Person:William Berry (90)

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~berry/newupload/pages/A1a.htm

A.1.a. William Berry

     William Berry was born in the fall of 1755 near Staunton, Augusta County, Virginia, most likely on his father’s farm. While there is no documentation as to how or where William spent his early years, his father, George Berry, can be documented as living on his Augusta County farm from his father, the elder James Berry, around 1753 until his death in 1803. William, who was born two years after his father acquired ownership of the farm and left Augusta County for Kentucky between 1785 and 1787, obviously, grew up on that farm, participating in all of the rigors attendant to pioneer life. The property had originally been purchased by William’s grandfather. When William’s father, George Berry, Sr., passed away, his estate inventory listed only a few household items, a small amount of livestock and two slaves, so, either he had already given away the bulk of his property to his children, or he just never had much to start with. This scant evidence suggests that this Berry family lived a rather rough life on the edge of the North American wilderness. When war came to the American colonies, William first served in the Augusta County militia before and during Dunmore’s War in the fall of 1774, participating in the Battle of Point Pleasant and the subsequent pursuit of the Shawnee and related tribes into Ohio. Several years later, after war had broken out between England and America, he was once again drafted into the militia in the summer of 1778, and during this tour, which ended in early 1779, he was sent back out west to help build several forts in Ohio. Later that year he was drafted into the militia yet another time, but on this occasion his unit was attached to the main army, where he served until the end of the war. In fact, he was present at the Battle of Yorktown and the subsequent surrender of Cornwallis.

    William Berry married Rebecca McCleary, a daughter of a nearby Beverley Grant neighbor, James McCleary, in Fairfax Courthouse in Augusta County, Virginia, sometime in 1776. James McCleary was the son of John McCleary, who owned Beverley Grant property near the Berry farm (see Figures 3, 10, 90 and Table 1). They remained in Augusta County for a few years, but soon moved cross the mountains to the Kentucky bluegrass region in Fayette County, Virginia, where they remained until about 1811. Rebecca passed away there in 1804, and about a year later William married Margaret (Peggy) Collins in nearby Bourbon County. Since the marriage took place in that county, it may indicate that Peggy’s family was living in Bourbon County at the time. By 1811, William and family moved on to Gallatin County, Kentucky along the Ohio River, where they remained until about 1822. By 1823 they had moved to St. Louis, Missouri, where they spent the rest of their lives. Peggy passed away in the late summer of 1837, and William joined her in death a little over a year later in the late fall of 1838.

May 1789

Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish Settlements in Virginia, 1745 - 1800

Augusta County Virginia County Court Judgments, January Causes, page 390 William Ledgerwood and Rebecca, his wife; William Berry and Rebecca, his wife; Esther Carrothers, by John Moffet, her guardian, and next friend vs John Frazier. -- Ejectment 1787. James Frazier's deposition, 19th October 1790--brother of John. John Brownlee testifies 14th November 1788. Was acquainted with James Elder and Robert Moody, his brother, upwards of sixty years ago and they passed for brothers and then lived with their parents Robert and Isabella Moody, and deponent was acquainted with them during the whole course of their lives. James Moody married Rebecca Wilson, by whom they has issue. Rebecca Moody who married William Ledgerwood, Jr. Isabelle Moody who married James McClery. James and Rebecca lived within four miles of deponent at time of their marriage and they always passed for husband and wife. Margaret Christian, step-daughter of James Moody, deposes 14th November 1788. She was acquainted with James, the elder and Robert Moody, his brother near sixty years ago and the always passed for brothers; deponent at of twelve years was present at marriage of James Moody to Rebecca Wilson; they has issue, Rebecca and Isabella, above and Esther Moody, who married John Moffett. Sarah Brownlee deposes, 14th November 1788. Was acquainted with James and Robert about fifty-eight years ago and ever since till their death.