Colonial on Berrytree.org

Chapter 1: Williamsons, Fosters, Berrys & Kemps

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← Preface | Table of Contents | Chapter 2: Robert Berry →

Chapter 1#

Williamsons, Fosters, Berrys & Kemps#

I have been researching the Robert Berry family from Orange County since 1997. When I first started researching, I found that the Census forms from 1790 to 1840, only listed the head of household’s given and surnames. Sometimes they would be listed alphabetically, which was not totally useless but not very helpful either. When the families were listed in the order of farms and plantation physical location, the information became more valuable. I would search the census forms from the very early years and become familiar with as many of the surnames located near one of my known ancestors as possible. Soon I learned that a cluster of surnames in one county would often vary greatly from the surnames listed in the very next county. Since the population was small, clusters of surnames in a close proximity were often related to each other. As our ancestors relocated from one state to another, the pattern was repeated over and over. When I located a family surname who seemed to be a relative from a previous community, I started looking at the surnames of his neighbors. I always paid particular attention to these very close neighbors. This is a very important tool; since there were really not very many people in these early settlements, many of them migrated there together. Many of them were friends and a lot of them were relatives and children who had known each other their entire lives. They had grown up together and when the time came to relocate, they chose to go together.

Chapter 2: Robert Berry 1729–1814

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← Chapter 1: Williamsons, Fosters, Berrys, Kemps | Table of Contents | Chapter 3: Mary Berry →

Chapter 2#

Robert Berry 1729–1814#

Robert Berry OC came to a part of Granville County, North Carolina, which was soon to become Orange County, NC. We know that he built a small cabin in the northeast corner of his staked out land. This cabin was documented in Robert Berry’s OC Entry for his Land Grant. Thomas Bradford owned the land just north of Robert Berry’s OC claim.

Robert Berry (OC)

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Gen 1 Robert Berry × Mary Williamson — Princess Anne County, Virginia

Gen 2 Robert Berry × Elizabeth Cate — Orange County, North Carolina

Generation 2 Robert Berry

Born: c. 1729, Princess Anne County, Virginia
Died: 1814, Orange County, North Carolina
Married: Elizabeth Cate — married c. 1759, Orange County, NC
Parents: Robert Berry and Mary Williamson, Princess Anne County, VA

The Story of Robert Berry#

Robert Berry was the son of Robert Berry and Mary Williamson of Princess Anne County, Virginia, and he came to Orange County, North Carolina, in 1751.

Elizabeth Cate Berry

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Gen 1 Robert Berry × Mary Williamson — Princess Anne County, Virginia

Gen 2 Robert Berry × Elizabeth Cate — Orange County, North Carolina

Generation 2 (by marriage) Elizabeth Cate Berry

Born: c. 1735, Virginia
Died: c. 1817, Orange County, North Carolina
Married: Robert Berry — married c. 1759, Orange County, NC
Parents: John and Margery Lawrence Cate, Prince George County, Virginia

The Story of Elizabeth Cate Berry#

Elizabeth Cate was the daughter of John and Margery Cate. Her oldest brother was Joshua Cate and her youngest brother was Thomas Cate, who was a chain carrier when Robert Berry’s Granville Grant was surveyed in 1753. Robert Berry and Elizabeth Cate were married about 1759. At least three of their children were already married before marriage records were kept in Hillsborough. The ages of their children would indicate that their marriage took place around 1759.

John Cate

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Gen 1 Robert Berry × Mary Williamson — Princess Anne County, Virginia

Gen 2 Robert Berry × Elizabeth Cate — Orange County, North Carolina

Generation 2 (father-in-law) John Cate

Born: Prince George County, Virginia
Died: After 1775, Caswell County, North Carolina
Married: Margery Lawrence — married in Virginia
Parents: Unknown

The Story of John Cate#

Cates Crest

Marriages

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Marriage Bonds from the Grooms Book — Berry Family#

Last Name	First Name	Sp. Last Name	Sp. First Name	Date	Bondsman
Berry	Thomas	Carter	Elizabeth	April 15 1791	George Maden
Berry	Joshua	Ellison	Nancy	Jan 28 1792	Henry Terryl
Berry	Penelop	Strayhorn	David	Oct 9 1795	William Ashley
Berry	David	Blalock	Mary	Feb 27 1797	Henry Waggoner
Berry	William	Cate	Hannah	Aug 12 1799	Thomas Berry
Berry	Thomas	Cate	Sarah	Aug 11 1800	Henry Berry
Berry	Catherine	Pickle	Jacob	Feb 20 1802	Jacob Waggoner
Berry	Thomas	Berry	Mary	May 7 1809	Henry Berry
Berry	Elizabeth	Green	Nathan	Mar 4 1811	Timothy Weaver
Berry	Sally	Cates	William	July 26 1817	Thomas Berry
Berry	David	Hightower	Sally	Apr 5 1820	Madison Co Alabama
Berry	Winnie	Norman	Joshua	Sept 19 1820
Berry	Tabitha	Moore	Thomas	Feb 23 1823	John Moore
Berry	Dicey	Murdock	Andrew	Dec 16 1824	J. A. Gray
Berry	William C.	Bowles	Sally	Nov 20 1826	William Taylor
Berry	Nancy	Warren	Charles S.	Mar 6 1826	John Colier
Berry	John	Vincent	Elizabeth	Mar 6 1827	Jesse Hargrove ( the Architech)
Berry	Deliliah	Hightower	John	Sept 25 1827	Charles Holeman
Berry	Lewis	Tolar	Sally	Oct 13 1828	H Terry
Berry	Thomas P.	Lunsford	Sarah	Sept 28 1831	Henry Berry
Berry	Elizabeth	Franklin	Theodrick	Jan 30 1832	Thomas Person Berry
Berry	Henry	Weaver	Lucy	May 14 1835	James Shepard
Berry	Charlotte	Waggoner	William	Aug 18 1837	William Gates
Berry	Eli	Taylor	Betsey	Dec 21 1846	Henderson Taylor
Berry	Amanda	Hough?	Jacob	May 5 1847	Robert Shields
Berry	Nancy E.	Wagoner	James	Jun 11 1849	William Horner
Berry	Josephine	Montogemery	Daniel	April 29 1853	E.G. Gray
Berry	James H.	McCullock	Emley	Jan 16 1856	James Berry
Berry	Phoeby R.	Brown	Jesse	Jan 4 1856	W. H. Ross
Berry	William H.	King	Sarah F.	Jul 28 1857	C.S. Dunnagan
Berry	Sarah F.	Terry	Hezekiah	Jun 7 1860	H. J. Tilley
Berry	John R.	Bowling	Elizabeth F.	Nov 28 1865	James Allison

Additional Berry Marriages (not in Grooms Book)#

Last Name	First Name	Sp. Last Name	Sp. First Name	Date
Berry	Annie	Parker	Monroe	Dec 30 1875
Berry	John Dr.	Strayhorn	Mary	Oct 2 1876
Berry	Emma G.	Berry	John Saunders	Oct 18 1884
Berry	Willie P.	Wilson	Ida Ann	June 2 1895
Berry	Ada L.	Rogers	Wlm. Jackson	Sept 1 1895
Berry	Cora	Breeze	A. Frank	Jun 26 1899
Berry	Willie A.	Hall	Fannie J.	Jun 3 1900

Last Updated: 2015-01-24

Hannah Cate Berry

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Gen 1 Robert Berry × Mary Williamson — Princess Anne County, Virginia

Gen 2 Robert Berry × Elizabeth Cate — Orange County, North Carolina

Gen 3William Berry × Hannah Cate — Orange County, North Carolina

Generation 3 (by marriage) Hannah Cate Berry

Born: 1770, Orange County, North Carolina
Died: 1858, Orange County, North Carolina
Married: William Berry — married August 12, 1799, Orange County, NC
Parents: William and Elizabeth Smith (Messersmith) Cate

The Story of Hannah Cate Berry#

Hannah Cate was born in 1770 and she died in 1858 in Orange County, NC. Hannah Cate was the daughter of William and Elizabeth Smith (Messersmith) Cate.

Robert Berry (PAC)

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Gen 1 Robert Berry × Mary Williamson — Princess Anne County, Virginia

Gen 2 Robert Berry × Elizabeth Cate — Orange County, North Carolina

Generation 1 Robert Berry (PAC)

Born: Unknown — probably born in England
Died: c. 1730, Princess Anne County, Virginia
Married: Mary Williamson — Princess Anne County, Virginia
Parents: Unknown — most likely born in England

The Story of Robert Berry (PAC)#

Robert Berry (PAC) of South Norfolk County, Virginia, married Mary Williamson and established a home in Princess Anne County, Virginia, which is now known as Virginia Beach, Virginia. Robert and Mary had two sons. The oldest was Richard Berry and the baby was Robert Berry “Orange County, NC” (OC) who was born about 1729. Robert Berry (PAC) wrote his will in 1730 and died shortly after Robert Berry (Orange County, NC) was born.

Roger Williamson PAC

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Roger Williamson from England and Princess Ann County, Virginia#

PARENTS of Roger Williamson and Ann Foster are unknown at this time.

Census Page for Thomas Berry

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Lineage#

Gen 1 — Robert and Mary Williamson Berry — Princess Anne County, Virginia
Gen 2 — Robert and Elizabeth Cate Berry — Orange County, North Carolina
Gen 3 — Thomas Berry (1772 – bef. April 16, 1812, TN) × Sarah Cate (1781 – March 7, 1875, TN) — m. August 11, 1800, NC

1800 Orange County, North Carolina Census#

Robert Berry (PAC) Origins

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Generation 1 Robert Berry (PAC)

Born: Unknown, likely England
Died: 1730, Princess Anne County, Virginia
Married: Mary Williamson

Likely Source of Robert Berry (PAC) and Mary Williamson’s Relatives in England#

St. Botolph Church is located on Aldersgate Street in London, England

August 22, 1663

Robert Berry Ancestors

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Generation 2 Robert Berry (OC)

Born: 1729, Princess Anne County, Virginia
Died: 1814, Fiddleton Plantation, Orange County, NC
Married: Elizabeth Cate
Parents: Robert Berry (PAC) and Mary Williamson

Ancestors of Robert Berry (OC)#

Maternal Ancestors#

Great Grandparents: George and Mary Hutchinson Kempe
Great Grandparents: Roger and Ann Foster Williamson
Grandparents: Richard and Mary Kempe Williamson
Parents: Robert and Mary Williamson Berry

Descendants of Ann Foster and Roger Williamson#

Gen 1 Ann Foster (b. 1620, England — d. c. 1692, Parish Church, Lynnhaven Parish, Lower Norfolk County, Virginia)
- - Roger Williamson (b. Unknown — m. June 5, 1646, Virginia — d. bef. 1650, Lower Norfolk Co., VA)
- ——–Gen 2 Richard Williamson (b. before 1650 — d. 1721, Princess Anne County, Virginia)
  - - Mary Kempe (d. Unknown)
  - (Parents: George and Mary Hutchinson Kempe — Kempe’s Landing, Princess Anne County, Virginia)
  - ————–Gen 3 Mary Williamson
    - - Robert Berry (b. Unknown — d. 1730; parents unknown)
    - ————————Gen 4 Robert Berry (b. 1729 — d. 1814, Fiddleton Plantation, Orange County, NC)
      - Elizabeth Cate (b. 1735 — d. aft. 1816, Fiddleton Plantation, Orange County, NC)
      - (Parents: John and Margery Lawrence Cate)

Children of Robert and Elizabeth Cate Berry (Gen 5)#

————————————Gen 5 Mary Berry (b. about 1759)
————————————Gen 5 Robert Berry Jr. (b. about 1760)
————————————Gen 5 John Berry (b. about 1762)
————————————Gen 5 Joshua Berry (b. about 1766)
————————————Gen 5 Isaac Berry (b. about 1768)
————————————Gen 5 Elizabeth Berry (b. about 1770)
————————————Gen 5 Thomas Berry (b. about 1772)
————————————Gen 5 David J. Berry (b. about 1774)
————————————Gen 5 William Berry (b. about 1775)
————————————Gen 5 Henry Berry (b. 1776)

Other Children of Richard and Mary Kempe Williamson#

————–Gen 3 John Williamson
————–Gen 3 Roger Williamson
————–Gen 3 Bartholomew Williamson
————–Gen 3 George Williamson
————–Gen 3 Sarah Williamson
- - Matthew Mathias
————–Gen 3 Ann Williamson
- - Hugh Whitehurst

Other Children of Ann Foster and Roger Williamson#

——–Gen 2 Bartholomew Williamson (b. before 1650)
——–Gen 2 Sarah Williamson (b. before 1650)

Ancestor List#

George Kempe — Great Grandfather of Robert Berry (OC) — was born in England
Mary Hutchinson Kempe — Great Grandmother of Robert Berry (OC)
Roger Williamson — Great Grandfather of Robert Berry (OC)
Ann Foster Williamson — Great Grandmother of Robert Berry (OC) — born in England in 1620 and died in Princess Anne County, Virginia about 1692
Richard Williamson — Grandfather of Robert Berry (OC)
Mary Kempe Williamson — Grandmother of Robert Berry (OC)
Robert Berry (PAC) — Father of Robert Berry (OC) — died in Princess Anne County, Virginia in 1730
Mary Williamson Berry — Mother of Robert Berry (OC) — died in Princess Anne County, Virginia about 1746

Robert Berry Resource List

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Generation 2 Robert Berry (OC) — Resource List

Born: c. 1729, Princess Anne County, Virginia
Died: 1814, Fiddleton Plantation, Orange County, NC
Married: Elizabeth Cate
Parents: Robert Berry (PAC) and Mary Williamson

Other Possible Sources for Robert Berry’s Origin#

Source Citations#

1. Name: Robert Berry — Year: 1744 — Place: America — Source Publication Code: 1217.5 — Primary Immigrant: Berry, Robert — Source Bibliography: COLDHAM, PETER WILSON. Bonded Passengers to America. 9 vols. in 3. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1983. Vol. 5. Western Circuit, 1664-1775: Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Hampshire, Somerset, and Wiltshire, with a List of the Rebels of 1685. 95p. Page: 10

Berry Wills and Deeds from PAC, 1691–1755

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Only 12 listings were found for Berry wills and deeds in Princess Anne County, Virginia, and only three Berrys appeared in the Virginia 1704 quit rent rolls. In the list below, wd = will dated, wp = will probated.

Census Page for Thomas Berry

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Ancestors:

Generation Robert and Mary Williamson Berry, Princess Anne County, Virginia.
Generation Robert and Elizabeth Cate Berry, Orange County, North Carolina.
Generation Thomas Berry 1772 – d: Bef. 16 Apr 1812 . Tenn ……………… +Sarah Cate 1781 – m: 11 Aug 1800 N.C. d: 07 March 1875 Tenn.

Deed Book Page 331 Land Purchase in Person County NC

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This deed book entry records Robert Berry Jr.’s land purchase in Person County, North Carolina.

Deed Book Page 421 Robert Berry Jr - land sold

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This deed book entry records Robert Berry Jr.’s land sale in Person County, North Carolina.

John and Martha Stepp Berry

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John Berry, son of Robert and Elizabeth Cate Berry#

Gen 1 Robert Berry × Mary Williamson — Princess Anne County, Virginia
Gen 2 Robert Berry × Elizabeth Cate — Orange County, North Carolina
Gen 3 John Berry × Martha Stepp — Orange County, NC → Jackson County, Georgia

Book Chapter: Read the full story in Chapter 5: John Berry from Our Berrys in Frontier America

John and Martha Stepp Berry

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John Berry, son of Robert and Elizabeth Cate Berry#

Gen 1 Robert Berry × Mary Williamson — Princess Anne County, Virginia
Gen 2 Robert Berry × Elizabeth Cate — Orange County, North Carolina
Gen 3 John Berry × Martha Stepp — Orange County, NC → Jackson County, Georgia

Book Chapter: Read the full story in Chapter 5: John Berry from Our Berrys in Frontier America

Mary Kempe PAC

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Mary Kempe from Princess Ann County Virginia#

PARENTS:

Mary’s Parents George and Mary Hutchinson Kempe

MARY KEMPE married RICHARD WILLIAMSON (daughter of George and Mary Hutchinson Kempe of Kempe’s Landing) There is some question at this time about Mary Kempe’s marriage date since George and Mary Hutchison Kempe may not have arrived in America before 1650. My thoughts are that Richard Williamson and Mary Kempe were probably married around 1670 to 1675. From Richard Williamson’s 1721 will we learn that his children were:

Proof Page

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This page assembles the documentary evidence connecting Robert Berry of Orange County, NC, to Princess Anne County, Virginia, through shared surnames, tax lists, and land records.

Relatives Found in PAC Deed Book

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Names of Relatives

George and Mary Hutchinson Kempe’s Children;

Ann Kempe
Mary Kempe
Thomas Kempe married Sally Thorowgood 17 Jul 1779 (PAC)
Elizabeth Kempe
Sarah Kempe
James Kempe married Frances [Mrs] Shepherd 23 Jun 1762 (PAC)
John Kempe

Richard Williamson married Mary Kempe- Their Children;

Robert Berry and Elizabeth Cate Berry's Children

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Gen 1 Robert Berry × Mary Williamson — Princess Anne County, Virginia
Gen 2 Robert Berry × Elizabeth Cate — Orange County, North Carolina

**3. Mary Berry - Born cir 1760 - 1812 Born Orange County North Carolina about 1759 5 Children with Spouse # 2 James Kemp/Camp 1768 - 1833 ..4.John Camp b: about 1783 in Orange County ..4 Sarah Camp Humphries b:November 9th 1785 ..4.Robert Berry Camp b: about 1787 ..4 Stirling Camp b: October 22nd 1793 ..4.Joseph Camp **b: about 1795

Robert Berry PAC 1730 Will and Transcript

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Below is the transcription of Robert Berry (PAC) 1730 Will with all the spelling errors as they appear in the original.

Will of Robert Berry September 20th 1730

 In the name of God Amen: The twentieth day of September in the year of our
 Lord one thousand and six hundred and thirty. I Robt Berry of Prencess Ann County in
 Virginia being of perfect mind and memory
 vis I give and bequeath to my loving wife Mary Berry my plantation I now live on with
 houses cleared ground orchard sharing her gift after her decease to my son Richard
 Berry and the heirs lawfully begot of his body for ever. I give to my son Richard
 my gun cupbard. vis I give to my son Robt Berry the plantation I had by my wife
 farming upon bought this land of George Williamsons land being about ond
 hundred acres of land to himself and the heirs of his body lawfully begot forever
 vis I give my loving wife Mary Berry all the rest of any Estate both within
 & without assessing his ----- one young mare my desire is she may
 be sold & his proceeds to be divided among all my children in the estate
 I hereby nominate, appoint & ordain my loving wife Mary Berry to be
 My whole & sole executor of this my last will & testament disposing all former
 wills by me made establishing confirming & allowing this to be my last will and
 Testament & none other –-- –-- Testimony whereof I now hereunto to
 set my hand and seal.					 ==His Mark==
Signed & sealed					Robert---I Berry Seal
in presence of us
Bartho Williamson		presented at court held the 7th October 1730
Sarah S Mathyas			named then the above last will and testament
				 Rpbt Berry died in Princess Ann County
				 His Executor made oath the she is Mary Berry
				 Provided by the oath of both his witnesses
				 Hereunto is ordered to be recorded.

Click the image below to see the original 1730 document

Roger Williamson PAC

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Roger Williamson from England and Lower Norfolk County, Virginia#

Princess Anne County was formed from part of Lower Norfolk County Virginia in 1651

USA Conflicts

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This page provides a reference timeline of American conflicts and economic downturns that coincided with the lives of Berry family ancestors. Many Berry descendants served in these conflicts, from the American Revolution through the modern era. See the Veterans Page for portraits of Berry family veterans.

Williamson Deeds and Wills 1691–1755, Princess Anne County

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The first date shown in the will is the date it was written
The second date is when it was probated ** 1DB193 Page 13**

25 Jul 1698 / 7 Sep: 1698 **Bartholomew WILLIAMSON **- son Charles, son James land bought of brother-in-law William CHRISTOPHER, wife Martha daughter Sarah wife of Thomas HARRYSON, daughter of Mary Widow of Francis Bond, daughter Elizabeth wife of Thomas SPRATT, daughter Martha grandson Bartholomew son of Francis BOND. Ex: wife and Charles. Overseers: Benoni BOROUGH, Edward MOSLEY, Sr., brother Richard. Wit: Edward MOSLEY, Sr., William MOSLEY Sr., Thomas HARRISON, Francis MOSLEY.