[1] He was also the father of Charlotte Perkins Gilman, a prominent American feminist, sociologist, novelist, and lecturer on social reform.

Then, returning to Hartford, he became assistant editor of Henry Barnard's American Journal of Education for three years.

In 1870, Perkins moved to Boston and began to work with his brother-in-law, Edward Everett Hale, as an editor for the magazine Old and New.

[8] While at the BPL, Perkins worked closely with Justin Winsor, contributing five articles to the 1876 report on public libraries.

After leaving the BPL, Perkins worked with Melvil Dewey at the Reader's and Writer's Economy Company.