"The land at the Kersey Ferry was owned by Thomas Ashby, of PrinceWill iam County, who conveyed it to Joseph Berry in 1747; and verysoon it w as called Berry's Ferry. Berry was then a resident ofPrince George Co unty. Joseph Berry secured fuller rights to run thisferry, by an Act o f the General Assembly Dec. 11, 1790. Up to thattime, he had conflict w ith the ferry established by the Court, andtradition says that two fer ries were operated there."
12/23/1758 He and his wife, Mary, conveyed 150 acres to ColonelCharle s Carter of "Cleve," the deed stating it was land left him inhis fathe r's will of 1759.
2/6/1784 Joseph transferred property via these three deeds on thesame d ay:
GREETINGS - Know ye that I Joseph Berry Esq. of the Parish and Countyo f Frederick for and in consideration of the love Goodwill andaffection I h ave and bear towards Francis Berry of the same Parishand County...Gran t unto said Francis Berry three hundered and eightAcres of Land former ly belonging to Thomas Ashby. Signed Jos. Berry.
Wit: Miles W Conway, Moley Berry, William (X) Hanes.
Recorded: 2 March 1784.
GREETINGS - Know ye that I Joseph Berry Esq of Parish & County ofFrede rick for and in consideration of the Love Goodwill and affectionwhich I h ave and do bear Towards my Daughter Moley Berry of the sameParish and C ounty have given and granted unto said Moley Berry TwoNegroes Names Pe g & Hamner they & their increase of which I presenthave Delivered the s aid Moley Berry... Signed Jos. Berry
Wit: Miles W Conway, Francis Berry, James (X) Dent
Recorded: 2 March 1784
GREETINGS - Know ye that I Joseph Berry Esq of Parish & County ofFrede rick for and in consideration of the Love Goodwill and affectionwhich I h ave and do bear Towards Miles Withers Conway of the sameParish and Cou nty have given and granted unto said Miles WithersConway two Negroes J udy and Jane...Signed Jos. Berry
Wit: Francis Berry, James (X) Dent, Hulda Hullet, Moley Berry
Recorded: 2 March 1784
Joseph's will, dated 8 May 1806, Proven 20 Apr 1807, Frederick Co., VAs aid:
In the name of God amen I Joseph Berry of Frederick County and Stateo f Virginia being in a tolerable State of health and sound in mindand m emory do make and ordain this to be my last will and testamentin manne r and form as follows.
First and principally I give and bequeath my soul unto almighty godhop ing for acceptance thereof through the merits of Jesus Christ andmy bo dy to be buried in a decent and Christian like manner, at thediscretio n of My Executrix her in after mentioned and with respect tomy worldly e state, all my Just debts being first paid and Discharged,I will & disp ose of in manner following...
Item, I give and bequeath unto my son FRANCIS BERRY one dollar and nom ore;
Item I give, and bequeath unto my son BENJAMIN BERRY one Dollar and nom ore.
Item I give and bequeath to my Daugter REBECKAH EARLS who was REBECKAHW OOD, who was REBECKAH BERRY one Dollar and no more.
Item I give and bequeath unto my Daugter SUSANNA CONWAY late SUSANNABE RRY one Dollar and no more.
Item I give to my Daughter MARY CONWAY late MARY BERRY - one Dollarand n o more.
My reason for giving the said Francis, Benjamin, Rebeckah, Susanna andM ary BERRY, no more of my Estate is that they have received theirfull p arts before this period.
Item I give and bequeath to my loving wife HULDA BERRY all my Estatebo th real and personal during her life or widowhood, for her the saidHUL DAH BERRY to dispose of amongst her children as she thinks bestbut sho uld she marry it is my will that, she should have one Eighthpart of my E state to her and her heirs forever, and no more; butShould she continu e Single after my Decesae, it is my desire for heralways to have the b enefit of my estate both real and personal at herown disposal and what ever of the estate may be in her hand, at herdeath to be equally divid ed amongst my seven Children Viz: PEGGYBERRY, SARAH BERRY,JOSEPH BERRY a nd HULDAH BERRY, THOMAS BERRY,WILLIAM B. BERRY and KATHARINE BERRY to t hem and their heirs forever.
Item and Lastly it is my will and desire that that (sic) my lovingwif e HULDAH BERRY be my Executrix of this my Last will and Testamentreque sting that no security be required of her upon her qualificationas suc h. In Witnefs whereof I have Subscribed my name and affixed myseal thi s Eighth day of May in the year of our Lord Eighteen hundredand six.
Signed sealed and
delivered in presence of Jos. Berry [seal]
Samuel Bryerly
James Lindsay
Lester Pullen
James Hathaway
Abraham Hes (Hess)
At a Superior court continued and held for the district composed ofthe c ounties of Frederick, Berkeley Shenandoah and Jefferson atWinchester t he 20th day of April 1807. The Last will and testament ofJOSEPH BERRY w as produced to the court and proved by the oaths ofJAMES HATHAWAY and A BRAHAM HEFS witnefses thereto and ordered to berecorded, and on the mo tion of HULDA BERRY the Executrix therein------- she having made oath a nd entered into bond in the final sumof ten thousand dollars condition ed as the law directs (the said willdirecting that security should not b e taken and it appeasing to theCourt by the oath of
