In a message dated 97-12-14 18:45:27 EST, you write:
<< Jennifer,
Do you have any idea when William Coffee Berry and Mary Berry were born?
There
were a number of Rice Coffee/ys in the middle 1700's and later and dates
might
help us narrow down which might have been their father.
Having said that, however, I have looked at all the Rice Coffee/ys that I
have
indexed, and their sources without finding any reference to one of them
having
fathered children by anyone other than their wives.
>
I was in a hurry, and this E-mail reminded me that I didn't include the dates
for my query about the mystery man Rice Coffee. Here was the query:
<<I'm new to this list and I'm looking for information on a man named RICE
COFFEE (b. and d. Unknown, n the mid-1700's). Now, I always thought that my
ancestors were BERRY's.
Heres the sordid tale: BRADLEY BERRY (d. 1795 in Virginia) was
married to ELIZABETH FIELDS (b. March 4, 1755 in Virginia, d. May 24, 1824 in
Buncomb Co., NC). ELIZABETH was the dau. of RICHARD FIELDS and ELIZABETH
MURRELL of Amherst Co., VA. (Sources on this are shady, writting by a lady
that desperately wanted to get into the DAR.) Anyway, BRADLEY served in the
in the 4th Virginia Company in the American Revolution and apparently he
became wounded and infirm. He and Elizabeth had one child, FRANKLIN BERRY,
born bef. 1789.
But, after when BRADLEY became infirm, ELIZABETH shacked up with this
mystery man, RICE COFFEE. They had two children, WILLIAM COFFEE BERRY and
MARY BERRY. They were BERRY's since Elizabeth was still married to Bradley
Berry, but RICE COFFEE acknowledged them as his own children. WILLIAM COFFEE
BERRY, (my ancestor) later wrote a manuscript about this.
So, if anyone can help me identify my mystery man, RICE COFFEE, I would
be forever indebted to you. Thank you very much!!!!! - Jennifer Dunn >>>
Mary Berry was born Feburary 5, 1789 and died April 21, 1857 and William
Coffee Berry was born was born October 19, 1796 and d. Unknown. I understand
that some people don't want to discuss things that are considered scandalous,
but we have to because they are TRUE. (Why would William Coffee Berry admit,
in a manuscript in his own handwriting, that he was illegitimate if it weren't
true???). I could go on researching the Berry's because they are my ancestors
in NAME, but that would make me a hypocrite. Anyway, I had no intention of
offending anyone... Thanks again. - Jennifer Dunn