Deborah was the oldest of eight children born to Othniel Pratt and Deborah Hatch. Deborah's brother Othniel Jr. moved to Maine before 1800, and settled in Livermore (in the area that annexed to Leeds in 1802) as he was listed in the 1800 census. It appears that the rest of Othniel Sr.'s adult children, and grandchildren, relocated with him to the same area of Livermore, as they appear in vital records beginning as early as June 1802.
Deborah married to David Berry in Leeds in 1804. They were both about 38 at the time of the marriage. David and Deborah settled on the same area on the west side of the Dead River.
It appears that there are online records which wrongly attribute children born to this couple. The Leeds vital records one reads online were transcribed approximately in the 1930s from original town clerk records and other primary sources, and then submitted to the state. These are the typed-up cards one reads online. The transcriber often added information he believed to be true, but was not on the original record. In the case the Berry children, the transcriber lacked actual town clerk birth records, so he submitted birth records that sourced gravestone data.
Four children have been attributed to the family of David and Deborah Berry:
Almira Berry was born about 1806. Her gravestone does say she was the daughter of David and Deborah. As she married later in life, she was still in her parents' household in the 1850 census, and in an 1830 deed David calls her "my daughter Almira Berry." She is buried in the same plot with David and Deborah, and is the stone that is broken and down in the foreground of the plot photo to the left. All of this clearly establishes her as the daughter of David and Deborah Berry.
Christina Berry was born about 1811 when Deborah was aged about 45. A birth record was not found, but the transcriber added to her marriage record that she was the daughter of David and Deborah. Yet no pre-1930 source has been located which in any way ties her to David and Deborah. While the other three Berry children all were buried in the Knapp cemetery in northern Leeds, Christina is buried in the Union cemetery in the southern part of town, where other Berry families are buried.
Ezra Berry and Clarissa Berry, were born about 1798 and 1802. It has long been assumed they must have been David's children by a first marriage, though no record has been found to establish he was previously married.
In 1809 Deborah's father Othniel Pratt made out his will. The beginning portion is shown in the image to the upper left. The first item reads:
"First I give and bequeath unto my daughter Deborah Berry a lot of land in Livermore number four during her natural life and teen (sic) acres to the south end of said lot to her disposal and the remainder of said lot to her two eldest children Ezra and Clarisy Pratt."
While Othniel specifically left property to Ezra and Clarissa "Pratt," he did not leave property to Almira Berry, who was then about three years old. One might reasonably conclude that Ezra and Clarissa "Pratt" were Deborah's children by a prior relationship, and were of different paternity than Almira. Deborah may have had been unmarried when Ezra and Clarissa were born. Or perhaps she had been previously married to a man also with surname of Pratt, though no records were found to support a prior marriage.
It is noteworthy that Ezra and Clarissa were the only grandchildren mentioned by name in the will, though by that year Othniel had at least 18 grandchildren. Further, in the cases each of his other three daughters, Othniel gave land to his daughter "and her husband," whereas he did not in any way refer to Deborah's husband David Berry.
A 1798 Livermore deed referred to David Berry as "of Scarboro" [Maine]. That Ezra was born in Massachusetts in 1798 is supported in census records. Othniel Pratt's family appeared in the 1800 census in Massachusetts. The household included two males under the age of ten, when Othniel's youngest son was age 18. The 1850 and 1860 census said Ezra was born in Massachusetts. Clarissa, however was born in Maine in 1802.
Ezra and Clarissa did use the Berry name as adults, but it is not unusual for children to assume the surname of a stepfather.
Othniel Pratt's will can be read online in its entirety.
Deborah married to David Berry in Leeds in 1804. They were both about 38 at the time of the marriage. David and Deborah settled on the same area on the west side of the Dead River.
It appears that there are online records which wrongly attribute children born to this couple. The Leeds vital records one reads online were transcribed approximately in the 1930s from original town clerk records and other primary sources, and then submitted to the state. These are the typed-up cards one reads online. The transcriber often added information he believed to be true, but was not on the original record. In the case the Berry children, the transcriber lacked actual town clerk birth records, so he submitted birth records that sourced gravestone data.
Four children have been attributed to the family of David and Deborah Berry:
Almira Berry was born about 1806. Her gravestone does say she was the daughter of David and Deborah. As she married later in life, she was still in her parents' household in the 1850 census, and in an 1830 deed David calls her "my daughter Almira Berry." She is buried in the same plot with David and Deborah, and is the stone that is broken and down in the foreground of the plot photo to the left. All of this clearly establishes her as the daughter of David and Deborah Berry.
Christina Berry was born about 1811 when Deborah was aged about 45. A birth record was not found, but the transcriber added to her marriage record that she was the daughter of David and Deborah. Yet no pre-1930 source has been located which in any way ties her to David and Deborah. While the other three Berry children all were buried in the Knapp cemetery in northern Leeds, Christina is buried in the Union cemetery in the southern part of town, where other Berry families are buried.
Ezra Berry and Clarissa Berry, were born about 1798 and 1802. It has long been assumed they must have been David's children by a first marriage, though no record has been found to establish he was previously married.
In 1809 Deborah's father Othniel Pratt made out his will. The beginning portion is shown in the image to the upper left. The first item reads:
"First I give and bequeath unto my daughter Deborah Berry a lot of land in Livermore number four during her natural life and teen (sic) acres to the south end of said lot to her disposal and the remainder of said lot to her two eldest children Ezra and Clarisy Pratt."
While Othniel specifically left property to Ezra and Clarissa "Pratt," he did not leave property to Almira Berry, who was then about three years old. One might reasonably conclude that Ezra and Clarissa "Pratt" were Deborah's children by a prior relationship, and were of different paternity than Almira. Deborah may have had been unmarried when Ezra and Clarissa were born. Or perhaps she had been previously married to a man also with surname of Pratt, though no records were found to support a prior marriage.
It is noteworthy that Ezra and Clarissa were the only grandchildren mentioned by name in the will, though by that year Othniel had at least 18 grandchildren. Further, in the cases each of his other three daughters, Othniel gave land to his daughter "and her husband," whereas he did not in any way refer to Deborah's husband David Berry.
A 1798 Livermore deed referred to David Berry as "of Scarboro" [Maine]. That Ezra was born in Massachusetts in 1798 is supported in census records. Othniel Pratt's family appeared in the 1800 census in Massachusetts. The household included two males under the age of ten, when Othniel's youngest son was age 18. The 1850 and 1860 census said Ezra was born in Massachusetts. Clarissa, however was born in Maine in 1802.
Ezra and Clarissa did use the Berry name as adults, but it is not unusual for children to assume the surname of a stepfather.
Othniel Pratt's will can be read online in its entirety.
Deborah was the oldest of eight children born to Othniel Pratt and Deborah Hatch. Deborah's brother Othniel Jr. moved to Maine before 1800, and settled in Livermore (in the area that annexed to Leeds in 1802) as he was listed in the 1800 census. It appears that the rest of Othniel Sr.'s adult children, and grandchildren, relocated with him to the same area of Livermore, as they appear in vital records beginning as early as June 1802.
Deborah married to David Berry in Leeds in 1804. They were both about 38 at the time of the marriage. David and Deborah settled on the same area on the west side of the Dead River.
It appears that there are online records which wrongly attribute children born to this couple. The Leeds vital records one reads online were transcribed approximately in the 1930s from original town clerk records and other primary sources, and then submitted to the state. These are the typed-up cards one reads online. The transcriber often added information he believed to be true, but was not on the original record. In the case the Berry children, the transcriber lacked actual town clerk birth records, so he submitted birth records that sourced gravestone data.
Four children have been attributed to the family of David and Deborah Berry:
Almira Berry was born about 1806. Her gravestone does say she was the daughter of David and Deborah. As she married later in life, she was still in her parents' household in the 1850 census, and in an 1830 deed David calls her "my daughter Almira Berry." She is buried in the same plot with David and Deborah, and is the stone that is broken and down in the foreground of the plot photo to the left. All of this clearly establishes her as the daughter of David and Deborah Berry.
Christina Berry was born about 1811 when Deborah was aged about 45. A birth record was not found, but the transcriber added to her marriage record that she was the daughter of David and Deborah. Yet no pre-1930 source has been located which in any way ties her to David and Deborah. While the other three Berry children all were buried in the Knapp cemetery in northern Leeds, Christina is buried in the Union cemetery in the southern part of town, where other Berry families are buried.
Ezra Berry and Clarissa Berry, were born about 1798 and 1802. It has long been assumed they must have been David's children by a first marriage, though no record has been found to establish he was previously married.
In 1809 Deborah's father Othniel Pratt made out his will. The beginning portion is shown in the image to the upper left. The first item reads:
"First I give and bequeath unto my daughter Deborah Berry a lot of land in Livermore number four during her natural life and teen (sic) acres to the south end of said lot to her disposal and the remainder of said lot to her two eldest children Ezra and Clarisy Pratt."
While Othniel specifically left property to Ezra and Clarissa "Pratt," he did not leave property to Almira Berry, who was then about three years old. One might reasonably conclude that Ezra and Clarissa "Pratt" were Deborah's children by a prior relationship, and were of different paternity than Almira. Deborah may have had been unmarried when Ezra and Clarissa were born. Or perhaps she had been previously married to a man also with surname of Pratt, though no records were found to support a prior marriage.
It is noteworthy that Ezra and Clarissa were the only grandchildren mentioned by name in the will, though by that year Othniel had at least 18 grandchildren. Further, in the cases each of his other three daughters, Othniel gave land to his daughter "and her husband," whereas he did not in any way refer to Deborah's husband David Berry.
A 1798 Livermore deed referred to David Berry as "of Scarboro" [Maine]. That Ezra was born in Massachusetts in 1798 is supported in census records. Othniel Pratt's family appeared in the 1800 census in Massachusetts. The household included two males under the age of ten, when Othniel's youngest son was age 18. The 1850 and 1860 census said Ezra was born in Massachusetts. Clarissa, however was born in Maine in 1802.
Ezra and Clarissa did use the Berry name as adults, but it is not unusual for children to assume the surname of a stepfather.
Othniel Pratt's will can be read online in its entirety.
Deborah married to David Berry in Leeds in 1804. They were both about 38 at the time of the marriage. David and Deborah settled on the same area on the west side of the Dead River.
It appears that there are online records which wrongly attribute children born to this couple. The Leeds vital records one reads online were transcribed approximately in the 1930s from original town clerk records and other primary sources, and then submitted to the state. These are the typed-up cards one reads online. The transcriber often added information he believed to be true, but was not on the original record. In the case the Berry children, the transcriber lacked actual town clerk birth records, so he submitted birth records that sourced gravestone data.
Four children have been attributed to the family of David and Deborah Berry:
Almira Berry was born about 1806. Her gravestone does say she was the daughter of David and Deborah. As she married later in life, she was still in her parents' household in the 1850 census, and in an 1830 deed David calls her "my daughter Almira Berry." She is buried in the same plot with David and Deborah, and is the stone that is broken and down in the foreground of the plot photo to the left. All of this clearly establishes her as the daughter of David and Deborah Berry.
Christina Berry was born about 1811 when Deborah was aged about 45. A birth record was not found, but the transcriber added to her marriage record that she was the daughter of David and Deborah. Yet no pre-1930 source has been located which in any way ties her to David and Deborah. While the other three Berry children all were buried in the Knapp cemetery in northern Leeds, Christina is buried in the Union cemetery in the southern part of town, where other Berry families are buried.
Ezra Berry and Clarissa Berry, were born about 1798 and 1802. It has long been assumed they must have been David's children by a first marriage, though no record has been found to establish he was previously married.
In 1809 Deborah's father Othniel Pratt made out his will. The beginning portion is shown in the image to the upper left. The first item reads:
"First I give and bequeath unto my daughter Deborah Berry a lot of land in Livermore number four during her natural life and teen (sic) acres to the south end of said lot to her disposal and the remainder of said lot to her two eldest children Ezra and Clarisy Pratt."
While Othniel specifically left property to Ezra and Clarissa "Pratt," he did not leave property to Almira Berry, who was then about three years old. One might reasonably conclude that Ezra and Clarissa "Pratt" were Deborah's children by a prior relationship, and were of different paternity than Almira. Deborah may have had been unmarried when Ezra and Clarissa were born. Or perhaps she had been previously married to a man also with surname of Pratt, though no records were found to support a prior marriage.
It is noteworthy that Ezra and Clarissa were the only grandchildren mentioned by name in the will, though by that year Othniel had at least 18 grandchildren. Further, in the cases each of his other three daughters, Othniel gave land to his daughter "and her husband," whereas he did not in any way refer to Deborah's husband David Berry.
A 1798 Livermore deed referred to David Berry as "of Scarboro" [Maine]. That Ezra was born in Massachusetts in 1798 is supported in census records. Othniel Pratt's family appeared in the 1800 census in Massachusetts. The household included two males under the age of ten, when Othniel's youngest son was age 18. The 1850 and 1860 census said Ezra was born in Massachusetts. Clarissa, however was born in Maine in 1802.
Ezra and Clarissa did use the Berry name as adults, but it is not unusual for children to assume the surname of a stepfather.
Othniel Pratt's will can be read online in its entirety.
Family Members
Parents
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
