James Perdue was united in marriage to Sarah Luman, journeyed from Virginia to Ohio about the year 1830, settled on the banks of Sugar Creek in Ottawa County near the village of Elmore -- then a vast wilderness. The county takes its name from the blackness of the soil and the amount of water that prevailed everywhere. They chopped down trees; built a log cabin, cleared a small piece of land and existed on game and what they could raise on that little spot.
To this union were born ten children, namely: William, Ellen, Rebecca, Laben, Mary, Sarah, Moses, Nancy, James and Hannah Perdue.
The hardships of a pioneer life are great, the only roads to get there reached only by foot or horseback and they had to blaze the route on the trees in order to find their way back to the cabin.
At the time James Perdue settled in Ottawa County, there were a few Indians and some American black bear, panther and an abundance of wild deer and wild turkey. The writer remembers hearing his mother tell of a little incident of the life of James Perdue.
"He was a great deer hunter and one cold morning, he was trying to half-sole a pair of shoes for her and it was so cold he could not get his shoe wax to work well and he said to her,"Beck, if you don't fix this fire, I will not mend your shoes." She tried as best she could but all to no purpose. He threw the shoes in a corner, pulled down his rifle and went to the barn, saddled his black mare and went hunting. He was not gone for long. When he returned and said to her,"Beck, you and Bill go out in the woods and bring in that deer," after which he could mend the shoes."
William Perdue married Jane Shipley, moved to Michigan on a farm near Baker's Corners in Lenawee County. They both lived to a ripe old age and died there.
Ellen Perdue never married and died young.
Rebecca Perdue married D.C.Ames. To that union were born six children: William,James Alfred, Silas, Sarah, Nancy and Mary Ellen Ames.
Laben Perdue married Ann Schomp. To this union were born five children: James Henry, Mehlon, Cora, Etta, and Edith Perdue.
Mary Perdue married Charles McGowan.
Moses Perdue never married, lived to quite an age and died.
Sarah Perdue married Hiram Russell. To this union were born three children: William, Sarah Ann, and Burt Russell.
Nancy Perdue married Jacob Sarnes. To that union was born one child: William Henry Sarnes, now president of this reunion. Jacob Sarnes died early, leaving a widow with one small child. Later she married Benjamin Wilson. To that union were born seven children: Sarah Ann, Robert, Nelson, Florence, David, Norah,and Amelia Wilson.
James Perdue married Samantha Dunham.This union was barren.
Hannah Perdue married Isaac Black and this union was also barren and now the Perdue side of this reunion have all crossed the river that marks the unknown shores-the last one having passed away since our last reunion of one year ago. May their souls rest in peace.
This was read to the reunion in 1911.
| Name | Date & Place of Birth | Date & Place of Marriage | Name of Spouse | Date & Place of Death | Date & Place of Burial | Children |
| James Perdue | Sarah Luman | Oct.6, 1858 in Ottawa Co, OH | ||||
| Sarah Luman | ||||||
| William Perdue | August 7, 1841 | Jane Shipley | ||||
| Ellen Perdue | March 13, 1824 | unmarried | May 24, 1849 | |||
| Rebecca Perdue | March 2, 1822 | June 4, 1842 | Dickerman C. Ames | December 8, 1904 | James Alfred Ames Nancy A. Ames Sarah Jane Ames Mary Ellen Ames William Ames Silas Ames |
|
| Laben Perdue | Ann Schomp | James Henry Perdue Mehlon Perdue Cora Perdue Etta Perdue Edith Perdue |
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| Mary Perdue | 1830? | November18, 1847? | Charles McGowan | 1906 | James Henry McGowan Charles William McGowan |
|
| Sarah Perdue | Nov. 15,1855 | Hiram Russell | William Russell Sarah Ann Russell Burt Russell |
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| Moses Perdue | Unmarried | |||||
| Nancy Perdue | Aug 29, 1836 | 1. Jacob Sarnes 2. Benjamin Wilson | Sep. 9, 1910 | Wm. H. Sarnes Sarah Ann Wilson Nelson Wilson Robert Wilson Florence Wilson David Wilson Nora Ellen Wilson Amelia Wilson |
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| James Perdue | Jul 1, 1860 | Samantha Dunham | No Children | |||
| Hannah Perdue | Jun 22, 1865 | Isaac Black | No Children | |||
| John Perdue | 1843 | unmarried | unmarried | 1843 | 1843 in Union Cem, Elmore, Ottawa Co., OH |
| Sex | Under Age 5 | Age 5-10 | Age 10-15 | Age 15-20 | Age 20-30 | Age 30-40 | Age 40-50 |
| Male | 1 | . | 2 | 1 | . | . | 1 |
| Female | 1 | 1 | . | 1 | 1 | 1 | . |
| Name | Age | Occupation | Place of Birth |
| James Perdue | 55 | Farmer | Maryland |
| Sarah Perdue | 52 | . | Maryland |
| Laban Perdue | 23 | . | Ohio |
| Moses Perdue | 21 | . | Ohio |
| Sarah Perdue | 16 | . | Ohio |
| Nancy Perdue | 14 | . | Ohio |
| James Perdue | 11 | . | Ohio |
| Name | Age | Occupation | Place of Birth |
| Sarah Pordeus | 55 | Farming | Virginia |
| Moses Pordeus | 24 | Farming | Ohio |
| N. Sarnes | 23 | . | Ohio |
| Wm. H. Sarnes | 3 | . | Ohio |
| Name | Age | Occupation | Place of Birth |
| Sarah Perdue | 69 | Keeps House | Maryland |
| Hanna Perdue | 26 | Housework | Ohio |
| Moses Perdue | 38 | Labourer | Ohio |
Copyright © 1998 Dorothy Gwynn