John Berry (New Jersey governor)

For other people with the same name, see John Berry (disambiguation).

For the British naval officer involved in the settlement of Newfoundland, see John Berry (Royal Navy officer).

John Berry (c. 1619^{[lower-alpha 1]} – c. 1712) was an English colonist who migrated from Barbados to become an early major landowner, militia officer and Deputy Governor under the Lords Proprietor of the Proprietary Colony of New Jersey.

John Berry
Deputy Governor of New Jersey
Governor	Philip Carteret
In office May 1672 – July 1673
Preceded by	Office created
Succeeded by	Office abolished by Dutch Reconquest
Personal details
Born	c. 1619
Died	c. 1712 Province of New Jersey
Spouse	Francina
Children	Richard, Francina, Sarah, Hannah, John
Occupation	Mariner, Planter, Politician

Career

Soon after British annexation of the Dutch province of New Netherland in 1664, Philip Carteret, governor of the proprietary colony of New Jersey, granted land to Captain John Berry in the area formerly known as Achter Kol.^[2] He soon took up residence and called it "New Barbadoes," having previously resided on the island of Barbados. The land patent encompassed area between the Hackensack River and Saddle River in what is now Bergen County, New Jersey.^[3]

From 1672 to 1673, Berry was the Deputy Governor of the Province of New Jersey while Governor Philip Carteret was in England.^[4][5]

He later served in the East New Jersey Provincial Council through 1692. On 22 March 1679/80, Carteret designated Berry to succeed him as governor, with Councillor William Sandford designated to succeed Berry in the event of his inability to serve.^[6][7]

Personal life

Berry was married to Francina, with whom he had at least five children, including: Richard, Francina, Sarah, Hannah, John Berry.^[1]

Legacy

He is recalled in the name of a stream in the New Jersey Meadowlands, Berrys Creek, his descendants owned the historic Yereance-Berry House.

References

Notes

1. Some sources indicate his year of birth was 1635.^[1]

Sources

1. Hannan, Caryn (2008). New Jersey Biographical Dictionary. State History Publications. p. 47. ISBN 9781878592453.
2. "Historical marker of Achter Col "colony"". Historical Marker Database. Retrieved 2 September 2010.
3. Harvey, Cornelius Burnham (1900). "Early Settlers of Bergen County". Genealogical History of Hudson and Bergen Counties New Jersey. Getnj.com. Retrieved 18 September 2010.
4. New Jersey Colonial Documents, Archives of the State of New Jersey, First Series, Vol. I; Daily Advertiser Publishing House, Newark, New Jersey, 1880. pp. 122
5. Documents Relating to the Colonial, Revolutionary and Post-Revolutionary History of the State of New Jersey. 1880. p. 107.
6. New Jersey Colonial Documents, Archives of the State of New Jersey, First Series, Vol. I; Daily Advertiser Publishing House, Newark, New Jersey, 1880. pp. 295
7. Society of Colonial Daughters of the Seventeenth Century: Organization, Constitution, By-laws, Membership. Brooklyn, N.Y. 1898. pp. 70–71.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)