Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 401 - 403

 LEWIS BERRY, who after the labors of a long and busy life, is spending his later years in ease and retirement in the city of Wichita, his residence being at No. 1,600 South Mead avenue, is a native of the Buckeye State, and was born in Gallia County, April 27, 1826, and is the son of Joshua and Annie (Tharp) Berry, who were natives of North Carolina.

      Joshua Berry was born April 19, 1801, and departed this life at his home in Benton County, Iowa, May 18, 1879.  His education was obtained in the primitive log school-house of his native county, and being reared a farmer's boy he followed this vocation through life.  He was a man of great force of character and high moral principle, and became prominent in the community wherever he made his home.  His wife, the mother of our subject, and to whom he was married in 1825, was born June 2, 1800, and although so aged is still in the enjoyment of good health, and continues at the homestead in Iowa.

      The twelve children of the parental household were named respectively: Cynthia, Harrison, Lewis, Robert, Wealthy, Nancy, Elsie, John, Samuel, Jane, James W., and Joseph.  With the exception of Samuel and Cynthia all are living, and residents mostly of Iowa, two in Colorado and two in Kansas.  Lewis of our sketch, who was the third child, developed into a strong, healthy boy, and after reaching manhood accompanied his parents to Iowa, in 1852, being then in the twenty-seventh year of his age, and already married.  Soon after his arrival in the Hawkeye State, he purchased eighty acres of land, upon which he commenced to build a permanent homestead.  He was entirely familiar with the life and labors of a pioneer, having assisted in clearing up the farm of his father in Boone County, Ind., felling the trees, grubbing out the stumps, and preparing the soil for cultivation.  His muscles became splendidly developed, and he was blessed with good health, which was better than gold.  He could easily chop and split four cords of wood per day, and many a twelve hours made 300 rails from the rough tree trunk. He was, in fact, a champion with the ax, a fact which was acknowledged by all the people around.

      Our subject, on the 20th of March, 1851, before his removal west of the Mississippi, was united in marriage with a maiden of his own State, Miss Eliza Hayward, Squire Bowen of Thorton, Ind., officiating.  Mrs. Berry was born in Preble County, Ohio, Nov. 16, 1833, and is the daughter of Abijah and Naomi (Johnson) Hayward, natives of Essex County, N.J.  Her father was born March 30, 1794, and departed this life at his home in Benton County, Iowa, Jan. 5, 1871. He followed the trade of carpenter and joiner, and made a good home for his family.  The parents were married in Essex County, N.J., June 24, 1815.  Mrs. Hayward was born March 15, 1795, and passed away twenty years before the decease of her husband, her death taking place in 1851.  She was a most excellent and worthy lady, and a member in good standing of the Old-School Presbyterian Church.  The household included three children: Mary, the eldest, became the wife of Silas A. Gilmore, and with her husband is now deceased;  they were the parents of five boys-Dr. Franklin, William L., Henry C., Abijah H. and Banner L.  Ephraim married, and became the father of six children, viz: Naomi S., Eliza E., Rachel A., William M.C., Lewis A. and Ephraim C.  Ephraim died in Clay County, Ill., in November, 1853.

      Mrs. Berry was the youngest child of her parents.  Of her marriage with our subject there have been born nine children.  The eldest son, Charles E., died in childhood; Harrison was married, Aug. 9, 1873, to Miss Nettie C. Havens, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa; they had three children-Freddie M., Rosa and Eliza O.  The latter was killed when only six weeks old with its mother by a falling tree, May 18, 1878; her husband was cutting timber in the woods, and she with her child was going to him, and happened to get there just as the tree which he was cutting fell; she was killed instantly, but the child lived about three days.  Abijah married Caroline McCoy, July 24, 1876, in Benton County, Iowa; they had one daughter, Bertha E. William H. was married to Mary L. Lane in Vinton, Iowa, in May, 1878; they have had three children-Rhoda M., Flora B. and Sydna E.,  Flora B. died aged eleven months.  Rhoda A. was married to E. L. Mack, Sept. 10, 1885, in Wichita, Kan.; she has one daughter, Nellie T. Laura E. was married to Charles H. McClellan, Oct. 19, 1885, in Wichita;  she has one daughter, Fleta Pearl.  John W., the youngest, is pursuing his studies in the district school.

      Mr. Berry, in the year 1868, sold his first purchase in Iowa, and after dealing considerably in real estate there, finally traded for a quarter-section of land in Rockford Township, this county, upon which he removed, and remained six years.  Then disposing of this at a good figure, he purchased in the city of Wichita two lots and also a house on Fourth avenue, for which he paid $1,000, and which he sold in January, 1887, for $5,000.  He is now the owner of about twenty lots within the city limits, and a house and two lots in the town of Goddard, in Attica Township.  His property is now estimated in all at the snug sum of $20,000.

     Our subject and his estimable lady are prominently connected with the Christian Church, corner of Second and Market streets, Wichita, and Mrs. B. has been a church member since a maiden of sixteen years.  Not alone a Christian in profession, she has carried out the principles of her religion in her daily life.  The family is one of the most highly respected in the city, where they have many friends.  Mr. Berry, politically, affiliates with the Democratic party, and maintains his principles in this regard with the same steadfastness which has characterized him in all the relations of life.

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