HI: I'm tracing the ancestry of my ggrandfather MOSES BERRY. I've researched BERRY wills in the early 1800s in Mason Co., KY. Family oral history says that one of Moses' parents was named JUDAH. Moses was born ca. 1819-1821 in KY. Moses' last slave owner was MILTON DAUGHERTY, and ROBERT H. BALDWIN before that, in 1863. I don't know who owned Moses or his family members (wife Mariah, son Alexander, son Arthur, daughter Belle) before 1863. I'm researching BERRYS on the speculation that because many slaves chose family surnames and carried them over generations, but didn't necessarily reveal them, and that Moses got his surname from his relatives (that is, he didn't choose it upon emancipation). I'm looking to find fellow BERRY or MASON CO., KY researchers who may know of these people listed as heirs in BERRY wills in Mason County. Also, again, I'm looking to get research suggestions as to how to proceed. Note that many of the slaves were passed among family members: Thomas Berry's will, Feb. 20, 1806. Peggy Rankin - l Negro boy named Milford and l Negro girl named Milly Betsy Calmer - l Negro boy Moses and l Negro girl Maria Son Joseph - had been given 1 - 90 acre tract in Licking Mason but his children was given two Negros - Moses and l Negro man Wilmore Jane Kercheval - l girl named Patience William - Negro man Ambrose and one girl named Mary Sally Kennan - girl named Lucy who was to be freed at age 25, but Thomas reserved the right to all her children born prior to age 25. Those children were to go to his wife at his decease. Sally - boy namd Melson and girl named Delphia Samuel - a boy named Hampton Cathy - boy named Juboy and girl named Clary Mathilda ( gr.dau) girl named Charity and all her increase George Berry Will 1 Oct 1813 William - man named Patrick, woman named Winney and her 3 children, Mahala, Cain, & Abel Gr.sons - boys Nelson & Major, women named Lusky and her 3 children (not named) Elijah - 3 men, Jarret, Francis & Joseph , boy named Abel Sarah - women named Dellia and her two children (Washington & Careline) also boy Fielding (son of Mary) Gr.son - boy named Lewis William Berry 2nd Sept 1819 Molly - 2 boys James and Cate Sally - girl named Chasity Lucinda - girl Melinda William - man named Alexander Milly - woman named Winna and her child Phillie Elizabeth - girl named Mahala Clabourn - two men, Edmund and Cain ( who was ill) If he died Clabour is to received $300.00 from the estate. slave names from Thomas Berry, 1806: Milford, Milly (Peggy Rankin) Moses, Maria (Betsy Calmer) Patience (Jane Kercheval) Ambrose, Mary (William Berry) Lucy, her children (Sally Kennan) Melson, Delphia (Sally Berry) *** Juboy, (JUDAH?) Clary (Cathy Berry) Charity, her children (Mathilda Berry) slave names from George Berry, 1813 Patrick, Winney, her 3 children Mahala, Cain, Abel (William Berry) Nelson, Major, Lusky, 3 children (his grandsons) Jarret, Francis, Joseph, Abel (same boy?) (Elijah Berry) Dellia, and her 2 children, ***Washington, Careline, Fielding (son of Mary, who was listed in Thomas Berry's will) (Sarah Berry) Lewis (Berry grandson) Slave names from William Berry, 1819 James, Cate (Molly Berry) Chasity (Sally Berry) Melinda (Lucinda Berry) Alexander (William Berry) Winna (Winney???) and child Phillie (Milly Berry, willed to William by George Berry in 1813) Mahala, Winney's daughter (Elizabeth Berry, willed to William from George Berry) Edmund, Cain, Winney's son (Clabourn Berry, willed to William from George Berry) By 1819, SALLY BERRY OWNS: Chasity, a girl, from William Berry's will Melson, a man, and Delphia, a girl, from Thomas Berry's will 3 SLAVES TOTAL WILLIAM BERRY OWNED: 10 SLAVES WHEN HE DIED Their names: James, Cate, Chasity, Melinda, Alexander, Winna Phillie, Mahala, Edmund, Cain Did not own: Ambrose, Mary, Abel, Patrick Elijah Berry owned: Jarret, Francis, Joseph, Abel At this point, I'm speculating a connection between William Berry and Moses, but only because of Alexander -- many people named their children after family members. Maybe Moses' son Alex was named for him? I know this message is long, but I'm hoping for a research connection. Thanks for all input! KBerry Wonder if Juboy could be Juba? Kdberr1@aol.com