PERKINS
PERKINS
^-^^^^^^^^^eX^
PERKINS, George Hamilton, naval officer,
was boru in Hopkiutou. N.H.. Oct. 20, 1836 ; sou
of Judge Hamilton Eliot and Clara Bartlett
(George) Perkins, and grandson of Roger Eliot
Perkins, and of John and Ruth (Bradley) George
of Concord, N.H.
His father, a gradu-
ate of Norwich uni-
versity, was judge of
probate for Merri-
mack county, 1855-
74. George Hamilton
Perkins was gradu-
ated at the U.S.
Naval academy in
1856, was appointed
acting master, Aug.
18, 1858, and served
on the Sabine at
Montevideo, and on
the Sn inter on a cruise
on the west coast
of Africa, 1859-61. He was promoted master,
Sept. 5, 1859, and lieutenant, Feb. 2, 1861 ; was
ordered to the Cayuga, fitting out in New York
navy yard and commanded by Napoleon B. Harri-
son (q.v.), December, 1861, and was second in
command of that vessel. Upon reaching Ship
Island, March 81, 1862, the Cayuga was made
flagship, and with Lieut. Perkins as pilot led the
first division of gunboats in the passage of Forts
Jackson and St. Philip, April 24, 1862. The
Cayuga received the first fire, passed under the
walls of Fort St. Philip, sank the Confederate
steamer Governor Moore and the ram Manassas,
and on the morning of April 25, 1862, led the fleet
up the river and captured New Orleans, receiving
the surrender of the city with Capt. Theodorus
Bailey, the two officers walking alone and un-
guarded from the wharf to the city hall. He was
executive officer of the Cayuga, October, 1862-
June, 1863, and was promoted lieutenant-com-
mander, Dec. 31, 1862. He commanded the gun-
boat New London on the Mississippi, June-July,
1863, and ran the batteries at Port Hudson five
times ; commanded the New London, which in
company with the Cayuga blockaded Sabine Pass
from Jan. 22, 1863, and the Scioto on blockade
duty off the coast of Texas, July, 1863-April, 1864,
when he was ordered north, but volunteered to
assume command of the monitor Chickasaic, in the
battle of Mobile Bay. When within fifty feet of the
stern of the Tennessee he planted 52 11-inch shot
on the most vulnerable part of the armored Con-
federate ram which effected her capture, and he
was largely instrumental in the reduction of Forts
Powell, Gaines and Morgan. He served as super-
intendent of iron-clad s at New Orleans, 1865-66 ;
as executive officer of the Lackaicanna in the
Pacific, 1866-69, and in the ordnance department
at the U.S. navy yard at Boston, Mass., 1869-71.
He was promoted commander, Jan. 19, 1871, and
on March 3 was assigned to the command of the
U.S. store-ship Relief, to convey contributions to
the French, Jan. 29, 1876; He was on duty in
Boston as ordnance officer and as lightliouse in-
spector. He commanded the U.S.S. Ashuelot of
the Asiatic squadron, 1879-81 ; commanded the
torpedo station at Newport, R.I., in 1882, and was
promoted captain, March 10. 1882. He com-
manded the Hartford of the Pacific station, 1885-
86; was placed on the retired list, Oct. 1, 1891,
and was promoted commodore on the retired list.
May 9, 1896, for his distinguished services during
the rebellion. He was married in 1870 to Anna
Minot Weld of Boston, Mass. See " Letters of
George Hamilton Perkins, U.S.N.," edited and ar-
ranged by his sister and including a sketch of his
life. His mother died in Concord in March, 1902.
His statue of heroic size executed by Daniel C.
French, on the Capitol grounds, Concord. N.H.,
the gift to the state by his daughter, Mrs. Larz
Anderson, was unveiled April 25, 1902, being
presented to the state in behalf of the donor bj'
Rear-Admiral George E. Belknap, U.S. N. He
died in Boston, Mass.. Oct. 28, 1899.
PERKINS, George Roberts, educator, was born in Otsego county, N.Y., Maj' 3, 1812 ; son of Joseph and Alice (Roberts) Perkins, and grand- son of George Roberts Perkins. He acquired his education through his own exertions, and became proficient in mathematics and civil engineering. He was employed on the slackwater survey of the Susquelianna river in 1830, and taught mathematics in Clinton, N.Y., 1831-38. He was principal of the academy at Utica. N.Y.. 1838-44 ; professor of mathematics in the New York State Normal school, 1844-48, and principal of the normal school, 1848-52. He superintended the erection of the Dudley observatory at Albany, N.Y., 1852, and was deputy state engineer, 1858- 62. He received the honorary degree of A.M. in 1838 and that of LL.D. in 1852 from Hamilton college, and was a regent of the University of the State of New York, 1862-76. He is the author of: Higher Arithmetic {IQA^l); Treatise on Algebra (1841) Elements of Algebra (1844); Elements of Geometry (1847); Trigonometry and Surveying (1851); Plane and Solid Geometry (1854); a text- book on astronomy, and many scientific articles. He died in New Hartford, N.Y., Aug. 22, 1876.
PERKINS, James Breck, author and represen- tative, was born in St. Croix. Wis., Nov. 4, 1847 ; son of Hamlet H. and Margaret A. (Breck) Perkins, and a descendant of Breck, who landed in Massachusetts about 1635. He removed with his parents to Rochester, N.Y., in 1856 and was gradu- ated from the University of Rochester in 1867,
