A Doctor in Colonial Maryland — Samuel Berry

B. before about 1670 in (probably) Charles County, Maryland¹
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)

The Long Life of a Tobacco Farmer — John Robey

B. about 1714 in Charles County, Maryland¹
M. about 1735 in Charles County, Maryland¹
Wife: Mary ________
D. before 23 Jul 1808 in (probably) Lincoln County, North Carolina²

During much of the 18th century, John Robey made a living growing tobacco in the region around the Potomac River. John was born in about 1714 in Charles County, Maryland,¹ the peninsula south of present-day Washington, DC. His father was also named John, as was his grandfather who had come over from England in the mid-1600s.¹ The Robey family was numerous in Charles County, and it’s challenging to accurately piece them together due to a lack of vital records. John’s mother may have been named Sarah Berry, but this isn't proven.

Map of colonial Maryland showing Charles and Prince George's Counties.

What is known about John is that his early years, and into his middle-age, were spent on small tobacco plantations. The climate and geography of southern Maryland was ideally suited for growing the crop, and it was the reason most people settled there. The peninsula where John lived had natural irrigation from many small streams, which along with rich soil, made the land perfect for growing tobacco. It's likely that John got married during the early 1730s, and his wife was only known by the first name Mary.¹ They had at least eight children, the youngest being born in 1763.³

On November 12, 1750, John purchased an 84-acre plantation in Charles County for the price of 5,000 pounds of tobacco.¹ Most plantations in Maryland were given names to identify them, and this was a section of a larger one called “Three Brothers.” Later, another record dated April 1764 showed he bought more land adjoining the earlier purchase, and this was called “Roby’s Help.”¹ Two years later, John’s name appeared in another transaction, this time a lease for a tract called “Partnership,” located near a place called “Zachiah Manor.”¹ The document showed he would gain possession of 150 acres on Christmas Day of 1766, and that the rent for it was 850 pounds of tobacco per year. In the terms of the deal, he was forbidden from cutting trees for wood. He kept this land until September of 1774.¹

Typical tobacco farm in Maryland.

After that, John seems to have moved to an adjacent county. A census was taken in Maryland in the summer of 1776 which showed him living in Prince George’s County along with wife Mary and eight others ranging in age from 6 to 23.⁴ In February 1778, his name was on a list of men who took the oath of allegiance in support of the Americans declaring independence.⁵ It’s believed that John continued to live in Prince George’s County until the early 1790s, when in his old age, he joined younger family members in moving to Iredell County, North Carolina.³

By the end of his life, John’s wife had died and he was living in the care of his children. All three of his sons had farms there, and it’s likely he lived with one of them. A grandson, Robey Tucker, may have taken him into his household for a time, and John wrote a will dated February 1, 1804 bequeathing Robey’s wife Rachel five pounds for presumably caring for him.² John lived another four years, dying in early 1808 at the age of about 94.²

Among John’s descendants is Vice President Dan Quayle’s wife Marilyn Tucker.

Children:
1. Mary Robey — B. about 1736, Charles County, Maryland;³ D. before 1 Feb 1804;² M. (maybe) Thomas Tucker³

2. Leonard Robey — B. about 1738, Charles County, Maryland;¹ D. 1815, Iredell County, Maryland;³ M. Emma Wedding (~1735-?), 1770, Charles County, Maryland³

3. Esther Robey — B. about 1740, Charles County, Maryland;¹ D. before 1 Feb 1804;² M. ______ Tucker²

4. Berry Robey — B. 1742, Charles County, Maryland;³ D. 1820, Iredell County, North Carolina⁶

5. Tobias Robey — B. about 1745, Charles County, Maryland;³ D. before 12 Nov 1802, Iredell County, North Carolina³

6. Basil Robey — B. Charles County, Maryland³

7. Elizabeth Robey — B. Charles County, Maryland;⁶ M. _______ Barel⁶

8. Edith Robey — B. about 1762, Charles County, Maryland;⁶ D. before 1 Feb 1804;² M. John Smith, 18 Jan 1778, Rowan County, North Carolina⁶

9. Millie Robey — B. 6 Jan 1763, Charles County, Maryland;³ D. 25 Apr 1844, Giles County, Tennessee;³ M. Jeremiah Parker (1766-1841)⁶ 

Sources:
1    Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia’s Northern Neck Counties (website)  
2    North Carolina Probate Records, 1735-1970, FamilySearch.org
3    Robey/Roby/Robie: the family history from early England to America, William Grafton Robey Jr., 1994
4    Maryland Records: Colonial, Revolutionary, County and Church from Original Sources, Vol. 1, Gaius Marcus Brumbaugh, 1915
5    Maryland Indexes, Oaths of Fidelity, 1778, Maryland State Archives
6    "Families of Mary Elizabeth Polly Parker McConnell," Christian County, Missouri Genealogy (website) 

From the Potomac to the Piedmont — Robey Tucker

B. about 1753 in Prince George’s County, Maryland¹
M. (1) before Aug 1776 in (probably) Prince George’s County, Maryland¹
Wife: Hester ______
M. (2) before 1800 in (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina²
Wife: Rachel ______
D. after 14 Nov 1837 in (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina²

Robey Tucker was part of a migration of poor tobacco planters from Maryland who moved to the backwoods of North Carolina during the late 18th century. His origins are not well-documented; some sources indicate that his parents were Thomas Tucker and Mary Robey, but there doesn't seem to be hard evidence of this. His father may have had a different first name, and his mother could have been Esther instead of Mary. Either way, Robey was born in about 1753.¹

The place where Robey was born and grew up was Prince George’s County, Maryland, a rural area where the only crop was tobacco. Most of the population were descendants of English settlers who arrived in the colony during the 17th century. Robey likely did much of the farm labor as he grew up. Through land records, it’s possible to identify the general location of where the family lived, an area which was irrigated by one of the many creeks flowing into the Port Tobacco River.

Helping his father harvest tobacco. (AI-generated image)

Robey first turned up in records as a married man at age 23. A census was taken in Maryland in August of 1776 to assess the collection of taxes for supporting the Continental Congress. Some of the records are remarkably detailed, listing names and ages for everyone in each household. Robey’s wife was named Hester, also age 23, but in the absence of any marriage record, her maiden name is unknown. Their farm was the only one with just two people.¹ Nearby were John and Drusilla Tucker, ages 74 and 64, and John and Mary Robey, ages 62 and 55.¹ The Robeys were his grandparents, and the Tuckers were likely his close relatives.

Robey was a young man during the American Revolution, but there's no evidence that he ever volunteered as a soldier. He did swear his allegiance to the cause on February 23, 1778;³ nearly all of the men in Maryland did the same. Perhaps one reason Robey didn’t join the service was that he had started a family in 1777 with the birth of a son.⁴ He had seven children with Hester, mostly boys, with the youngest child born in about 1789.

Robey's name on list of men who signed 1778 oath of allegiance.

About 1790, Robey left the tobacco country of Maryland for the piedmont of North Carolina. The motivation was probably to find cheaper land, and there was plenty available in the backwoods of the Carolinas. The 1790 census showed that Robey lived in Iredell County with his wife and eight children, all unnamed in the listing.⁵ Other members of his family migrated to Iredell around the same time or earlier, including Robey’s uncle, Leonard Robey, and his grandfather, John Robey.

Sometime during the 1790s, Robey’s wife Hester passed away, and he remarried a woman only known as Rachel.² She was likely much younger and provided him five children who were born between 1803 and about 1810, when Robey was nearly 60-years-old. Robey and Rachel spent over two years as caretakers for his elderly grandfather, and when the old man made out his will, he left Rachel a small bequest.⁶ After the will was probated in 1808, Robey was paid £30 for the work he had done, of which £10 was for “trouble and expense of his last sickness and death.” The receipt for the payment shows Robey’s only known signature.⁶

Robey's signature in 1808.

Robey was shown to be living in Iredell County at least until 1820. In each of the census years 1800, 1810 and 1820 he was listed as a head of household with descriptions of dependents corresponding to his wife and known children.⁷ At no time did he own any slaves, which he likely couldn’t afford. Robey made out his will on November 14, 1837;² at age 84, he was “weak in body” and signed his name with a shaky “X,” suggesting that he had some disability. The document is very brief and mentions only one of his children, Robey, to whom he left his entire estate. This was likely because Robey was the only one who still lived in North Carolina, since most of the others are known to have moved to Kentucky or Illinois.

Robey's mark on his 1837 will.

The will was probated in February 1842, so Robey died by that date. It isn’t known if Rachel survived him. His descendants scattered across the U.S. continuing the migration of the family to the west. One of his descendants was Marilyn Tucker, the wife of Vice President Dan Quayle.⁸

Children by Hester:
1. John B. Tucker — B. 25 Sep 1777, (probably) Prince George’s County, Maryland;⁴ D. 30 Dec 1846, (probably) Washington County, Indiana;⁴ M. Mary Campbell (1781-1853), after 9 Nov 1797, Iredell County, North Carolina⁴

2. (possibly) Zachariah Tucker — B. about 1782, (probably) Prince George’s County, Maryland; D: 2 Oct 1857, (probably) Kentucky; M. Levina Jarboe, after 27 Jun 1812, Washington County, Kentucky⁹

3. (possibly) Freeman Tucker — B. about 1779, (probably) Prince George’s County, Maryland; D. 15 Feb 1850, Tazewell County, Illinois; M. Esther Fitzgerald

4. Absalom Tucker — B. about 1783, (probably) Prince George’s County, Maryland;¹⁰ D. 1849, Washington County, Kentucky¹⁰

5. (possibly) Thomas Tucker — B. about 1785, (probably) Prince George’s County, Maryland;¹¹ D. 28 Jun 1859;¹¹ M. Rachel Kendrick, 3 Aug 1815, Washington County, Kentucky¹²

6. Benjamin Tucker — B. about 1787, (probably) Prince George’s County, Maryland;¹³ D. 1848, Nelson County, Kentucky;¹³ M. Elizabeth Livers, 26 Jan 1823, Nelson County Kentucky¹⁴

7. (possibly) Mary Tucker — B. about 1789, (probably) Prince George’s County, Maryland;¹⁵ D. about 1852;¹⁵ M. Samuel Turner¹⁵

Children by Rachel:
1. Esther J. Tucker — B. 20 Apr 1803, (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina;¹⁶ D. 27 Feb 1883, Waverly, Illinois;¹⁶ M. Joseph Luckey (?-~1840), before 1829¹⁷

2. Samuel S. Tucker — B. 20 Nov 1805, (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina;¹⁸ D. 22 Dec 1891, Hat Creek, California;¹⁸ M. Nancy Ann Allison (~1803-1875), 1825, Iredell County, North Carolina¹⁸

3. (possibly) Elizabeth Tucker — B. about 1807, (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina

4. Robey Tucker — B. 8 Sep 1808, (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina;¹⁹ D. before 7 Dec 1885, (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina;²⁰ M. Rachel Mason (1832-1914), 11 Jan 1853, Iredell County, North Carolina¹⁹

5. Randolph J. Tucker — B. 1810, (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina;²¹ D. 1892, Illinois;²¹ M. (1) Henrietta Jones (1813-1868), before 1837, (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina;²¹ (2) Sarah Mahala Stroud (~1832-?), after 1868, (probably) Illinois²¹

Sources:
1    Prince George’s County, St. John’s and Prince George Parishes Maryland State Census, 1776
2    Will of Robey Tucker, 14 Nov 1837, North Carolina Probate Records, 1735-1970, FamilySearch.org
3    Maryland Records: Colonial, Revolutionary, County and Church from Original Sources, Vol. 1, Gaius Marcus Brumbaugh, 1915
4    Find-a-Grave listing for John B. Tucker  
5    1790 U.S. Census
6    Will of John Robey, 1 Feb 1804, N.C.P.R.
7    1800, 1810 and 1820 U.S. Censuses
8    Political Family Tree (PDF) 
9    Marriage record of Zachariah Tucker and Lovina Jarboe, Kentucky County Marriages, 1797-1954, FamilySearch.org
10  Find-a-Grave listing for Absalom Tucker
11  Estimated birth and death of Thomas Tucker from family tree listing on FamilySearch.org 
12  Marriage record of Thomas Tucker and Rachel Kendrick, Kentucky County Marriages, 1797-1954, FamilySearch.org
13  Estimated birth and death of Benjamin Tucker from family tree listing on FamilySearch.org 
14  Marriage record of Benjamin Tucker and Elizabeth Livers, Kentucky County Marriages, 1797-1954, FamilySearch.org
15  Estimated birth, marriage and death of Mary Tucker from family tree listing on FamilySearch.org  
16  Death record of Esther J. Luckey, Morgan County, Illinois
17  Find-a-Grave listing for Esther J. Luckey
18  Find-a-Grave listing for Samuel S. Tucker
19  Find-a-Grave listing for Robey Tucker (younger)
20  Probate file card for Roby Tucker, North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979, FamilySearch.org
21  Find-a-Grave listing for Randolph J. Tucker

To America From 18th-Century Ireland — Michael Clifford

B. (probably) 1720s in Ireland¹
M. (1) (probably) 1740s in Ireland^1,2
Wife: _______ Painter
M. (2) (probably) 1750s in New Jersey³
Wife: Sarah Gray Moffatt
M. (3) (probably) 1760s in Maryland²
Wife: Elizabeth _______
D. after 16 Dec 1785 in Rowan County, North Carolina

During the early 18th century, the lure of America attracted many to leave Europe and settle in the English colonies. It was people like Michael Clifford who began populating the frontiers, although in his case, it took a few moves to ultimately land where he made his life.

Michael was born somewhere in Ireland, likely during the 1720s.¹ Some researchers have identified his parents without citing any sources, so those names won’t be considered here. It’s almost certain that Michael’s family was of Scots-Irish descent because Irish Catholics didn’t come to America in any great numbers until 100 years later. After Michael came of age, he married a woman who is believed to have had the surname “Painter,”² and they had three children together.

Sometime during the 1750s, Michael bought passage for his family aboard a ship bound for the American colonies.² An 18th-century voyage could be a hazardous trip, and sadly his wife seemed to have become sick and died onboard the ship.² He must have been devastated to have her body buried at sea, facing an unknown future with three young children to look after.

Dying wife onboard the ship to America. (AI-generated image)

Philadelphia was his likely port of entry; from there he went to New Jersey for a time. There he met and married a woman named Sarah Gray Moffatt,³ and it’s believed that they had three children together before moving on to Frederick County, Maryland.³ On February 20, 1766, Michael acquired 12 acres of land near present-day Woodsboro.³ Sarah seems to have died while he lived there, and he married a third wife, Elizabeth.² He had another two children, although it isn’t certain which woman was the mother of them because exact marriage and birth years are unknown.

Around 1775, Michael took his family to North Carolina, settling in what was Rowan County. Perhaps he found that land was cheaper there because he bought 230 acres on February 18, 1778,³ then another 640 acres on June 7th of the same year.³ The location was on Dutchman’s Creek in an area that later became Montgomery County. In 1783, Michael sold 50 acres to his son-in-law Richard Haines for the small amount of 25 shillings.⁴ He did the same for his son John in August of 1784.⁴

Dutchman's Creek today is still a wilderness. (Source: Google Maps)

It’s likely that Michael’s health was failing by 1784, because he wrote his will on December 16th,² and it was probated the following year.² Michael was survived by his wife Elizabeth and his eight children. From North Carolina, his descendants fanned out all across the United States — the deep South, the Midwest, the prairie lands, and the Far West. Today, tens of thousands of people can trace their roots to Michael Clifford. 

Children by ______ Painter:
1. John Clifford — B. about 1746, Ireland;⁵ D. about Nov 1826, Rowan County, North Carolina;⁶ M. (1) Rachel Gray;² (2) Alsey Galloway (~1755-?)²

2. Eleanor Clifford — B. (probably) 1740s, Ireland;⁷ D. after 1789, Lincoln County, Tennessee;⁷ M. Charles Westerman (1750-~1820)²

3. Sarah Clifford — B. (probably) 1740s, Ireland;² M. (1) Isaac Wilcoxson;² (2) Richard Haines²

Children by Sarah Gray Moffatt:
1. Jacob Clifford — B. (probably) 1750s, New Jersey;² M. Nancy Ann Boone (1762-1829), Rowan County, North Carolina²

2. Catherine Clifford — B. (probably) 1750s, New Jersey;² M. _____ Pippins²

3. Elizabeth Ann Clifford — B. (probably) 1750s, New Jersey;² M. (1) James Woods;² (2) John Jennings²

Children by Sarah Gray Moffatt or Elizabeth ________:

1. Eve Clifford — B. about 1756, Rowan County, North Carolina;⁸ M. Ebenezer Eaton (?-1810), 1777, Rowan County, North Carolina²

2. Michael Clifford — B. about 1759, New Jersey;² D. 30 Jul 1835, Sangamon County, Illinois;² M. (1) Phoebe Eaton (?-~1810), 18 Mar 1781, Frederick County, Maryland;² (2) Elizabeth Webb (~1782-?), 1811, Woodford County, Kentucky²

Sources:
1    Estimated birth and marriage dates based on rough age of his oldest child.
2    “Michael Clifford, Sr. and Descendants,” A.E. Collier, The Heritage of Rowan County, North Carolina, 1991

3    WikiTree listing of Michael Clifford
4    Michael Clifford and His Family, James Monroe Clifford and Frank Powers, 1993
5    John Clifford in the U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900, Ancestry.com
6    Probate file of John Clifford, North Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998, Ancestry.com
7    Find-a-Grave listing of Eleanor (Clifford) Westerman
8    Eve Clifford in the U.S. & International Marriage Records, 1560-1900