John Berry

   General Notes:

HIST: IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN I John Berry of the County of Augusta and Colloney of Virginia being weakly of body but of perfect mind and Memory thanks be given to Almighty God there fore Considering the Mortallity of my body Knowing that it is
appointed for all men once to die I do Make & Ordain this my last will and Testament that is to say Principally first of all I ecommend and Commite my soul into the hands of Almighty God who gave it and my body to the Earth decently buried at
the discretion of my Executor doubting nothing but I shall receive the same again by the Mighty Power of God at the General resurection and as Touching what estate it hath Pleased God to bless me with in this life I give devise & dispose of the
same in the following Manner and form Impremis it is my Will and I do order that all my lawful debts and funeral charges be fully Paid and Satisfyed Item- unto Mary my Daughter one Pounds five shillings Curant money of Virginia I likewise give
and bequeath unto John Neisbit six shillings and six Pence Curent Money of Virginia Item - I give and bequeath unto John Berry sun of James Berry deced. six Pounds Current Money of Virginia I give and bequeath unto John Berry sun of William
Berry ten pounds Current Money of Virginia Item- I give & bequeath unto John Berry Sun of Francis Berry ten pounds Current Money of Virginia Item- I give & Bequeath unto Fra Berry Wheel right five pounds Current Money of Virginia Item- I
give and Bequeath unto Mary Berry daughter of William Berry Fowar (4) Pounds Current money of Virginia Item I give and Bequeath to her Sister Elizabeth Berry Six pounds Current money of Virginia HIST: Item- I give and bequeath unto Elizabeth Berry Daughter of Charles Berry five pounds Current money of Virginia Item- I give & bequeath unto my Daughter Rebecca Berry twenty pounds Curent money of Virginia I likewise Constitute and appoint my
trusty friends Alexander Walker Wheel wright & William Edmoston sole Executors of this my last will & Testament and do hereby disanul & revock all other Wills or Testament by me made declaring & Publishing this my last Will and Testament In
witness whereof I have here unto set my hand & seal this tenth day of October in the year one thousand seven hundred and Seventy Published & Pronounced in the presence of us: HIST: John Walker HIST: John Walker, Junior John Berry HIST: James Walker


Individual: Will: John Berry, Dated 10 October 1770, Proved 22 March 1771, Source: Augusta Co., VA Will Book No. 4, Page 404 IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN I John Berry of the County of Augusta and Colloney of Virginia being weakly of body but of perfect mind and Memory thanks be given to Almighty God therefore Considering the Mortallity of my body Knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die I do Make & Ordain this my last will and Testament that is to say Principally first of all I recommend and Commite my soul into the hands of Almighty God who gave it and my body to the Earth decently buried at the discretion of my Executor doubting nothing but I shall receive the same again by the Mighty Power of God at the General resurection and as Touching what estate it hath Pleased God to bless me with in this life I give devise & dispose of the same in the following Manner and form. Impremis it is my Will and I do order that all my lawful debts and funeral charges be fully Paid and Satisfyed Item- unto Mary my Daughter one Pound five shillings Curant money of Virginia. I likewise give and bequeath unto John Neisbit six shillings and six Pence Curent Money of Virginia. Item - I give and bequeath unto John Berry sun of James Berry deced. six Pounds Current Money of Virginia. I give and bequeath unto John Berry sun of William Berry ten pounds Current Money of Virginia. Item- I give & bequeath unto John Berry Sun of Francis Berry ten pounds Current Money of Virginia. Item- I give & Bequeath unto Fra. Berry Wheel right five pounds Current Money of Virginia Item- I give and Bequeath unto Mary Berry daughter of William Berry Fowar [4] Pounds Current money of Virginia. Item I give and Bequeath unto her Sister Elizabeth Berry Six pounds Current money of Virginia. Item I give and bequeath unto Elizabeth Berry Daughter of Charles Berry five pounds Current money of Virginia. Item I give & bequeath unto my Daughter Rebecca Berry twenty pounds Curent money of Virginia I likewise Constitute and appoint my trusty friends Alexander Walker Wheel wright & William Edmaston sole Executors of this my last will & Testament and do hereby disanul & revock all other Wills or Testament by me made declaring & Publishing this my last Will and Testament. IN WITNESS I have here unto set my hand & seal this tenth day of October in the year one thousand seven hundred and Seventy Published & Pronounced in the presence of us: John Walker John Walker, Junior John Berry (SS) James Walker Francis Berry At a Court Continued and held for Augusta County March the 22.d 1771 This last Will and Testament of John Berry deced. was Proved by the Oaths of John Walker, John Walker, Junior and James Walker three of the Witnesses thereto & Ordered to be Recorded and on the motion of Alexander Walker and William Edmiston the Executors therein named who made oath According to law Certificate is Granted them for obtaining a Probat thereof in due form they having with Security entered into and acknowledged their bond according to the law. Teste KNOW all men by these Present that we Alexander Walker, William Edmiston, John Walker and James (next page not copied) John Berry, Transcription of Appraisal of Estate, 13 August 1771 Augusta County, Virginia Will Book 4 page 411 August 13th 1771 PERSUANT to an Order of Court to us directed we have appraized the estate of John Berry decd in Maner following �.s.d To sum Wooling Yarn and one Bagg 1.0. 0 Sum bed Cloaths 1.19.0 and Body Cloaths 0.15.0 Boots and Shoes Spoons and Dishes 0.8. 0 Six shirts trowsers and Stockings 1.4. 0 Saddle baggs brushes mall rings & Wedges 0.11.6 on(e) bell and knife and looking glass & Razors 0.5. 4 4 Books one buckskin 1.6. 0 Linning Cloath one Barrel one saddle & Bridle 4.6. 9 Reids and Geers Chist and Chairs 1.15.0 Loom and barrs and fraim & timples & wheel 1.10.0 one black Mare 12.0.0 Plough and irons 2 Chlivishes double _?_ Thingings(?) 1.10.0 One Watch One Colt tow Reeds (?) 2.8. 6 One Pair of Gears one Cow 2.1. 0 To Book debts we think Wot (?) all Solvent 34.19.11 By Bond on Hugh McClung & Frances McClung due the 28th of September 1771 Solvent 17.0.0 By Bond on said McClungs due Sept 1772 Solvent 17.0.0 By Bond on said McClungs due Sept 1772 Solvent 17.0.0 By Bond on said McClungs due Sept 1774 Solvent 17.0.0 By Bond on said McClungs due Sept 1775 Solvent 22.0.0 By Bond on Chas. Hays Solvent 10.16.0 By Bond Wm McGaughy not solvent 5.0. 0 By Bond John McCorkry (?) not Solvent 3.0. 0 Bro.t up � By Bond on Robert Fourice (?) not Solvent 3.0. 0 Peter Cartwright By Bond not Solvent 1.10.0 Book debts against Robert Buchanan not Solvent 3.10.0 In all �184.19.11 Joseph Culton John Walker John Stewart At a court held for Augusta County The appraisement of the estate of John Berry decd being returned is ordered to be recorded. Teste John Berry, Transcription of Recording of Estate Settlement,16 May 1781 Augusta County, Virginia Will Book No. 6 An account of Estate of John Berry deceased The account of said estate �.s.d Received in cash by Sundry persons 170.6.4 the price of the land was twice put in this account and again deducted By the sale of the said Estate 42.12.8 By cash the price of land sold 124.0. 0 Totle 336.19 The price of the land deducted 124.0 Amount of the Estate 212.19 Amounts debts & legacies paid 170.3 Balance due to the Estate �42.15.8 Errors excepted Account of more debts paid by the Executor To Margaret Kirkpatrick 0.12.6 To the sherrif for fees 46 lb Tobacco 0.3.10 To John Berry Jun. 1.19.0 To John Gilmore 0.12.4 To William McFeeters 6.1.3 To Samuel Neizbitt 0.6.6 To fees 0.0.10 To Eliz. Henry 5.0.0 �29.12.8 Brought over 140.10.8 Total 170.3.4 Debts paid & Legacies by the Executor To George Berry for funeral charges 1.13.6 To the Shirrif of Augusta 0.14.11 To John Buchanan for crying the vendue 0.10.0 To David McCrea for funeral Liquers 1.7. 0 To Luke Bowyer employed as Lawyer 0.18.0 To Liquor for the Vendue 0.12.6 To Anthony Kelly for a coffin 0.10.0 To the remainder of a bond to Wm McFeeters 3.11.? To Margaret Rutherford for Bond 2.16.9 To Capt. John Gilmore 10.5.0 To William Berry 8.10.0 To George Matthews Shirref 0.16.3 To John Stuart 0.16.3 To William Berry 5.14.3 To James Berry 4.0. 9 To Rebecca Buchanan 2.17.3 To Robert Franies (?) 0.3.0 To Alexander McIlroy 0.16.3 To George Berry 0.16.6 To Charles Berry 0.15.0 To Robert Kilpatrick 0.12.6 To Robert Fanies (?) 3.9. 0 To George Gibson 2.2. 7 To William Gilmore 4.7. 1 To William Gilmore 0.12.0 To Rebecca Kelly 2.12.4 To Wm Moody 0.11.6 To Gabril (?) Fortec (?) 0.15.0 To William Berry 4.13.0 To Mary Johnson 0.12.6 To James Wallace 0.2. 6 To Eliz. Bell 1.4.10 To John McCrossory (?) 2.10.0 To Andw Buchanan 1.9. 1 To James Coulter 0.7. 3 To Andrew McCampbell for Jn Berry Jun 7.0. 0 To Francis Berry 1.4. 0 To Eliz. Berry 5.0. 0 To Eliz. Berry 1.0. 0 To Mary Berry 4.0. 0 To John Berry 11.0.19 To Mary Niezbitt 1.5. 0 To John Berry Shoemaker 6.0. 0 To Mary Berry 5.0. 0 To Samuel Lyle 2.15.0 To Rebecca Gillesy 20.0.0 To Eve_?_ 19.0.0 To Balln due the Estate 23.15.8 Pursuant to an order of the court March 1781 We have examined the within account as it stands stated & find the amount thereof to be �242.19 and the debts paid 170.3.4 Ballance due 42.15.8 said Estate as per account on the hands of Alexander Walker Executor O.E Test Elijah McClenachan William McFeeters At court Cond. and held for Augusta County May 16th 1781 This account of the administration of the Estate of John Berry decd.was reported pursuant to an order of Court and Ordered to be Recorded. Test

The earliest known ancestor of this line is John Berry who was born circa 1695-1700. John Berry can first be documented in Augusta County, Virginia, in a 1753 court order for road maintenance. John Berry died circa 1771 and his will was probated on 22 March 1771 in Augusta County. In his will he identified two daughters, Mary Berry (m. Samuel Nesbit) and Rebecca Berry (later m. Jacob Gillespie) and left a bequest to John Nesbit, son of Mary (Berry) Nesbit. He also left bequests to at least one of the children of each of the following men: James Berry, deceased; William Berry; Charles Berry; and Francis Berry. While these men are not specifically identified as sons in his will, it is a reasonable interpretation that their children were grandchildren, as was John Nesbit. DNA results to date have shown that John Berry had a close family relationship with the James Berry who died in Augusta County ca 1756. Whether they were brothers, cousins, uncle/nephew or even father/son cannot be determined at this time. Descendants of this line can be found in Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Texas, Oregon, Arkansas, Louisiana, Indiana, Iowa and Illinois.