Bio data of G.W.L. Perry researched by Ruth Hasten Walsh from 1995-2012. Discovering the name of his murderer was not an easy task. Newspaper archives were not on-line nor indexed. Newspapers had to be accessed via microfilm, usually found only in local libraries. Ruth spent more than 100 hours in libraries in Dallas, Waxahachie, Corsicana, and Fort Worth, Texas as well as four different libraries in Alabama and the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), Washington DC researching the murder of her gg-grandfather, GWL Perry. Many many more additional hours were spent researching his ancestral and descendants lines. As a child, Ruth's grandmother, Sula Perry Hasten, told her stories about the murder of own grandfather, G W L Perry. . In 1995 the only relative who recalled that G W L Perry was murdered was Hattie Perry Kelley Morris. Hattie, suffering from a form of dementia, had total recall of events pertaining to the murder of her grandfather, GWL Perry. Ruth set out to find the evidence proving her childhood memory was accurate. It was quickly ascertained that first she needed to learn more about G W L Perry. To do so, she researched his ancestry and attempted to identify all his descendants.

In the 1990's many tombstones, including. George and his 1st wife Susan Morris Perry's tombstone were damaged by storms and/or vandals. Around 200-2001, some kindly soul picked up pieces of tombstones and repaired them as well as he could -- see photos taken by John Smith.
It should be noted that, per Texas Convict Records, GWL Perry's murderer was tried in 1912 and handed down a life sentence, the life sentence was affirmed in 1913, and then on June 24, 1929 the Acting Governor Barry Miller by Proclamation number 20813 gave him a "full' pardon.

George Washington Lafayette Perry was born, his mother named him after her brother, George Washington Lafayette Noel. (Years later, each served in the CSA army.)

Dallas Morning News Friday, September 8, 1911
MORTUARY.
SPECIAL TO THE NEWS
FORRESTON - Waxahachie, Tex. Sept. 7. -
The body of G. W. L. Perry of Forreston, who was robbed and killed in Dallas Monday, arrived in the city this morning and was conveyed to the Chapel Hill Cemetery (sic - now known as Smith Family Cemetery), a few miles north of town, for burial. He is survived by a widow and five or six children.

The Dallas Herald, v. XXXV No. 944, September 5, 1911, p. 1
FARMER IS MURDERED BY UNKNOWN THUGS
G.W.L. PERRY IS VICTIM - Prosperous Ellis county Resident Meets Death Near this City - Work of Footpads - Came to Dallas to Hire Cotton Pickers and met Death - Was Near White rock - Scene of Crime in Wooded Section that would offer concealment For the Highwaymen - Sheriff Investigating Case.
G.W.L. Perry, a prosperous farmer who resided near the little town of Forreston in Ellis county, Texas, was murdered some time during yesterday afternoon and then his pockets were rifled of what valuables they contained. The lifeless body was found not more than two hours after the crime had been committed. Sheriff Brandenburg, Deputy Sheriff Chiesa and Deputy Sheriff Ross responded to the call for officers. They in turn summoned Undertaker Weiland, who took charge of the remains and prepared them for burial. The body will be shipped this afternoon at 4 o'clock to Forreston and the funeral will probably be held at that place tomorrow.
SCENE OF THE CRIME.
The scene of the murder was about half a mile east of the end of the Junius Heights car line and on the trail which leads from the car line to the White Rock reservoir site. This trail passes through some timber but which has been cleared of underbrush. The body was about twenty-five or thirty feet from the trail and was lying face upward.
A bruised place and cut on the back of the head behind the right ear and at the base of the brain told the story of the cause of death. The pockets rifled of their valuables and turned wrong side out told of the cause for the crime.
The blow on the head was rather deep and appeared to have been inflected with a sharp-pointed instrument as the cut was smooth and went clear through to the skull. It was several inches in length. The skull appeared to have also been slightly fractured and it is believed that death was caused from concussion. The would bled freely and a large pool of blood was found near the body.
BROKEN STICK FOUND
A broken stick about two inches in diameter and three feet long was found near the body. Whether this stick played any part in the tragedy is not known. The break was about twelve inches from one end of the stick and just where a knot a quarter of an inch or longer stuck out from the stick. It is possible for such a wound as caused the death of the aged man to have been inflicted by a blow from this stick, but Sheriff Brandenburg is of the opinion that some other instrument besides the stick caused the death. The break in the stick was fresh but is is pointed out that the stick could have been broken by some one stepping on it, a great many people having already visited the scene of the crime before the sheriff and his deputies reached the point.
PERRY LEFT HOME SUNDAY
According to advices received today, from Forreston, Perry left his home Sunday and came to Dallas with the avowed intention of securing some cotton pickers. Just how he reached the place where his lifeless body was found is still unexplained feature in connection with his death. Those who have investigated the case are of the opinion that he was enticed to the place where he met his death by some party or parties who knew that Perry had a little money. When a demand was made for his money he probably resisted and then the death blow was delivered. Sheriff Brandenburg stated today that it was impossible to determine whether a struggle occurred at the place of death. The sheriff incidentally remarked that if Dallas county had had dogs trained in the trailing of human being they could have probably secured some clew to the perpetrators of last evening's cold-blooded murder.
WAS PROSPER FARMER
The victim of last evening's murderous attack was a prosperous farmer residing on the Anderson property about two miles from Forreston. While he was tenant farmer, yet he was a successful one and had money in the bank at Forreston. He had resided in that vicinity for some time and is survived by a wife and several children. He was past sixty-five years of age and was a Confederate veteran as shown by a cross of honor which was found in his coat lapel yesterday. According to advices from Forreston Perry was highly thought of in that community and on receipt of advices this morning that he had been murdered, A. Mull, a friend of his, came to Dallas, reaching here at noon and made arrangements for the shipping of the body to Forreston for interment.
SMALL BODY FOUND BODY
A small body who works at a dairy not far from where the body was found first discovered the remains yesterday evening bout 7 o'clock. He notified some men and then the sheriff's department was notified. Sheriff Brandenburg has been steadily at work on the case ever since it was reported to him but at noon today claimed that he had no clue at all as to who had murdered the man and the robbed him.
The sheriff talked to the conductor of a Junius Heights car which went out yesterday evening and the conductor remembered such a man as having ridden out on his car. He did not remember seeing anyone on the car with him. It has not yet been learned where Perry spent Sunday night nor has any theory been found for what caused the aged man to visit the point where he met his death. In fact the case is very baffling and Sheriff Brandenburg admits that he has little on which to base the hope that the old man's slayer will ever be captured.
JUSTICE CORLEY VIEWS BODY.
This morning at the parlors of the Weiland Undertaking company the remains were viewed by the justice of the Peace Corley, acting as coroner. No verdict has as yet been returned by Justice Corley but it will probably be to the effect that the deceased came to his death from a blow on the head
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Article No. 11
Waxahachie Enterprise, Friday September 22, 1911
REWARD IS OFFERED FOR THE SLAYER OF PERRY
Governor Colquitt offers Reward of $250 at the Request of Camp Winnie Davis
At the request of Camp Winnie Davis, U.C.V., Governor Colquitt has offered a reward of $250 for the arrest of the murderer of G.W. L. Perry in Dallas a few weeks ago. Mr. Perry was a veteran and went from his home near Forreston in Ellis Co. to Dallas for cotton pickers. He was decoyed to the outskirts of the city, killed and robbed in broad daylight on the evening of September 4th. Cur. Information is that no arrests have been made.
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Dallas (TX) Morning News, 1912 news item
Frank Morgan ... charged with killing G. W. L. Perry, an ex-confederate soldier of Ellis county, is arraigned for a second trial in the Criminal District Court, having been convicted and given a life sentence at a former hearing and securing another trial on the grounds of newly discovered evidence

Much to dismay of GWL Perry's family members, Frank Morgan was given a 2nd trial and convicted of 2nd degree murder. He was given a relatively short sentence and released from prison within a few years.
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From: "Reminiscences of the Boys in Gray 1861-1865" Compilied by Miss Mamie Yeary, McGregor, TX, published by Morningside in 1986. (This is a reprint of a 1912 edition printed in Dallas), p. 604:
"G. W . L. PERRY, Forreston, TX - Born Feb 22, 1845 in Randolph Co., Alabama. Enlisted in the Confederate Army Oct. 24th, 1861, at Selma, Ala., as a private in Croft's Battery, Georgia Artillery, Ross Brigade, Jackson's Cavalry. Army of Tennessee. Edward Croft, first Captain. After Hood was placed in command of Johnston's Army and went to Tennessee, on our return to Corinth, our company was detached from Ross' Brigade to Major Cline's Battalion. Was never wounded, captured not promoted. Was in the battles of Jackson, Miss; Reynolds Camp, Rome, Ga; New Hope Church, Atlanta, Jonesboro, Franklin, Tenn; Columbia, Tenn. Then we came to Corinth, Miss., then to Alabama, and later returned to Meridian, Miss., where we were discharged."
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GWL Perry married Susan Morris 10-21-1896 in Tallapoosa Co., AL. They had 11 children She died in Ellis Co., TX 5-3-1896. He married Lizzie Elizabeth D. Walls 4-19-1898 in Ellis Co., TX. They had 5 (possibly 6) children.
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GWL Perry, son of James Wiley Perry and Martha A.C. Noel, was buried beside his first wife, Susan J. Morris.