The C. A. McAdams FamilyOur American Rootsby Charles G. Petersen |
| ANCESTORS |
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Charles' Paternal Maternal Maternal
Great-Great-Grandparents |
Francis Mary
Berry Hampton
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Ebenezer ----- Rebecca
Haines | Berry
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James ----- Sarah
McAdams | Haines
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Samuel ----- Margaret
Haines | Ellen
McAdams | Staley
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Charles
Andrew
McAdams
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| Francis Berry and Mary Hampton |
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Frederick County
Francis was the son of Joseph Berry and Rebecca Fairfax, however the date
and place of his birth is not known but is
believed to be about 1744 in Frederick County which is
in the far northwest corner of Virginia.
He married Mary Hampton in what is believed to be about 1778 in Frederick County.
She was born, the daughter of George Hampton and Mary Colson, on the 20th of June
in 1754 in Frederick County.
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Military Service
Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) records and other military records
indicate that Francis served in the Virginia Militia and was promoted to Captain
around 1779.
Another record states that he was with the General Bradford Army in the French
and Indian War but that is doubtful as Bradford died of his wounds from battle
in 1755, Francis would have been only 10 years old.
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Virginia Land
In 1784 Francis was deeded from his father 308 acres of land in Frederick County.
By that time Francis and Mary already had at least 3 children
out of the eventual group of 10.
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Union County
Sometime around 1800 Francis, Mary, and some of their children moved west to
Henderson County, Kentucky near Morganfield.
Union County including Morganfield which became the County Seat was formed
out of Henderson County in 1811.
The boundary of the original Virginia Colony ran all the way west to the
Mississippi River, as did the boundary of North Carolina.
The parts of Virginia and North Carolina west of the Appalachain Mountains
eventually became Kentucky and Tennessee.
Kentucky became the 15th state in 1792, Tennessee the 16th in 1796.
The tract of land that Francis owned was part of an original grant by the
Commonwealth of Virginia to Andrew Waggener.
In 1811 Francis and Mary granted 100 acres to their son William.
Union County is bounded on the north by the Ohio River.
Across the river to the northeast is Indiana and to the northwest is Illinois.
When Francis and Mary moved there it was a wilderness near the far western
boarder of the United States at that time.
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Later Years
It has been reported that Mary died in 1809, but there are at least 2 pieces of
information showing her alive in 1812 at Berry's Ferry landing in Union County,
Kentucky. In March of 1812 she and Francis gave a donation to the building of
a church in Union County.
A letter still exists written by Mary from Union County dated June of 1812 to her daughter,
Rebecca (Berry) Haines, in Ohio.
Besides family news the letter describes the earthquake that had occurred a few
months back.
It surely was the New Madrid earthquake of December of 1811 followed by several major
aftershocks into February of 1812 all of magnitude over 7.0 on the Richter scale.
The New Madrid Faulty Line is located in southeastern Missouri, the boot heel.
The story goes that the 1811 earthquake was so strong that it rang church bells
in Washington D.C.
So you can imagine what it was like only 120 miles from the epicenter.
Francis died in late 1819. His will was probated in Union County on 20 Dec 1819. His will, while mentioning several of the children, makes no mention of Mary. The assumption is that Mary had died before Francis, thus placing her death sometime between June of 1812 and Fall of 1819. The will gave 50 acres of land to his son William, a negro boy to his daughter Susannah, (Yes, it may be shocking but Francis owned at least one slave.) the balance of all his possession were given to three daughters, Nancy, Isabella, and Judith. He specifically gave nothing new to his son, Joseph, and duaghters, Rebecca and Polly. William was named Executer of the will. |
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Children of Francis Berry and Mary Hampton
Joseph George Berry born about 1780 in Frederick County, Virginia. Rebecca Berry born September, 16, 1780 in Frederick County, Virginia. William Berry born in Frederick County, Virginia. Peter Berry born in Frederick County, Virginia. Susannah Berry born in Frederick County, Virginia. Nancy Berry born in Frederick County, Virginia. Isabella Berry in Frederick County, Virginia. Mary (Polly) Berry born about 1788 in Frederick County, Virginia. Francis Berry Jr. born about 1790 in Frederick County, Virginia. Judith Berry born January 4, 1795 in Frederick County, Virginia. |
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