Generation 5 Basil Manley Berry

The Story of Basil Manley Berry#

Basil Manley Berry born June 19th, 1856 in Milton County, Georgia. In 1878 at the age of 20 he married Mary Elizabeth Watson born June 24, 1855, daughter of William L. Watson and Elizabeth A. ? Watson. Basil Manley Berry died Oct 1, 1914 in Roswell, Fulton County, Georgia and Mary Elizabeth Berry died Sept 13, 1941 in Roswell, Fulton County, Georgia. They are buried at Willeo Cemetery in Cobb County, Georgia.

Basil Berry had 7 children and his mother in law living with him in the 1900 census in Milton County, Georgia.

In 1910 Basil, wife Elizabeth, daughters Fanny and Verna were living with him. Fanny cared for Basil until his death and lived at the “homeplace” until then.

Verna Berry Whitley cared for mother Elizabeth until Verna died in 1914.

Pearl and Fanny were living with their parents in the 1910 census. Both parents may have been in bad health and the girls were staying there to help with keeping house and running the farm for their parents. This is speculation on my part. In 1915 after Fanny Berry’s father died she was married. The wedding picture is on the left. Below and on the left is a picture of Fanny Berry Cook sometime after 1915. The lower right picture is Pearl

Berry who was also Basil and Elizabeth Berry’s daughter. I think Fanny Berry Cook is on the right of Pearl in this picture. Basil Manley Berry must have been a very prosperous farmer because he bought up his father’s property from his siblings after his father died.

I do not have a picture of Basil Manley Berry or his wife Elizabeth Watson Berry. The obituary of Basil Manley Berry below has a lot of nice things to say about his standing in the community. He was only 58 years old when he died.

Obituary#

Paper 10-1-1914. Marietta Journal/Cobb Co Times. It seems that the good die and the bad survive. Our friends are continually dying and those we love are left behind to curse the world, as we look at it. The things that are dearest to us hurry away and leave us bereft. There is not a man in the county who it seems to me could not have been spared with less than Basil M. Berry. He was a light in the community where he lived. He loved and was loved. He was kind of heart and everybody was kind to him. He was not old enough to die as men think of it. He was at an age when men have ripened into a useful stage and become a blessing to their families and communities. In giving him up I find comfort in the reflection that his wife and sons and daughters will always be proud of his name wherever they hear it called. They have lost one who stood close to them by nature and was so good to them that many days and weeks and months and years will pass before his benign face will cease to fill their memories continually. It was a benediction to be in his presence and to grasp his warm hand and enjoy with him his ever bubbling fun, which brought smiles and swept the blues away, but never harmed anyone. No one who knew him intimately can recall his death without feeling keenly the loss which it entails. Three years ago, Mr. Berry removed from his Crossville home to south Georgia near Fitzgerald. He was dis-satisfied and came back home last year. He was injured in a runaway, and hurt his back. Since his return he has been a great sufferer from Brights disease. Last week he was better and on Thursday he went about the farm and took an interest in what was going on. At night he came in and took a seat before the fire and complained to his daughter that his feet were paining him. His daughter, with loving hands, removed his shoes. He put his hand over his heart and told her he had a pain there. In a few minutes, he was dead. At 7 o’clock on the eve of October 1, his genteel spirit took its flight to the Great Beyond, where he is with the Savior whose intercession has won for him a seat among the blest. On Sunday at Willeo his body was lowered to its last resting place. Rev. S. J. Blackwell and Rev. W. H. Smith officiated. There were hundreds of people in attendance to pay their last respects to a man they loved. Mr. Berry is survived by his wife, and 7 children: Mrs. Amous Ellis of Roswell; Mrs. Verner Whitley of Fitzgerald; Mrs. Pearl (Berry) Stephens; Miss Fannie Berry (Homeplace) near Roswell, Mrs and Mr. Robert Berry near Fitzgerald, Mr and Mrs. Joseph Edgar Berry, Atlanta, Mr and Mrs. William Berry, Atlanta. All were present at the funeral. (A family member advises that Basil ruled with an iron thumb even after children married.)

Children of Basil Manley Berry

1. 1. Joseph Edgar Berry
   Born October 29, 1879; died April 1969, Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia
   Married Sally Arizone Rutherford on Aug 24, 1902. Sally died Jun 9, 1946 in Fulton County, Georgia. They were the parents of 8 children.
2. 2. William M. Berry
   Born c. 1882, Georgia; died February 5, 1950, Fulton County, Georgia
   In 1908 married Eula E. Landrum. Eula died Sept 12, 1977. They are buried at Sandy Springs Methodist Church Cemetery in Fulton County, Georgia. They were the parents of 6 children.
3. 3. Maude Clara Berry
   Born c. 1884, Georgia
   In 1910 married Amos M. Ellis, born July 15, 1887 in Georgia. Amos died Dec 15, 1948 in Fulton County, Georgia. They had 3 children.
4. 4. Robert Berry
   Born 1887
   Married Falandah Whitley. In 1930 they lived in Irwin County, with 2 sons and a sister in law, Anna Whitley. Robert Berry is called John B Berry in one census, J Robert Berry in another.
5. 5. Anna Pearl Berry
   Born 1889; died March 17, 1906
   Married in 1905 Oscar Stephens. Buried at Hopewell Cemetery in Fulton County, Georgia.
6. 6. Fannie Ada Berry
   Born January 16, 1892, Milton County, Georgia; died April 1, 1957, Athens, Clarke County, Georgia
   She married in 1915 Albert Buren Cook, born May 17, 1893 in Georgia. Albert B Cook died Apr 27, 1967. Both are buried at Westlawn Cemetery in Walton County, Georgia. They had two children.
7. 7. Verna I. Berry
   Born c. 1894, Georgia; died after 1920
   Married 1913 to Reason Whitley, born Jan 2, 1888. Reason died September 1969 in Irwin, Georgia. In 1920 Elizabeth Watson was living with them in Irwin County.

After his father Robert Berry’s death in 1891, Basil bought property from Jesse Lee Berry and as other heirs offered their inherited land for sale.

Census Records

• 1900 — Basil Manley Berry was listed Milton County, Georgia, in the 1900 Census
• 1910 — Basil Manley Berry listed in the 1910 Milton County, GA Census