John Berry Home.
3 miles northwest of Harrisonburg, Virginia, at Edom, Route #250.
1804.
None.
John Beery (1767-1834) third son of Abraham and Mary Berry (the name has been variously spelled—Beer, Bier, Biera, Bera, Piere, Piery, Beary, Beery).
Abraham Beery, the progenitor of the family in Virginia, came from Switzerland via Rotterdam, Holland, and the origin of the name is supposed to have been from the province, Beira.
Abraham Beery, the progenitor of the line, immigrated at the age of eighteen years from Switzerland arriving at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, October 19, 1736, and later settled in Adams County, of that state. He had been persecuted in his native country not only from the standpoint of his religious views and faith, but also from the force of law which compelled every able-bodied man at the age of eighteen years to do military service. This induced him to emigrate to a land of liberty. The Beerys' were Mennonites in their religious views and faith, holding non-resistant principles and were made a target for fierce persecution at the hands of the European government as well as from many of its private citizens. Hunted, persecuted, driven from their homes, and burned at the stake, many of these people in Europe sought safety in America where freedom was promised them.
By occupation, they were mostly tillers of the soil, and to a great extent settled in colonies where they could more easily assemble for worship. During the first hundred years of their sojourn in America, they were engaged strictly in farming pursuits, undergoing the hardships and perils of pioneer life in the colonial new world, among wild beasts and savage Indians. Beginning in the forest, they by industry and honest methods, have changed that wild country into meadows, wheat fields and happy homes and secured for their descendants a financial basis far beyond that which they themselves had the privilege of beginning with.
Among the Beerys in America there are today, thousands of their descendants scattered from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and from Canada to the arid south, the great majority of them a fine people, and as in the past, so in the present, devoting their lives to religious principles. Among them are to be found ministers of the gospel in the various denominations of today, while others of them are still loyal steadfast to their original
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faith. Included among them too, are many to be found in the various vocations, filling large and responsible places as doctors, lawyers, teachers, farmers and intelligent professional men and women in vast numbers.
The following is copied from the registry of immigrants at the port of Philadelphia, arriving from Europe when America was yet in its infancy; Nicholas Piere (Beery) registered as an immigrant October 16, 1727. The mark "x" after his name indicates that he was not able to write, and that the registry was made by one of the immigrant clerks, who spelled the name as best he knew, or could understand, or perhaps to suit himself, these immigrants speaking only German. The spelling of the name would indicate Swiss nationality. The ship upon which he sailed was called "The Friendship" and sailed from Rotterdam, Holland with about two hundred on board, June 29, 1727, requiring nearly four months to make the trip. (Today our Ocean Greyhounds require about from four to six days.)
Abraham Beer (Beery) came from Switzerland and registered at Philadelphia, October 19, 1736. He is claimed as the progenitor of the line of Berrys.
These two men, Nicholas and Abraham Berry, as said above, came from Switzerland, and first settled in Pennsylvania, and later in Rockingham County, Virginia. Still later Nicholas emigrated to Fairfield County, Ohio, and died there, while Abraham remained in Virginia. Tradition has it that three stalwart brothers by the name of Beery came from Switzerland, the third one going to North Carolina. Again referring to the registry. Peter Bier, Sr., Peter Bier, Jr. and Matthew Hutwohl (Heatwole) sailed from Rotterdam and registered at Philadelphia, September 15, 1748.
Johan Heinrich Bory, registered October 26, 1767.
Jacob Beier " September 17, 1771.
Johannes Beer " October 16, 1772.
Frederic Beyer " October 16, 1772.
To Abraham Beery and wife Mary, were born six children, namely, Abraham, 1762, Nicholas, 1764, John, 1767, Jacob, 1769, George, 1773, Magdalene, 1777. Mr. Beery died at Cross Keys, Virginia, May 26, 1799 at the age of 81 years, having come to Virginia from Pennsylvania late in life.
Third son of Abraham Berry, was born in Adams County, Pennsylvania, 1767, died June 25, 1834. He came to Virginia when a young man prior to the coming of his father. He married Barbara Kagy sometime between 1792 and 1794, and for a few years lived at New Market, Virginia. About 1796 he purchased a large tract of land near Edom, in Rockingham county, Virginia. Here they made a fine home and reared a large family of industrious and intelligent children. He erected a fulling mill and carding machine upon his premises. This building was burned about 1810 or 12, but soon after was replaced, much enlarged and improved, and built of brick. Here he died June 25, 1835. His dwelling house was built of brick in 1804 and this with the homestead portion of his estate, came to his eighth son, Henry Beery, and later to Henry’s son, Henry C. Beery.
While the faith of the Mennonites is opposed to war, yet several of the grandsons of John Beery fought in the Confederate Army, one of them paying the supreme sacrifice, being wounded in battle at Martinsburg, West Virginia and dying the next day. This was Joseph Beery of Company A Virginia Militia, Captain Taylor.
John C. Beery joined August 10, 1862 from Edom, Company B. 7th Virginia Cavalry. Incapacitated by rheumatism, detailed as a miller for the duration of the war. Died at the age of 68 years. He was a son of John K. Beery. Isaac N. Beery joined April 1st, 1862 Company C 11th Virginia Cavalry, the "Laurel"
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Brigade, and Ashbys. After the war John C. and Isaac Beery accepted the results of the war, and became active in farming, milling and the business affairs of the community generally.
Court Records.
Wenger’s Genealogy of the Beery Family.
June 15, 1937 Geo. W. Fetzer
Harrisonburg, VA