Berry Family

James H. Berry was born in 1823 and died in 1896. He was a native of Virginia but came to Missouri with his family in 1835. Later he was in the mercantile business at Mansfield; afterwards locating at Forsythe, Missouri, where he was in business until 1851, when he came to Yellville. He established a general mercantile business, hauling goods from St. Louis, Missouri, by oxen. In return for his merchandise, Mr. Berry received furs, medicines, beeswax and other things that he took on to St. Louis and sold at a substantial profit. He was actively engaged in business except for two years during the Civil War when he taught a country school. He was also interested in the operation of a sawmill.

Mr. Berry married, first, Eliza Wilson, a daughter of Isaac C. and Martha Burleson Wilson. Mr. Wilson was a pioneer settler. Mr. and Mrs. Berry were the parents of Helen, Belle and Harriet. Helen married John S. Cowdrey and had two sons, Ernest and Roscoe, and five daughters, Annie, Daisy, Mabel, Helen and Lillian. Belle married Jenks Griffin, whose children were: Wallace, Ruby and Helen. Harriet died in infancy.

After the death of his first wife, Mr. Berry married May Milum. To this union were born: J. C. (Cam); E. L. who died in 1904; Virginia; Marian (or Mary); R. L. (Bob); and Mabel who died in infancy. Cam Berry married Edna Layton, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. S. Layton. Their children were: Eula, Alsey, Fred, Lon, Neva, and a son who died young. Virginia Berry was the wife of J. C. Floyd, Congressman from 1905 until 1910. Their children were: Rector (Rex); Nina, and Berry. Marian (or Mary) Berry married W. J. Gear of Springfield, Missouri. They were the parents of two daughters and a son. R. L. Berry married Eliza Baker of Mountain Home and their only child was Helen Mae.

R. L. (Bob) Berry was prominent in political affairs in Marion County. In 1899, he was appointed Deputy County and Circuit Clerk, serving in that capacity for two years. Then for two years he was employed in the office of J. C. Floyd. In 1904, he was elected County Treasurer and served for four years. At the close of his term of office, he was assistant cashier at the Bank of Yellville. He was so efficient that he was promoted to cashier, a position he held until 1914. Again, he became County and Circuit Clerk, serving for four years. At that time he retired from politics, but later he became County and Probate judge. He was in the abstract business for several years and was very successful in the real estate business. Perhaps no man in Marion County politics had more friends than did Bob Berry.

Fred Berry, the son of Cam and Edna Berry, was engaged in banking, also. After the banks were closed during the depression years, he opened the Yellville Banking Exchange. This later became the Bank of Yellville, which is one of the best in this part of the state. The bank is now operated by his widow, Bernice Berry, assisted by about twenty employees.

J. H. Berry of Marion County was a first cousin of J. H. Berry of Benton County, who was first Governor Berry and later served as U. S. Senator from Arkansas. The family's religious faith was that of the Methodist Episcopal Church and members of the family were Democrats.

The Berry home in Yellville is the oldest in town. It is in a fine state of preservation, having had the best of care. During the Civil War it was occupied by Federal troops. Members of the Berry family have lived in it ever since it was built. Lon Berry and his wife, Alma Flippin Berry, lived there for many years. After Lon's death, Alma lived there alone. Since her death, Fred's heirs have charge of it.

Some of this information was taken from CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF ARKANSAS Vol. 111, p. 1162, by Dallas T. Herndon.