William Berry Sr.

   General Notes:

Probably lived in Lancaster Pennsylvania
and then... "On to Virginia"
When the "Valley of Virginia" opened up for settlement, beginning in the mid 1730's, the clannish Irish moved forward once again, to these un-populated areas in masses. Land in the "Borden Grant" and the "Beverly Grant" in Virginia was mostly bought by the Irish of Pennsylvania, founding towns like Staunton, Lexington and Fincastle (along about a 90 mile stretch). By the early 1740's a steady stream of IRISH were pouring out of Pennsylvania and into the Valley of Virginia.
Your money during these times would buy you 3 times as much land in Virginia as it would in Pennsylvania. Then too I assume that the plantations owners would like for the Irish to move to the frontier to cushion them from Indian attacks.
The hardy-stock of the Scotch-Irish clan appeared nearly always to be on the leading edge of the migratory movement. As Pioneers, they were the advance guard blazing the trail through the wilderness far out on the frontier. They were the first line of defense against the savages, bearing the brunt of the Indian wars, and courageously enduring the hardships of pioneer life.
"During the 1740's the swelling tide of emigration gathered force and rolled ever farther Southward and Westward. It should be said that it is not claimed that ALL persons in the Valley of Virginia were Scotch-Irishmen & immigrants from Pennsylvania, or elsewhere in the colony for that matter, but only that a MAJORITY of them were".

Individual:
Rockbridge County, Virginia Will Book 1, pages 429-430
In the Name of God Amen I William Berry Sr of Rockbridge County and State of Virginia Being weak in body But of perfect Memory thanks be Given to the almighty God for the same and Calling to mind the Mo[rta]lity of my Body an knowing that it is appointed for all men once to Die Mak[e and] Ordain this my last will and testament in the manner and form following first I Recommend my Soul into the hands of God that gave it and my body to the [ground] to be Buried in a Christian and desent Manner at the Diseration of my Exec[cutor] and as tutching Such worldly Estate as it hath pleased God to bless me with in th[e] I Give and Dispose of the Same in Manner and form following
Im promist I Give [and] Bequeath to my son James Berry the one half of this Plantation thu and my s[on] William Berry now lives on to him his heirs & assigns forever and the other half of s[aid] to my son William Berry & his heirs and assigns forever orterwies my son William Berry is to have it at his Choice to pay sd James Berry the just sum of one hundred fifty pounds after my just Debts is paid and retain the whole of sd lands for Ever also my Negrow man Namd Ralph after my Death is to be Valued By sd James and William Berry or Some other fit persons chosen for that Purpose and the price of s[aid] Negrow to be Equally Divided Betwixt the sd James and William Berry or their he[irs] still referring to William Berry his choice like the of the land I also Beq[ueath] to my son John Berrys heirs the Just sum of five Pounds I required that my s[ons] James and William Berry Each is to pay fifty shillings to the heirs of s[on] John Berry now Deceased I Bequeath to my Daughter Mary Berry my W[earing] Coat and her Coalt and a Saddle and two cows and two heifers those to [have] her Choice with her Bed and furniture and the rest of my houshold furnitu[re] such as puter and pots I allow to be Divided between my two Daughters Mary and Jane Berry My Negrow wench named Ann I Leave to my Daughter Mary Berry to be hers and her Assigns forever the rest of Moveble Estate I allow to be Divided Between my two sons James and William Berry Excepting one Mare Named Trim that I allow to Become the property of my Son James Berry at my Decease Likewise to my Daughter Jane Berry I Bequeath five shillings sterling in Room of her Birthright and to my Daughter Nancy McCampble I bequeath five shillings sterling in Room of her Burthright Likewise my Daughter Mary is to have her Mentainence off the planatation and I Do Constitute and appoint my two Sons James & William Berry Executors of this my last will and testament in Witness whereof I Have Set my hand and Seal this sixteenth Day of February in the Year of our lord one thousand seven hundred & Ninety one.
Signd Seald Published Pronounced
and Delivered by the sd William Berry Senr
William Berry (X his mark)
to be his last will and Testament in Presents of
John Berry
Chs Berry

See TIMELINE for full transcriptions of the following Primary Source Documents in addition to other court record abstracted docu ments and tax lists.

18 June 1746 Augusta County, Virginia Deed Book No. 1, page 128 -130
[Zeruiah Borden, widow of Benjamin Borden, sells 145 acres
to William Berry.]

21 Mar 1753 Augusta County, Virginia Deed Book 5, page 125
[William Berry/Jane his wife, sell 65 acres to Thomas Berry.]

15 June 1764 Augusta County, Virginia Deed Book No. 11, pag e 596-597
[William Berry/Jane his wife, sell 210 acres to John Trotter.]

10 Nov 1764 Augusta County, Virginia Deed Book No. 11, pag e 714
[John Berry sells 427 acres to William Berry.]

10 Oct 1770 Augusta County, Virginia Will Book 4, page 404
[Will of John Berry. Among other heirs, John Berry,
son of William Berry. Elizabeth Berry, daughter of William Berr y.]

24 July 1782 Rockbridge County, Virginia Marriage Bonds
[William Berry signs consent for daughter, Nancy Berry, to marry
Solomon McCampbell.]

16 Feb 1791 Rockbridge County, Virginia Will Book 1, pages 4 29, 420
[Will of William Berry. Dated 16 Feb 1791; Proved: 5 Feb 1793
Heirs:
Sons: James Berry, William Berry, heirs of son, John Berry, dec 'd.
Daughters: Mary Berry, Jane Berry, Nancy McCampbell
Executors: James Berry, William Berry
Witnesses: John Berry, Charles Berry]

29 Nov 1749 Elizabeth Berry granted letters of Administration for James Berry. Recorded November 1749, Augusta Co, VA, Will Book 1, page 201.

28 day of February 1750. James Berry was appointed guardian of John, James and William Berry orphas of James Berry, decd. Recorded in Augusta County, VA in Will Book 1, page 318.

26 May 1750 Inventory of Estate of James Berry. Recorded in Augusta County Will Book 1, page 250.

29 August 1751. On the motion of James Berry guardian to John Berry Orphan of James Berry decd seting forth that John Jones in whose custody [this?] orphan now is abusing him. It is therefore ordered that the said Jones deliver him up to the said James Berry his Guardian. Recorded in the Augusta County Clerk's Office, Staunton, VA in order Book 3, pagew 187.

?28 November 1751. To the Honorable Bench of Augusta now Sitting November the 28th 1751 the Humble petition of James Berry: Whereas your pettitioner being the Guardian of the children of James Berry, deceased, part of the Estate Which was Sold at publick ?Vandue Remaining as a Book-Debt and notes not being taken for it. it was Drawn out of the Vandue-paper into another which paper John Jones which married the widow of the said Jas Berry Delivered to your petitioner notwithstanding that the said John Jones had before Collected the Money and converted to his own use and the paper which Said John Jones gave to your petitioner being of no force or Value your petitioner Shall thereby be Endamaged & your petitioner therefore hopes that your worships will take said case into your consideration and be pleased to order some Redress and your peitioner will as in Duty bound Ever pray.

30 November 1751. On the petition of James Berry Guardian of the Orphans of James Berry decd seting forth that John Jones who hath Intermarried with the relict of this decd is wasting this Orphans Estate. It is Therefore Ordered that he be summoned to appear at the next Court to answer the same. Recorded in Augusta County, VA in order Book 3, page 225.

15 March 1758. John Berry chooses William MaGill as his guardian. Filed in the Augusta County Clerk's Office, Staunton, VA 1758.
�The Protestant and Herald�
December 1, 1842
�Whilst spending an evening . . . . with Orlando Brown, Esq., . . . he showed us a call presented to his grandfather, ninety years ago. . . . We also present the names which are appended to the original document, because we recognize in them the ancestors, as we suppose, of nearly one tenth of all the Presbyterians of our acquaintance. . .�
�A Call from the United Congregation of Providence and Timber Ridge in Augusta County, To be presented to Mr. John Brown at the Revd. Presbytery of New Castle
when sitting in August 1753. . . .�
Willm. Berry

William married Jane Magill, daughter of William Magill and Mary Eakin. (Jane Magill was born in 1723 in Ireland and died on 16 Feb 1791 in Augusta County Virginia.)