"Colonel" Simon Perkins (1805–1887) was an American businessman, farmer, state senator, and entrepreneur. He was born in

Warren, Ohio Warren is a city in and the county seat of Trumbull County, Ohio, United States. Located in northeastern Ohio, Warren lies approximately northwest of Youngstown and southeast of Cleveland. The population was 39,201 at the 2020 census. The his ...

in 1805, but spent most of his life in

Akron, Ohio Akron () is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Summit County, Ohio, Summit County. It is located on the western edge of the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau, about south of downtown Cleveland. As of the 2020 C ...

. He was the oldest son of

Simon Perkins General Simon Perkins (September 17, 1771 – November 6, 1844) was an early settler, businessman and surveyor of the Western Reserve of Connecticut, which would later become northeast Ohio. He co-founded Akron, Ohio with Paul Williams in 1825. H ...

, the founder of the City of Akron. The title "

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

" was honorary; no records exist that show he served in the military.

Biography

Colonel Simon Perkins was born on February 6, 1805 in

to General

and Nancy Ann Bishop Perkins. His first position was with his father's land company in Warren. He married Grace Ingersoll Tod of

Youngstown, Ohio Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio, and the largest city and county seat of Mahoning County, Ohio, Mahoning County. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Youngstown had a city population of 60,068. It is a principal city of ...

on November 23, 1833. Two years later, he and his wife and baby daughter, Anna, moved to

in order to oversee his father's business affairs. Their first home was a small wooden frame house located along the Portage Path of Summit County, Ohio.

John Brown (abolitionist) John Brown (May 9, 1800 – December 2, 1859) was an American abolitionist leader. First reaching national prominence for his radical abolitionism and fighting in Bleeding Kansas, he was eventually captured and executed for a failed incitement o ...

would later rent this building, known as the

John Brown House (Akron, Ohio) The Summit County Historical Society of Akron, Ohio, abbreviated SCHS, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization located in Akron, Ohio. It focuses on the history of the City of Akron and Summit County, Ohio. Purpose The mission of SCHS is to pre ...

from Perkins during their business partnership. Construction began immediately on the

Perkins Stone Mansion The Perkins Stone Mansion is a historic house museum in Akron, Ohio, United States. Overview The mansion is owned and operated by The Summit County Historical Society of Akron, Ohio and is also the organization's headquarters. It was built from ...

in 1835, and it was completed in 1837. The family moved in that spring. Perkins was mainly interested in agriculture, sheep, and livestock and therefore turned his property on Perkins Hill into a large farm. He imported the best breeds of sheep to his farm and eventually hired

to oversee them. Their firm was known as Perkins & Brown. The business eventually failed and Perkins absorbed most of the loss. Colonel Perkins encouraged the Akron Branch of the Cleveland & Pittsburgh Railroad (C.A. & C. Railroad) which was completed in 1852. He served as the president from 1851–1864 and as general superintendent until 1869. He also backed the Atlantic & Great Western Railroad, but his net losses from the project kept him in significant debt for many years. He served in the

Ohio State Senate The Ohio Senate is the upper house of the Ohio General Assembly. The State Senate, which meets in the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, first convened in 1803. Senators are elected for four year terms, staggered every two years such that half of the se ...

from 1839–1840 and was the first representative for the newly formed Summit County from 1841-1842. He was one of the most prominent promoters of the new county. He also served as trustee for Portage Township. He was also one of the organizers of the Akron Rural Cemetery (Glendale) and served as president from 1839-1880. He also donated property for the founding of two Akron city parks, Union and Grace (which was named for his wife.) Grace Tod died on April 6, 1867 and Colonel Perkins died July 21, 1887. The family home,

, is now a historic house museum owned and operated by

The Summit County Historical Society of Akron, Ohio The Summit County Historical Society of Akron, Ohio, abbreviated SCHS, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization located in Akron, Ohio. It focuses on the history of the City of Akron and Summit County, Ohio. Purpose The mission of SCHS is to pres ...

. Several items which belonged to the Colonel and his family are on display. A statue of Colonel Perkins stands near the corner of South Broadway St. and University Ave. in downtown Akron. Several places in Akron are named for Colonel Perkins and his family. They include, Perkins St., Perkins Park, Perkins Middle School, and Perkins Square.

Family

Colonel Simon and Grace Perkins had eleven children: Anna Bishop, George Tod Perkins, Simon, Alfred, Henry, Maria Allen, Grace Tod, Thomas Kinswan, Charles Ezra, David Tod, and Joseph Douglas.

References

*Grismer, Karl H. ''Akron and Summit County''. 1952 *Lane, Samuel A. ''Fifty Years and Over Of Akron and Summit County''. 1892 *Jackson, James S. and Margot Y. ''At Home on the Hill: The Perkins Family of Akron''. 1983. {{DEFAULTSORT:Perkins, Simon 1887 deaths 1805 births Ohio state senators 19th-century American politicians 19th-century American businesspeople