MEMBER OF THE ROBERT AND ELIZABETH CATE BERRY FAMILY
SEPTEMBER, 19 2007
JOHN BERRY is a real mystery because there is so
little information that has been found on him. There is no wedding bond
for John Berry in Orange County. This would indicate that if he was
married he was probably the third child of Robert and Elizabeth Cate
Berry. There were no bonds issued in Orange County N C before 1781.
Because of this fact Robert Berry Jr. and Mary Berry were not listed in
the Grooms or Brides book. Joshua who was probably the fourth child
born to Robert and Elizabeth Berry was the first family member to be
recorded in the Grooms Book in the Orange County Register of Deeds
Office. He was married on January 28 1792. Taking all of this into
account John Berry was either one of the first children to be born or
was very young. He never listed in a census as head of household, He
did not buy any land and there are no records of him except in his
fathers will. He was deceased when Robert Berry wrote his will in 1812.
Robert Berry did leave a slave to John Berry's heirs. This means he did
have children and presumably was married. We do not know whom he
married or any of his children.
To complicate the mystery even more, there is information about a John Berry who
died in Jackson County Georgia in May 12, 1804 . The publication is:
GEORGIA INTESTATE RECORDS By Jeanette Holland Auston, Genealogical
Publishing Company., Inc. Baltimore 1986. In this publication it states
that John Berry left 5 orphan children by the names of Joshua, Robert,
Polly (Mary), Betsie (Elizabeth), and William Berry. These are five of
the names of Robert and Elizabeth Cate Berry's 10 children. On top of
that a Benjamin Camp and a William Cates were involved in the estate of
John Berry and the placement of his five Orphans.
The list below meets several conditions that supports what
little information we have on John Berry:
(1) He was deceased by 1812.(Fathers Will)
(2) He had heirs.(Fathers Will)
(3) Both Cates and Camp men were involved with the estate.
(4) He died in Jackson County Georgia where Mary Berry Camp had settled.
(5) The names he chose for his children
(6) Mary Berry Camp's three sons and a son-in-law drew up a power of
Attorney in Jackson County Georgia on January 12, 1815 That states
their mother Mary Berry was the daughter of Robert Berry in Orange
County NC.
VIEW POWER OF ATTORNEY
There is another Family of Berry's that claims this John Berry;
BUT IS HE OURS ?