Daniel Perry, a member of the well-known law firm of Clark & Perry, of Maysville, was born in Windham County, Vt., on November 8, 1839. He is the son of James T. and Amy (Willis) Perry, both of whom were natives of Windham County, Vt. The father was born on March 15, 1804. He is the son of Stephen Perry, a native of Massachusetts, and one of the first settlers of Southern Vermont, whose grandfather was one of seven brothers who emigrated from England and were among the first settlers of Massachusetts, and of whom Commodore Perry was a descendant. The father is now a well-to-do retired farmer of his native county. The mother was born March 15, 1805, and was the daughter of Samuel Willis, a native of Worcester County, Mass., whose family originally came from Wales. She died in February, 1873. Daniel was reared on the farm of his parents, and attended the district schools, securing a good education when a boy. He afterward attended the Westminster Academy, in Vermont, and Power's Institute, at Bernardston, Mass., and later the University at Albany, N. Y. He graduated from the Albany Law School in 1868. In September, 1861, he enlisted in the Federal army, joining Company F of Berdan's sharpshooters of the Army of the Potomac, and served in many of the principal battles in which his regiment participated. After two years service he returned to Vermont, and taught school as the principal of the high schools at Jacksonville and Wardsboro, Vt., and later as principal of Bennington Academy. He came west in 1872, and was connected with school work in higher graded schools until about 1882. He then entered the law, abstracting, real estate and loan business in Maysville. In the spring of 1881 he was elected school commissioner of De Kalb County, and served one term, since which time he has held the offices of public administrator of the county, justice of the peace, and as mayor of Maysville. In October, 1885, he was united in marriage with Mrs. Ella L. Osmond, who was born in Southern Georgia. She is the daughter of a Mr. Darden, who was a large slaveholder and owner of wharfage at Key West, and Apalachicola, Fla. She is a granddaughter of Commodore Nichols, commander of the old "Constitution." She was living in Philadelphia at the time of the marriage, which, however, occurred at Cameron, Mo. One daughter has blessed this union.
Source: History of Andrew and DeKalb Counties, Missouri (Chicago: Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1888), pp. 577-578