M. before 1700 in (probably) Charles County, Maryland1
Wife: unknown
D. after 30 Nov 1734 in Charles County, Maryland2
At a time when anyone with basic knowledge could practice medicine, Samuel Berry was described as a doctor and a surgeon. His birthdate is estimated as before about 1667, and he was likely born in Charles County, Maryland.1 This was a region of tobacco plantations, and many people named Berry lived in the area. Most were thought to be descended from a James Berry who arrived from Devonshire, England by 1652.3 With a lack of records aside from wills and land transactions, it’s impossible to piece them together.
Samuel’s name first appeared in a lawsuit suing a man named John Wilder in 1690 for an unknown reason;3 unfortunately the original source for this is lost. Also unknown was the name of the woman Samuel married, likely sometime during the 1690s.1 They had at least six children, born between about 1700 and about 1718, and probably there were others. It’s possible Samuel was married more than once.
On October 2, 1704, Samuel bought 100 acres of land in Charles County, a plantation called “Hull,” and some adjacent property called “Hopewell.”4 The seller was Samuel Cawood, and the price was 3,000 pounds of tobacco. The land was located near the Mattawoman Creek, northwest of the present-day town of Waldorf; Berry Road runs through the area and was likely named after his descendants. Most interesting in the transaction record was that Samuel was referred to as “Doctor Samuel Berry,” suggesting that while he operated a tobacco plantation, he was also practicing medicine, a fact confirmed in other documents.
What did being a doctor mean in early 18th-century Maryland? It’s almost certain Samuel didn’t have any medical schooling in his background. He likely learned how to treat patients in some other way, such as an apprenticeship to another man serving as a doctor. By picking up the basics of how to care for the sick, Samuel could offer his services to those who had no other options. A doctor like Samuel made very little money from this, and his primary income would be from his tobacco farm.
Samuel’s name, sometimes written as Dr. Berry, appeared in other records as witness to transactions, or as someone who was owed money in a probate document.1 The latter seems to suggest he may have been treating the person in their final illness, although this is speculation. As for the plantation he bought in 1704, there’s no reason to believe he ever moved from there, remaining until near the end of his life.
By 1732, Samuel seemed to be living in poverty. That year he filed for an exemption from paying taxes, and his request was granted.3 It’s likely that his wife had died by this time and he may have been physically unable to work. On November 30, 1734, he sought help from a son-in-law named John Robey, signing over all of his possessions in return for being taken care of in his old age.2 The document specified that Robey was to receive “a feather bed and furniture, a wooden cupboard, two iron pots, an iron skillet and four pewter basins.” This seems to indicate that Samuel only owned some very basic items at that point in his life. His date of death is unknown, but he may have survived for another 10 or 15 years.3
1734 document involving Samuel and his son-in-law, John Robey.
Connection to son-in-law John Robey (~1714-1804)
The only document linking Samuel Berry to John Robey who died in 1804 is the statement he made signing over his possessions in 1734. Two things suggest that this is accurate. One is that there were no other men named John Robey living in the region where Samuel was. The other is that one of John Robey’s sons was given the first name Berry.5 While neither of these proof points are solid genealogical evidence, the two of them together make the conclusion strong.
Children:
1. Elizabeth Berry — B. about 1700, Charles County, Maryland;1 D. before 7 Apr 1794, Charles County, Maryland1
2. Anne Berry — B. about 1701, Charles County, Maryland;1 D. after 7 Sep 1775, (probably) Charles County, Maryland1
3. William Berry — B. about 1703, Charles County, Maryland;1 D. 19 Feb 1733, Charles County, Maryland;1 M. Esther Wakefield (~1706-1753), before 1729, (probably) Charles County, Maryland1
4. Humphrey Berry — B. about 1705, Charles County, Maryland;1 D. before 22 Jan 1772, Charles County, Maryland;3 M. (1) Mary Smallwood (~1710-~1731), before 1729, (probably) Charles County, Maryland;1 (2) Anne Lovejoy (~1712-1798), about 1732, (probably) Charles County, Maryland1
5. (supposed) Mary Berry — B. about 1715, Charles County, Maryland;1 D. before 1802, (probably) Charles County, Maryland;1 M. John Robey (1714-1804), before 11 Dec 1734, (probably) Charles County, Maryland2
6. Samuel Berry — B. about 1718, Charles County, Maryland;3 D. before 18 Mar 1776, Charles County, Maryland;3 M. Anne Thomas (~1722-?), about 1738, (probably) Charles County, Maryland3
Sources:
1 Samuel Berry listing, Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia’s Northern Neck Counties (website)
2 Document signing over property to John Robey, Charles County, Maryland Land Records, 1733-1743, Book O#2, p. 65
3 “Berry Family of Charles County,” Arthur L. Keith, Maryland Historical Magazine, 1906
4 1642-1753 Rent Rolls Charles County, Maryland, Hundred – Port Tobacco: Rent Roll page/sequence: 314/84
5 Mary Berry listing, Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia’s Northern Neck Counties (website)
