John Perkins grew up in Hillmorton, England, as had at least four generations of his Perkins ancestors before him. John and Judith lived in the parish of Hillmorton where six of their children were born and baptized. On 1 December 1630, the Perkins family of father, mother, and five children (one child having died young) set sail from Bristol, England, on the ship Lion, William Peirce, Master.

After a stormy passage of 67 days, the ship arrived off Nantasket, MA, on 5 Feb. 1630/1, and the next day sailed on to anchor at Boston, MA.

John and Judith were among the group that formed the First Church of Boston, at Charlestown, MA. John took the oath of "freeman" in Boston, MA, on 18 May 1631.

From the records of teh Colony of Massachusetts Bay on 3 April 1632, "It was ordered that noe pson wtsoever shall shoote att fowle upon Pullen Poyntte or Noddles Ileland, but that sd places shalbe reserved for John Perkins to take fowle with netts." Later, on 7 Nov. 1632, he was one of four persons, "appointed by the Court to sett downe the bounds betwixt Rocksbury and Dorchester."

John and his family had lived in Boston, MA, for about two years when they moved to Ipswich, MA, where he had been granted some 40 acres of land. He built his house near the river at the entrance to Jeffrie's neck and later received several additional grants of land.

John and his wife Judith (Gater) Perkins had seven children, all except Lydia born in Hillmorton, England:

• John, Jr., bpt. 8 Nov. 1609; m. Elizabeth -----. He received land in Ipswich, MA, in 1634 and opened the first public house in Ipswich.
• Elizabeth, bpt. 3 March 1611/2; m. William Sargent of Salisbury, MA.
• Mary, bpt. 3 Sept. 1615; m. Thomas Bradbury.
• Ann, bpt. 5 Sept. 1617; d. young, in England.
• Thomas, bpt. 28 April 1622; m. Phebe Gould.
• Jacob, bpt. 12 Sept. 1624; m. (1) Elizabeth Whipple; m. (2) Damaris Robinson, widow of Nathaniel Robinson.
• Lydia, b. in Boston, MA; bpt. at First Church, 3 June 1632; m. Henry Bennet.

Mary (Perkins) Bradbury was convicted of witchcraft in Salem, MA in 1692, but was eventually freed. See the entry on Thomas Bradbury for additional details.