▁Naval ▁av i ators , ▁polit icians , ▁artists , ▁cl erg ymen , ▁law y ers , ▁phys icians , ▁and ▁social ites . ▁Pro gen y ▁of ▁a ▁mid - 1 7 th ▁century ▁English ▁imm igr ant ▁to ▁South ▁King st own , ▁Rh ode ▁Island , ▁the ▁Perry ▁family ▁patri arch , ▁Captain ▁Christopher ▁Raymond ▁Perry , ▁and ▁his ▁two ▁sons ▁Com mod ore ▁Oliver ▁Haz ard ▁Perry ▁and ▁Com mod ore ▁Matthew ▁C . ▁Perry , ▁were ▁sem inal ▁figures ▁in ▁the ▁legit im ization ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Navy ▁and ▁establishment ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Naval ▁Academy . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁The ▁Rh ode ▁Island ▁Per rys ▁and ▁Their ▁Origin ▁Christopher ▁Raymond ▁Perry ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁December ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 7 6 1 , ▁in ▁New port , ▁Rh ode ▁Island , ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁the ▁Hon . ▁Judge ▁( James ) ▁Fre eman ▁Perry ▁( 1 7 3 2 – 1 8 1 3 ) ▁and ▁his ▁wife , ▁Mer cy ▁Haz ard ▁( 1 7 3 9 – 1 8 1 0 ). ▁ ▁Judge ▁Fre eman ▁Perry ▁was ▁a ▁phys ician ▁and ▁sur geon ▁in ▁the ▁Revolution ary ▁War , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁local ▁magistr ate ▁who ▁served ▁as ▁Judge ▁of ▁the ▁Court ▁of ▁Washington ▁County ▁and ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Town ▁Council ▁of ▁South ▁King st own . ▁Christopher ▁Raymond ▁Perry ' s ▁pat ernal ▁great - grand father , ▁Edward ▁Perry , ▁came ▁from ▁Dev on , ▁England , ▁and