The Story of Sally Malena Berry Henderson#

Sally Malena Berry was born July 20, 1908. She was known as Malena to all of her family. The picture on the left is of Harold, Malena, and Woodrow Berry. Harold Berry is on Malena’s left and this picture must have been taken about 1915/1916 because Woodrow was born on April 3rd 1912 and Harold was born on March 9th 1914. Malena attended grade School at Meredith Grade School which was located very close to her home. Later she went to Caldwell school.

After completing school at Caldwell school pictured on the right she went to live with her sister and brother in law, Brodie S. and Mary Elizabeth Berry Carr, and attended High School in Hillsborough NC.

Mother graduated from Hillsborough High School on May 4th 1928. Thirteen years after Sally Malena Berry graduated from High School, on (May 4th 1941), Grandma Ida Ann Wilson Berry attended the Baccalaureate Service of her oldest granddaughter which also was held at Hillsborough High School. My grandparents returned to Mebane to spend the night with her son, Woodrow Berry. While crossing the road in front of Woodrow’s home she was hit and accidentally killed by an automobile.

Marriage to Jessie Clyde Henderson#

Jesse Clyde Henderson was living with his sister and her husband, Reverend Rowland and Lettie Henderson Cantrell in Hillsborough. Clyde’s brother in law John Roland Cantrell was a Baptist minister at the Baptist Church in Hillsborough. Malena met Jessie Clyde Henderson and dated him while she was still in High School and through the summer of 1928.

On September 22nd 1928 Sally Malena Berry married Jessie Clyde Henderson who was born in Gaffney South Carolina on September 19, 1905. His Parents were William Jackson and Mary Jane Cantrell Horne Henderson. After Clyde and Malena were married they moved to Raleigh, North Carolina, where they lived for a while with Clyde’s Sister, Lettie Henderson Cantrell, and her husband John Roland Cantrell. Reverend Cantrell had moved to Raleigh North Carolina to take over the ministry at Ephesus Baptist Church near Cary NC.

Life in Wake County#

Mother and dad were married at the start of the great depression. Clyde landed a job as caretaker of the Bernie Barrow Farm just West of the N C State fairgrounds near Raleigh. They had everything furnished and $50 a month salary. Clyde and Malena Henderson had two children born while living on the Barrow farm. The House on the Barrow Farm was built by Dr. Meredith the founder of Meredith College in Raleigh. The house where I was born served as a hospital during the Civil War. It was built out of heart pine and there was not a nail in the house. It was Built with pegs. Jessie Clyde and Malena Berry Henderson were listed as a married couple in the 1930 Wake County Census. The census was taken April and I was born in May. Clyde and Malena moved from the Barrow farm in 1936 and in 1938 they built their first home pictured below.

Click on the 1948 English Ford on the left to view a larger image. This was Clyde and Malena’s first new Car. Jessie Clyde and Sally Malena Henderson lived a very interesting and varied life. Clyde Henderson worked as Caretaker of the Barrow Farm, Refrigerator Repairman for Pine State Creamery, Large appliance repairman for a Montgomery Ward, framing carpenter, Self contacted several houses, Caretaker of a Mary Atkinson Girl scout Camp in Clayton, and Caretaker for The Richardson Estate in Greensboro.

Malena could manage money better than almost anyone I have ever known. Jessie Clyde Henderson died in Forsyth County, NC on June 11th 1984. Malena lived another 18 years and died in Wake County on March 19th 2002. She lived by herself up until the last 15 months of her life and up until that time always managed her own affairs. She would have been 94 years old if she had lived three more months.

---

Children of Sally Malena Berry and Jessie Clyde Henderson

1. 1. Benjamin Berry Henderson
2. 2. Barbara Ann Henderson

---

Family Photographs#

Three of the six children of Wiley P. and Ida Ann Wilson Berry and eight of their sixteen grandchildren children. This picture was taken about 1944.

This picture was taken at Mary Atkinson Girl Scout Camp in 1962. Jesse Clyde Henderson was caretaker of this camp at the time.

Left to Right back row: Jesse Clyde Henderson holding William Aaron Henderson, Thelma Guest (Bill) Henderson Uncle Bryant’s wife, Dorothy Laryce (Pete) Henderson McDonald, Eugene James (Jimmy) McDonald Sr. Virginia Lee Henderson Carroll, Joe Watson Carroll, Enos Brown Henderson, Dorothy Alice Padgett Henderson, Patricia Sue Arnette Henderson, William Jennings Bryan Henderson, Benjamin Berry Henderson Sr. Pattie Alma McAdams Berry, William Eugene Berry.

Left to Right front row: Wanda Sue Carroll, Seated; Wiley P Berry Sr., Brenda Sue Henderson, Benjamin Berry Henderson Jr. Connie Jo Carroll, Eugene James (Mac) McDonald Jr., Enos Carl McDonald

---

Census Records

• 1930 — Clyde Henderson’s younger brother was living with them in the 1930 Census
• 1940 — My sister and I were listed with our parents in the 1940 Census

---