Bio: Col. Joseph W. Berry, Webster Par., Louisiana
Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana
The Southern Publishing Company, Chicago & Nashville, 1890
Submitted by: Gwen Moran-Hernandez
Date: April 2000

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Col. Joseph W. Berry, assessor, Minden, La.  One among the few remaining early settlers of
 this partof Louisiana is the man whose name appears at the head of this sketch.  He was 
born in Bloomington,Ind., on June 12, 1818, and his father, Judge Joseph Berry, was a 
native of Old Dominion.  The Judgecomes of old Virginia stock.  He moved to Kentucky with 
his parents, there was reared to manhood,and when a young man went to Tennessee, 
where he was married to Miss Mary Campbell, a nativeof the Big Bend State.  He served in 
some of the old Indian wars and was captured by the Indians ofOhio.  He served in Capt. 
Price's company and Gen. Wayne's command.  In 1812 Mr. Berry settledin Illinois, near 
Vincennes, and moved to Monroe County, Ind., in 1813.  He was fairly educated, aman of 
good judgement and was a lawyer by profession.  He was elected judge of Monroe County,Ind., 
and held his first court in a log cabin.  In 1834 he started to move with forty families to the 
LoneStar State and died on the road, near Minden, in November of that year.  His wife had 
died inBloomington, Ind., in 1825.  Col. Joseph W. Berry remained in his native State until 
sixteen years ofage, and received a good education at New Harmony College.  He came south 
with his father in1834, located in what is now Webster Parish and worked on a farm and in a 
saw-mill for about threeyears.  In 1837 he entered a store as clerk at Overton, the old county 
seat, and in 1838 he came toMinden, where he clerked for several years.  He was here in 1837,
 and saw this town surveyed andlaid off.  He engaged in merchandising in Minden in 1841,
and continued in the dry-good businessfor thirty-two years.  In 1851 his superior intelligence 
and fine ability became recognized by thenumerous friends he had gathered around him, and 
he was elected a member of the Legislature,serving two years.   So great was his popularity 
that he was re-elected to the same office in 1856 andre-elected again in 1860, being a member
 of that body when the State seceded.  In 1863 he wascommissioned colonel of Claiborne's 
regiment and afterward served in Gen. Gilbert's staff.  Heentered the service in 1861; was 
commissioned enrolling officer for Claiborne Parish, and afterwardserved as quartermaster.  
He was elected to the Confederate Legislature in 1864, and was a memberof that body when 
the news reached the House of the surrender of Gen. Lee, the Legislatureadjourning on receipt 
of this news.  In November, 1865, Mr. Berry again engaged in merchandising,which he 
continued up to 1872, at which time he met with a very severe loss by fire.  He did not 
againengage in this business, but carried on his farm, he and his partner being the owners 
of a large tractof land and about fifty-three slaves previous to the war.  In 1880 Mr. Berry 
was appointed assessorof Webster Parish and has served now for ten years in that capacity. 
 He has taken a prominent partin politics, has served as a delegate to numerous conventions
and was in the Legislature under fourdifferent governors.  Mr. Berry was married first in 
Rapides Parish, La., in 1846 to Miss Camelia C.Hadley, a native of Louisiana, and was reared 
and educated in that State.  Three children were bornto this union: W. H., F. P. and Caroline
 E. (wife of J. T. Mims, a business man of Minden).  Mrs.Berry died in October, 1853, and 
Mr. Berry afterward married a sister of his former wife, Miss J. E.Hadley, also a native of this 
State.  There are four children born to this marriage: J. C. (married andis a telegraph operator 
at Monroe), E. L., J. L. and Nettie (who is a graduate of Minden College). Mr. Berry is a Royal 
Arch Mason, has served as worshipful master of the Blue Lodge ten years andking and scribe 
of his chapter.  Mr. Berry has been and still is a very active man.  He is well postedon the 
general questions of the day, is a thorough business man and is as pleasant a gentleman as 
onewould care to meet.