The Berry Family in USA

BERRY, DOAK, CRAIGOF, MAHNS, MUMM, BREDBECK, LAVERTY, CARR

Posted By: Ruth McDowell (email)
Date: 7/3/2010 at 12:33:39

" Our Revolutionary War ancestor was born in Rockridge, Va, Jan 10, 1757. His father was one of three brothers who left the British Isles to join the Virginia Settlement. They were stepsons born to Lord Berry. Proud of their heritage, for their coat of arms was listed in Early American History. However when the colonists rose in anger of their British treatment he joined Washington's Army and served at two times. First in Nathan Read's Co., 14th Regiment (which became the 10th Virginia Regiment). Later his name appeared as Captain James Berry on the Muster Roll, covering the period from April to Sept. 1, 1782.

He married Jane Doak at the Dutch Heritage Group. Records of her inheritance, and other legal matters were recorded in Augusta County, Virginia. James and Jane had eight children. Charles Doak, their eldest son born in 1791, moved with mother, and brothers and sisters, except David to Ohio after his father James death Nov. 26, 1808. Jane died August 9, 1832.

Charles became a Presbyterian minister - a circuit riding one. His oldest son James Craig was born April 18, 1820 to his wife, Elizabeth Craig. Charles Berry died in Clarinda, Iowa, 1833.

His son James Craig was born April 16, 1820. He married Sarah Craighof. My father William, their third son was born in Burlington, Iowa (6-30-1862). Later Grand father James settled purchasing several farms in southwestern Iowa, Afton Iowa. He died in 1913. Grandmother, Sarah Catherine died in Omaha at our home Feb 12, 1914. My father's birth date was June 30, 1862.

After graduating from Sterling Medical College in 1889, he started his practice in Omaha, Nebraska. He married my mother Augusta Mahns in Lincoln, Nebraska Feb. 25, 1890. Mother, Augusta Ann Elizabeth Henrietta was born in Gnoien, Germany Jan. 14, 1867. Her mother was Dorthea Maria Mumm until her marriage to Grandfather Gustav Mahns. When he died of smallpox Oct. 4, 1871, Grandmother Dorthea brought her children to America to join her three eldest children who were living in Rochester, New York. Mother, Augusta, on graduation from Albany Academy came to Omaha to teach as her older sister and husband were there.

Father William took additional traing in London, and Paris and Vienna to receive his Pediatric Degree in Medicine. He practiced forty-nine years in Omaha, Nebraska. Mother, Augusta, became a prominent club woman. President of most of the groups.

Our family of four children: 1. Frances Marie, born Feb. 23, 1892. After graduation at Kearney State College taught Kindergarten in the Omaha Public Schools until her marriage to Walter Benjamin Bredbeck Feb. 25, 1920. She too was active in many woman's clubs. They had two children, Ada Marie and Walter Craig. Marie died Nov. 11, 1959. Walter, her husband died in Nov. 1976.

2. Wm Mahns was born Aug. 19, 1894. As a youth he was a splendid athlete, captain of his Central Hign School football team in 1915. Shortly after graduation he sold automobiles. He enlisted in First World War's Navy and trained at Great Lakes Naval Station north of Chicago. In 1920 he returned to Omaha and and his wife Pearl Laverty Berry. They were married Nov. 7, 1917. He had an auto parts shop for a short time, but returned to auto sales - settling in Los Angeles and Westwood Village in 1938. Later years he worked in the Douglas Airplane factory. Buddy died July 11, 1978. Pearl died Aug. 7, 1976.

3. Doris Catherine Berry, the 3rd child was born Jan. 29, 1889. Graduated in June 1919 from National Kindergarten College, started teaching that Fall in the Omaha Public Schools Kindergartens. Served 41 and a half following, except for the year 1923-1924, when I taught 3rd and 4th grade children in a semi-private school at Lihue Kauai in the Hawaiian Islands. Retired in Feb 1962, moved to Westwood Village, California to be near brothers James and Mahns, and niece Ada Marie living here nearby.

4. James Gustav Berry, my younger brother was born August 2, 1901. He too, was a good athlete - excelled in swimming. After high school attended Nebraska State University at Lincoln, Nebr. At midterm the next year he left for a business career and a trip to Alaska. He became a radio announcer serving Hollywood and Los Angeles, Omaha, Kansas City, and Minneapolis. Later in a business capacity with an electronic firm. He retired later, moving from North Hollywood to his beach home in Ventura, California. He married Rosemary Carr April 19, 1933 in Kansas City.

(Doris, "Anty Dodo" to Ada Marie and I passed away at age 95, in 1994.)

[Hand - written by Doris Berry and transcribed by her nephew, Walter Craig Bredbeck. Copy mailed to Zoe Lighty (great-granddaughter of Margaret Berry Scherer) by Walter Craig Bredbeck in September 2008.]