DEATH OF B.B. BERRY, ESQ.
1719Mr. B.B. Berry died at his home in this place Wednesday morning, Dec. 2, 1891 at 2 o’clock, after an illness of nearly eleven months, of paralysis. The funeral will take place at 1 o’clock to-day (Thursday) from his late residence, conducted by the Odd Fellows, Rev. L. Ewing officiating.
Baxter Bell Berry, the subject of this sketch, ranks among the pioneers of this section. His acquaintance was extensive having been in public office for many years and a leader the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, which for a long time held a prominent place in this community. His life stands out and speaks for the character of him who has left these earthly scenes of care and strife, trial and trouble, and lies peaceful and calm in his last repose.
Mr. Berry was born in Franklin County, Tenn, near Nashville, Oct. 25, 1807, and was consequently 84 years and 7 days old. His early years were spent in the place of his birth. When about eighteen years of age he moved with his parents to Sangamon County, Illinois, and when twenty-one he started out for himself to learn the carpenter’s trade; but the Indians became troublesome and he joined the state service to assist in quieting them. He began again to work at his trade when the Indians were subdued and continued at it until in ’32, when he again entered the service for the Black Hawk War. He was made Sergeant-major of Col Collin’s regiment, under command of Brigadier-General J.D. Henry, serving till the close of the war.
Mr. Berry was married to Miss Elizabeth Preston Camron, Oct 2, 1832, who survives him. To them were born seven children – four boys and three girls – John Henry of Roseburg, Oregon; Wm. Preston (deceased); Samuel B. of this place; Charles S. of Santa Rosa; Mrs. Lamira S. Cannon, Mrs. Letitia M. Young of Middletown, Lake county, and Mrs. Eva Scudder of this place. Besides these thirty-six grand children and twelve great-grand children survive Mr. Berry.
President Lincoln, who was for about three years in the family of Mrs. Berry’s father, was present at the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Berry, and attended also, their “infare dinner” at the home of Mr. Berry’s father.
Mr. and Mrs. Berry lived in Illinois about twenty years, emigrating to California in the spring of ’52. They arrived in Sonoma county Sept. 19 of that year and located at the head of Green Valley where they lived most of the time till ’69 when he bought the property in this place upon which he has . . .
Thirty years of his life, Mr. Berry served as Justice of the Peace, about twenty of which time was in Sebastopol. He was a staunch member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church for sixty-three years, active in all the pertained to the up-building of the cause of Him he served. His membership in the I.O.O.F. dates back over fifty years. He was one of the first organizers of the order in Illinois, and his good wife was one of the first Rebekahs. He was also one of the number who organized Evergreen Lodge, in ’67 at this place, and has filled all of its chairs. He was loyal ever to the order and always faithful in attendance as long as he was able to be about.
Mr. Berry will be missed by friends and children, but the old wife will be lonely, indeed, having walked with her companion for over fifty-nine years, in sunshine and shade, through the many vicissitudes that these years have necessarily brought. To her we extend tender sympathies.
NOTES159 for Baxter Bell Berry:
Baxter Bell Berry was first elected a justice of the peace in Bernadotte, Fulton County, Illinois, in 1836, serving for eight years. In 1845, Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa, he served in the same official capacity, holding office untill 1852, when he left in the Purvine wagon train for the gold felds of California. Arriving in Sonoma County, he first leased a farm from Jasper O'Farrell in Analy Township, near Sebastopol, and later bought it. In 1856 he elected to the County Board of Supervisors. In 1859 he was again electted to justice of the peace, and two years later succeeded himself for another two-year term. In 1869 he engaged in the liver stable business in Sebastopol, selling out to his son, Samuel B Berry, in 1872, who conducted it until 1881 when it was destroyed by fire, with no insurance. Again in 1870 elected justice of the peace, he held the office for eighteen years, having served in the various communities in which he had lived for more the one-third of his eighty years, twenty of which were in Sonoma County. He and his wife had eight children-- John, James,William,Lamira,Samuel, Lutitia, Charles, and Evaline.
Children of Elizabeth Camron and Baxter Berry are:
14 i. James Agustus5 Berry, born April 07, 1835 in
Illinois; died June 06, 1852 in Died on trip coming to California.
+ 15 ii. William Preston Berry, born January 01, 1837 in
Illinois; died July 20, 1889 in Sebastopol, Sonoma County, California.
+ 16 iii. Lamira Samantha Berry, born February 17, 1840 in
Illinois; died January 12, 1931 in Middletown, California.
+ 17 iv. Samuel Bonham Berry, born February 14, 1842 in
Bernadotte County, Illinois; died March 17, 1908 in Sebastopol, Sonoma County, California.
18 v. Margaret Lutitia Berry, born March 27, 1845 in Bernadotte County, Illinois; died March 28, 1934. She married Charles Marsh Young November 20, 1866 in Sebastopol, Sonoma County, California.
Notes for Margaret Lutitia Berry:
Married by the Rev. John M. Camron
Children of Elizabeth Camron and Baxter Berry are:
+ 17 iv. Samuel Bonham Berry, born February 14, 1842 in Bernadotte County, Illinois; died March 17, 1908 in Sebastopol, Sonoma County, California.
18 v. Margaret Lutitia Berry, born March 27, 1845 in Bernadotte County, Illinois; died March 28, 1934. She married Charles Marsh Young November 20, 1866 in Sebastopol, Sonoma County,
California.
Following from Jim Panttaja
1398 :
ii. BAXTER BELL BERRY (Source: (1) Alice Purvine Murphy, The Rev. John M. Camron and Descendants 1790-1962, (1962), 3, 27, On page 27 a description of coming to California, leaving Oskaloosa, Iowa, 26 April, 1852 with Charles Pruvine, Silas Martin, and other family and neighbors., (2) Charlotte Bergevin, Daisy Sundberg, Evelyn Berg, Camerons, Westward They Came, (1983), 29., (3) Baxter Bell Berry, "Samuel Berry's Family Record," Drawn off of the original by B. B. Berry the 2nd Son of the above named Samuel and Anny Berry in Menard County Illinois March the 6th 1852, Date of birth, marriage to Elizabeth Camron., (4) Illustrated History of Sonoma County, (Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, 1889), 318, Worked as a carpenter and joiner under brother-in-law W.G. Jeter., (5) Pension Records, Baxter Bell Berry, Sergent Major, 4th Reg, Illinois Volunteers, Black Hawk War 19 June 1832 to 16 August 1832. .Another document says dates are 15 May 1832 to 30 Sep 1832. Widow certificate issued 10 July 1895. Date of death given as 2 October 1891 in one place, but as 2 Dec 1891 in others. Witnesses, his sister, Martha, her husband and son, David and Samuel B. Clark.Includes date of birth, marriage, death. ., (6) Death Certificate for Baxter Bell Berry, (Copy dated 12 April 1983)., (7) "Obituary of Baxter Bell Berry," Undated., (8) "Vital Records from Cemeteries in California, Sonoma County Cemetery Records 1846-1921," Date of death, age, location of birth., (9) 1880 Census Record for Baxter Bell Berry, (Sebastopol, Sonoma County, California), Age 75., (10) Sebastopol Cemetery, 2/83, notes from visit to cemetery, Jim Panttaja, Died Dec 2, 1891, aged 84 yrs 1m & 7 ds. A native of Tennessee., (11) Corresponsdence from Marion (Herington) Boling, 8/31/2001., (12) The Baily's Roots Family., (13) "Transcript of Obituary of B. B. Berry," Sebatopol Newspaper, 13 Decembeer 1891, Lists children, and gives dates of marriage, brief biography, and lists 7 children., (14) Abe Lincoln- New Salem, Abraham Lincoln was best man at wedding of Baxter Bell Berry and Elizabeth Camron., (15) William Elwood Berry, The Berry Patch, (Published by the author, 1976, photo copy.), 27, 47., (16) Benjamin P. Thomas, Lincoln's New Salem, (The Abraham Lincoln Association, Springfield, Illinois, 1934), 113., (17) McClure, Evelyn S., Sebastopol's Historic Cemetery, (Belle View Press, Sebastopol, California, 2000.), 18., (18) Marriage Records, Sangamon County, Illinois, 1821-1840, (Sangamon County Genealogical Society of Illinois), 92, Grooms name listed as Baxter C. Berry., (19) Transcribed by Ruth Z. Marko, Federal Census, 1830, Sangamon County, Illinois, (Sangamon County Genealogical Society of Illinois), 37, Record for Samuel Berry - Census page 65/200. Likely this Samuel Berry. One male 40-50, one female 40-50. 7 children (one male 20-30 I suspect this is Baxter Bell Berry. He is not listed elsewhere - and older brother James was already married)., (20) Sonoma County Genealogical Society, Inc. Santa Rosa, California, 1999, Sonoma County Cemetery Records, (Heritage Books, Inc., Bowie, Maryland, 2001.), "Electronic," 367, Died 12/2/1891, age 84 years, 1 month, 7 days, native of Tennessee., (21) Sonoma County Genealogical Society, Inc. Santa Rosa, California, Sonoma County, California Death Records, 1873-1905, Second Edition, (Heritage Books, Inc., Bowie, Maryland, 2001.), "Electronic," 21, Died 2 December 1891, age 84 years, 1 month 7 days, born Iowa, buried Sebatopol Cemetery, Source 40:7., (22) Sonoma County Genealogical Society, Inc. Santa Rosa, California, 1999, 1890 Census Sonoma County Reconstructed, (Heritage Books, Inc., Bowie, Maryland, 2001.), "Electronic," 18, Age 80, justice/peace, born in Tennessee, resides in Analy Township, source Great Register of Voters., (23) Julia A. Drake, Flame O' Dawn, (Vantage Press, 1959.).), b. October 25, 1807, Near Nashville, Franklin, Tennesseee; d. December 02, 1891, Sebastopol, Sonoma, California; m. ELIZABETH PRESTON CAMRON (Source: (1) Alice Purvine Murphy, The Rev. John M. Camron and Descendants 1790-1962, (1962), 3., (2) Charlotte Bergevin, Daisy Sundberg, Evelyn Berg, Camerons, Westward They Came, (1983), 29., (3) Baxter Bell Berry, "Samuel Berry's Family Record," Drawen off of the original by B. B. Berry the 2nd Son of the above named Samuel and Anny Berry in Menard County Illinois March the 6th 1852., (4) Illustrated History of Sonoma County, (Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, 1889), 318., (5) "Obituary of Elizabeth P. (Camron) Berry," Undated., (6) Funeral Notice for Elizabeth P. (Camron) Berry., (7) Widow's Pension Certificate for Elizabeth P. (Camron) Berry., (8) "Vital Records from Cemeteries in California, Sonoma County Cemetery Records 1846-1921," Date of death., (9) 1880 Census Record for Baxter Bell Berry, (Sebastopol, Sonoma County, California), Age 66., (10) Sebastopol Cemetery, 2/83, notes from visit to cemetery, Jim Panttaja, Elizabeth, wife of Baxter B. Berry died Apr 3, 1896., (11) Corresponsdence from Marion (Herington) Boling, 8/31/2001, Gives birth location as Henderson County, Kentucky., (12) William Elwood Berry, The Berry Patch, (Published by the author, 1976, photo copy.), 47., (13) McClure, Evelyn S., Sebastopol's Historic Cemetery, (Belle View Press, Sebastopol, California, 2000.), 18, 24., (14) Marriage Records, Sangamon County, Illinois, 1821-1840, (Sangamon County Genealogical Society of Illinois), 92, Brides name listed as Elizabeth Cannon, with correct date., (15) Sonoma County Genealogical Society, Inc. Santa Rosa, California, 1999, Sonoma County Cemetery Records, (Heritage Books, Inc., Bowie, Maryland, 2001.), "Electronic," 367, Died 4/3/1896, buried Sebastopol Cemetery., (16) Sonoma County Genealogical Society, Inc. Santa Rosa, California, 1999, 1890 Census Sonoma County Reconstructed, (Heritage Books, Inc., Bowie, Maryland, 2001.), "Electronic," 18, Age 77, resides Petaluma Township, source family descendants., (17) Julia A. Drake, Flame O' Dawn, (Vantage Press, 1959.), 219, Date of birth listed as 1815.), October 02, 1832, New Salem, Sangamon, Illinois; b. January 13, 1813, Hopkinsville, Christian, Kentucky; d. April 03, 1896, Sebastopol, Sonoma, California.