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He was one of the ablest and most respected citizens of the town, and his good educational and natural abilities were repeatedly recognized in the repeated bestowal of various offices. He was commissioned a justice of the peace in 1791, and regularly commissioned thereafter till his death. In 1779 he was one of the committee of seven to regulate the prices of merchandise, labor, etc. In 1780 he and four others were a committee of the town to examine the form of the State constitution and report. In 1793 he was chosen one of the three trustees of the Hon. Aaron Wood fund for the support of a grammar school in the town. They held the trust for thirty years, resigning in 1823, when the town tendered them a vote of grateful thanks for their faithful and skillful management of the trust. He was a member of Massachusetts Society of Agriculture in 1796. In Apr 1812, at the beginning of our second war with Great Britain, he and four others were a committee of the town to consider our relation with that power and to prepare proper resolves for his townsmen's adoption. He was town clerk for nine successive years from 1780; selectman and assessor in 1785, I786, and successively from 1790, comprising thirteen years in all; moderator of town meetings from 1792 to 1801 inclusive, from 1803 to 1810 inclusive, and in 1812, 1815, 1816, 1818 and 1819; surveyor of highways in 1801, 1809, 1813 and 1816; member of the school committee, where he ever delighted to labor, in 1795, 1790, 1797, 1799, 1803 and 1800; represented the town in the General Court from 1792 to 1810 inclusive, and received, at various times, votes for the office of senator, lieutenant governor and governor.

The Salem (Mass.) Gazette printed the following: "The proprietors of 'Bridgeton,' at a meeting the seventh day of January, 1790, granted a tax of ten shillings on each lot in said township; the payment thereof is requested on or before the twentieth day of July next ensuing.          Thomas Perley, Propr's Receiver.     Boxford, Feb. 27, 1790."

A History of Cumberland County thus explains the above notice: In 1761, the Legislature passed an act granting to Benj. Milliken, Moody Bridges and Thomas Perley, agents for the legal representatives of Capt. John Tyler and fifty-six others, soldiers and officers in the Canada expedition of 1690, a township of land east of Saco river. They laid out a tract adjoining Pickwocket, now Fryeburg, 9 miles long by 6½ wide, lying on both sides of Long pond and containing 37,440 acres, and called at first Pondicherry, but soon after Bridgton, from Moody Bridges, one of the leaders above named.

In Dec 1799, Mr. Perley was appointed surveyor of the revenue for the sixth assessment district, third division of the Commonwealth, for a direct tax. He said he had been assessor, and that "it is easy to perceive that the established compensations for the surveyors are very incompetent to the services required. Notwithstanding, it may be at certain times incumbent on every lover of order and good government to make peculiar exertions to support the same. Under these considerations I conclude to accept the appointment. . . . If in the future the discharge of the duties are found to demand too great a sacrifice of private interest, you will have the goodness to accept my resignation." This letter is dated Boston, Jan. 22, 1800. He nominated sureties Geo. Todd, Esq., of Rowley, and Nathaniel Thurston, Esq., of Bradford. Afterwards he withdrew that nomination, and named, instead, Nathaniel Perley and Aaron Perley, both of Boxford, yeomen. He sent his bond duly signed, 18 April. Jonathan Jackson was State supervisor and Maj. Hovey collector for the district. He says of the sureties at first proposed, Ebenezer Peabody, Moses Carlton, Enos Runnels,—"They are, each of them, industrious, respectable farmers, and I suppose the three are really worth more than double the sum to be raised in the district."

Timothy Perley¹

b. about 1653, d. 25 January 1718

Timothy Perley|b. a 1653\nd. 25 Jan 1718|p1386.htm#i48140|Allen Perley|b. bt 1 Jan 1608 - 1 Apr 1608\nd. 28 Dec 1675|p1350.htm#i18470|Susanna Bokesen, or Bokenson|b. s 1610\nd. 11 Feb 1692|p162.htm#i18471|||||||||||||

Relationship=8th great-granduncle of Steven George Levine.

     Timothy Perley was born about 1653 in Ipswich, Essex County, Massachusetts.² He was the son of Allen Perley and Susanna Bokesen, or Bokenson.¹

Mr. Perley inherited his father's homestead and made it his home. He owned land, "very mean meadow and swamp," in Boxford, which continued in the family name for several generations. His farm had an extensive area. It had been known for its excellent fruits, particularly for several varieties of apples. There were numerous aged pear trees on this farm, a few of which bore delicious fruits into the 20th century.

Town offices are seldom bestowed upon persons who live remote from the center, however worthy and efficient they may be. Timothy, being removed six miles from official trust, exercised only such duty as the law may impose upon every discreet and judicious townsman. He was surveyor of highways and doubtless attended to other civil duties. He took the oath of allegiance in 1678. He had some experience in the merciless witchcraft delusion. He and his wife were witnesses in the case of their neighbor, James How's wife, Elizabeth, who was accused of witchery.²

He married Deborah ---(?)--- about 1680.²

The signature of Timothy Perley's widow as she signed the bond preliminary to settling of her husband's estate in 1728

He in at Topsfield, Essex County, Massachusetts, on 24 June 1705. They were members of the society from their marriage and contributed to defray its expenses.²

In 1709, ten years before his death, he confirmed to his son Stephen, for love and affection and to encourage him in his life work, half of his buildings and land, which was valued at £336. After that, in 1713, he purchased of the town of Ipswich land valued at £22.²

He died on 25 January 1718 (Savage says 1719.) In the inventory of his estate, made for probate by Abraham Howe, Jacob Peabody and Caleb Foster, are mentioned one ox, two cows, two young cattle and one swine. The estate was appraised at £354. His widow was his administratrix till her death. Thomas Perley was appointed to succeed her 26 Jul 1736. His minister's rate was, in the year 1689, 4 shillings, when his brother Samuel's was 5 shillings 4 pence, a rating that showed, at that time, the relative value of their estates.³

Last Edited=21 Aug 2009

Children of Timothy Perley and Deborah ---(?)---

• Patience Perley⁴ b. 28 Mar 1682
• Stephen Perley+⁴ b. 15 Jun 1684, d. 4 Sep 1725
• Allen Perley⁴ b. 1 Mar 1687/88
• Joseph Perley⁴ b. 3 Jun 1695, d. 15 Nov 1758

Citations.            More info? Send me email! Click here!

1. M. V. B. Perley, History and Genealogy of the Perley Family, Salem, Mass.: Published by the Compiler, (1906) , p. 7.
2. M. V. B. Perley, History and Genealogy of the Perley Family, Salem, Mass.: Published by the Compiler, (1906) , p. 19.
3. M. V. B. Perley, History and Genealogy of the Perley Family, Salem, Mass.: Published by the Compiler, (1906) , p. 19-20.
4. M. V. B. Perley, History and Genealogy of the Perley Family, Salem, Mass.: Published by the Compiler, (1906) , p. 20.