{{short description|American politician}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}} {{Infobox officeholder | image = Thomas Perrett.png | image_size = 200px | name = Thomas Perrett | state_senate = North Carolina | state = North Carolina | district = 10th | term_start = 1907 | term_end = 1908 | predecessor = James J. Moore | successor = Edmond Hawes {{Infobox officeholder |embed=yes | office = Justice of the Peace | term_start = April 1, 1899 | term_end = April 22, 1923 | source = }} | party = Democratic | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date|1843|11|27}} | birth_place = {{nowrap|Chatham County, North Carolina, U.S.}} | death_date = {{death date and age|1923|4|22|1843|11|27}} | death_place = Faison, North Carolina, U.S. | education = | alma_mater = | spouse = Eloise Faison | children = | relatives = Betty Ray McCain (granddaughter) | occupation = politician, businessman | allegiance = {{flag|Confederate States of America}} | branch = Confederate States Army | service_years = 1861 - 1865 | rank = Sergeant | commands = 26th North Carolina Infantry Regiment | battles = American Civil War<br />{{*}}Battle of Gettysburg<br /> | mawards = }} '''Thomas Perrett''' (November 27, 1843 - April 22, 1923) was an American politician and businessman. He was elected to the North Carolina Senate in 1907, representing the state's 10th Senate district and later served as mayor of Faison, North Carolina for 25 years.
== Early life == Perrett was born on November 27, 1843, at his family's home in western Chatham County, North Carolina.<ref name= perrett1>{{cite report |last=Perrett |first=Thomas |title=Autobiography and Reminiscences |location=Faison, NC |type=Unpublished manuscript |url=https://nccivilwarcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Thomas-Perrett-part-1.pdf}}</ref> Later, his family moved to a farm near Alamance County.<ref name= perrett1/> He worked on the farm and attended a local public school.<ref name= perrett1/> Perrett was the grandson of Thos Howell, a merchant from England.<ref name= perrett1/>
== Confederate States Army service == Despite being the son of supporters of the Union, Perrett volunteered on January 10, 1861<ref name=desert>{{cite news |date=1865-03-22 |title=Letter from Military Court 3d Corps A. N.V., dated March 13, 1865 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/74263588/ |newspaper=The Daily Confederate |location=Raleigh |via=Newspapers.com |volume=2 |issue=7 |page=2 |url-access=limited |access-date=2024-09-07}}</ref> to serve in the Mathews Cress Roads Company of the 26th North Carolina Infantry Regiment of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.<ref name= perrett1/><ref name= newsandobserver>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-and-observer-short-bio-thomas/41377734/|title=Short Bio - Thomas Perrett|newspaper=The News & Observer |date=March 24, 1907|volume=60 |issue=148 |page=18|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> He served under the command of Colonel Zebulon Vance, Lieutenant Colonel Harry Burgwyn, and Major Abner B. Carmichael.<ref name= perrett1/><ref name= newsandobserver/> He was wounded during the Battle of Gettysburg.<ref name= pbs>{{cite AV media |date=2011-01-09 |url=https://www.pbs.org/video/biographical-conversations-with-betty-ray-mccain-fireball-from-faison/ |title=Biographical Conversations With... | Betty Ray McCain: Fireball from Faison | Season 2011 | Episode 1501 |publisher=PBS |type=TV program}}</ref>
On February 22, 1865, command of his regiment had fallen to Perrett.<ref name=desert/> He deserted along with 17 others of the company but was brought back to camp at one of the Roanoke River crossings.<ref name=desert/> He stood trial for desertion in March 1865.<ref name=desert/>
== Post-war == Perrett served as a Justice of the Peace for Duplin County by appointment of the General Assembly, with his term beginning on April 1, 1899.<ref>{{cite book |date=1893 |chapter=Chapter 515: An act to appoint additional justices of the peace in certain townshipsin North Carolina |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/publiclawsresolu1899nort/page/700/mode/2up |title=Public Laws and Resolutions of the State of North Carolina passed by the General Assembly at its Session of 1899 |publisher=Edwards & Brighton |location=Raleigh |via=Internet Archive |page=700}}</ref>
As a Democrat, he was elected to the North Carolina Senate to represent the 10th district<ref name= newsandobserver/> in 1907,<ref name=obit/> replacing James J. Moore.<ref>{{cite news|date=1904-12-14 |title=The Next Legislature |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/616589067/ |newspaper=The Charlotte Observer |via=Newspapers.com |page=3 |url-access=limited |access-date=2024-09-07}}</ref> He served on the state agriculture, pension and soldiers, and public roads committees.<ref name= newsandobserver/> He also served on the committees for congressional apportionment and manufacturing, and chaired the committee on enrolled bills.<ref>{{cite news |date=1907-04-22 |title=The State Senate {{!}} Thomas Perrett, Senator from the Tenth Senatorial District |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/58028916/ |newspaper=Raleigh Times |via=Newspapers.com |volume=27 |page=28 |url-access=limited |access-date=2024-09-07}}</ref> He supported enacting prohibition throughout the state,<ref name=obit/> having helped to pass such legislation for Duplin County.<ref>{{cite news |date=1908-01-15 |title=For State Prohibition |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-and-observer-thomas-perrett-p/41324846/ |newspaper=The News & Observer |via=Newspapers.com |volume=85 |issue=45 |page=6 |access-date=2024-09-07}}</ref> He was succeeded as representative for Duplin and Pender counties by Edmond Hawes in 1909.<ref>{{cite news |date=1908-11-13 |title=Legislative Personnel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/73287428/ |newspaper=The Warren Record |location=Warrenton, NC |via=Newspapers.com |volume=14 |issue=36 |page=3 |url-access=limited |access-date=2024-09-07}}</ref>
He also ran a general store<ref>{{cite news |date=1895-11-21 |title=Faison, N.C. has just received a full stock of general merchandise for the fall trade (advertisement) |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/62635284/ |newspaper=The Sampson Democrat |location=Clinton, NC |via=Newspapers.com |volume=4 |issue=12 |page=4 |url-access=limited |access-date=2024-09-07}}</ref> since at least 1878,<ref>{{cite news |date=1878-12-24 |title=Letter to the Editor: Faison, The Goshen Canal Company, &c. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/58192296/ |newspaper=The Weekly Observer |location=Raleigh, NC |via=Newspapers.com |volume=2 |issue=52 |page=5 |url-access=limited |access-date=2024-09-07}}</ref> and was a notary public.<ref>{{cite news |date=1911-08-24 |title=Thomas Perrett, Notary Public, Faison, N.C. (advertisement) |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/62165874/ |newspaper=Eastern Carolina News |location=Kenansville, Duplin County, NC |via=Newspapers.com |volume=7 |issue=2 |page=1 |url-access=limited |access-date=2024-09-07}}</ref>
== Personal life == Perrett was married twice.<ref name= newsandobserver/> His second wife, Eloise Faison of Friendship Plantation, was a member of a prominent family and a relative of U.S. Congressman John M. Faison.<ref name= pbs/>
Perrett was also a member of the Faison Hunting Club<ref>{{cite news |date=1909-11-17 |title=Duplin County Going Forward |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/80401538/ |newspaper=The News & Observer |via=Newspapers.com |volume=89 |issue=1 |page=2 |url-access=limited |access-date=2024-09-07}}</ref> and a Freemason for 58 years.<ref name=obit/>
Perrett died at his home in Faison, North Carolina on April 22, 1923.<ref name=obit>{{cite news |date=1923-05-02 |title=Mr. Perrett Member of Noted Regiment |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/650332442/ |newspaper=The News & Observer |via=Newspapers.com |volume=117 |issue=122 |page=3 |url-access=limited |access-date=2024-09-07}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
== Further reading == * {{cite book |last=Gragg |first=Rod |date=2000 |title=Covered with Glory: The 26th North Carolina Infantry at Gettysburg |publisher=HarperCollins |location=New York |isbn=9780060174453 |oclc=43115172}} * {{cite magazine |last=Perrett |first=Thomas |date=May 1918 |title=McClellan's Death Trap at Malvern Hill |magazine=Confederate Veteran |volume=26 |issue=5 |pages=205–206}} * {{cite magazine |last=Perrett |first=Thomas |date=July 1918 |title=A Battle with Snowballs |magazine=Confederate Veteran |volume=26 |issue=7 |pages=304–305}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Perrett, Thomas}} Category:1843 births Category:1923 deaths Category:19th-century American merchants Category:20th-century American merchants Category:American Freemasons Category:Confederate States Army soldiers Category:Democratic Party North Carolina state senators Category:County commissioners in North Carolina Category:Faison family Category:People from Chatham County, North Carolina Category:People from Faison, North Carolina Category:20th-century members of the North Carolina General Assembly Category:Merchants from North Carolina Category:American people of English descent