Franklin Sons of the American Revolution Chapter Honors Patriot Thomas Perkins

Six weeks ago, Chris Stewart, of Kentucky, was digging through his grandmother’s genealogy documents when he found her Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) records, information that quickly opened doors to his ancestor, Thomas Harden Perkins (1757-1838).

Perkins was a lieutenant in the Continental Army during the American Revolution, who settled in Williamson County.

“I knew I had a Revolutionary War patriot in my family because of my grandmother’s DAR [membership], but I didn’t know anything about it,” Stewart told the ˆ.

Stewart, who is a sixth great-grandson of Perkins, soon stumbled across a Facebook post for an Oct. 24 grave marking ceremony in Franklin, traveling two hours to the ceremony organized by the  Lt. Andrew Crockett Sons of the American Revolution, based in Franklin.

“I met all kinds of cousins that I didn’t know about and didn’t realize were going to be here,” Stewart said.

One of Stewart’s newly-discovered cousins, lifelong Franklin resident Clay Perry, who is also a sixth great-grandson of Perkins, spoke at the ceremony, detailing Perkin’s biography. 

Perkins’ grave, a large obelisk surrounded by a stone wall, now resides in a neighborhood on Two Rivers Lane, hidden among a thicket of trees behind Art Garneau’s home. 

Art and his wife were among the some 100 people in attendance during Saturday’s ceremony, which also included numerous other descendants of Perkins and members of The Tennessee Society Sons of the American Revolution, and Old Glory chapter of the DAR.

The ceremony was the 23rd grave marking by Lt. Andrew Crockett SAR in the group’s 20-year history, and the first held at a grave that resides on private property.

Perry’s children Will, 9, and Corinne, 7, later uncovered a new, smaller historic marker at the base of Perkin’s grave, with Corinne planting an American flag among the autumn leaves by the marker.

“It’s just special to know the commitment that he [Perkins] had and that generation had to this country and forming a new nation that would be a better version of itself than it had been before and a freer country for everyone,” Perry told the Williamson Scene. “It’s a great challenge to all of us and future generations to continue that public service in making this a better place for everyone.” 

“It helps us look at our roots and really understand what he [Perkins] meant to us,” Another of Perry’s descendants, Margaret Martin, of Franklin, a fourth great-granddaughter of Perkins, said of the ceremony.

“You really want to have a grave marking where you can have descendants because it just really makes it more meaningful and personal to see that this is their legacy here on the Earth today with us,” Lt. Andrew Crockett SAR Vice President and Grave Marking Chairman Clark Rose.