Atlantic County NJ Archives Biographies.....Samuel Edmund PERRY, 1849 - 1914
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 November 8, 2008, 8:51 am

Author: Mary Depue Ogden, Editor  (1917)

PERRY, Capt. Samuel Edmund,
Lawyer, Legislator, National Guard Officer.

  Although widely known by his military title, it was as a lawyer and public
official that Captain Perry best served his native State. One of the old school
of lawyers, he won the confidence of the judges of the higher and inferior
courts, and many important causes were committed to his capable professional
care. He was a member of the Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey bars, and
practiced in all three States; but his greatest fame as a lawyer was won as a
member of the Atlantic county bar in his native State, practicing in Atlantic
City while living in a beautiful home at Somers Point. But he was claimed by and
belonged to the entire county, where his labors as professional man and citizen
resulted in great benefit to all.

As a lawyer he won fame in the conduct of a number of cases famous in New Jersey
Law Reports. Among the more celebrated cases in which he was counsel the
following attracted unusual public attention: Burke vs. Tighe, a murder case;
the Black Hussars case, growing out of the unwarranted cowardly attack upon
Sheriff Gaunt, of Gloucester county; the case of Robert Elder, indicted for the
murder of his father, near Hammonton, Captain Perry being senior counsel in
association with former Judge Endicott; the defense of Eva Hamilton, in August,
1889, the last named case winning Captain Perry great fame, and placing him in
the front rank of criminal lawyers. As a public official he made an enviable
record, performing. the duties of the offices of trust that were bestowed upon
him with scrupulous fidelity. He was of most genial nature, with kindly word and
pleasant smile for all. He gained worldly competence, and might have given
himself long years of ease had he so desired, but he was so deeply interested in
community affairs and so loath to deny his friends the legal aid they desired,
that he continued "in the harness" until life's sands were nearly run. When,
however, his last brief was filed, and he appeared before the Great Judge, it
was with the confidence that his case was well prepared, that there was no flaw
in the record, and that the verdict, "Well done, good and faithful servant,"
would be rendered.

  Captain Perry inherited his strong character and unusual talents from an
honored father and mother. His father, Edmund Perry, represented Hunterdon
county in the New Jersey State Senate, and in 1861 was president of that body,
and at one time served as acting governor entertaining President Lincoln. He was
classed with the foremost men of his day, and ranked favorably with such
prominent Jerseymen as Chancellor Williamson, United States Senator William
Wright, Secretary Frederick Frelinghuysen, John P. Stockton, and Frederick C.
Potts. Captain Perry's mother, Elizabeth D. (White) Perry, was an accomplished
linguist and a noted amateur musician, also widely known through her
contributions to magazines and periodicals. Her article against flogging in the
United States navy created a sensation, and Commodore Stockton is credited with
the statement that "that article did more to cause the abolishment of such
punishment than any other agency." She wrote under her maiden name, Elizabeth D.
White, and in the old "Columbia Magazine" and in other old time periodicals her
articles may be found.

  Samuel Edmund Perry, son of Edmund and Elizabeth D. (White) Perry, was born at
New Hampton, Hunterdon county, New Jersey, May 7, 1849, died at Somers Point,
Atlantic county, New Jersey, December 20, 1914. He was a student at Riverview
Military Academy at Poughkeepsie, New York, then at Eagleswood, New Jersey,
later pursuing a course at the Pennsylvania Military College, Chester,
Pennsylvania. He chose the profession of law, studied under Judge Randolph, of
the New Jersey Supreme Court, and completed a course at Columbia Law School, New
York City. After graduation he was admitted to the Connecticut bar, and began
practice in the city of Hartford. He was subsequently engaged in practice in New
York City in association with Judge Stephen D. Stevens, and later had offices
with General Roger A. Pryor in New York. In 1877 he was admitted to the New
Jersey bar as an attorney, and in 1881 as a counsellor. He first practiced in
New Jersey at Flemington, his native town, then spent a short time in practice
at Lambertville, afterward moving to Atlantic City, where he won fame in his
profession and continued in practice until life's course was nearly completed.
He attained a prominence in Atlantic county unsurpassed by any and equalled by
few. In Hunterdon county he had been solicitor for the Board of Freeholders, and
at Lambertville was city solicitor. In Atlantic county he was Prosecutor of the
Pleas for five years, appointed by Governor Werts in 1893. He was a special
Master in Chancery, and sat as Advisory Master in the divorce case, Irwin z>s.
Irwin, of Chelsea, rendering a decision in favor of Mrs. Irwin. His private
practice was very large, conducted from offices in the Currie building, Atlantic
and South Carolina avenues, Atlantic City. He was counsel for the Atlantic City
Hotel Men's Association, and was in close touch with the public at many points.

  Captain Perry was an enthusiastic apostle of "Deeper Waterways," was chosen as
delegate to many "Waterways" conventions, was delegate from New Jersey to the
National Conference on Waterways held in Washington, and at the Deeper Waterways
Association Convention held in Providence, Rhode Island, was elected
vice-president of the association, the only officer elected from New Jersey.

  Captain Perry, educated in military schools, ever cherished a fondness for the
military branch of national defense. He was an active member of the long extinct
Sea Coast Artillery Company, succeeded by Company F, of which he was captain
until that, too, passed away.

  In politics Captain Perry was an ardent Democrat, and as such was chosen
journal clerk of the New Jersey House of Assembly in 1878, and in 1889 was
elected a member of the Atlantic City Board of Education. He was appointed
Prosecutor by Democratic Governor Werts in 1893, and in 1896 was a delegate to
the National Democratic Convention that nominated William Jennings Bryan for
president, although the New Jersey delegation as a unit voted in opposition to
that nomination under their instructions to support a "sound money" candidate.

  He belonged to many fraternal associations and other organizations, including
the legal associations, local, State, and national. He was the first exalted
ruler of Atlantic City Lodge No. 276, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks;
was active in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Improved Order of Red
Men, and the Improved Order of Heptasophs. At the laying of the cornerstone of
Odd Fellows' Hall in Atlantic City, June 13, 1892, he was the orator of the day.
He was greatly beloved in all the orders with which he was affiliated. He was
long connected with the Volunteer Firemen's Association and was major and judge
advocate of the Third Regiment New Jersey National Guard.

  Captain Perry married (first) Adela Chambers, of New York City. He married
(second) in 1879, Isabella Loomis, of Columbia county, New York, daughter of Eli
and Mary Cozzens (Webster) Loomis, the latter a relative of Daniel Webster, and
schoolmate of Charlotte Cushman. Mrs. Perry is a great-granddaughter of Major
Cozzens, a Revolutionary officer, and is a member of the Daughters of the
American Revolution, eligible to this society on both sides of her family. She
continues her residence at the beautiful home at Somers Point.


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

MEMORIAL CYCLOPEDIA OF NEW JERSEY

UNDER THE EDITORIAL SUPERVISION OF MARY DEPUE OGDEN

VOLUME III
MEMORIAL HISTORY COMPANY NEWARK,  NEW JERSEY
1917

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