Virginia to Cass County

Very little is known of the Perkins brothers prior to coming to Cass County before 1870. It is speculated that they were the sons of Thomas F. Perkins and Sarah Bass of near Charlottsville, Va.

Cyrus Albert Perkins, b. Dec.21, 1844 in Va. was listed with his brother on the 1870 Cass County census. On Feb. 3, 1872 he bought a part of the James Wiley Franklin Cook farm. On Feb. 2, 1871, he married Kiziah Angeline Clark who was b. Oct. 30, 1845. Cyrus died Nov. 6, 1916 and Kiziah d. April 11, 1914. They are buried at Laws Chapel. They were the parents of the follow three children (two children died in infancy.):

1. Sarah Elizabeth Perkins, b. Feb. 18, 1875, married Victor Odin Henderson on Jan. 4, 1898. Victor was b. Feb. 21, 1867, the son of John B. Henderson and Aury Lambert. The Lamberts and Hendersons had established St. William Catholic Church at Red Hill in Jan., 1912. The Lamberts and Hendersons had earlier converted to Catholicism. Sarah Elizabeth d. Dec. 25, 1950 and Victor d. Nov. 2, 1954. Both are buried at St. William Cemetery. They were the parents of a son, Bernard and a daughter, Mary Lillian.

Bernard Henderson was b. April 12, 1899 and d. June 4, 1966. His wife Lois was b. July 9, 1903 and d. Jan. 3, 1953. Both are buried at St. Williams.

Mary Lillian Henderson, b. July 3, 1904 and d. May 25, 1994. She married Ottis Ernest McGilvray who was born April 15, 1907 and d. Dec. 12, 1971. They are buried at St. Williams. They were the parents of Victor Odin and Mary Elizabeth who married Emit F. Phillips.

2. Cyrus N. Perkins, b. Sept. 24, 1879 and d. Mar. 17, 189-. He is buried with his parents at Laws Chapel.

3. Martha A. Perkins, b. April 4, 1873 and d. Jan. 22, 1874. She is buried with her parents at Laws Chapel.

David Washington Perkins, b. July 5, 1848 in Va. and d. July 17, 1907, in Cass County. He married Eliza Jane Rutledge. She was b. Feb. 15, 1848, the daughter of William Rutledge and Sarah Jane Cook. Eliza Jane was a granddaughter of Wesley Cook and Mary S. Brooks. David Perkins d. July 17, 1907 and Eliza Jane d. Feb 27, 1913. They are both buried at Laws Chapel. There were the parents of the following seven children:

1. John Albert Perkins, b. Jan. 15, 1874 in Cass Co. and d. Aug. 10, 1948 in Denver, CO. He was father to a son Robert D. who died in Nevada and a daughter, Mary Earl.

2. Martha S.W. Perkins, b. Jan 14, 1876 and on Mar. 5, 1899 she married Alfred Merritt "Met" Steger. He was b. Jan. 8, 1875 the son of Allen Walter Steger and Samantha Elenora Heard Cook. Martha "Mattie" and Alfred "Met" lived most of their adult life at O'Farrell. She was a graduate of what is now Sam Houston University at Huntsville and was a school teacher. "Met" was a brick mason. She d. Oct. 26, 1962 and he d. Jan 10, 1960. Both are buried at Laws Chape. There were no children.

3. Mary Lee Perkins, b. Mar. 16, 1878 and d. Aug. 23, 1880. She is buried with her parents at Laws Chapel.

4. Alva Deliah Perkins, b. Feb. 10, 1880 and on Nov. 26, 1903 she married Allen Homer Steger. He was b. Sep., 1879, the son of Allen Walter Steger and Samantha Eleanor Heard Cook. Allen Homer Steger was an engineer for Orient & Santa Fe Railroad, master Mason, Royal Arch Mason, Royal Selected Mason and Knights Templer. Both were members of the First Methodist Church at San Angelo, Tx. She d. June 11, 1956 and he d. Jan. 23, 1950 and they are buried at Fairmont Cemetery in San Angelo. They were the parents of teh following five sons:

Lloyd Ousley Steger, born Nov. 28, 1904 and on Mar. 22, 1936 married Kenora Helen Haag. She was b. Mar. 25, 1908. They were the parents of the following: Lloyd Ousley Jr. (married Nellie Elizabeth Davidson), Charles Hugh (married Jodie Ann Magness), and Beverly Gayle (married Jack Gardner Coker).

Merritt Homer Steger, b. Aug. 25, 1906 and on Nov. 10, 1929 married Mae Garlington of Ballenger, Texas. She was b. Sept. 13, 1907. They were the parents of a son Kenneth Meritt and a daughter Carolyn Mae who married #1 Donald A. Maye & #2 Donald M. Hiner.

Allen David Stegar, b.Dec. 6, 1908 and married Myrl Elizabeth Holster on Dec. 10, 1938. she was born at Crockett, Tx. Aug. 29, 1915. They were parents of a son, Ronnie David and a daughter Barbara Jean.

Hugh Lynn Steger, b. July 3, 1915 and lives in Dallas. An attorney, he retired from the firm of Story, Armstrong & Steger. He has a wife, Maxine, a daughter and a son.

Allen Eugene Steger, b. Feb. 20, 1918. He was a graduate of Sul Ross College and Baylor University College of Dentistry in 1940. He had just opened his dental office when he died Feb. 6, 1941. He is buried at Fairmont Cemetery in San Angelo.

5. Robert Merritt Perkins, b. Jan. 21, 1882 and married Dovie Bailey. He died in 1920 and is buried at Fairmont Cemetery in San Angelo.

6. David Newton Perkins, b. Dec. 16, 1883 and married Elizabeth "Lizzie" Tarver on Dec. 25, 1901. She was b. 1878, the daughter of Samuel Madison and Martha Sue "Mittie" Tarver. David d. July 17, 1915 and Lizzie on July 25, 1948. Both are buried at O'Farrell. They were the parents of one son:

Vernon David "Si" Perkins who was b. Sept. 19, 1902 and d. 1971. He was an oil field worker and is buried with his parents at O'Farrell.

7. Iva Vianna Perkins, b. Dec. 23, 1885 and on July 2, 1911 at First Methodist Church in San Angelo, married Walter Franklin Anderson. He was b. June 3, 1890 in Hebron, Indiana. "Cousin Walt" was a Santa Fe Railway engineer from 1912 until he retired in 1964. He began his railroad career as a machinist apprentice in 1907 for the old Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railroad. He was a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and San Angelo Masonic Lodge. Walter d. Nov. 17, 1974. Iva d. 1976. Both are buried n Fairmont Cemetery, San Angelo, Tx. Iva and Walter were the parents of one daughter:

Alva May Anderson, 1912 - 1928

This information was taken from the Cass County Connections, Vo. 25, Mar. 1999, pg 14-16