Jack Lewis PERRETT
New member Kevin PERRETT asked if we could look into a family mystery regarding the Weston super Mare PERRETTs. Specifically, he was interested in finding out more about his great grandfather’s older brother, Jack Lewis PERRETT , who was born in Weston super Mare in 1886. Kevin says: “the rumour is he emigrated to the USA it would be great to substantiate this”.
Kevin provided a possible date of birth for Jack of 24 June 1886, which corresponds with a baptism of John Lewis PERRETT in Weston super Mare, so it is likely his birth occurred some time shortly before this date, which would be in line with the birth registration found for John Lewis PERRETT in Q2 1886 in Axbridge registration district. A certificate might be ordered from the GRO to verify this, however subsequent records identified provide a date of 30 April (though he’s not always completely accurate with the year!).
Jack Lewis PERRETT was officially known as John Lewis PERRETT . A US passport application was found for him dated 5 June 1922 which names a wife, Ada , and says that he was born in Weston super Mare, the son of George PERRETT .
This record gives his date of birth as 30 April 1886 and shows that he became a naturalised US citizen on 30 September 1915 in Bridgeport, Fairfield County, Connecticut, where he worked as post office clerk. The application includes a photograph, not reproduced here due to copyright, and can be found in the U.S. Passport Applications, 1795 1925 record set on Ancestry.
The US World War I registration card for John Lewis PERRETT gives his date of birth as 30 April 1884 and occupation as post office clerk, again with an address in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He is living in Bridgeport with Ada at the time of the US federal census in 1920; it appears that they had no children.
The most recent census available for the US was taken in 1940 and shows the couple still in Bridgeport, with Jack’s occupation described as ‘letter carrier’ working for the United States Mail, while ten years earlier in 1930 he describes himself as a bookkeeper employed by the post office.
Jack did not report his year of birth consistently, but seems to have at least been quite certain about the day and month. Naturalisation records also on Ancestry give his date of birth as 30 April 1885 and state that he arrived in the US on 15 October 1908 at White River Junction, Vermont, having travelled there from Montreal, Canada on the Grand Trunk Railroad.
These papers once again record that he was born in Weston super Mare and also note that he had a fair complexion, dark brown hair and hazel eyes; he was 5 feet 9.5 inches tall and weighed 156 pounds. He was working at this time as a corset ironer in Bridgeport. A corresponding index card showing his date of naturalisation as 30 September 1915 gives his address as 450 Logan Street.
A US World War II registration card can also be found for Jack Lewis PERRITT (sic) in Bridgeport which says he was born on 30 April 1886 in Somersetshire, England and is an employee of the post office. His wife Ada is once again named here.
According to the Connecticut Death Index, 1949 2012 record set on Ancestry, John L. PERRETT husband of Ada died in Wallingford, Connecticut on 30 July 1972. This matches with a simple headstone at Mountain Grove Cemetery and Mausoleum, an image of which has been provided below courtesy of Find A Grave contributor Gracie A MATISYN.
Passenger lists show that John Lewis PERRETT returned to England on several occasions to visit his family, including at least once after World War II. If any of our members researched Jack previously and have further information to share about him, please get in touch with Kevin. Likewise, if anyone particularly those based in the US can suggest useful online resources for further research in Connecticut, please contact Kevin.
