According to John Persun, Harriet’s GG Uncle, the Persun (Person) family originated in France. The families were Huguenots and moved to Germany during the “Wars of Religion” between 1562 and 1598. They then emigrated to the United States and settled in New Jersey. The first ancestor found in New Jersey was John Person born 1754 in New Jersey and his wife Catherine Haynes (Hains) born 1754 also in New Jersey.
John and Catherine had seven children all born in Sussex County, New Jersey. Betsey (born 1770), Mathias (born 1771), John Jr. (born 1773), Elijah (born 1775), Phebe (born 1776), Esther (born 1777) and Mary (born 1778). Mathias moved to Pennsylvania while John Jr. and Elijah stayed in New Jersey. Information on the daughter has yet been discovered. John and Catherine are buried in the Presbyterian Church of Knowlton, Warren County, New Jersey. John passed in 1796 and Catherine died in 1829.
Mathias married Hester Freeman December 23, 1803 in Knowlton, New Jersey. They had eleven children: Pamela (born 1804), John (1806), Henry (born 1808), and Rachel (born 1810) were born in New Jersey. Abigail (born 1815), Christiana (born 1817), Elias (born 1818), Aaron (born 1819), Freeman (born 1822), Charles (born 1824), and Edmund (born 1817) were born in Pennsylvania.
Marriage Certificate found on Family Search.
Hester Freeman Persun
Mathias and Hester moved the family to Luzerne County near Wilkes Barre after 1810. They are buried in the Old Zion Lutheran Cemetery also known as the Thrasher Cemetery. Mathias died June 11, 1846 and Hester passed June 17, 1868.
Henry Persun, Harriett’s grandfather, married Lucy Potter December 15, 1834. Lucy is the daughter of William and Rachel Wilson Potter. Lucy was born December 12, 1814 in Luzerne County.
Henry and Lucy Potter Persun.
Henry and Lucy had eleven children: Rachel (1835), George (1836), Albert (1838), Wilson (1840), Deliah (1843), Maria (1844), Freeman (1847), William (1848), Hester (1851), Charles (1853), and Baby Girl (1855).
In the 1880 census Henry was 70 years old and making a living as a broom maker. In previous census’ he was a farmer. Henry and Lucy are buried in the Montoursville Cemetery. Henry died in 1883 and Lucy died in 1882.
Wilson, 4th born child of Henry and Lucy, married Amanda Stryker July 4, 1867 in Montoursville, Pennsylvania. They had four children: Mary Alice (born 1868), Harriet (born 1871), Clara (born 1882) and Charles Clyde (born 1885).
Wilson served in the Civil War from October 28, 1862 to July 11, 1865. He was a corporal in the 3rd Heavy Artillery, 152nd Pennsylvania Regiment, Company B serving mainly in Fort Monroe, Virginia. In 1891 Wilson did apply for Pension Benefits. Due to cost ($75.00) of obtaining a copy of the records not sure if his application was approved. Amanda also applied for the Civil War Widows pension in 1914. The records for the Widow’s Pension have only been digitized up to the year 1900.
Harriet married William W Yocum March 26, 1890 in Montoursville, PA. They had six children: Raymond Dela (born 1890), Leslie Wilson (born 1891), Clarence William (born 1893), Elwood Ernest (born 1895), Frederick Alvin (born 1897) and Ursula (born 1898). Harriett died at the young age of 51 in the year 1923. She is buried in the Montoursville Cemetery.
The Persun family has many interesting ancestors. John Person may have been in the Revolutionary War (because of naming patterns was unable to verify). Lucy Potter’s, wife of Henry, grandfather Joseph Potter was also in the Revolutionary War.
Jackson Persun moving with his second wife Sarah and his aged father Elias to the state of Washington. Jackson was a logger and Sarah was the camp cook. They settled near Arlington, Washington. Elias, brother of Henry, left his wife Hannah to care for Jackson’s daughter Caroline by his first marriage to Alice Seely.
Ancestors not to be forgotten.
Ancestors not to be forgotten 
Patty, Thank you for all the work and sharing! Your writing makes it very real. Love, Nancy
And thank you for your kind words!!!
Pattie,
Cousin Jay sent this to me today and I am thrilled. You have shed light on what I have long suspected but found no proof of on, and that was did Hannah come to Washington? G G Grandfather Elias and Great grandmother Jane Elizabath Persun are my direct line. They and Fred Hammerly (he and Elizabath were married and had lost a child in PA before coming west) came to Washington together with others, how many I don’t know. Elias was buried on The timber claim per our family but the grave now is lost and has been since the 1950’s or before.
How ever I would suggest you check the dates on the mother of Mathias, she would have only been ten years old as this is typed. I suspect that there is a typo here.
I loved getting the marriage record for Hester and Methias. I tried to locate it at the NJ archives a few years ago when I was back. Barnabus Sweyse (Sp?) I am familiar with that hand writing and name as he was the one that signed on all the of land records and the record showing who was to get what after John’s death.
Question do you know anything about Hester Freemans parents? I have been stumped on them for years.
Thank you for sharing,
Janice
jmhealy1@comcast.net
Janice, Will be emailing you information I have. Thank you for your kind words – this family has been fun to research – it seems whenever I thought I couldn’t find anymore information, a clue would pop up. Have changed Catherine’s birth year.
Hi Patty,
I am looking forward to hearing more from you about this family. Thank you for not being offended when I mentioned the typo. I will be in Salt Lake soon for research so let’s talk about what we need to check out to further the research on this family.
Janice
This is tremendous. I have much of this information. Wilson was my Great-grandfather, Charles Clyde is my grandfather. Imagine my finding this as I prepare to decorate his grave. I was looking for Wilson’s regiment. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Bonita Cope Heisey
Fantastic!! Great to hear from you!! Your welcome and thank you.
This was a fascinating read and thank you so much for the research in the Persun family that is also my family. I am the great granddaughter of Jackson Persun. My grandmother was his daughter Hettie Caroline Persun who married Charles Stamets. They raised nine children including my father. I’ve learned a lot about this part of my family history!
Thank you Julie for your kind words. I am amazed of the adventures of this family.