Family Card - Person Sheet
Family Card - Person Sheet
Misc. Notes
Joseph Peery (Perry) is likely the patriarch of the Peery family in the Creggan (Freeduff) Presbyterian Church in Creggan Parish, County Armagh, Ireland. They were among the first in the congregation shortly after the first meeting house had been built. The first members of the congregation had been enticed to move to the area from the Lecale district of County Down. Joseph and his wife Mary were called as witnesses, among others, to give depositions related to the burning of the first meeting house which occurred on the morning of October 13, 1743. Their depositions follow:
Examination of Joseph Peery of Freeduffe... who being duly sworn and examined says that on Thursday morning the 13th. inst. about the second cockcrow he saw the Meeting House of Freeduffe on fire; that he went up to said house which was so far burnt that it was not in the power of any person to stop it; that the key of the Meeting House was left with exam't from Sunday to Sunday and that to the best of his knowledge no person had been in it since the Sabbath before; that part of the door of the house was preserved and that he found the bolt of the lock was shot which induces him to think that the door was locked and that the fire was set to the outside in the thatch and says he believes it was done by persons of the Papish Religion. Sworn before me 17th October 1743. William Richardson.
The examination of Mary Peery wife of Joseph Peery who being duly sworn and examined saith she lives about 100 yds. or some more from the Dissenting Meeting House of Freeduffe; that the light of the morning shone so fully in the windows that it awoke the family; says that her husband takes care of the said Meeting House; that the key was left with him and constantly hung in the kitchen and that nobody had been in the Meeting House since the Sunday before; that she never had been from home from that Sunday until after the Meeting House was burned and is very sure it was not possible for anyone to take the said key without her knowledge as she sat all day in the kitchen where it hung and believes the house was set on fire by Papists. 17th October 1743 William Richardson.
Joseph is also listed in the Religious Census of 1766 as a Protestant living in Freeduff, Creggan Parish, Armagh, Ireland.
The first list of seatholders recorded for the Creggan Presbyterian Church in Freeduff in 1765 includes, I believe, the sons of Joseph and Mary - William and James Peery - who are seatholders for Pew 17 in the church.
Examination of Joseph Peery of Freeduffe... who being duly sworn and examined says that on Thursday morning the 13th. inst. about the second cockcrow he saw the Meeting House of Freeduffe on fire; that he went up to said house which was so far burnt that it was not in the power of any person to stop it; that the key of the Meeting House was left with exam't from Sunday to Sunday and that to the best of his knowledge no person had been in it since the Sabbath before; that part of the door of the house was preserved and that he found the bolt of the lock was shot which induces him to think that the door was locked and that the fire was set to the outside in the thatch and says he believes it was done by persons of the Papish Religion. Sworn before me 17th October 1743. William Richardson.
The examination of Mary Peery wife of Joseph Peery who being duly sworn and examined saith she lives about 100 yds. or some more from the Dissenting Meeting House of Freeduffe; that the light of the morning shone so fully in the windows that it awoke the family; says that her husband takes care of the said Meeting House; that the key was left with him and constantly hung in the kitchen and that nobody had been in the Meeting House since the Sunday before; that she never had been from home from that Sunday until after the Meeting House was burned and is very sure it was not possible for anyone to take the said key without her knowledge as she sat all day in the kitchen where it hung and believes the house was set on fire by Papists. 17th October 1743 William Richardson.
Joseph is also listed in the Religious Census of 1766 as a Protestant living in Freeduff, Creggan Parish, Armagh, Ireland.
The first list of seatholders recorded for the Creggan Presbyterian Church in Freeduff in 1765 includes, I believe, the sons of Joseph and Mary - William and James Peery - who are seatholders for Pew 17 in the church.