Notable people · Military
Oliver Hazard Perry
Rhode Island-born US Navy officer who won the Battle of Lake Erie on 1813-09-10 near Put-in-Bay, Ohio, and reported to Harrison: "We have met the enemy and they are ours."
At a glance
- Born
- 1785-08-23
- Died
- 1819-08-23
- Education
- Newport schools, Newport, RI
- Known as
- Military
- Organizations
- US Navy
Life story
Oliver Hazard Perry was born in 1785 in South Kingstown, Rhode Island, into a Navy family. His father was a captain and his brother Matthew later opened Japan. He was a midshipman at 13.
He married Elizabeth Mason in 1811. In 1813 he was sent to Lake Erie to build and command a fleet, which he did at Erie, Pennsylvania.
On September 10, 1813 his squadron beat the British near Put-in-Bay in Ohio waters. His flagship was shot to pieces and he rowed to another ship to keep fighting. His dispatch to General Harrison made the battle famous.
He received the Congressional Gold Medal and died of yellow fever in 1819 off Trinidad. He was reburied at Newport, Rhode Island. Ohio's memorial at Put-in-Bay is a national park site.
Timeline
- 1785-08-23: Born (South Kingstown, RI) source
- 1799: Appointed midshipman (Rhode Island) source
- 1811-05-05: Marries Elizabeth Mason (Newport, RI) source
- 1813-09-10: Wins the Battle of Lake Erie (Put-in-Bay, OH) source
- 1814-01-06: Receives Congressional Gold Medal (Washington, DC) source
- 1819-08-23: Dies of yellow fever (Trinidad) source
- 1826: Reburied at Island Cemetery (Newport, RI) source
What Oliver is known for
- Won the Battle of Lake Erie 1813-09-10
Honors and things named for them
- Congressional Gold Medal
- Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial, Put-in-Bay, OH
- Perry, Ohio and Perry counties and townships named for him
Family
- wife: Elizabeth Champlin Mason Perry
- father: Christopher Raymond Perry
- brother: Matthew C. Perry
Places in Ohio to see
- Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial (park)
93 Delaware Ave, Put-in-Bay, Ottawa County ZIP 43456 · Put-In-Bay · Ottawa County · official page
Ohio places
Where Oliver Hazard Perry was born, lived, worked and is remembered, with the ZIP code, town and county pages for each.
- Worked: Put-in-Bay, Ottawa County (Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial, 93 Delaware Ave) ZIP 43456 · Put-In-Bay · Ottawa County
In their words
We have met the enemy and they are ours.
Further reading
Sources
Confidence. High: the main facts were confirmed in sources we opened.
- Wikipedia: Oliver Hazard Perry born 1785-08-23 South Kingstown RI; died 1819-08-23; battle 1813-09-10; quote; memorial
- NPS: Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial Put-in-Bay OH 43456 (PO Box 549); memorial column