John L. Perkins' 3-Story Building

3-Story Perkins Block begun 1867, with newer attached 2-story meat market--Hudson Museum postcard, circa 1910

Who from the "old days" prior to 1968 does not remember the large 3-story brick building on the east side of State Street?  The smaller brick addition that was a separate business had a large "Gold Medal Flour" sign painted into it's brick.  That tree was always on the sidewalk in front of the Clayton Tavern, which was probably once John L. Perkins' home.  

J. L. Perkins came to Michigan with his parents in 1838 and the settled in Rome Township near Round Lake in Rollin.  Their farm is seen on this map below, after young John bought the farm.  He married Harriet Yerington of Rollin, and her parents are buried at Rollin Center, having died at very early dates.  Mr. Perkins' parents are buried at East Rome Cemetery on Rome Rd. near US 223.  Here is where the Perkins farm was located about 5 miles directly north of downtown Clayton, which became the Perkins' final home.  I have not been able to discover whether John was closely related to Newman Perkins, the other Perkins family of Clayton.  John and Harriet did not have children of their own but John was from a big family and had at least a niece or two so any descendants of this family probably have different last names.

J. L. Perkins farm home Section 18 on Rome Road near Round Lake, 5 miles north of Clayton.
1857 Map of Lenawee County, Bechler and Wenig and Co., Library of Congress

This is John Perkins' business card from the 1893 Lenawee Atlas:

 

John Perkins was extremely active in business and civic affairs of Clayton.  His biography is shown here from the History and Biographical Record of Lenawee County, Vol. 1 by Whitney and Bonner, 1879.

 

This post is probably a work in progress as there is just so much written in the old newspapers on J. L. Perkins that I don't even know where to start.  I believe the Kerr family once owned the 3-story building and this would be where my parents purchased our first furniture in the 1950's.  Naomi Dowling writes in the Centennial Newspaper that J. L. Perkins was postmaster and Hattie Haskins worked for him.  She became Hattie Kuney and lived to be 102 years old, and was known to some of Clayton's present (2024) older residents!