At the peak of his career he earned $10,000 per year, the equivalent of $346,000 in 2022 US dollars and was written about in newspapers throughout the United States and Canada.

He died at the age of thirty-three from a massive heart attack while working in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Perkins was the third son and fifth child of John Jacob Perkins and Mattie Maupins, both of whom were born as enslaved people held captive by Major Victor Monroe Flournoy in Fayette County, Kentucky.

[21] He was in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada when he suffered a massive heart attack and died on August 10, 1911.

[23] A historical marker was placed at his grave by a University of Kentucky Commonwealth Collaboratives Grant 'Young Equestrian Scholars Initiative'.