Robert Berry (PAC) Origins

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

ST BOTOLPH CHURCH

St. Botolph Church is located on Aldersgate street in London England

Aug 22 1663

Richard Williamson England

Mary Williamson’s Grandfather, Roger Williamson, and  Ann Foster, were  in America by 1840 so the Richard Williamson father and son listed in the 1663 ST BOTOLPH Baptisms above could be Rodger Williamson’s ggg grand father. Roger Williamson was likely born around 1700 which would be 4 generations later. Roger and Ann Foster Williamson did name their  first son Richard Williamson. Robert and Mary Williamson Berry also named their first son Richard Berry. Mary Williamson’s father was Richard Williamson, son of Roger and Ann Foster Williamson.

St Botolph Katherine-Berry-1669-England

 

We have no positive knowledge of the connection of Robert Berry (PAC) to Katherine Berry Family listed in the 1669 ST BOTOLPH Baptisms but since records in this time period are so scarce this could be the same family.

Reference 1. Name: Robert Berry Year: 1641 Place: Virginia Source Publication Code: 6219 Primary Immigrant: Berry, Robert Annotation: Date and place where land was patented and record was created listing those transported/imported. Only the names of those to be transported were indexed. Abstracted from Land Office records located at the Virginia State Library. See also source numbers 62 Source Bibliography: NUGENT, NELL M. Cavaliers and Pioneers: A Calendar of Virginia Land Grants, 1623-1800. Vol. 1:1-6. Richmond, VA: Dietz Printing Co., [1929-1931. Although vol. 6 ends with the year 1695, no other volumes were published.] Page: 187

Reference 2. Name: Robert Berry Year: 1641 Place: Virginia Source Publication Code: 6220 Primary Immigrant: Berry, Robert Annotation: Record of 20,000 very early immigrants, with much relevant information. Taken from Patent Books 1 through 5. Title page states, “In 5 volumes,” but up to 1979 only three had appeared. See nos. 6221 and 6223 for second and third volumes, published in 1977 Source Bibliography: NUGENT, NELL MARION. Cavaliers and Pioneers: Abstracts of Virginia Land Patents and Grants, 1623-1666. Vol. 1. Richmond [VA]: Dietz Printing Co., 1934. 767p. Reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, 1983. Page: 129

Reference 3. Name: Robert Berry Year: 1664 Place: Virginia Source Publication Code: 6212.30 Primary Immigrant: Berry, Robert Annotation: Date when grant was received for land in area cited. Original certificates are on file at the Land Office, Richmond, Virginia. Other historical information is also provided. Source Bibliography: NOTTINGHAM, STRATTON. Certificates and Rights, Accomack County, Virginia, 1663-1709. Baltimore, MD: Clearfield Co., Inc., 1997. 91p. Page: 11

Reference 4. Name: Robt Berry Year: 1641 Place: Virginia Source Publication Code: 2772 Primary Immigrant: Berry, Robt Annotation: Includes 25,000 names from records of the Virginia State Land Office. Excerpts of the Irish names from the Greer list were published in no. 6258, O’Brien, Early Immigrants to Virginia…. Source Bibliography: GREER, GEORGE CABELL. Early Virginia Immigrants, 1623-1666. Richmond [Va.]: W.C. Hill Printing Co., 1912, 376p. Reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, 1978. Repr. 1982. Page: 32

Reference 5. Name: Robt Berry Year: 1664 Place: Virginia Source Publication Code: 6220 Primary Immigrant: Berry, Robt Annotation: Record of 20,000 very early immigrants, with much relevant information. Taken from Patent Books 1 through 5. Title page states, “In 5 volumes,” but up to 1979 only three had appeared. See nos. 6221 and 6223 for second and third volumes, published in 1977 Source Bibliography: NUGENT, NELL MARION. Cavaliers and Pioneers: Abstracts of Virginia Land Patents and Grants, 1623-1666. Vol. 1. Richmond [VA]: Dietz Printing Co., 1934. 767p. Reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, 1983. Page: 452

Reference 6. Name: Robert Berry Year: 1744 Place: Maryland Source Publication Code: 1236.50 Primary Immigrant: Berry, Robert Annotation: Date of sentencing to transportation and intended destination or date and place of arrival. Where sentenced, reason for sentencing, name of ship, where record found, and other information may be provided. Information extracted from central criminal records (Midland Circuit Criminal Process Book 1739-1742, ASSI 12/2; Sheriffs’ Cravings, E197, E 389, T64/262, and T90/146-160; State Papers (Criminal), SP44/79-83), county records, printed journals (Brist Source Bibliography: COLDHAM, PETER WILSON. More Emigrants in Bondage: 1614-1775. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2002. 217p. Page: 15

NOTE: None of the reference #1 through #5 could have been our Robert Berry (oc) or his father Robert Berry (pac). References #1 through #5 would have been about 3 generations older than our Robert Berry (oc) or two generations older than his father Robert Berry (pac). Reference # 6 was too young to be Robert Berry (pac).

Our Robert Berry(oc) had a good amount of money when he came to North Carolina in 1751 and while the 14 year old Robert Berry who was transported as a criminal in reference # 6, citation would have been a 21 year old man, he  would only have had a new gun, shot, gunpowder, and  a new suit of clothes in 1751. This is all that was required of a Master as payment for seven years of indenture.

Berry, Robert Apprentices of Virginia Master: Hollowell, Samuel Apprentices of Virginia Beginning date: 08/19/1746 Apprentices of Virginia Sex: male Source: Princess Anne Co. Minutes 6, 1744-1753, 55

A Thomas Hollowell had a son Samuel born 1727 in Norfolk, VA died after 1751 in Princess Anne, VA. A will in Norfolk Co, VA in 1762 deeded land from Thomas Hollowell to John Hollowell in Northampton, NC.

Samuel Holowell work

Source: Vestry Book, Lynnhaven Virginia.

Our Robert Berry (oc) would have been 19 years old and working as an apprentice to Samuel Hollowell at the time of this work was being done.

Below is the route that fur traders used many years before Robert Berry (OC) came to North Carolina. Traveling up the James River to a point where Petersburg is located today they encountered the old Indian Trail that had been used by Native Indians for centuries. This trail traversed south to the Occaneechi Indian village which is located in the area where  Hillsborough, North Carolina  is located today. The trail continued South into the area that is now occupied by State of Georgia.   John Lawson used part of this trail when he journeyed from Charleston, South Carolina, to New Bern, North Carolina in 1704. John passed right through the Occoneechee Village and down the Neuse River. He described part of the Old Indian Trail between Haw River and Hillsborough. He met some traders going South the day he left Haw River. In his book, ” A New Voyage to Carolina” he describes this incident. This was nearly 50 years before Robert Berry made his trip as shown in the map below.

Route to NC from VA

Robert Berry (OC) inherited the family home in Princess Anne County, Virginia and a sale of that property would have provided ample money for him to accomplish the incredible rapid progress he made in establishing a huge plantation in the short time he did. Robert Berry (OC) arrived in Orange County, North Carolina, early in 1751 and in 1766 he built the Fiddleton Plantation Home shown below.

fiddleton plantation Scene

Model of the 1766 Fiddleton Plantation Home

Fittleton Wiltshire County England

At this time I think Robert Berry who came to Orange County, North Carolina, from Princess Anne County, Virginia in 1751 had ancestors who had lived in Fittleton Wiltshire County, England. It seems perfectly logical that  he would name his Granville Land Grant plantation Fittleton. The name Fittleton was probably changed by  colloquial translation.

The name Fiddleton shows up on a map that was drawn by George W. Tate in 1891 for the Bingham School. Fiddleton Plantation was also named by Thomas Person Berry’s Widow, Elizabeth Peed Berry, in her disposition during Thomas Person Berry’s intestate estate court case.

 

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