Nathan A’ Nate’ Perry 

​First Generation
 
1.  Nathan A Perry was born in 1864 in Texas. He died on 22 Nov 1941 in Brown Co, Texas. He was buried in Greenleaf Cemetery, Brown Co, Texas.
 
Sheriff of Brown County elected November 6, 1888
 
Nate PERRY was elected on November 6, 1888, and served until November 4, 1890. Contributed by Patsy Johnson in Brownwood at ikesis2@juno.com
 
Nate Perry, having served as a deputy sheriff in the early 1880’s was elected sheriff of Brown County in 1888. This was a time of great lawlessness in the area and the sheriff’s life was often in danger. He was considered a good man and a good sheriff. He killed only one person during his time as a law enforcement officer. A man raised his rifle to fire at Deputy Sheriff Billy Butler, but Perry was faster. He killed the armed man on the spot.
Perry was also known ‘to always get his man.’ On one occasion he did not. A man, well- known in the area, grabbed a sack of flour from the sidewalk in front of a grocery store. Sheriff Perry went out to arrest him. He reached the suspect’s house almost as soon as the thief did. Perry returned in a few minutes and told the grocer, “This is one arrest I can’t make. If you want this man arrested, you’ll have to do it yourself.” He told how the family was starving and when he arrived at the home, the children were eating raw flour out of the sack. As Perry told his story, a crowd had gathered to listen. When he had finished the story, all those standing around began to give him money. Soon the sheriff made a second trip to the man’s house with a wagonload of groceries. (The Nice and the Nasty in Brown County, A collection of Stories by Ruth Griffin Spence; Banner Printing Co, Brownwood, Texas; pg 33)
 
An article published in the New York Times August 3, 1889— stated that a prominent business man of Brown County was shot four times in the head for no apparent reason. Leroy Breck was on horseback with his seven year old daughter.
 
In 1908, N.A. Perry and C.H. Bencini, with the aid of Fort Worth investors organized the Cleone Oil Co and drilled a well five miles south of Brownwood, 2000 foot without finding oil of paying quantities. (The Nice and the Nasty in Brown County, A collection of Stories by Ruth Griffin Spence; Banner Printing Co, Brownwood, Texas; pg 118, 119)
 
1880 US census — Brown Co Texas
1900 US census - Brown Co Texas
1910 US census - Brown Co Texas
1920 US census - Brown Co Texas
 
Nathan married Mary Jane. Mary was born about 1852 in Texas. She died on 7 Jun 1923 in Brown CO, Texas. She was buried in Greenleaf Cemetery, Brown Co, Texas.