Genealogical and Family History
of the
STATE OF MAINE

Compiled under the editorial supervision of George Thomas Little, A. M., Litt. D.

LEWIS HISTORICAL PUBLISHING COMPANY
New York
1909.

[Please see Index page for full citation.]

[Transcribed by Coralynn Brown]

[Many families included in these genealogical records had their beginnings in Massachusetts.]

BERRY The Berry family is of ancient English origin. The best authority gives the derivation of the name as from the word "Bury" or "Borough" (a place of safety, of defense), and the spelling of the name in England, in fact, is more common Bury than Berry. The Manorial residence in many parts of England is the "Bury" from which the names Berry, Berriman, Burroughs and Barrows are derived. The name Adam de la Bury is cited as an instance of the name in the earliest history of surnames in England. The fact that one English family used the barberry as an emblem on its coat-of-arms does not explain the origin of the name, though it is quite probable that in this instance the name suggested the barberry as a symbol. There have been families of title bearing this surname in England, Scotland and Ireland for many centuries. The name is very common in Devonshire, England. Some of the family seats were at Teddington, county Bedford; Molland, county Devon; Berry Narborn, East Leigh, Lobb, etc. in Devonshire; also in Oxfordshire, Lancashire, Bedford and Norfolk. (I) William Berry, the immigrant ancestor of Alfred H. Berry, of Portland, is presumed to have descended from the Norfolk family, mainly Capt. William Mason, whose native place was in Norfolk county. It may, hwoever, with equal reason be assumed that William Berry was from the south of England, for Capt. Mason was for many years the governor of Portsmouth in the county of Hampshire, whence came the names of Portamouth, N. H., which he founded and owned. It was in Mason's Portsmouth home that the Duke of Buckingham, the royal favorite and Mason's patron, was assassinated in the summer of 1628 by John Felton. The death of his patron, however, did not end Mason's favor with King Charles, who had already granted more than one New England Patent to him and his friend, Sir Ferdinando Gorges, and would have put them in command of all England, to the detriment of the Mass. Puritans, had not Mason died in Dec., 11635, just as the measures of the court and the English prelates were about to take effect. Mason was a native of King's Lynn in Norfolk, born Dec. 11, 1586. He entered Oxford in June, 1602, but never graduated. He became a merchant and shipmaster before 1610. He had lucrative offices at Newfoundland and in New Hampshire. He had grants of land between the Naumkeag river and the Merrimac under the name of Mariana, March 9, 1622; a second patent from the council of New England was granted Aug. 10, 1622, to Mason and Gorges, covering all the land lying on the sea coast and for sixty miles inland, between the Merrimac river and the Kennebec, and this was called the province of Maine. Seven years later, Nov. 7, 1629, Mason was granted all that part of the province of Maine lying between the Merrimac and Piscataqua; this he called New Hampshire. Ten days later a much larger tract, called Laconia, and supposed to extend to Lake Champlain, was granted to Mason and Gorges. By 1632 Mason had become a member of the council for New England, which made all these grants and many more to other persons, and he was expending much money in taking possession of his lands in New Hampshire. As early as 1623 David Thomson, a Scot, took possession of a grant made to him in 1622. He was not long after the Pilgrims at Plymouth. William and Edward Hilton settled on a grant at Dover in 1623. There were settlers in various places in N. H. on the coast when Capt. Mason's first colonists came over in 1631. The names of the forty-eight men who, with "twenty-two women and eight Danes," were sent to take charge of his property and make settlement, have been preserved. There were mechanics for building the Manor House in which Mason was to rule New England. Large and small houses were built and Portsmouth soon became a flourishing colony. Mason was nominated by King Charles as vice-admiral of New England and was preparing to go out to his colony when he died. Under the original name of Strawberry Bank this settlement, planned and executed by Mason and his agents, among those four dozen pioneers, included all that is now Portamouth, Rye, Newcastle, Newington and Greenland. In all of these towns later we find descendants of William Berry. The Church of England was established and a pastor in charge, Rev. Richard Gibson, as early as 1640, when all the rest of New England seemed destined to be exclusively Puritan in religion. William BERRY seems to have been one of the chief men of the colony. When the Glebe Lands were deeded the seals were placed opposite the names of Berry and John Billing, though there were twenty of the early settlers whose names appear on the document, including the governor, Ambrose Bibbons. This deed, dated 1640, represented a parsonage for the parish and fifty acres of Glebe Land, twelve of which adjoined the house lot. Some of the land was on Strawberry Bank creek and can doubtless be located by survey today. The parsonage and Glebe lands were deeded to the two church wardens, Thomas Walford and Herny Sherburne, and their successors. The document calls the twenty signers the "pincipal inhabitants" of Portsmouth. Although Capt. Mason expended large sums of money upon Strawberry Bank of Portsmouth, when he died the men in his employ were left with wages unpaid and the future uncertain. The property was then divided among Mason's creditors, and the settlemtn of Portsmouth was soon in much the same condition as the other settlements of New Engla.d William Berry received a grant of land on the neck of land on the south side of Little river at Sandy Beech at a town meeting at Strawberry Bank, Jan., 1648-49. Sandy Beech was the early name for what is now Rye, N. H., but Berry lived only a few years afterward. He died before June, 1654, and his widow Jane married Nathaniel Drake. Children, 3 [trans note: I only find 2 on the list] sons, perhaps others: Joseph, who is living in the adjacent town of Kittery, Maine, in 1623. John, see forward. (II) John, son of William Berry, was born about 1630, probably in England. He was the first settler in the town of Rye, then called Sandy Beech, on his father's grant of land there. He married Susannah ____. Children: 1. John Jr., born Jan. 14, 1659. 2. Elizabeth, married John Locke. 3. William, settled at Newcastle, married Judah ____, and they had Nathaniel, b. Feb. 13, 1689; Stephen, b. Jan. 18, 1691; William, b. Nov 18, 1693; Jeremiah, b. March 8, 1695; Frederick, b. Jan. 15, 1699; Abigail, b. March 15, 1700; Jane, b. Jan. 26, 1702. 4. James. 5. George, see forward. (The History of Rye is authority for all parentage of all but George, who hailed also from Rye, and must be included among the children of John Berry, the head of the only family of this name in the town. See Parson's History of Rye, New Hampshire, and Dow's History of Hampton, New Hampshire.) (III) George, son of John Berry, was born in 1674, at Rye, N. H. He lived at Rye, finally settling at Kittery. He married, at Hampton, N. H., Jan. 1, 1702, Deliverance Haley, daughter of Andrew Haley. Children: 1. George, see forward. 2. Deborah, married Oct. 22, 1730, William Walker, of Kittery, Maine. 3. Elizabeth, married Oct. 22, 1730, Tobias Fernald. 4. Mary, married Oct. 3, 1741, Samuel Lunt Jr. 5. Josiah, married, 1740 (published Dec. 20), Mary Hidden. (IV) Major George (2), son of George (1) Berry, was born at Rye, N. H., or Kittery, Maine, 1706. He removed from Kittery, where he was brought up, to Falmouth (now Portland), Maine, in 1732. He became the proprietor in Falmouth of Berry's Shipyard and was evidently a shipwright by trade. He was major of the regiment of that vicinity in the Indian fights that were frequent during his younger days, and during the French and Indian war in the fifties. He married, Jan. 11, 1726-27, Elizabeth Frink, daughter of George and Rebecca (Skilling) Frink. Children, bap. at Kittery, though some b. at Falmouth: 1. George, born May 12, 1728, died young. 2. Joseph, b. March 30, 1729, died young probably. 3. Elizabeth, b. Dec. 6, 1730. 4. George, b. April 8, 1732, married Sarah Stickney and they had children: Deacon William Levi, George. 5. Joseph, b. Sept. 26, 1740. 6. Burdick, married Sally ____ and had eight children. 7. Lieut. Thomas, see forward. (V) Lieut. Thomas, son of George (2) Berry, was born at Falmouth, Maine, in 1745. He was an officer in the revolution, and late in life drew a pension of twenty dollars a month from the government. He was elected adjutant of Col. Jacob French's regiment, of Bristol and Cumberland counties, and he took part in the siege of Boston. He was stationed on Walnut Hill. Later in the year 1776 he was lieutenant in Capt. Richard Mayberry's company of Col. Ebenezer Francis' regiment. He resided at Brunswick and Portland, Maine, and at Rockland, where he died Jan. 27, 1828, at the age of eighty-thee years. He married, at Brunswick, Maine, Aug. 15, 1773, Abigail Coombes. Children, b. at Portland: 1. Samuel, born May 4, 1774, see forward. 2. Lydia, born Aug. 14, 1776. 3. Joshua, born March 4, 1779, married Fannie Coombs, lived and died in Portland. 4. Thomas Jr., born May 26, 1781, married ____ Burgess, lived and died in Brunswick, Maine. 5. George, born Aug. 14, 1783, named for his grandfather Berry, lived and died at Topsham, Maine, leaving a large family. 6. Abigail, born April 26, 1785, married Josiah Haskell, settled in Rockland, Maine, died Nov. 1, 1853. 7. Jeremiah, born Sept. 8, 1787, removed from Falmouth to Thomaston, Maine in 1812; married Frances A. Gregory April 27, 1815; settled at Rockland; was a mason, innkeeper, and successful business man; died March 11, 1857, at the age of seventy, leaving four sons and one daughter. He was a soldier of the war of 1812. 8. Joseph, born Sept. 20, 1789, married (first) Abigail Coombs, March 12, 1815; (second) Jane Ann Creamer, Dec. 18, 1845; resided at Thomaston, a mason by trade; died May 29, 1845, aged sixty-six. [trans note: they have his marriage date and his date of death in the same year. I think this is a typo.] 9. Betsey, b. 1791. 10. Benjamin, born May 11, 1796, married, at Brunswick, Dolly Murray, Dec. 21, 1820, died at Rockland, Maine June 27, 1856. (VI) Samuel, eldest child of Lieut. Thomas and Abigail (Coombs) Berry, was born in Portland (Falmouth) Maine, May 4, 1774, died at Georgetown, May 18, 1851. He was an active, good-natured and energetic man, a mason by trade. He married (first) Mary (Polly) Gould; (second) a Miss Hubbard, of Massachusetts, who died Sept. 26, 1818; (third) Hannah Small, of Phippsburg, a daughter of Samuel Small, a solider of the revolutionary war; (fourth) a Miss Oliver. Children of 1st wife: Samuel, Joseph, Joshua and John. Child of 2d wife: Jane. Children of 3d wife: Betsey, Mary, Lydia, Curtis and Stephen Decatur. (VII) General John, second son of Samuel and Mary (Gould) Berry, was born in West Bath, 1797, and died in Georgetown, Oct. 26, 1872. He was named for his Grandfather Gould, the father of Samuel Berry's first wife. He first learned the trade of stonemason from his father, with whom he worked much in early life, erecting government lighthouses along the New England coast. He then engaged in milling and ship-building, in which he was successful, soon becomign a large builder and owner. He built ships in Bath and at other points on the Kennebec, as well as at Robin Hoods cover at Georgetown. In fact he was the first man who owned and cleared a ship in his own name from the port of Bath. He had an extensive business, not only in shipbuilding, but in lumbering and trade. He was widely known as General Berry, receiving his title from his command in the state militia, to which he was elected by the legislature in 1839, at the time of the notable "Aroostook War." He was a man of fine physical appearance and of exceptional force and energy. In 1857 he was appointed collector for the port of Bath by President Buchanan and served three years. About the same time he was also a member of the legislature for several sessions. He married (first) Nancy Lee. Children: James Langdon and Alfred Lee. He married (second) 1824, Harriet Oliver, of Georgetown, daughter of David Oliver, and had ten children. (VIII) Alfred Lee, son of General John and Nancy (Lee) Berry, was born in Georgetown, April 8, 1820, and died Oct. 29, 1856. He was a very active and successful business man, associated with his father in his various enterprises. He served his town as state senator at Augusta and was aide to General Joseph Berry with the rank of colonel. He married Mary E. White, who was born in Georgetown, Maine, July 16, 1820, daughter of James McCobb and Elizabeth (Pattee) White, of Georgetown, Maine. Children: 1. Alfred Henry, mentioned below. 2. Harriet Ann, married Edwin A. Potter, of Chicago. 3. Alice M., died at the age of thirteen years. 4. Lena T., married Walter P. Bancroft, of Portland, Maine. 5. Frank Lee, married Sara Wilson. (IX) Alfred Henry, eldest child of Alfred Lee and Mary E. (White) Berry, was born in Georgetown, Maine, Sept. 9, 1844. Educated in the common schools and at the State Academy at Lewiston. From 1867 he was associated as employe and in partnership with C. J. Walker, under the firm name of C. J. Walker and Company, wholesale dealers in boots, shoes and rubbers. In 1889 he founded the A. H. Berry Shoe Company, manufacturers and wholesale dealers in boots and shoes, of which he is still the active head (1908). Alfred Henry Berry married, July 11, 1871, Frances Fisher Crosby, who was born in Arrowsic, Maine, May 4, 1847, daughter of William L. and Martha (Fisher) Crosby, of Arrowsic, Maine. Children: Three children, only one of whom, Harold Lee, survives. (X) Harold Lee, only surviving child of Alfred Henry and Frances F. (Crosby) Berry, was born in Portland Aug. 26, 1877. He acquired his education in the public schools, in the Columnbian Academy, Washington, D.C., from which he graduated in 1897, and at Bowdoin College, where he received the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1901. Immediately after completing his college course he took up his work with the A. H. Berry Shoe Company, of which he is a director and has since contributed his labors for the success of that concern. He is a Republican, and has served two terms in the city council in 1907-08. While in college he became a member of the Psi Upsilon fraternity. He is a member of the Cumberland and the Country clubs. Harold Lee Berry married, in Portland, Aug. 28, 1905, Violetta Lansdale Brown, born May 14, 1883, daughter of John Marshall and Alida Catherine (Carroll) Brown, of Portland. Child: Martha Carroll Berry, b. Oct. 13, 1908. BERRY (For preceding generations see William Berry I). (V) George (3), son of Major George (2) Berry, was born April 8, 1732. He married Sarah Stickney. Children: 1. Deacon William, mentioned below. 2. Levi. 3. George. Probably others. (VI) Deacon William, son of George (3) Berry, was born in Falmouth July 30, 1753, and was one of the early settlers of Buckfield, Maine. He was a deacon in the Baptist church and a much respected citizen. He married, Aug. 4, 1774, (by Rev. Ephraim Clark), Joanna Doane, born March 3, 1753. Children: 1. Polly, born Feb. 22, 1775-76, died Dec. 28, 1837; married Oct. 22, 1795, Luther Whitman. 2. Levi, born April 28, 1777, mentioned below. 3. Dorcas, born April 16, 1779, died May 24, 1867; married March 10, 1799, Jacob Whitman Jr. 4. Joanna, born March 11, 1781, died Dec 27, 1864; married (first) Samuel Briggs; (seonc) Rev. Nathaniel Chase. 5. William, born April 17, 1783, died March 1, 1848; married Deborah Drake. 6. Betsey, born June 1, 1785, died April 13, 1859; married James Ricker. 7. George, born July 30, 1787, died Oct. 1, 1859; married Sally Swan. 8. Obadiah, born March 2, 1790, died March 1, 1875; married Abigail Ricker. 9. Sally, born June 9, 1792, died April 17, 1820; married March, 1814, Tobias Ricker Jr. 10. Remember, born Dec. 22, 1794, married John Swett. 11. Zeri, born Nov. 1, 1797, died April 19, 1885; married Abigail Turner. Deacon William Berry died Oct. 1, 1817; his wife, Joanna Berry, died August, 1825. (VII) Levi, son of Deacon William Berry, was born in Falmouth April 28, 1777, died in Smyrna, Maine, Feb. 6, 1854. He married Louisana ____. He settled in Woodstock, Maine, in 1811, and his home was near the West Paris station. Children: 1. Levi, born June 11, 1801, mentioned below. 2, Louisa, born April 9, 1803, married John Lapham. 3. William, born April 5, 1805, married Sally Lovejoy. 4. Leonard, born Feb. 25, 1807, married Hannah Pool. 5. Aurelia, born April 29, 1810, married Elijah Swan Jr. 6. Abigail, born Oct. 2, 1819. 7. George R., born Oct. 8, 1823. 8. Cordelia, born Aug. 17, 1829, married Abel Bacon. (VIII) Levi (2), son of Levi (1) Berry, was born June 11, 1801, in Paris, Maine; died June 16, 1873. He was educated in the public schools of his native town, and was engaged in the lumber business and in farming with his father at Paris until 1844. He removed to Smyrna, Maine, where he was in the lumber business and conducted a large farm and a hotel until his death. He married (first) Sept. 29, 1822, Polly Hammond, who died Sept. 27, 1859. He married (second) Apharinda, daughter of Hiram Eaton. Children of 1st wife: 1. Thaddeus C. S., born Aug. 24, 1823, mentioned below. 2. Lydia Jane, born Aug. 9, 1826, married (first) Nov. 17, 1844, Oliver H. Perry; (second) Dec. 29, 1859, William H. Winslow. child of first husband: Gussie Perry, who lives with her mother in Houlton. 3. Peleg H., born May 10, 1829, married April 17, 1850, Caroline K. Estes. children: i. John E., of Houlton; ii. Laura E., now deceased; iii. Addie, now deceased; iv. Frank P., of Houlton. The father died Feb. 8, 1898. 4. Arabella R., born Dec. 29, 1831, died Feb. 7, 1841. 5. Andrew J., born Feb. 25, 1834, married Oct. 30, 1855, Julia E. Estes; children: i. Oliver H., of Duke Center, Pennsylvania; ii. Minnie Feeley, of Malden, Mass; iii. Julia, of Malden; iv. Fred L., now deceased; Andrew J., now resides at Duke Center, Pennsylvania; his wife died in 1907. 6. Eliza D., born Aug. 16, 1836, married Feb. 6, 1853, Ivory Coolbroth; (second) Jan. 11, 1860, William Jordan; (third) Rev. Philip Wheeler; children of 1st husband: i. Ella Coolbroth, living in Illionois; ii. Jesse Coolbroth, deceased. 7. Samnuel H., born June 21, 1838, married April 27, 1869, Nellie S. Anderson; children: i. Walter P., deceased; ii. Leonard P., lives in Houlton. 8. Mary Arabella, born Feb. 15, 1842, married April 26, 1859, Isaac L. Adams, who died at Smyrna, April 6, 1908; children: i. Charles Adams, deceased; ii. Frank Adams, of Oakfield, Maine; iii. Lizzie Porter, of Smyrna; iv. Levi Adams, of Oakfield; v. Susan Adams, of Oakfield; vi. Belle Adams; vii. Lemuel Adams; viii. Jennie Adams; ix. Henry Adams, of Smyrna. 9. Levi H., born July 7, 1845, married Annie Bickford; children: i. Herman; ii. Nellie; iii. Carrie; all living in or near Glenwood, Minnesota. Children of 2d wife: 10. George Alfred, born Nov. 13, 1860. 11. Charles H., born Aug. 4, 1862, mentioned below. (IX) Dr. Thaddeus C. S., son of Levi (2) Berry, was born Aug. 24, 1823, in Bethel, Maine. He attended the public schools of his native town and later studied medicine. He practiced medicine in Houlton and vicinity until 1896, when he removed to Denver, Colorado, where he lived and practiced until his death in August, 1908. His residence and office was on South Twelfth street in that city. He married Susan A. Oakes, born May 30, 1826. Children: 1. Augustus Henry, born at Smyrna, April 19, 1844, mentioned below. 2. Charles L., born Feb. 10, 1846, died about 1880. 3. Francis S., born Jan. 27, 1848, died April 14, 1885. 4. Lillian A., born March 24, 1854, died Jan., 1891. 5. Hiram Oakes, born Jan. 28, 1856. (X) Augustus Henry, son of Dr. Thaddeus C. S. Berry, was born at Smyrna, April 19, 1844, died Feb. 5, 1905. He was educated in the public schools. He was a lumberman and miller by trade, and worked in various sawmills at Smyrna, then removed to Minnesota, where he continued in the same line of work. He then returned in the seventies to Houlton, Maine, and worked in the same line of business there. In 1895 he and his son established the firm of A. H. Berry & Sons. The firm dealt in meats, provisoins and groceries of all kinds and enjoys a large patronage. Since the death of the senior partner the business has been incorporated under the name of the A. H. Berry & Son Company. The business was located in the present store in 1901, having outgrown the original quarters in the Merritt Block. The company now has two thousand feet of floor space at the store at 70 Main street. Mr. Berry was a well-known and highly esteemed citizen, a hard worker, earnest, energetic and honorable in all his dealings. In religion he was a Baptist; in politics a Republican. He married Hannah A., daughter of Isaac and Catherine (Gilman) Barker, of Houlton, Maine. Children: 1. Isaac (twin), born July 4, 1868. 2. Thaddeus C. S. (twin), born July 4, 1868, mentioned below. 3. Catherine, married Rev. John F. Tilton, of Saco, Maine. (XI) Thaddeus C. S., son of Augustus H. Berry, was born in Maine Prairie, Minnesota, July 4, 1868. When very young he removed with his parents to Houlton, Maine, where he received his education in the public schools. He learned the trade of brick-making and followed it for four years, but he preferred a mercantile life, and became a clerk for the firm of E. Merritt & Sons, of Houlton, grocers. Later he was for four years in the employ of J. A. Millard, dealers in fruit, at Houlton. In partnership with his father, he established his present business in Houlton in 1895, under the firm name of A. H. Berry & Son. The store was originally at 3-4 Water street. In 1901 the present store was leased in order to provide for the necessities of a growing business. The firm was incorporated in Jan., 1908, under the name of A. H. Bery & Son Company, with Mr. Berry as president, treasurer, manager and principal owner, Myron E. Pratt, clerk. The company deals in meats, groceries, provisions, vegetables, fruits, etc. The company has a high reputation for pregressive methods, square dealing and enjoys a large and constantly increasing patronage. Mr. Berry is one of the foremost merchants of this section and well known througout the county. He is a member of the Houlton Baptist church, of which he is one of the deacons and the treasurer. In politics he is a Prohibitionist. He married, July 4, 1888, Elizabeth J., born in New Brunswick, daughter of Thomas and Ann (Carney) Carroll. Chidren, b. at Houlton: 1. Anna C., born Nov. 4, 1889. 2. Dora A., born Aug. 20, 1895. 3. Thaddeus Carroll, born Feb. 27, 1897. (IX) Charles H. Berry, son of Levi (2) Berry, was born in Smyrna, Aug. 4, 1862, and was educated in the public schools of his native town. In his early life he was employed as clark in the drygoods store of Simon Friedman & Company, of Houlton, Maine, and as clerk in a shoe store in the same town. In 1893 he embarked in the livery and boarding stable business and became a prominent dealer in horses. In 1899 he devoted himself exclusively to his sales department, giving up the livery stable. He buys and sells a large number of horses in Boston and Buffalo, as well as in Houlton and vicinity, making a specialty of western stock. His place of business is a new block on Bangor street, which he erected in 1906. He carries a large stock of carriages, blankets, robes, whips and other supplies for the horse and carriage trade. He has accommodations for forty horses at his stable. He has an average sale of three to five hundred horses a year, amounting in value to about a hundred thousand dollars. He owns and conducts three large farms also, one in Hodgdon and one in Houlton, the other in Linneus. He grows annually one hundred and fifty tons of hay and more than a thousand bushels of oats. Mr. Berry is conceded to be one of the best judges of horseflesh in the county of Aroostook. He is of pleasing personality and has a host of friends. He is a self-made man, of large influence and exceptional business ability. He is a member of the New England Order of Protection; of Houlton Lodge, Knights of Pythias, No. 835, and of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He married, Sept. 20, 1885, Ella, born in Monticello, Maine, daughter of Hezekiah and Cylista (McDonald) White. Children: 1. Charles Harry, born Sept. 1, 1887, married Sept. 1, 1907, Beulah Syphers, of Houlton, Maine. 2. Ralph L., born Nov. 29, 1890. 3. Claire C., born Jan. 30, 1893. 4. Beatrice E., born April 19, 1898. 5. Olin L., born Aug. 2, 1900. 6. Alie M., born Feb. 26, 1903. 7. Marion E., born Sept. 30, 1906.