Bio: Madison Perritt, Claiborne & Bienville Parish Louisiana Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana The Southern Publishing Company, Chicago & Nashville, 1890 Submitted by: Kay Thompson Brown ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** MADISON PERITT Madison Perritt, cotton planter, miller and ginner, was formerly a well known and respected resident of Claiborne Parish, but he is now a permanent resident of Bienville Parish, La, and one of its best citizens. He was born in Alabama on February 18, 1838, and his educational facilities were the common schools where he received a practical education, which he afterward improved by his own observation and study. He started out for himself when he donned his suit of gray and shouldered his musket, enlisting in company B, Twelfth Louisiana Infantry Volunteers, Scott's brigade, Loring's division, Stuart's corps, Army of Tennessee. Mr. Perritt enlisted in the spring of 1862, and was sent at once to Grenada, Miss. He took an active part in the following engagements: Second battle of Corinth, siege of Port Hudson (two weeks) Resaca, Dalton, Kenesaw Mountain, and all around the city of Atlanta, Ga. He was in heavy fighting for about three months, and can relate many interesting anecdotes which occurred while he served the confederacy. His trials and vicissitudes during this war were very terrible indeed. Time and time again has he made long weary marches when his bare feet were on the ground and left the prints in blood. When he finished the terrible Georgia campaign his regiment was ordered into Tennessee, and the first incident of note was the capture of 300 "Yanks," at Ackmoth and l50 more at Tilden. Mr. Perritt relates many amusing incidents which occurred at the battle of Nashville. It being his first introduction to that city, and relates them in such an interesting way that it is a great treat to listen to him. From Nashville they were ordered back to North Carolina, and the last engagement he participated in was at Bentonville, of that state. Mr. Perritt has experienced the terrible ordeal of war in all its phases. When in Mississippi he was fifer of his regiment, and still has his old army fife. His regiment was disbanded at Greensboro, N. C., on April 26, 1865, and when the news reached him of the surrender ho was under detail as assistant surgeon. Returning home after the surrender ho embarked in agricultural pursuits and was married on January 23, 1867, to Miss Amanda Brewer, a native of Louisiana, born on June 9, 1847, and educated in the common schools, receiving besides a course of instruction in the seminary at Arcadia. Seven children were born to this marriage-five sons aud two daughters: William T. (resides in Bienville Parish, is married, and is an agriculturist,) Mattie D., Allen Drayton (is a farmer and at home), John Clayton, Maggie Elizabeth, Gordon Denton and Madison Floyd. Mr. Perritt has always advocated the principles of Democracy, and although he had the positions of tenure of office offered to him be has wisely and modestly declined. Socially he is a Master Mason, and is also a member of the Farmers Alliance. He as well as his estimable wife are members of the Missionary Baptist Church, and are active workers in the Sabbath-school. They contribute liberally to all worthy movements. Mr. Perritt is the owner of 240 acres of land, a fine cotton-gin, and grist-mill valued at $1,500. He was a resident of Claiborne Parish from 1851 to 1859, and has always been one of the stanch and reliable men of his neighborhood, no matter where his lot has been cast. He is public-spirited, and aims to do all he can to further any good movement. He is the eldest of seven children born to William and Jane (Lloyd) Periitt the father a native of Jones County, Ga., born on July 17, 1809, and the mother of Alabama, horn in 1817. The father was a tiller of the soil, was a participant of the Seminole War, and died at the age of seventy-four years. The mother is still living, is seventy-three years of age, and is still hale and hearty. Her mother is also living and is now in her ninety-first year. She resides in Lincoln Parish. Our subject is the eldest of the following children: Henry (married and resides in Claiborne Parish, where be is engaged in cotton planting), Martha (died at the age of two years), Mary (resides in Lincoln Parish, and is the wife of William M. Pierce, a farmer), Delia (resides in Lincoln Parish, and is the widow of John G. Minten, William (married and resides in Claiborne Parish. where he is engaged in farming), Lang L. (married and resides in Claiborne Parish, and is a farmer by occupation), and Julia (resides in Bienville Parish, and is the wife of T. Johnson, a farmer).