Capt. William N. Berry Biography


	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1899. Pages 826-829

	Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. 

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CAPTAIN WILLIAM N. BERRY, who also is entitled to the prefix 
"Honorable," is one of the leading citizens of Clark county. He is one 
of the oldest settlers of the vicinity of Lake township, and makes his 
home on section 25, where he is following the vacation of an 
agriculturist, with a marked degree of success. His farm bears evidence 
of painstaking care in the method of its operation and he has given as 
freely of his time for the advancement of his community, as for his 
personal gain. His life has been an eventful one, and his record as an 
sold soldier is interesting as well as indicative of his loyalty of 
heart and soul. His farm adjoins the village of Willow Lakes, and with 
his son he conducts a farm of four hundred and eighty acres. 

Our subject is a native of Cumberland county, Illinois, and was born 
November 3, 1840. The family of Berrys dates to the Colonial times. 
1774 is the earliest history, when John Berry is recorded as having 
removed to Maryland from Virginia. He was a native of Ireland, and 
served in the Revolutionary. His son, also John, settled in Carolina, 
and reared a large family, Joseph, the grandfather of our subject, 
being one of the sons. Joseph served in the war of 1812, and after the 
war sojourned in the southern states for a time. The father of our 
subject, John Berry, was born in Tennessee. Illinois soon became the 
home of the family, and our subject's father married Miss Elizabeth 
Howard, a native of Kentucky and of Scotch descent. 

Our subject was the second of six children and the eldest of those who 
grew to maturity. At the age of eighteen he was sent to the IIlinois 
College at Jacksonville, and there studied for two years. Upon the call 
for seventy-five thousand men to enlist for the war he answered the 
summons, and became a member of Company B, Twenty first Illinois 
Volunteer Infantry, with Grant as colonel. The battle of Fredricktown, 
Missouri, was the only battle fought while with the company, and he was 
transferred to Company L, Fifth Illinois Cavalry, with the rank of 
second lieutenant, a promotion direct from the ranks, for conduct on 
the battlefield at Fredricktown. The siege of Vicksburg was the next 
general engagement, when he held the rank of first lieutenant. He was 
then placed in charge of forty men on an expedition from Vicksburg to 
Pensacola, Florida, but before the journey was more than half completed 
the little band was captured. Our subject was confined in Libby prison 
in July and remained a prisoner one year. He escaped on a transfer from 
Danville to Macon, but was recaptured the fifth night. He again made 
his escape from Macon, and for three days traveled south and then 
hurried toward Sherman's army, but when within thirty miles of his 
destination his strength failed and he stopped with a southern family 
as a confederate soldier. Union cavalry came within four miles of his 
stopping place and he managed to get to them. He took thirty days off, 
rejoined his regiment, and was soon detailed chief of scouts and 
promoted to be captain. He was mustered out in October, 1865, and went 
to Illinois, where he engaged in farming. He went to Dakota in March, 
1882, and took land where he now resides, since which time he has 
followed that occupation. 

Captain Berry was married December 3, 1865, to Miss Margaret Diehl. 
Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Berry, as follows: Logan, 
John D., George C., Linnie and Lessie. Captain Berry has served Clark 
county as a commissioner, and in 1886 was elected to the territorial 
legislature and served as chairman of the committee on appropriations. 
He is a Republican in political belief and advocates high license. He 
is a gentleman who keeps abreast of the times, and in all matters of 
local import takes a leading part. The many friends of Captain and Mrs. 
Berry will be gratified to find their portraits in connection with this 
biography.