Generation 3 Robert Berry Jr.

Book Chapter: Read the full story in Chapter 4: Robert Berry Jr. from Our Berrys in Frontier America

The Story of Robert Berry Jr.#

Robert Berry Jr. was born in Orange County, North Carolina, about 1760. He registered in the 1790 census, meaning he was a property owner by that time. His brother Joshua Berry and his father Robert Berry also listed in that same census.

The Waggoner Connection#

Robert Berry Jr. was originally believed to have married James Camp’s sister, Mary Camp. Later research proved that James Camp did not have a sister named Mary. Instead, Robert Junior’s sister Mary Berry had first married George Waggoner, who did have a sister named Mary Waggoner.

From Henry Waggoner’s will (Orange County NC Book A, Page 330), we learned the names of Henry and Katriana Waggoner’s children, including daughters Mary Waggoner (who married Robert Berry Jr.) and Judith Waggoner (who married Peter Aldridge). Their son George Waggoner married Robert’s sister Mary Berry.

On February 4, 1786, Robert Berry Junior was the bondsman for Peter Aldridge and Judith Waggoner’s marriage. In 1810, Peter Aldridge and his family were living just a few farms away from Robert Berry Jr. in Person County, North Carolina. Robert Junior’s first son George Berry married Susanna Aldridge, Peter and Judith Waggoner Aldridge’s daughter, binding the Berry and Waggoner families even closer together.

Robert also posted bond for Catherine Waggoner in the estate of James Waggoner deceased in November 1791.

Robert and Mary named their first two children Catherine Berry (born 1785) and George Berry (born about 1790), honoring both families.

Life in North Carolina#

When Robert Jr. registered in the 1800 Orange County Census, he listed four sons under 15 (two under 10, two between 10 and 15) and four daughters (two under 10, one between 10 and 15, and one over 15 but less than 25). The eldest must have been Catherine, who would have been just over fifteen in 1800. Catherine Berry married Jacob Pickle on February 20, 1802. In the 1810 census, Jacob and Catherine Berry Pickle were living next door to her uncle David J. Berry.

Robert Berry Jr. listed in Person County, North Carolina, in the 1810 Census.

Supporting documents:

• Deed book page 331 — Land Purchase in Person County, NC
• Deed book page 421 — Land Sold in Person County, NC

The Move to Alabama#

Robert’s sister Elizabeth and mother died around 1815 and 1816. Since Robert Berry Jr. did not inherit any land from his father, and since his son George had served in the War of 1812, land became available to George Berry in a land lottery in Fayette County, Alabama. Robert Berry Jr. and his entire family removed to Fayette County.

George Berry and his father acquired 640 acres of land together in 1824. This property is located very close to where Berry, Alabama, is today. The land grant was signed by President James Monroe.

Fayette County, Alabama, where Robert Berry Jr. and his family settled in 1824

• Land grant to Robert Berry Jr. and his son George Berry, 1824 — Fayette County, Alabama, signed by President James Monroe

Catherine Berry Pickle and her husband Jacob also listed in Fayette County, Alabama, in 1830. They later removed to Monroe, Mississippi, and listed there in the 1840 census.

None of Robert Berry Junior’s family have been found in any 1820 census, they were most likely all in transit from Orange County, North Carolina, to Fayette County, Alabama.

Robert’s Death and Burial#

Robert Berry Jr. did not list in Fayette County, Alabama, in 1850. He would have been about 88 years old. Robert Berry Jr. and Mary Waggoner Berry both died sometime after the 1840 Census and are most likely buried at Pleasant Hill Methodist Church Cemetery in Berry, Fayette County, Alabama.

The 1840 Census indicates that Robert Berry Jr. and his wife could read and write.

Headstone believed to be Robert Berry Jr. at Pleasant Hill Methodist Church Cemetery, Berry, Fayette County, Alabama

The Headstone Connection#

After seeing the only hand-shaped headstone at the Pleasant Hill cemetery in Berry, Alabama (photographed in 2008), and comparing it to the only hand-shaped fieldstone found in the Fiddleton Cemetery in Orange County, North Carolina, it becomes obvious that the shapes are almost identical. Robert Berry’s wife Elizabeth Cate Berry likely had slaves shape the headstone for her husband in the Fiddleton Cemetery. Someone in Robert Berry Junior’s family knew about the shape of his father’s headstone in North Carolina and had a matching one made for him in Alabama.

Left: Fieldstone headstone at Fiddleton Cemetery, Orange County, NC. Right: Matching fieldstone at Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Berry, Alabama. Both are the only hand-shaped markers in their respective cemeteries.

There are several other field stones being used as grave markers right next to Thompson Berry’s headstone. This part of the church cemetery appears to be the original Pleasant Hill Methodist Church Cemetery. Robert Berry Junior’s youngest son Thompson Berry and his wife are also buried there. Thompson’s headstone notes he was born in Orange County, North Carolina, all of Robert Berry Junior’s children were born in North Carolina.

Children of Robert Berry Jr. and Mary Waggoner

Robert and Mary had seven children, all born in Orange County, North Carolina. The family moved to Fayette County, Alabama, together in the early 1820s.

1. 1. Catherine Berry
   Born October 1785, Orange County, NC — Died after 1870
   Married Jacob Pickle on February 20, 1802. Listed in Fayette County, Alabama, in 1830, then Monroe, Mississippi, in 1840, and Attala County, Mississippi, after 1870.
2. 2. George Berry
   Born c. 1790, Orange County, NC — Died before 1850, Alabama
   Married Susanna Aldridge, daughter of Peter Aldridge and Judith Waggoner. Served in the War of 1812. Received the land grant with his father in Fayette County, Alabama, in 1824. Listed in Fayette County in 1830 and 1840. His son John Berry was found in Rusk County, Texas, in the 1860 census. A descendant of John Berry has taken a Y-DNA test and matches known descendants of the Robert and Elizabeth Cate Berry family.
3. 3. John Berry
   Born 1792, Orange County, NC
   Further details about John's life and family are still being researched.
4. 4. Henry G. Berry
   Born c. 1794, Orange County, NC — Died December 26, 1866, Drew County, Arkansas
   Moved from North Carolina to Alabama and later to Arkansas.
5. 5. Susan Berry
   Born May 17, 1798 — Died July 1874
   Married John H. Ray.
6. 6. Thompson Berry
   Born December 18, 1801, Orange County, NC — Died January 8, 1871, Fayette County, AL
   Buried at Pleasant Hill Methodist Church Cemetery in Berry, Alabama. His headstone notes he was born in Orange County, North Carolina.
7. 7. David Middleton Berry
   Born April 14, 1805, Orange County, NC — Died May 7, 1880, Fayette County, AL
   Settled in Fayette County, Alabama, with the rest of his family.

Census Records

• 1790 — Robert Berry Jr. listed in Orange County, North Carolina (property owner)
• 1800 — Robert Berry Jr. listed in Orange County, North Carolina
• 1810 — Robert Berry Jr. listed in Person County, North Carolina
• 1820 — Not found (family in transit to Alabama)
• 1830 — Found in Fayette County, Alabama — Slave page
• 1840 — Found in Fayette County, Alabama — Slave page
• 1850 — Not found in Fayette County, Alabama (Robert would have been ~88 years old)