Captain Berry's Will
Debauchery, Miscegenation, & Family Strife
Among 18th Century Gentry

the same bed with Mr. Berry, there being company in the house, amongst others the two Jeremiah Berrys, the boy, and young Mr. Marshall was there, but he does not know if he lay there; that Dept. and Mr. Berry went to bed together at the same time; that they both got up together before sunrise and went to the horseyard, where Mr. Berrys stallion was kept. As they walked from the horseyard, Mr. Berry spoke of the boy again, called him his son, and said what a fine clever boy he was and how well he would be off, & how much land he had given him at the Eastern Branch, & told him how many acres, and of some purchases he had made there lately, which was more than Dept. thought he had.

He never heard Mr. Berry stir during the night, and Dept. is very wakeful, but was much fatigued with his ride & sleepy that night. . . . Wm. Berry appeared as fresh in the morning as ever he did in his life, and . . . neither Mr. Berry nor Dept. drank anything till their return from the horseyard to the house, and . . . the conversation they had in the morning respecting the boy was before either of them had drank anything. . . . when they returned to the house, Mr. Berry made a little julep, as the Dept. would have done, of which they both drank. . . Dept. never discovered that Mr. Berry was in any manner intoxicated before he left his house.

. . . Dept. about two or three days after called on Mr. Berry on his return, and . . . he appeared to him to be sober. . . . it was before breakfast, & he breakfasted with Mr. Berry & left his house about nine of the clock, but at neither of the times did he see any women about Mr. Berrys but negroes, nor see any disturbance. Being asked if there were any horse jockies there, says there was a couple of men who appeared to be genteel, clever men, & he understood from Mr. Berry that one of them was an acquaintance of his and lived near Mr. Thomas Spriggs and that they had 4 or 5 clever horses to sell. . . the time he called at Mr. Berry's on his return as above he apologized to him for not paying him according to his promise and said if he would down at court, which was to be about ten days after, he would not disappoint him but give him his money.

. . . Mr. Berry looked very poorly. . . he had not heard of his having been in a debauch of drinking until he went to Mr. Williams's, when he heard it, & which occasioned him to take more notice of him the second time he went to his house. Being asked what conversation Dept. had with Mr. Williams respecting Mr. Berry when he (Dept.) called at Mr. Williams house, says he don't remember until the two young Mr. Berrys came over to Mr. Williams’ house soon in the night to lodge. . . . Dept. told Mr. Williams pretty nearly but not so particular what he has before related, that Mr. Berry told him about the boy. He found it was not very agreeable to Mr. Williams and did not say much more about it. Don't remember that he (Dept.) told Mr. Williams anything about

Source: Prince George’s County Register of Wills (Orphans’ Court Proceedings) 1777-1790, f. 111, MSA C 1275-1