Career
He was born in Cobourg, the son of Ebenezer Perry. He entered the timber trade, purchasing land in the Peterborough area and building a large sawmill on the current site of Trent University in 1854. Perry served as mayor of Peterborough in 1853 and from 1861 to 1865.
He was an unsuccessful candidate for a seat in the legislative assembly for the Province of Canada in a by-election held in 1864.
Perry was a customs collector at Peterborough from 1873 to 1876 and died in Peterborough in the latter year.