Berryman James

GEDCOM Note

1 _FA2 2 PLAC Bee Ridge Cemetery, Clay Co., IN Douglas Richardson, PO # 1036, ?, OK 73008 I copied this name from somewhere, don't know why??? Possible JAMES contact, I suppose. Bee Ridge Church Brazil, Clay County, Indiana In the geography and history of Clay county Bee Ridge´´ has been a familiar name for three-quarters of a century. It designates a locality in Dick Johnson township, an elevation, or ridge, on the south side of Otter creek, crossed by the old Bowling Green-Rockville road, a mile and a half north of the old Kennedy crossing of the National Road. It was given this name by the early settlers because of the many bee-trees found there in pioneer times. Bee Ridge´´ has all along served a triple purpose-naming a locality, a church and a school. One of the earliest colonies, or settlements, in the county was planted on this terri- tory and the immediate surroundings. Settlements were made, also, correspondingly, in point pf time, at Williamstown, Cloverland and the Wools hill, in Posey township. The colonization of this territory dates back four score years. For the period of the first ten years, from 1828 up to and including 1838, the coming of the founders of this colony and their immediate successors, as remembered by the oldest survivors, may be enumerated as follows: John Huffman, Sr., and family of four sons-Jacob, John, Abram and Henry Huffman-Jacob Goodrich, Daniel Webster, Luke Akers, Joshua Webster, Lewis Fortner, Stephen Barn- more, Alexander Cabbage, John S. Downing, John S. Yocum, Francis B. Yocum, Berryman James, Hiram Fortner, William Yocum, John Stewart, James Fortner, Pleasant Baldwin, William Fortner, Thomas James, George W. McCullough, Arnold Cabbage, Jonathan Murphy, Daniel Dunlavy, James Downing, William Wyatt, John Lewis, Jesse Sanders, Charles Culver, Nathan Compton, John Summerville, Peter Sarchett, George W. Willoughby. Bee Ridge church was the first religious society in the north end of the county, organized in the year 1833, at Elder Lewis Fortner's house, Elders Crossley and Scrogans participating in its institution. Of the membership of the original organization there is now no one living, Mrs. Orpha Cabbage and Mrs. Mary Tiffee having been the last survivors. Having no house of worship, meetings were held from house to house among the membership. At some time the following year (1834) Elders Fortner, Crossley and Scrogans emigrated westward, when Elder Will- iam Yocum followed in their footsteps, holding meetings at the respective residences, preaching the word and exhorting the brethren. Within the three years following came Elders Jonathan Murphy and William Wyatt. Having then held a series of meetings, Francis B. Yocum and Alexander Cabbage were ordained, who took an active part in promoting the cause and progress of the society. Four years from the time of organization, in 1837, it was decided to build a house of worship. The location having been chosen, which was the site on which stands the present church, then an unbroken forest, a day was set to meet and commence work, when all responded promptly to the call, the felling of trees proceeded, and the logs were lined and scored by the axmen. Elder William Yocum hewed the first log, as he did most of them. The plans for the house included a chimney in the north end, a stove in the middle. The carpenter work was done by Jonathan Murphy, Solomon Myers and Berryman James, and the plan for the seating drafted by George W. James. Just before the building of this church, within the same year, the society was reor- ganized by Elders William Yocum, Jonathan Murphy, Alexander Cab- bage and William Wyatt. Elders Cabbage and F. B. Yocum were, in the main, instrumental in keeping the church together from this time on, often visited and assisted by Brothers Kee, Davis, Duly, McKinney and David Hayes. Later on came Elders Carney, Phillips and Akers. The cemetery was opened in the same year that the church was built. The timber was cut and the ground cleared up by Levi Stewart, Beverly Baldwin, Arnold Cabbage, George W. James, Samuel M. Stewart and William Y. Downing, who also dug the first grave, in which was buried one of Elder Jonathan Murphy´s children. A few years later, beginning with the early forties, there was a per- ceptible increase in immigration and population, with corresponding accessions to the church. Among the new-corners were men and women with thankful hearts and willing hands to assist in building up the good cause. The first immersions after the organization of the society, as remem- bered, were those of Alexander Cabbage, Orpha, Cabbage, Mary James and Campbell Gipson, in the month of December, 1833, in the waters of Otter Creek, the brethren and lookers-on assembled singing: If your hearts be warm, Ice and snow can do no harm,´´ etc. Of those who were grown at the time of the building of this church, none survive. Mrs. Susan Akers Downing and John S. Downing were then but small children. The data from which this brief account of the settlement of Bee Ridge, the organization and building of the original church has been written were communicated to the writer by George W. James (deceased) twenty years ago. This church, as claimed by its founders and patrons, was the first and oldest in the county. Undoubtedly it was the oldest in the north part of the county. George W. James gave 1837 as the date of its building and dedication, but John S. Downing gives the time as 1835. The present frame house was built and dedicated in 1870. THE NATIONAL ROAD Emigration from the east to Indiana and the states farther west, three-quarters of a century ago, was encouraged and facilitated by the extension of the Cumberland, or National Road, into the heart of the great Mississippi Valley. This thoroughfare was named Cumberland Road,´´ because of its having been projected from Cumberland, Maryland, as its eastern terminus, and the National Road,´´ for the equally pertinent reason that it was founded and improved by the aid of the national or general government. '85..In 1832 this road was surveyed through the north part of Clay County by the way of Williamsburg, then the only town in the county north of Bowling Green. Among the Clay County pioneers who wielded the shovel and otherwise plied their muscles and energies on the construction of this national thoroughfare may be enumerated at this day, James Yocum, John Crooks, Job Combs, Berryman James, Nathan Williams, Jesse Yocum, John McBride, David Myers, Samuel Moore, Moses Parr, Morgan B. Ringo, Jonathan Yocum, Isaiah S. Myers, Henry Yocum, James Harlan, Esau Presnell, Preston Yocum, Henry Bemis, David Moore, Absalom Slack, Levi Brackney, Thomas Moore, Marmaduke Brackney, who with but few exceptions, became land holders and, in part, to say the least, owed their start in life and future success to their earnings from this source. Pg. 35; Travis, Vol. I BACK JAMESTOWN, INDIANA Jamestown, an abandoned and vacated town plat, founded at some time within the first quarter of a century of the county´s history, on the National Road, in Van Buren Township, having been described as lying just twenty miles east of Terre Haute, or one mile east of Harmony, between the plat of the later Llewellynsville and McKinley´s. When and by whom it was founded does not appear from the records. There remains upon the site no tangible evidence of Jamestown´s having existed elsewhere than on parchment and in memory. Pg. 558; Travis Vol. 1 CENSUS YR: 1850 STATE or TERRITORY: IN COUNTY: Clay DIVISION: Dick Johnson Township REEL NO: 138 PAGE NO: 310A REFERENCE: Enumerated on 10 August 1850 by E. Bowling ========================================================================================================================= LN HN FN LAST NAME FIRST NAME AGE SEX RACE OCCUP. VAL. BIRTHPLACE MRD. SCH. R/W DDB ========================================================================================================================= X 3 95 95 James Berryman 60 M Farmer 1,200 Va 4 95 95 James Nancy43 F Ky 5 95 95 James Mariah20 F In 6 95 95 James Thomas 3/4 M In 7 95 95 Tiffy Alexander 30 M Laborer In 8 95 95 Tiffy Francis 30 M Kentucky 9 95 95 James Berryman 2 M Indiana 20 21 21 Kenton Benjamin 44 M Farmer 400 Ky 21 21 21 Kenton Martha35 F Ky 22 21 21 Kenton Martha 15 F MO X 23 21 21 Kenton Elizabeth 12 F Ind X 24 21 21 Kenton Sarah5 F Ind 25 21 21 Kenton Abel 1/2 M Ind Commissioned Offcers List of Commissioned Offcers from Clay County Indiana as Enumerated in the Adjutant General's Report. George W. James, 1st lieut. 1st Heavy Artillery, commissioned May 1, 1864 George W. James, 2d lieut. 1st Heavy Artillery, commissioned March 31,1864, promoted to 1st leut. Clay County Genealogical Society P.O. Box 56 Center Point, IN 47840-0056 Phone: 1-812-835-5005 Or E-Mail CCGSI Library