Governor George Clement Perkins1

b. 23 August 1839, d. 26 February 1923
Governor George Clement Perkins|b. 23 Aug 1839\nd. 26 Feb 1923|p7414.htm|Clement T. Perkins|b. 23 Mar 1807\nd. 4 Mar 1884|p7413.htm|Lucinda Fairfield|b. 20 Nov 1802\nd. 31 Dec 1887|p7386.htm|Stephen Perkins|b. 25 Jul 1765|p8792.htm|Alice Stone|b. 29 Jun 1769\nd. 14 Jan 1850|p8791.htm|William Fairfield|b. 26 Dec 1754\nd. 16 Mar 1827|p7381.htm|Mary King|b. 14 Dec 1773\nd. 9 Apr 1851|p7373.htm|

1st cousin 2 times removed of Ruth Minerva Fairfield.
1st cousin 4 times removed of Laura Jane Munson.
Family Background:
Fairfield and Allied Families
Click to view thumbnails
George C. Perkins
     Governor George Clement Perkins was born on 23 August 1839 in Kennebunkport, York County, Maine.1 He was the son of Clement T. Perkins and Lucinda Fairfield.1,2 He married Ruth Amelia Parker on 3 May 1864 in Marysville, Yuba County, California.3,4,5,6 He died on 26 February 1923 in Oakland, Alameda County, California, at age 83.3,7 He was buried in Mountain View Cemetery, Oakland.8 Click to view image
     
     Governor George Clement Perkins was brought up on a farm, received a limited education, and in 1852, at age 12, went to sea as a cabin boy on the ship Golden Eagle. He made six voyages to Europe on sailing ships. In 1855 he shipped before the mast on the ship Galatea, bound for San Francisco. He engaged in mining and teaming in California but without success, and opened a mercantile business in Oroville. Later he engaged in banking, mining and milling industries. He became a member of a shipping firm in San Francisco, Goodall, Perkins & Company, which later became the builders and owners of the Pacific Coast Steamship Company. He was the pioneer in the introduction of steam whalers for the Arctic Ocean, and operated steamships on the coast of California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, Mexico and Alaska.

     George C. Perkins was a state representative, 1869-76, and 14th governor of California, 1879-83. He was an unsuccessful Republican candidate for the United States Senate in 1886, but was appointed 24 July 1893 to fill a vacancy. He was subsequently elected as a Republican in 1897, and re-elected in 1903 and 1909. He was criticized by some for supporting business too much. Because of ill health, he was not a candidate for re-election, and retired to his home in Oakland at the expiration of his last term in 1915. During his 22 year tenure in the U.S. Senate, third longest in California history, he was chairman, Committee on Fisheries (Fifty-fourth through Fifty-sixth Congresses), Committee on Civil Service and Retrenchment (Fifty-seventh through Sixtieth Congresses), Committee on Naval Affairs (Sixty-first and Sixty-second Congresses), and Committee on Railroads (Sixty-third Congress). He was also president of the Merchants' Exchange, and of the Art Association, and a director of the California Academy of Science.7,2

Additional Data
Geo C. Perkins appeared on the 1 June 1860 Federal Census of Oroville, Ophir township, Butte County, California, enumerated 27 July 1860. He was living in a hotel.9 Click to view image

Geo C. and Ruth Perkins appeared on the 1 June 1870 Federal Census of Ophir township, Butte County, California, enumerated 20 June 1870. Their children Fannie, Geo and Susan were listed as living with them.10 Click to view image

George C. and Ruth A. Perkins appeared on the 1 June 1880 Federal Census of Sacramento, Sacramento County, California, enumerated 3 June 1880. Their children Fannie, George, Susie, Fred, Milton and May were listed as living with them.11 Click to view image

George C. and Ruth Perkins appeared on the 1 June 1900 Federal Census of Oakland, Alameda County, California, enumerated 7 June 1900. Their children Milton G., May, Pansey and Fred were listed as living with them, as were their daughter Susie Schmidt with her daughter Alice.5 Click to view image

George C. and Ruth A. Perkins appeared on the 15 April 1910 Federal Census of Oakland, Alameda County, California, enumerated 22 April 1910. Their daughter Ruth May was listed as living with them, as were their daughter Susie Smith with her daughter Alice.12 Click to view image

George C. and Ruth Perkins appeared on the 1 January 1920 Federal Census of Oakland, Alameda County, California, enumerated 3 January 1920. Their daughter Fannie Adams was listed as living with them.13 Click to view image

Children of Governor George Clement Perkins and Ruth Amelia Parker

Citations

  1. [S719] S.M. Watson, "David King, of Saco, and some of his Descendants", Maine Historical and Genealogical Recorder 3:2 (1886): 120.
  2. [S708] Rossiter Johnson, editor, Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans (Boston, MA: The Biographical Society, 1904), Vol. IIV.
  3. [S1250] George C. Perkins, Holy Bible (Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott & Co., 1859); unknown present owner, unknown location.
  4. [S719] S.M. Watson, "David King of Saco" 3:2:123.
  5. [S815] George C. Perkins household, 1900 U.S. Census, Alameda County, California, population schedule, city of Oakland, enumeration district (ED) 373, sheet 10A/181, dwelling 187, family 188; National Archives micropublication T623, roll 82.
  6. [S821] William Morrell Emery, The Families of Perkins, Fairfield and King (San Francisco: The Murdock Press, 1907), 24.
  7. [S709] US Government, Biographical Directory of the American Congress, 1774-1949: The Continental Congress September 5, 1774, to October 21, 1788 and The Congress of the United States From the First to the Eightieth Congress March 4, 1789 to January 3, 1949, Inclusive (Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office, 1950), 1669.
  8. [S1185] Find A Grave, online <http://www.findagrave.com/index.html>.
  9. [S817] Robt. O. Neil household, 1860 U.S. Census, Butte County, California, population schedule, Ophir twp, Oroville, page 108/764, dwelling 497, family 479; National Archives micropublication M653, roll 56.
  10. [S818] Geo C. Perkins household, 1870 U.S. Census, Butte County, California, population schedule, Ophir, Oroville post office, page 36/108, dwelling 602, family 583; National Archives micropublication M593, roll 70.
  11. [S819] George C. Perkins household, 1880 U.S. Census, Sacramento County, California, population schedule, Sacramento, enumeration district (ED) 83, sheet 11/114C, dwelling 106, family 124; National Archives micropublication T9, roll 71.
  12. [S820] George C. Perkins household, 1910 U.S. Census, Alameda County, California, population schedule, Oakland twp, Oakland city, enumeration district (ED) 124, sheet 125A, dwelling 410, family 431; National Archives micropublication T624, roll 70.
  13. [S816] George C. Perkins household, 1920 U.S. Census, Alameda County, California, population schedule, Oakland twp, city of Oakland, Precinct 115, enumeration district (ED) 77, sheet 4B, dwelling 82, family 90; National Archives micropublication T625, roll 89.