Reverend Berry D. Graham (DNA 42)LINK

From RootsWeb, Date: 30 Nov 1997, by Tommy Graham

The Berry D. Graham Family

Berry D. was born in 1797, probably in NC. He was the fourth child of Elijah and Sarah Graham(Grayham), who were both believed to have been born, and raised in the Caswell County area of NC. The family relocated along with several other Graham families shortly after Berry D.'s birth to the Green River area of KY (possibly after a short stay in SC or TN). It is believed that the family was active in the "Brush Creek Primative Baptist Church", in the Green river area of central KY in 1800/1810.

From Cornerstone families, Pg. 570, by Alma Farrar "Berry D. Graham, born 1797 in North Carolina, went to Kentucky. There, he married Sarah Wright, daughter of Thomas Wright, who lived near Greensburg. They moved to Taney County, Missouri and in 1840 moved to Arkansas, four miles south of Fayetteville. In 1845, he moved one mile west of Springdale. In 1840 "the Regular Baptist Church of Shilo "was constituted. Deacon Berry D. Graham of the West Fork Church certified the church. He and his wife, Sarah, were Numbers 25 and 26 on the church roll in 1845 and were members the rest of their lives."

Berry and Sarah had nine children. The first two, William Melvine, and Elsy M. were born in Ky. They left Ky sometime after 1823, and they and the children were in Izard Co., Ark for the Census of 1830, (along with his father, Elijah, and three brothers, John B., Gallant, and Freborn). They moved on and were in Taney Co., Mo. in 1832, (along with his brother John B. and family) where their 6th, 7th, and 8th children, David, Seborn, and an unknown male were born. Then back to Ark by 1838, where the last child Mary was born in 1841. The other three children, Martha, John, and Robert were born either in Ky., Mo. or on the road in between.

In March, 1838, Berry D. and then in Apr, 1838, Sarah were admitted by letter to the West Fork, AR Regular Baptist Church.

Berry became a well-known "Primitive Baptist" Minister and helped found the Shiloh Baptist Church ("Primitive"/"Hardshell") at Springdale, Arkansas. It was organized August 22, 1840, with at least five Grahams among the founding members. Decons John Wood and Berry D. Graham of West Fork Church were among the presbytery who established it. The request to form this Church came from William Graham, the son of Peter and Nancy Graham; who lived 11 miles north of Fayetteville, AR. This would be the distance to where Shiloh (Springdale) AR is located. This family of Peter Graham is known to have come to Ark from KY about the same time as Berry D. and family.

Berry D. and his wife, Sarah, were among the first members of the Regular Shiloh Baptist Church. They were excluded in May 1847. In 1847 they joined the Friendship Baptist church, in Madison Co., AR. They joined the Shiloh Church again in 1852, the same year in which Sarah died.

In 1853, 51 members were dismissed from the Friendship Church to form a church at Robinette Prairie, Benton Co., AR; Berry D. was among this group.

Sarah died on 2 Oct 1852, and Berry soon married Martha Burnett, daughter of Reuben Barnett. In 1860, he and Martha were living in Mo.(2) again, with their 4 Yr-old son, George Berry Graham. Since the 1870 MO Census only shows Martha and 15 yr old George, it is assumed that Berry D. died in the interim, and is buried near Pineville, in McDonald Co., MO.

• Updated from Ancestry Genealogy via brother Elijah F II Graham by SmartCopy: Oct 3 2015, 21:07:11 UTC