Berry, James

BERRY

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 13:31:16

JAMES BERRY
born Feb 16, 1839, Illinois

James Berry, one of the honored veterans of the late war, and a highly respected citizen of Warren county, Iowa, is a native of the neighboring State of Illinois. He was born on the 16th of February, 1839, being one of the six children of James and Sinah (Taylor) Berry. He descended from one of the pioneer families the Virginian Colony, His grandfather, William Berry, was a native of Virginia and one of the early settlers of Illinois, where he died, at an extreme old age. The father of our subject, James Berry Sr., was born in the Old Dominion in the year 1809, and on attaining his majority started Westward, thinking to secure a better home in the new country, where there was less competition and therefore better opportunity than in the older and more thickly settled States along the Atlantic coast. He took up his residence in Cass county, Illinois, where he spent his remaining days, devoting his time and energies to the occupation of farming, which he made his life work. He was a man highly respected in the community in which he lived, and was a valued citizen, giving his support and co-operation to all enterprises calculated to prove of public benefit. In politics he was a Whig. His death occurred in 1849, at the age of forty years. His wife, who was a native of Kentucky, also spent her last days in Illinois. She was a daughter of Peter Taylor, a soldier of the war of 1812, and one of the early settlers of Kentucky. On leaving that State he took up his residence in Illinois, where he remained until called to the home beyond. Of the six children of James and Sinah Berry, five are now living. They are: Milton, of Ashland Oregon, a soldier of the late war, who went through all the suffering and horror of life in Andersonville prison; Mary A.; Nannie R., the wife of Joseph W. Wilson, who is County Surveyor of Cass county; and William T., also of Cass county. James, the immediate subject of this review, completes the number of the surviving children.
The gentleman whose name heads this sketch was reared on the old family homestead in his native State, and early aided in all the labors of the farm, which he followed until after the crops were harvested in the autumn, when he would enter the schools of the neighborhood, there pursuing his studies through the winter season. Prompted by patriotic impulses, he enlisted in his country's service in August, 1862, becoming a member of the One Hundred and Fourteenth Illinois Infantry. He was assigned to duty with Company D, which was commanded by his uncle, Captain B. C. Berry, and the regiment went to the South under the command of Colonel J. W. Judy, who is now president of the Illinois State Agricultural Society. They were ordered to Memphis, Tennessee; subsequently they took part in the first campaign against Vicksburg, also in the siege against that city, being present at its surrender. Later the troops marched against General Jo. Johnston, and participated in the battle of Jackson, Mississippi, and other engagements. Returning to Memphis they did patrol duty until the following spring. Mr. Berry participated in a number of other attacks on the enemy and on various raids, and finally his health failed under the terrible strain of the service and he entered upon detached duty, in which he was engaged during the remainder of his term, or until mustered out, in May 1865. He was always found at his post, and took an honorable part in suppressing the rebellion and preserving the Union.
Our subject at once returned to his home and his family whom he had left to go to the defense of the stars and stripes and the cause they represented. He was married in September, 1860, to Lucy Paschal, a native of Cass county, Illinois, and a daughter of Greene H, and Sarah (Dueber) Paschal, the former a native of Tennessee and the latter of New York. The father died in the prime of life, but the mother now makes her home with Mr. and Mrs. Berry. This worthy couple have a family of seven children, namely: James H., of Yuma, Colorado; Nellie May, who is engaged in teaching; Lewis M., at home; Thomas L., a teacher of Cass county, Illinois; Edward R. Emma and Leonard R., at home.
Mr. Berry continued his residence in his native State until 1881, when hecame to Iowa, locating in Warren county, where he has since lived. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and is a stalwart Republican in politics, unswerving in his fidelity to the principles of the party. He is immovable in a cause he believes to be right, yet his conclusions are not hastily reached. His many excellencies of character have gained for him high regard, and he is recognized as one of the valued citizens of White Oak township. Lewis M. Berry, the second son, although one of the younger representatives of business and political interests in this locality, has yet won a place of distinction and prominence of which he may be justly proud. He is a leading agriculturist, following progressive methods and advanced ideas, and as the work of the home farm largely devolves upon him he thus relieves his father of many of the cares and responsibilities of business life. He was reared in the faith of the Republican party, and when he had attained man's estate his mature judgment approving its principles, he became one of the earnest workers in Warren county, and is now a recognized leader in its councils in White Oak township. That the people have for him high regard, and give to him their unqualified confidence is shown by the fact that they have called him to public office, and he is now serving his second term as Assessor of his township. The family is widely and favorably known in this locality, and well deserves mention in this volume.
Source: A Memorial and Biographical Record of Iowa, Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, Illinois, 1896, vol.1, p.291