From:
Union-Recorder, July 25, 1963

"Berry Retires After Peddling
Produce for Fifty Six Years
  A unique career ended when Isaac M. Berry retired recently after peddling his produced in Milledgeville for 56 years.
  Mr. Berry, now 72 years old, was only 16 when his mother first sent him to town, to Milledgeville, one Saturday in a two horse wagon to peddle. He continued to make the trip once a week until his retirement a few weeks ago.
   During those years, Mr. Berry has lived on farms nears Coopers and produced the foods he peddled. He has moved twice, once when he married and again to his present farm 23 years ago, and a truck replace the horse and wagon.
   Now Mr. Berry lives alone in a house he says is over a hundred years old and "piddles around with his flowers, dog and a few chickens". Out of habit, he still gets up at 3 a.m. each day.
   In commenting about his peddling career, Mr. Berrys said he "made a lot of friends and met lots of people. I wouldn't have" and, he added, "there's not many houses in Milledgeville I haven't been in."

     Isaac Berry's family moved to Coopers around 1908 from Putnam County.  His father was Emanuel Patton Berry (son of Robert, a North Carolina native, and Eliza Everett Berry of Roswell, Cobb County, Ga. ) 1849-1938, mother Clara S.Worsham Berry, 1854-1936, daughter of Erbin and Martha Worsham of Milledgeville.

Robert and Eliza Berry had ten children:
Isaac N.; Mary J.; William H.; Sarah A ; Robert R.; John A; David; Emanuel P.; Jessie S.; and Russell B

      Emanuel Berry was living in Milledgeville in 1870, Jones County in 1880. Jasper County in 1900.  Emanuel grew row crops and raised livestock. Because he cared for his sick animals of his own and other farmers he was called "Dr" Berry.

     The 9 children of Emanuel P. and Clara Berry were:
(1) Adolphus Bernard  Berry, born 1873, died in 1921  married Eva Pearl Smith (1887-1965) and lived in Hardwick. There children were Bryant, Marshall, Calhoun, Emory, Dolphus, Mary Claire, Marguerite, and Juanita. Adolphus and Eva Pearl Berry  are buried at Memory Hill Cemetery in Milledgeville.
(2) Robert C. Berry, born in 1876, died in 1910 of typhoid fever, moved to Coopers in 1907, was a farmer and carpenter. He was married to Mattie Smith (1883-1977). There were no children. Robert and Mattie Berry are buried in Camp Creek Cemetery near Coopers
(3) Mattie E. Berry was born in 1880, died in 1957. She married Eber Pearson (1869-1936) and moved to Coopers from Jasper County in 1909. There children were Mable Pearson Richardson and Robert Emanuel Pearson. Mr Pearson had a grist mill on his farm. Eber and Mattie Pearson are buried at Cooperville Church cemetery.
(4) Annie Berry was born in 1882 in Jones County, died in 1955. She married William Walter Childs, Sr. (1866-1940) Her  children were Erma Pauline, Clara Susan, Annie Laura and Walter William Jr. Mr. Childs was a farmer, dairyman and carpenter. After his death Annie married Charles Pritchett and spent her retirement years in Juliette, Ga. Annie Berry Childs Pritchett and William W.Childs, Sr. are buried at Camp Creek Cemetery near Coopers.
(5) Ida E Berry was born in 1885, died in 1981. She first married  Horace C. Hamrick, Sr. who was a real estate agent in Macon.  Her sons are Horace C. Hamrick, Jr. and Raymond C. Hamrick of Macon. After Mr. Hamrick death, she  married a  Hitchcock and died in Macon, Ga.
(6) Elizabeth "Lizzie" Berry was born in 1889, died in 1980. She was a store clerk and worked in the field of nursing. She married Nelson Hendricks (divorced), had a  son Joseph and a daughter Evelyn Ivey Carson by her second marriage to John C. Ivey (divorced). In the 1920's she and the children moved to Maryland. Her third marriage to Jesse Dodgen, fourth marriage to Joseph Slaski which ended in deaths of mates. She then married Charles Siebert and died of a heart attack in 1980. Buried Havre DeGrace, Maryland.
(7) Isaac Marion Berry  1891-1980 was married to Lizzie Lee  1893-1961. They were living with his parents in 1920 but had moved to their own home on Pancras (Cobb's Bridge Rd.) by 1930. About 1940 they moved to the farm in Coopers.
Mr. Berry peddled his farm produce for 56 years, since the age of 16. Berry Road in Coopers is named after him. There were no children in this marriage. Mr. Berry "adopted" the William Babb family when they moved to Coopers in the early 60's. He left his home and land to the family after his death.  Isaac and Lizzie Berry are buried in the Cooperville Church Cemetery. .
(8) Lilly Mae Berry was born in 1895, died in 1917 of typhoid fever. She is buried in Memory Hill Cemetery in Milledgeville
(9) John Emanuel Berry was born in 1897, died in 1980. He married Mary Anderson (1901-1998) and lived in Coopers until the early 40's. He purchased an 180 acre farm on Harmony Church Road in  East Baldwin County and built a home. John was a carpenter and farmer. Their children were Ruth, Jack, Billy, Lee, Ouida, Malvin, and  Lena. John and Mary Berry are buried at Memory Hill Cemetery in Milledgeville.

copyright Eileen Babb McAdams 2003