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From: <>
Subject: [KYMASON-L] Berry Family in Mason County
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1998 16:48:22 EST

Hi:
I've just discovered this list and am thrilled to be able to try and find more
info about my ancestor, Moses Berry, a former slave.

Here is a brief rundown of the info we have on him so far:

Moses Berry was born in Mason County, Ky., around 1819. His father's name was
Juda(h) Berry(?). I haven't found out his mother's name (surname Williams?).

Moses married MARIAH PRIOR, who also was born in Ky. around 1836, in 1855, by
a free black minister. Her parents were SEYMOUR and PARMITIA PRIOR. I don't
know their origins. Moses and Mariah had three children, ALEXANDER, ARTHUR (my
ggg-grandfather) and BELLE.

Moses was a slave of ROBERT H. BALDWIN, and was listed along with his son
Alexander among Baldwin's inventory of property after he died.

He was sold to MILTON DAUGHERTY (DOUGHERTY), who presumably bought him from
Baldwin's estate -- his father-in-law (Milton's wife's name: SUSAN DRAKE, one
of his sons was a doctor, JACOB) did the inventory of the estate, which was
filed in Mason County Court April 8, 1863.

Moses enlisted in the Union Army in Maysville, Ky., as a private in the U.S.
Colored Troops in 1865. He moved his family to Brown County, Ohio, around the
turn of the century. His descendants live in Maysville, Georgetown and Ripley,
Ohio, to this day.

Research mystery: Moses was said to have had a brother who died in the Civil
War. I have found a JAMES BERRY who also enlisted in the U.S.C.T. who was from
the area. Is he the brother?

Also, I want to find the origin of the Berry surname -- slaves usually chose
their surnames. Moses was a middle-aged man when he was sold to Daugherty, so
he probably had a couple of owners before then, one of them (probably) a
Berry. And who was Judah and who owned him?

Anyone with research information about the BERRY, PRIOR, DAUGHERTY, and
BALDWIN, and EMMONS surnames in Mason County, (white or African-American),
please let me know. I also have a bit more research info to share. Thanks.
K. Berry
See my Web page:
http://www.familytreemaker.com/users/b/e/r/Karin-D-Berr

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