The Peery Family of Mississippi

Part 1

The June 17, 1892 issue of the Winona Times of Winona, Montgomery County, Mississippi ran a brief article on the history of Mayfield saying, "Mayfield is situated in Wolf Creek, three miles from where it empties into Big Black and near the Webster County line. William Peery was the first white man to find his way to this neighborhood and located permanently. Originally he came from Tennessee, but removed to this vicinity in 1833 from Monroe County. Mr. Berfield, from whom many of our reminiscence of early settlement was obtained, told the writer that he could fix the date of William Peery's arrival by the fact that it was the same year in which the stars fell. William Peery was a prominent citizen during the eleven years that he lived in this neighborhood. He died on the 6th day of June, 1844 from a congestive chill. He left a large number of descendants who are honored and prominent citizens."

William Peery is listed on the 1840 census of Choctaw County, Mississippi as head of household with one male age 40-50 (William); one female age 30-40 (his wife); two males age 20-30 (probably boarders); 2 males age 10-15; one male and two females age 5-10; two males and one female under ten; and eleven slaves.

William Perry is listed on the 1830 census of Monroe County, Mississippi as head of household with one male age 30-40 (William); one female age 20-30 (his wife); one male age 20-30; one male age 15-20; one male age 50-60; two males and one famale under 10. The surname on this census was spelled "Perry" but deeds on record in Monroe County spell the name "Peery."

On 3 Nov. 1828 William Peery purchased land from Daniel W. Ragsdale described as the west 1/2 of southeast 1/4 of section 26, township 13, range 17 west. (Monroe County, Mississippi deeds book 2, page 301). Between 1831 and 1832 he old a number of tracts in Monroe County, but there is no record of when he originally acquired these. One deed dated 4 March 1830 records the sale of "a negro girl a slave for life known by the name of Charlott aged seventeen years" from William Peery to Robert C. Bailey.

These records establish William Peery as the founder of the Mississippi branch of the Peery family but lets look back to the early records of Tennessee. In "History of Hickman County, Tennessee," by Spence and Spence (published 1900), we find this statement: "Robert, Alexander, William, George, and James Peery, Jr., were the sons of James Peery, Sr. The first three named were triplets, and all lived to be over fifty years of age, but not one lived to be sixty. The first four named were at the battle of New Orleans. All returned and became leading citizens and the ancestors of a numerous posterity. William Peery moved to Mississippi where he died. His son, W.D. Peery, was a state senator in Mississippi." [note: senator W.D. Peery was a grandson, not a son of William.]

The courthouse of Hickman County, Tennessee was burned in 1865, destroying all marriage records. However, in Mauri County, which borders Hickman, there are a number of marriage records involving the Peery surname. Census records shown no Peery families in Mauri County and a number of these marriages agree with those mentioned in Spence's History of Hickman County, so it is logical to assume that all these were Peery men from Hickman County who married women from nearby Mauri County. [Most marriages were, and still are, performed in the bride's home.] These Mauri County records show that William Peery married Leuntia Miller Sep. 9, 1823.

William B. Peery was the oldest son of William, born in Mississippi about 1825. The 1850 census of Choctaw County shows a twenty year old female named Agripina Peery living with him. She is no doubt a sister. No other children of William have been identified. William B. Peery married Matilda Ann Dyre Oct. 8, 1846. Their family Bible is now in the possession of Mrs. Barbara Gary of Eupora, Mississippi (a granddaughter). Their marriage and the birth of their children are recorded in this Bible. The children were Aggrippina Peery, born Jan. 1, 1848; William Dyre Peery, born Aug. 5, 1849; John Rufus Peery, born May 13, 1851; Armsted Peery, born July 20, 1852; Barbara Jane Peery (mother of Mrs. Gary who now owns this Bible), born June 16, 1854; Henry Browning Peery, born Oct. 5, 1856; Caty Beane Peery, born July 21, 1861; Lee Davis Peery, born Dec. 6, 1870; and Eva Ann Peery, born June 3, 1873.

William B. Peery served in the Confederate Army as a Captain in Company A of the 5th Mississippi Cavalry. He served under Colonel George and General Chalmers in Nathan Bedford Forrest's Cavalry. He was promoted to Major about May 1864, and because of the loss of all field grade officers became the commander of the 5th Cavalry regiment at that time. For the rest of his life he was called Major Peery.

Major Peery was named sheriff pro tem at the March 1866 term of the Choctaw County circuit court when sheriff Carlton Lindsey resigned. When Montgomery County was formed from parts of Choctaw and Carroll counties, Major W.B. Peery was president of the first meeting of supervisors held June 26, 1871. The June 28, 1889 issue of the Winona Times ran an advertisement for 150 lots for sale in the "new town of Stewart." The promoters for this new town were Dr. J.H. Wooley and Major W.B. Peery, both of Mayfield. Five months later an article in the Winona Times reported on the rapid growth of Stewart and mentioned, among other businesses, the hotel owned by Major Peery.

Matilda Ann (Dyre) Peery died before 1880 and Major Peery then married (prior to 1888) M.H. "Hett" Ridgeway. Major Peery died before 1900. The local newspapers from this period are missing and I have been unable to find any record of his second marriage nor have I been able to find a tombstone for him or either of his wives. All I know is from oral family history, the 1880 and 1900 census records, and a few property deeds. According to a conversation in 1993 with an elderly gentleman in the little town of Stewart, Mississippi they were buried in an old cemetery that has since been "plowed under."

Source: Compiled by William A. Clayton in Tyler, Texas.

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