THE BERRY FAMILY OF GARDINER, MAINE Sprague's Journal of Maine History. Vol. VIII AUG., SEPT., OCT. 1920 No. 2 page 108-111 THE BERRY FAMILY OF GARDINER, MAINE William Bradstreet Berry of Gardiner, Maine, a well known and prominent business man of that city, mention of whom and whose likeness appeared on page 77 of the last issue of the Journal, is a direct descendant of the first Samuel Berry and his son, Lieut. Nathaniel Berry. Mr. Berry has always taken a keen interest in all Maine historical matters, and belongs to various historic-patri- otic societies, and is vice-president of the Maine Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. He contributes to the Journal the following valuable sketch of the Berry family: BERRY GENEALOGY SAMUEL BERRY. (1)Samuel Berry was an Englishman by birth. He built a large house and kept a tavern, which was the first house for enter- tainment ever built in Bath. On the hill north of the mill, they built a two story garrison of timber 12 inches square, the upper story projecting to protect themselves against the Indians. His block house stood until after the capture of Quebec by General Wolfe in 1759. It was taken down by Mr. Berry, and three houses built of it for this three sons, on the west side of the mill pond, on three separate lots 30 rods wide and extending east to Winnegance Creek. Names of the three sons: (2) Nathaniel Berry, Samuel Berry, James Berry, (Joseph was taken by the Indians) see below. 1739 - Berry and Sears built a double saw mill. (Samuel, Sr.) 1749 - Second mill built by Berry. 1750 - First grist mill built by Berry and others. 1763 - Third saw mill built by Berry and others. 1782 - Fourth saw mill built by Berry and others. (Samuel, Jr.) 1783 - Second grist mill built by Berry. 1750 - Previous to this date Samuel Berry built mills, tavern, and a strong garrison at Mill Cove. His son Joseph taken by the Indians. Mr. Berry's lad commenced at the Kennebec river, running west to the New Meadows river, and a hundred twenty rods wide. The first mill Mr. Sears sold out to Mr. Berry. (The above is taken from Lemont's History of Bath, Maine.) (2) Nathaniel, a mariner, at one time owned 100 acres in Hallowell which he sold to Samuel Norcross. Capt. Nathaniel Berry came to Litchfield from West Bath in 1763. He was a man of great bodily strength and a great hunter. On one occasion he was chasing a moose on snowshoes, and his companions had the curiosity to measure his leaps and it was found out that he had leaped seven feet between the shoes time after time. He used to visit Litchfield, coming up Cobbossee stream in a boat, fre- quently for the purpose of hunting. In 1780 he moved his family upon the farm now owned by C. H. Hodgkins and later upon the farm afterwards occupied by his son Andrew, and his grandson Orrington, and lived there until his decease. He was a member of the board of selectmen in 1796, and held other town offices. He married Mary Mitchell, Jan. 18, 1755, at Georgetown. (Hanson's History of Gardiner, p. 78; History of Litchfield, p. 52) (2) Joseph Berry was born at New Meadows, Brunswick, Sept. 28, 1740. His parents had previously resided at Berry's Mills, in Bath, then called Georgetown. Nothing has been obtained as regards his ancestors. He married 1st Feb., 1776, Jane the second daughter of Capt. Adam Hunter of Topsham. Joseph Berry either prior or after his marriage settled in Topsham. During the last Indian War his is said to have been captured by the Indians and carried to Canada. It appears in an entry in the office of the Registry of Deeds that Dec. 28, 1768, he received from James Hunter 100 acres of the N. W. parts of lots Nos. 30-31, in Top- sham. He was one of the committee of Correspondence & Safety in 1785. He died Sept. 23, 1830, in Topsham, Maine. (History Brunswick, Topsham.) (3) Samuel Berry, Nathaniel Berry and a deaf and dumb brother named Benjamin came from West Bath in 1763. Samuel received an eight acre lot (No. 5) on "Plaisted Hill" and his house was near the firs dam on Cabbassa-Contee. The terms on which his land was obtained were: that it should be well fenced, have a good house, and that the grantee should dwell thereon seven years,, clean up three acres and work on the high- way and ministerial lot certain days each year, and that he should not sell it until the Plantation of Gardinerston contained 60 fam- ilies. Berry bought out James McCausland in 1776. (Hanson's History of Gardiner, p. 78) (3) Samuel Berry of Bath cut timber on the shore of Cabassa first pond and hay at Brown's farm as early as 1761. (Hanson's History of Gardiner, p.68) (3) Leiut. Samuel Berry, b. Aug. 10, 1737; m. Sarah Thorn; she was b. Oct. 14, 1739. Children: I. David, b. Nov. 22, 1759; m. Mary Bradstreet; she d. in 1827. Children: I, Polly, b. M. 23, 1782; m. _______Webster. 2, Arthur, b. Nov. 5, 1783; m. Harriet Stackpole, 2nd wife, Eliza- beth Grant, 3d, Mary Taylor. 3, Rachel, b. Apr. 7, 1785; m. _________Pollard, 2nd husband, __________ Wall. 4, Patty, b. July 10, 1793; d. unm. 5, Harriet, b. Dec., 1795; d. unm. II. Thomas, b. Aug. 23, 1763; m. Polly Davis, 2nd wife Mary Hanscom. Children: I, Samuel, unm.; 2, Joseph, m. Betsey Tabor. 3, Keziah, m. Samuel Falls. 4, David, unm. III. Lydia, b. Aug. 22, 1765; m. Nathaniel Berry (Lee N. Berry.) IV. Martha, b. July 10, 1767; m. V. Lucy, b. March 22, 1769; m. Joseph Lambert of Hill Cove, Bath. (3) Nathaniel Berry was born in Georgetown, now called West Bath, Dec. 22, 1755. When he was eight (8) years of age (1763) his father removed to Gardiner, and Nathaniel continued to reside here until he was twenty-two years old (1777) when he went to Boston and enlisted. He was on the northern frontier with Gen. Schuyler at the retreat of Saratoga, surrender of Burguoyne, the skirmish at White Marsh. He soon became a member of George Washington's Life Guards, and, was at Valley Forge, in that darkest period of the Revolution. In January, 1780, he was honorably discharged, and he returned to his home in Pittston. While at Valley Forge, a member of the Guard opened a writing school and Mr. Berry attended. He wrote the names of the Life Guards in his book. His death took place Aug. 20, 1850. Hon. George Evans pronounced a eulogy, and a large procession of the people, officers, military escort, fire department, etc., attended the body to the Methodist church, and thence to the Pittston Cemetery, where it was buried amid the tolling of bells and the firing of Minute guns. Mr. Berry was a man of vigorous mind and body and will long be remembered as one of Washington's Life Guards. (3) Nathaniel Berry was the first selectman elected (1781) in Pittston, Maine. (4) Lydia Berry, the daughter of Samuel Berry and the wife of Nathaniel Berry, who was born Aug. 22, 1765, was the first white girl born in Gardiner or Pittston. Children of Capt. Arthur Berry and Harriet Stackpole: I. Arthur, Jr., m. Charlotte Lambert. 2. Julia, m. J. Macy of New York. William Bradstreet Berry, son of Capt. Arthur Berry, Jr., and Charlotte Lambert, was born off Cape Horn on his father's ship the "Washington" December 23, 1866; m. Alice Louise Maxcy. Children: 1. Doris Maxcy Berry. 2. Gladys Marshall Berry, m. Harrison Morton Berry; they have one son, Harrison Morton Berry, Jr. 3. William Clark Berry. (c) 1998 Courtesy of the Androscoggin Historical Society ************************************************* * * * * NOTICE: Printing the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. 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