER FACTS UNCOVERED

A "Thomas Peery" landed a the Port of Philadelphia, October 8, 1737 on the ship "Charming Nancy" from Plymouth, England but came by the way of Rotterdam. He was from England since he did not sign the Oath of Allegiance to the King of England when he landed. Those that came from Rotterdam had to take the Oath.

Augusta County, Virginia, February 28, 1749, William Beverley conveyed 375 acres to Thomas Peerie in Beverley Manor (Patent), Shannadore. (See plot of Beverley Patent following) Waddels History--"Thomas Perry, Joseph Dennis and his child were killed and his wife Hannah Dennis was made prisoner in the summer of 1761 by about 60 Shawnees."

"In the summer of 1761 about 60 Shawnee Warriors penetrated the settlements on the James River. To avoid the fort at the Looney's Creek on this river, they passed through Bowen Gap in Purgatory Mountain in the night. Ascending Purgatory Creek they killed Thomas Perry, Joseph Dennis and his child. They took Hannah Dennis, his wife, prisoner. Then they proceeded to the house of Robert Renix, where they captured Mrs. Renix and her five children, William, Robert, Thomas, Joshua and Betsy. Mr. Renix was not home. Then went to the house of Thomas Smith were Mr. Renix was and shot and scalped Mr. Renix and Mr. Smith. Then they took Mrs. Smith and a white servant girl name Sally, Jr.

The will of Thomas Perrie is posted in the Augusta County Order Book VII, November 17, 1762. The will, as recorded, was written by or for Thomas Perrie, March 20, 1763 and probated February 15, 1763. (Did the Clerk mean March 20, 1762?)

JAMES PEERY was a planter and settled on a farm joining Thomas Peery's land. His wife's name was Katherine Jamison [Jameson].

GEORGE PEERY also settled in Beverley Patent near Staunton, Virginia. He died in 1803. His name appears frequently in court records. He signed his name "Perie" to deeds, but signed his will "Pirie." He married Mary (?).

JOSEPH PEERY, his descendants claim, came from German and first settled in Pennsylvania. He had one son, Philip, and possibly other children.

The History of Tazewell County/Pendleton states that "a number of men with their families had collected in the New River Valley and in sections of Augusta County east of the Allegheny Mountains, eagerly awaiting an opportunity to locate in the Clinch Valley. And immediately following assurance that they could take up lands unincumbered by claims of the Indians or the Loyal Company, the pioneers began to move in and settle the first permanent settlement here in the spring of 1771.

Source: "James Peery Research," compiled by S. Paul Peery (Orlando, Florida: self-published, 1995), with Peery Genealogy (nine generations), index and sources.
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