Carroll Co., AR - Biographies - Capt. Joseph Perry

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Capt. Joseph Perry, proprietor of the Perry House, Eureka Springs, was 
born on August 1, 1841, at Paterson, N. J., and is a son of Samuel and 
Eliza (Conklin) Perry, of English and French extraction, respectively. 
Samuel Perry was a hotel man of a life-time experience, and lived and 
died in New Jersey. His wife also lived and died there. Capt. Joseph 
Perry was reared in the immediate surroundings of the hotel business. 
He remained with his parents until he was eighteen years of age, when 
he engaged in the hotel business for himself on the Hudson River. 
Thence he removed successively to the lakes, to the Mississippi River, 
and winding his way still westward in the vanguard of civilization, to 
Junction City. Kas. Here he erected a hotel, which he operated one 
year, and moved to Salina, Kas., and remained eighteen months. His son 
was the second white child born in that place. From there he removed 
successively to Hays City, Sheridan and Kit Carson, Kas. He and 
William E. Webb were the men who laid out the towns on the Union 
Pacific Railway. After losing, at Kit Carson, about $50,000 by fire, 
he removed to St. Louis, and resided there two years. When the 
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad began operations he again went to 
the frontier, and built hotels at Dodge City, Kas., Grenada, Fort 
Wallace and La Junta, Colo. He then built hotels on the Denver & Rio 
Grande Railroad at La Veta, Wayne Creek, Garland and Alamosa. In 1879 
failing health caused him to come to the famous Eureka Springs, while 
the place was in its infancy. He regained his health, and resolved to 
permanently reside by the life-giving fountain, and, seeing in the 
nucleus of the city fair prospects for a large city, he began the 
construction of the Perry House, which was built at a cost of over 
$50,000. Since then he has done much for the upbuilding of the city. 
The outline given of Capt. Perry's business life is a sufficient 
guarantee of his qualifications for the hotel business, and further 
comment will not add to his great reputation throughout the West, 
especially to the people who have patronized him here. On February 23, 
1865, Capt. Perry was married to Elizabeth Lusher, of Missouri. They 
have one son living, John H., in the stock business. Capt. Perry's 
house is situated within 100 feet of the celebrated Basin Spring; has 
the water in every room in the house, and electric bells, and it is 
furnished with all the modern improvements, and there will be a 
passenger elevator put in the house the coming spring, having been 
contracted for. The terms are very reasonable, the charges being from 
$7 to $12 per week, according to room and location.