James Alexander Berry (1854 - 1939)

Born 14 Jul 1854 in North Carolina, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Mary McNola (Durbin) Berry — married 23 Apr 1880 in Christian, Illinois, United States

Descendants

Died 29 Oct 1939 at age 85 in Jacksonville, Morgan, Illinois, United States

Biography

James was born 14 Jul 1854, in North Carolina. He was the son of William Berry and Mary Norton.

On April 23, 1880 he married Mary McNola Durbin in Taylorville, Christian, Illinois. ^[1][2]

He passed away October 29, 1939 in Jacksonville, Morgan County, Illinois. ^[3] James was laid to rest in Oak Hill Cemetery, Taylorville, Christian County, Illinois, United States. ^[4]

Research Notes

The 1880 Census shows a James (25) and Mary (22) Berry living in the household of widowed Rachel Durbin, who has five children: Lillianne, Sylvester, Harry, Nathan and Marion. Presumably, this is Mary's sister-in-law but I haven't discovered which brother she was married to. This is the only James Berry listed in the 1880 Census on FamilySearch.org.^[5]

At least three of his children -- Jesse, Ruby and Eugene -- were born in Arkansas, but I've been unsuccessful finding any reference to their time in Arkansas. -- Fiscus-32 14:40, 8 October 2015 (EDT) Family history says most of them were afflicted with malaria while living in Arkansas. This was the explanation for returning to Illinois

His mother, Mary Norton and brother, John Berry were residing in Arkansas after 1880 and were enumerated on the 1900 Cleburne County, Arkansas census. James probably moved there with them but returned to Illinois before he was enumerated on the 1900 Christian County, Illinois census. ^[6][7]

James death record gives his father's name as William Berry and his mother's name as "Mary Horton" instead of "Norton." This was most likely a transcription error. ^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ "Illinois Marriages, 1815-1935", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HSV8-W5MM : 13 January 2020), James A. Berry, 1880.
2. ↑ Ancestry.com. Illinois, Marriage Index, 1860-1920 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Original data: Illinois State Marriage Records. Online index. Illinois State Public Record Offices.

   Name: James A Berry

   Gender: Male

   Marriage Date: 23 Apr 1880

   Marriage Place: Christian, Illinois, USA

   Spouse Name: Mary M Durbin

   Spouse Gender: Female

3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} "Illinois Deaths and Stillbirths, 1916-1947," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N38H-NVQ : 8 March 2018), James Berry, 29 Oct 1939; Public Board of Health, Archives, Springfield; FHL microfilm 1,432,190. Name: James Berry Event Date: 29 Oct 1939 Event Place: Jacksonville, Morgan, Illinois Gender: Male Race: White Age: 85 Birth Year (Estimated): 1854 Birth Date: 14 Jul 1854 Birthplace: Unk., N. Carolina Father's Name: Wm. Berry Father's Birthplace: Unk., South Carolina Mother's Name: Mary Horton (Norton) Mother's Birthplace: Unk., Virginia Occupation: Farmer Residence Place: Taylorville, Christian, Ill. Spouse's Name: Mary Berry Burial Date: 02 Nov 1939 Burial Place: Taylorsville, Christian, Illinois Cemetery: Oakhill
4. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 04 September 2020), memorial page for James Alexander Berry (14 Jul 1854–29 Oct 1939), Find A Grave: Memorial #110659207, citing Oak Hill Cemetery, Taylorville, Christian County, Illinois, USA ; Maintained by AJ (contributor 47317697) .
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXNH-BZN : accessed 5 October 2015), James Berry in household of Rachel Durbin, Johnson, Christian, Illinois, United States; citing enumeration district 62, sheet 528D, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0180; FHL microfilm 1,254,180.
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3XG-X3M : accessed 4 September 2020), Mary ? Berry, Healing Springs & Peter Creek Townships, Cleburne, Arkansas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 16, sheet 6A, family 105, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,054.
7. ↑ Entered by Sharon Garrett Glover on September 5, 2020

See also:

• "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M46B-8XC : 19 March 2020), James Berry in entry for William Berry, 1870.

• "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MSS8-J8X : accessed 4 October 2015), James A Berry, Johnson Township, Christian, Illinois, United States; citing sheet 7A, family 121, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,240,241.

• "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MKHC-4SC : accessed 5 October 2015), James A Berry, Johnson, Christian, Illinois, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 8, sheet 2B, family 42, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,374,247.

• "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MJSS-W4Y : accessed 5 October 2015), James A Berry, Johnson, Christian, Illinois, United States; citing sheet 8B, family 162, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,820,299.

Acknowledgements

• This person was created through the import of Beaman Family Tree.ged on 31 March 2011.