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

Mr. Berry's being drunk when he called on him, but told him he looked as if he had been drinking. . . he (Dept. ) did not see Mr. Williams after he had been at Mr. Berry's the second time.

Being asked if the paper exhibited as the will of Mr. Berry was the paper shown to him by Mr. Berry, says it is not but that it was a smaller paper, that it contained but a few lines, & that Mr. Berry told him it was a paragraph of his will. Being asked if the paper shown him was in Mr. Berry's handwriting, says he does not know it well enough to be able to speak positively and that he does not know it was in Mr. Berry's handwriting but thinks Mr. Berry told him it was Mr. Boyd's handwriting, but is not clear in it. Being asked whether either at the first or second time that he breakfasted at Mr. Berry's if Mr. Berry mixed any spiritous liquor with his tea or coffee, says that he did not to his knowledge and that he has no reason to believe he did, that he had no thought of the subject, that they both sat at the same table and were helped out of the same teapot, and that Mr. Berry helped the Deponent, that he did not see any rum or spiritous liquor at the table.

Sworn in open Court
Test. Saml. Tyler, Reg'r

Source: Prince George’s County Register of Wills (Orphans’ Court Proceedings) 1777-1790, f. 112, MSA C 1275-1