The following article was written for the Missouri Republican by
Mrs. Catherine J. Marr, and published in that paper at the time of 
the death of our Aunt Anna M. Perry.

  From the Missouri Republican.

  The late Mrs. Perry.

  We take pleasure in giving place to the following well merited tribute
to the memory of the late Mrs. Perry. The tribute is no less due to her,
than interesting in the historical associations connected with her
family name.

  A tribute to the memory of the late Mrs. Samuel Perry.

  The death of the late Mrs. Perry has called up many recollections,
connected with her early life, and family history, which may not be
uninteresting to those who knew her and appreciated her many excellent
qualities.

  Many of the thrilling events and daring deeds, the toils and
sufferings of her family in their brave defence of their country and their 
home are only known to her relations and acquaintances. One by one, the 
actors in the drama have passed away. Time has robbed their history of its 
richest features, and now but a faint tribute can be paid to their bravery 
and patriotic deeds.

  The writer of this is one of the very few remaining of Mrs. Perry's
relatives. Busy(?) memory ever on the wing runs back to the scenes which
were so deeply impressed and engraven as it were with a pen of iron,
because they were scenes connected with war and its direful realities.
The services and brave acts of Mrs. Perry's are not recorded on the
historic page, yet they are known to some who are still living and their
memories are held in high veneration by those who knew and appreciated
them.

 Mrs. Perry's father, while she was very young, removed from the State
of New York, to Navy Island in the Niagara River. This beautiful island
was then claimed by the United States. There he erected a home, and
surrounded himself and family with comforts and attractions which
bespeak the influence of industry and taste.

  This beautiful island home soon became a desirable resort for the
neighboring gentry from both the American and Canadian shores. The
visitors were not confined to those only who preferred peace and
peaceful occupations. A fine and accomplished circle of officers
stationed at Fort Niagara a few miles below, who also not unfrequently
participated in the kind and friendly hospitality of the family, who
were eminently distinguished for their natural endowments, their
intellectual tastes, and fine conversational powers. Mrs. Perry and her
two sisters were admired as well for their personal attractions, as for
their intelligent and highly cultured minds. As might be expected they
were soon sought in marriage, two of them by officers in the American
Army. Mrs. Perry was married to Capt. Joseph Cross of the U.S. Artillery
in 1808. Her sister Agnes shortly after married Capt. Hannibal Allen of
the U.S. Artillery and son of Gen. Ethan B. Allen of revolutionary
memory. The other sister soon after married a gentleman of private life,
but he subsequently became connected with the army and the stirring
events of frontier life in 1812. Mrs. Perry soon after her marriage was
destined to the trials which are inseparably connected with the changes
incident to a soldiers life. Affectionate in her nature, and surrounded
by as she was by the best of parents, by loving sisters and beloved and
noble brothers, it was no common trial to tear herself away from home,
and its hallowed enjoyments, to follow the fortunes of a soldier in his
changes from one distant post to another. But she inherited a brave
spirit and a fearlessness of danger. She bid adieu to the family circle
and accompanied her husband to the most western military post of her
country. How painful were her privations separated as she was from society, 
except such as could be found in a very limited military circle, and how
her heart must have yearned of the endearments of home, and the loved
ones so far away, can only be imagined by those who knew her in later
years. She was a stranger in a strange land, in unhappy circumstances,
with no kind friend or tender mother to whom she could unburden her
griefs, and receive that sympathy for which her aching heart was
longing. But as she said, "the Lord sustained me, and guided me through
dangers seen and unseen". For twenty years she was absent from her
friends, during which time she never beheld the face of one of these
dear ones she had left in her native state. Never again did she see her
father or brothers. The ruthless devastation of the War of 1812, had
laid in ruins the island home, and a long train of mournful
events commenced in her father's family. He [1], brave patriotic and
dauntless, crossed the Niagara River with the American Army, to the
heights of Queenston, and was mortally wounded. He was carried from that
scene of dreadful carnage and slaughter to her mother and sister, who
were not far distant from the battleground. They received his wounded
and pallid form, and administered amid the distress and terror around
them the tender assiduities of a wife and daughter, soothed his
pain, relieved his thirst, and closed his eyes in death, eighteen hours
after he received his wound. One of her brothers, the father of the
writer of this article [2], and who was then living in the interior of the
State of New York, on receiving intelligence of the battle and the death
of his father, hastened to the frontier to relieve the sufferings and
afford protection to his mother and sister, whose husband was trying to
defend his home and country from the expected invasion of the British
army. He took his mother to his home, but his noble, brave hearted
sister, could not be persuaded to leave the scene of warfare while her
husband was exposed to danger. She remained until the invading army
crossed the river and commenced their frightful ravages. Then she was
compelled to fly with her children, just at the break of day on the 21st
of December, bitterly cold, and so hasty was her departure, so great the
consternation, that she escaped only in her night dress. The litter on
which was hurried from the scene of demolition and bloodshed was hastily
provided by her brave and noble brother [3], a fine young officer, who was
first lieutenant in the 25th regiment of the U.S. Infantry. He hurriedly
left the scene of slaughter and desolation to assist his sister for a
few moments with her helpless little ones after providing a rude vehicle
and some brave men to carry her to a place of safety, he hastened to his
post and his duty amid the raging and devastating foe. In a few hours
he, too fell, fighting in the defence of his country at old Fort
Schlosser two miles above Niagara Falls on the banks of the Niagara River.
His body was taken to the mess house, where it was burned together with
the building. Again, the brother who had conveyed his mother to his home
[4] returned to the frontier for his now destitute and almost perishing
sister and her family. They were tenderly conducted to his home, and
affectionately received by his family, who studied to administer such
consolations as the melancholy case required. They remained with him
until they had in some measure recovered from the fearful and
disasterous effects of the war. Her husband's life was spared, but his
property had all been involved in ruin. This invasion and the
destruction by the invaders was the last act of hostility on the part of
the British. The youngest brother of the family [5], inspired by a military
enthusiasm, and love of glory and his country, received almost without
asking in consideration of the heroic qualities of his family, a Cadet's
commission at West Point. He too was cut down in the beauty and strength
of manhood, just as he was about to graduate with high honors by the
accidental explosion of a cannon while firing salutes on the first of
January 1817. Mrs. Perry's sister, Mrs. Allen [6] followed the fortunes
of her soldier husband, being ordered about, now at one post and then at
another until at Fort Norfolk, Va(?) in 1815, where he died. She then returned
to the State of New York, and for a short period resided with the family
of the brother who had afforded an asylum to the fugitives from the
frontier [7]. She brought with her many interesting relics of General
Ethan B. Allen, her husband's father, which were in the possession of
her husband at the time of his death. She still retains the sword of the
intrepid old Col. Not five years since, the State of Vermont wished to
borrow from her a miniature likeness of her husband, who is said to have
resembled his father, for the purpose of deliniating more correctly the
liniaments of Col. Allen, to whose memory they were erecting a statue in
Burlington. They also expressed a desire to have his sword to deposit in
the archives of the state. They proposed sending a gentleman to her
residence in Michigan to solicit the sword from her, in behalf of the
State of Vermont. Her reply was characteristic, and full of spirit. She
said "that years had now elapsed since the widow of Ethan B. Allen's only 
son had lived forgotten and uncared for. She had carefully preserved
this relic of the dauntless old hero through many trying changes of the
past, and now it should remain in her possession until her death, then
she would bequeath it to whom she chose". So much for the tardiness in
acknowledging  and requiting the services of brave men and heroes. Many
paragraphs have been noticed from time to time in the newspapers
relative to that sword. the writer of this knows the sword to be at this
time in the possession of Mrs. Perry's only surviving sister Mrs.
Hannibal Allen, the widow of Col. Ethan B. Allen's son.

  Mrs. Perry came to this state fifty two years ago, as the wife of an
officer. What changes she has not seen - It is needless to dwell upon
them. We can easily suppose she had many trials. Many privations, at
least such as were incident to a wild unsettled country. During all her
vicisitudes, she displayed a fortitude, a decision, and perseverance
which truly remarkable, and at the same time, a submission to her hard
lot, which won for her the regard of all who knew her. She has ever been
admired for her intelligence, and intellectual superiority. Her memory
was very retentive, and her mind cultivated by reading. Her disposition
was ardent and courageous, rising superior at the call of duty, to fear
and despondency, amid trials and perplexities which do not often appear.
After her marriage to her late husband, Mr. Perry, her adversities had
an end. But still the rod was laid upon her in the death of her two
children by her first marriage.

 After her marriage to Mr. Perry, he accompanied her to her native
state, when she once more, after a separation of twenty years, was
reunited with her family, and they afterwards made their residence in
St. Louis where he died. Some years subsequently, she brought her mother
[8] who was then past 80 years of age, from Canada to St. Louis to reside
with her, and who passed from the home of this kind and affectionate
daughter to that "house not made with hands eternal in the heavens".

 This excellent lady lived to a good old age, surrounded by every
comfort and exhibited all the traits of a lovely christian character. At
length the weary wheels of life stood still, and her spirit took its
flight, to join the general assembly and church of the first born, which
are written in heaven, leaving one surviving daughter, and a host of
relatives and friends to mourn her departure.



[1] My Great Grandfather Lowe and Great Grandmother Lowe and Aunt Allen.
[2] My Grandfather Lowe
[3] My Great-Uncle Lowe
[4] Grandpa Lowe
[5] Another Great-Uncle Lowe
[6] My Great-Aunt Allen
[7] Grandpa Lowe
[8] Great-Grandmother Lowe