From GENEALOGICAL NOTES OF BARNSTABLE FAMILIES: Amos Otis;
In the list of those who were able to bear arms in Barnstable MA in
1643 is the name of RICHARD BERRY. Richard Berry and his wife,
ALICE (unknown), were notably lacking in character, but their children
did not follow in their footsteps. They did not remain long at
Barnstable and probably moved to Boston in 1647 and from there to
Yarmouth on Cape Cod where the children were born. Richard Berry
was possibly born ca 1626 in England.
In 1649, Richard Berry accused Teague Jones of the crime of
sodomy. At court, Richard confessed that he had lied and was
punished by whipping at the post in Plymouth. In 1663, he was
fined for playing cards; in 1668 he stole an axe; he was later fined
for smoking tobacco in church.
In 1653, Alice was taken to court for stealing a neckcloth; she was
later in court for various crimes such as stealing bacon and eggs,
stealing clothing, and for milking a neighbor's cow. For milking
the cow she was fined and refusing to pay for the milk she was forced
to sit in the stocks at Yarmouth for an hour.
As they grew older, they became more respectable. They were very
poor and having a large family, it was difficult for them to provide
food and clothing for their children. They thought it less
criminal to steal than to starve.
Richard died 7 Sep 1681.
SECOND GENERATION
Children of RICHARD BERRY and ALICE (unknown):
+1. John born 29 Mar 1652; died 1745; married Susanna
(unknown). John fought in King Phillips War.
+2. SAMUEL born 11 Jul 1654; died 21 Feb 1703/4; married
ELIZABETH BELL born about 1659 Sandwich MA; died after 1713; daughter
of John Bell and (unknown). His father indentured him to George
Crisp but Samuel was rebellious and ran away before his time was
served. Records of the Probate Court for John Bell indicate his
son-in-law, Samuel Berry of Harwich, was granted letters of
administration on October 3, 1700 and that John had died "some years
since".
+3. Elizabeth born 5 Mar 1655/6; married 28 Nov 1677 Josiah Jones
born ca 1661 East Greenwich RI; died there ca 1743.
4. Richard.
5. Nathaniel died 7 Feb 1693/4.
7. Joseph possibly born 12 May 1659; died Sep 1681; married
Elizabeth Bell born about 1659 Sandwich MA; daughter of John Bell and
(unknown).
There are 4 other children unknown but birth dates are given for 11
children. Unassigned birth dates are: 23 Aug 1662; 16 Oct
1663; 5 Oct 1668; 1 June 1670; 31 Oct 1673 and 12 Dec 1677.
THIRD GENERATION
Children of John Berry and Susanna (unknown):
1. Judah born about 1695; died ca 1773 Yarmouth MA; married
11 May 1720 Rebecca Hamlin who died 6 Jan 1781; daughter of Eleazer
Hamlin and Lydia Sears.
2. Ebenezer born about 1689; married (1) Rebecca (unknown) who
died 25 Aug 1738; married (2) 20 Dec 1738 Joanna Phillips who died
1739; married (3) 31 Jan 1739/40 Hannah Lovell.
3. Elizabeth born 29 Oct 1670; died 1755; married 30 July 1702
Samuel Baker born 29 Oct 1670; died about 1755; son of Nathaniel Baker
and Desire Gray.
4. Experience born ca 1683 married Jonathan Bangs born 4 May 1673
Harwich MA;
died Feb 1736; son of Jonathan Bangs and Mary Mayo.
5. Mary born about 1685 Yarmouth MA; died there 5 Apr 1727;
married 23 July 1706 Isaac Chase who died 22 May 1759 Barnstable County
MA; son of John Chase and Elizabeth Baker.
6. John born about 1678 Yarmouth MA.
7. Mercy born about 1695 Yarmouth MA; died 15 Nov 1713.
Children of SAMUEL BERRY and ELIZABETH BELL:
1. Daughter born 19 Jan 1682 Yarmouth MA.
2. Elizabeth born 21 Dec 1684 Yarmouth MA.
+3. Patience born 22 June 1687; died ca 1750; married 11 Jan 1709
Samuel Baker
born 15 Oct 1676 Yarmouth MA; died there 17 Mar 1755; son of Daniel
Baker and Elizabeth Chase.
+4. JOHN born 9 July 1689 Yarmouth MA; died there 9 Mar 1748/9;
married (1) at Harwich MA 29 Jan 1712/13 SUSANNA CROWELL born 11 Nov
1691; died 22 May 1747; daughter of John Crowell and Hannah Hathaway;
married (2) 9 Mar 1748 at Yarmouth Mary Walker born 14 Sep 1699 Eastham
MA; daughter of Jabez Walker and Elizabeth (unknown).
+5. Samuel born Nov 1691; died 1741; married 16 Oct 1712 at
Harwich MA Rebecca Gray born about 1691 Harwich MA; daughter of William
Gray and Rebecca Dillingham.
6. Desire born 29 June 1694.
Children of Josiah Jones and Elizabeth Berry:
1. Dorcas born ca 1681; died ca 1726 East Greenwich RI; married
John
Aylesworth born ca 1685 Kingston RI; died ca 1771 RI; son of Arthur
Aylesworth and Mary Brown. John left will proved 15 May 1771.
2. Jeremiah born ca 1684; died 1685.
3. Sarah born ca 1697; died 1698.
4. Elizabeth born ca 1695; died before 1742; married 1699 Samuel
Bassett born ca 1670; died ca 1760; son of Nathaniel Bassett and Dorcas
Joyce. Samuel left will probated 23 Feb 1760.
5. Ann born ca 1689; married William Hamilton born ca 1685.
6. Seth born ca 1693; married Priscilla Hamilton born ca 1700.
FOURTH GENERATION
Children of Samuel Baker and Patience Berry:
1. Shubael born 24 Mar 1709-10; died 26 Apr 1796; married 19 June
1733 Lydia Stewart born ca 1717; daughter of Joseph Stewart and Mary
(unknown).
2. Susanna born 22 June 1711; married 18 Sep 1735 Francis Baker
born 9 Mar 1710/11 Yarmouth MA; son of Samuel Baker and Elizabeth Berry.
3. Hezekiah born 4 Aug 1715; married 22 Sep 1744 Mary Stewart
born ca 1719; daughter of Joseph Stewart and Mary (unknown).
4. Tabitha born 8 Mar 1717/18; died 28 July 1818; married 7 Nov
1745 Joshua Crowell
born 26 Apr 1716; died 10 Aug 1813; son of Thomas Crowell and Sarah
O'Kelly.
5. Desire born 5 Feb 1719/20; married 1 Mar 1742/3 Lot Baker born
16 June 1721/22; son of John Baker and Hannah Jones.
6. Elizabeth born 9 Sep 1725; died 14 July 1819; married 23 Feb
1743/44 Edward Crowell born 26 Mar 1716/18; son of Thomas Crowell and
Sarah O'Kelly.
7. Samuel born 4 June 1732; married (1) Sarah (unknown); married
(2) 4 December 1755 Rebecca Baker born 25 Apr 1738 Yarmouth MA; died
1765;
daughter of Judah Baker and Mercy Burgess.
Children of JOHN BERRY and SUSANNAH
CROWELL:
Children all born Harwich MA;
1. Hannah born 25 Sep 1713.
2. Elknah born 30 Jan 1716/17.
3. Elizabeth born 14 Jan 1718/19.
+4. JABEZ born 1 Feb 1720/21; married 23 Aug 1744 Harwich MA
REBECCA GRAY born 16 Jun 1723 Harwich
MA; daughter of William Gray and
Deborah Sears. To Putnam Co. NY about 1747 as freeholder. The
History
of Putnam gives an interesting account for Jabez which is added at the
end.
5. John born 28 May 1722.
6. Susanna born 1 Jun 1725.
7. Samuel born 13 July 1727; died 25 Jan 1727/28 Harwich MA.
8. Ephraim born 22 Feb 1730/31.
9. Enoch born 13 May 1736.
Children of Samuel Berry and Rebecca Gray:
1. Thankful born 8 June 1715/16 Yarmouth MA; died 15 Mar 1807;
married (1) 12 Jan 1732 John Chase born 23 Oct 1706 Yarmouth MA; died 1
Feb 1733; son of John Chase and Sarah Hills; married (2) 21 Jan 1734
Richard Chase born 3 Mar 1714 Yarmouth MA; died 14
Jan 1794 Dennis MA; son of Thomas Chase and Sarah Gowell.
FIFTH GENERATION
Children of JABEZ BERRY and REBECCA GRAY:
1. REBECCA born 22 Jan 1751/52; died 15 Feb 1801 Carmel Putnam
Co. NY; married 24 Feb 1769 JOSEPH COLE
born 11 Jan 1745/6 Putnam Co.
NY; died 24 Feb 1814 Carmel Putnam Co. NY; son of Elisha Cole and
Hannah Smalley.
2. John.
3. Asahel.
+4. Jabez born 1754 Fredricksburgh NY; died 29 May 1834 Carmel
NY; married 25 Feb 1779 at Bedford NY Sarah Raymond born Sep 1760
Carmel NY; and died there after 1836; daughter of Thaddeus Raymond and
Mary Hanford. This is probably the Jabez Berry whose widow filed
RevWar pension application No. 16504. Application lists Jabez
Berry married to Sarah Raymond 25 Feb 1779 at Bedford Westchester Co.
NY. Jabez born Fredricksburgh NY ca 1757.
5. Samuel.
6. Possibly another daughter as stated by Blake in History of
Putnam County NY.
SIXTH GENERATION
Children of Jabez Berry and Sarah Raymond:
1. Rebecca born 29 Dec 1779.
2. Susanna born 4 June 1782.
3. Cornelius born 12 Apr 1784; married Lydia Paddock born 10
June 1797; daughter of Nathaniel Paddock and Mary Crane.
4. Deborah born 1 or 9 Apr 1786.
HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY; Blake; 1849
Lt. Jabez Berry: This gentleman's ancestors were from Ireland and
emigrated early to Cape Cod in Massachusetts where the subject of this
memoir was born. We have been able to gather but little of this
person's early life, previous to his arrival in this country. His
ancestors, himself and his descendants were and still are distinguished
for their gigantic proportions, muscular frames and great strength.
Jabez Berry came from Cape Cod after he was married and some years
before the Revolution and settled on the farm now occupied by Elijah
Crane, about one mile north of Lake Mahopac. He was 5 feet 11
inches high in his stocking feet; a large, powerful, robust man with a
frame knit together more like iron than bone and capable of the
greatest endurance. For his size he was unmatched in strength by
any man at that time in the country.
Boxing was one of the amusements of the young men of that day, very
fashionable, and as a science is still cultivated. He soon gained
great proficiency in it, and before leaving Cape Cod stood number one
"solitary and alone" and without a rival.
Some years after settling in this town, a celebrated boxer came to Cape
Cod and inquired for one Jabez Berry. On ascertaining that he had
removed to this town, he informed one of Berry's intimate friends there
that he came to have a match with him and offered to bet that he could
flog him. Berry's friend , well-knowing his ability, accepted the
wager; and with another person having been chosen as the second of the
boasting bully, the three immediately set out for Berry's residence. On
reaching it, they found him and his wife at breakfast. The boxer
without much ceremony, entered the house and thus accosted Berry.
"Are you the man they call Jabez Berry?" "Yes-sir-ree, and always
have been" was the reply. "Well, sir," continued the bully "I
have come all the way from Cape Cod to flog you." "Ah
indeed! If you've come all that distance to pluck a single berry
from the bush, you are entitled to a few striking tokens of my regard
as a reward for the pains you may suffer before you get back" was the
reply. Out they went into the dooryard, where he flogged his Cape
Cod antagonist to his heart's content; received half the bet which he
applied to curing his antagonist who was unable to resume his journey
back for the space of a week.
There was one remarkable trait about him that distinguished him from
others who possessed great powers and skills in pugilism; he never made
use of it to domineer over the weak and those unable to cope with him
nor insult any man from a consciousness that his skill and strength was
his protector from punishment. He never was the assailing party
nor entered a boxing combat in an angry state of feeling. He
enjoyed it with about the same good feeling that he would relate to an
amusing anecdote or crack a harmless joke.
He belonged to the church; and if sickness or bad weather did not
prevent him, never failed in his attendance for any other cause.
He was commissioned a lieutenant in the militia and rendered great
service in guarding this part of the country from the midnight
depredations of the cowboys, skinners and Tories.
Jabez Berry possessed a well-balanced mind which kept him from being
disconcerted in any emergency. Possessing an amiable and cheerful
disposition, he secured the esteem and approbation of all who knew him
while his integrity and uprightness of purpose secured him from the
tongue of the slanderer. He advocated the cause of his country
with a stout heart and a strong arm, and enjoyed the proud satisfaction
of seeing all of his sons follow his paternal and patriotic
example. He lived many years to enjoy the fruits of the tree of
liberty which he had contributed so vigorously to guard.
If you have corrections to
this information; or
would like to share further information, please contact me.
