T. J. BARR of Amanda township, was born in 1848.  Received his education at the Fairfield Union Academy, and at the Miami Commercial College, Dayton, Ohio.  When eighteen yeas old he began teaching, and since that time has done ten yeas satisfactory work in the school room.  In 1875, was elected clerk of this township and re-elected in 1881.  In 1881 he was also elected director of his school district.  In 1880 he was united in matrimony to Miss Nora B. Strode, and resides at the old Barr homestead.
Source:  History of Fairfield and Perry Counties, Publ. Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co., 1883 - Page 271

THOMAS BARR of Amanda township, ex-commissioner of Fairfield county; was born Feb. 12, 1812, and at this time is the oldest native born resident of Amanda township.  His father, Thomas Barr, Sr., was a native of Chester county, Pennsylvania, a soldier in the War of 1812, and lived to the advanced age of ninety-two years, lacking four days.  Came here about 1801 and settled in Dutch Hollow, on the farm now owned by Joel Meyers, where he was born.  Thomas Barr began life without means, and his first hundred dollars, saved from his own hard earnings, was the most difficult to make.  Since that time judicious, energetic, and honest management has earned for him several large valuable farms, in both Fairfield and Pickaway counties.  He has lately built a fine residence on a small farm near Amanda, and retired from active business.  Mr. Barr is a man who has always taken pride in doing everything well, and in every honorable enterprise in being foremost in  well-doing.  this spirit of true citizenship has earned for him reward, of which he may be proud.  He has filled many and various positions in life and dip his work well.  When but eighteen years of age, was chosen Lieutenant of the Light Infantry Company, and two years afterwards its Captain, which position he held five years.  He served his school district forty years ot ouf forty-one years of time, as one of its directors.  Under his supervision he made it one of the best in the county.  He was eighteen eyars township treasurer, and held the position of County Commissioner six years.  He has always been a marksman of unequalled abilities in the use of open sights, and no rests in shooting long distances; has frequently won the prizes, where several center shots had been made by the competitor.  The score made in his last shooting was in 1855, when out of practice several years.  In this year, in a contest between Pickaway and Fairfield counties, for an ox, Mr. Barr  made the following score, at forty rods off-hand, and with open sights: Seven shots measured five-eighths of an inch from the center; eight shots, one and one-fourth inches; nine shots, one and five-eighths inches.  Measurements made by Isaac Bechtel and Andrew Ucker.  These nine shots won the ox, although one of Mr. William Barr's competitors made five center shots.
Source:  History of Fairfield and Perry Counties, Publ. Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co., 1883 - Page 270

ABRAHAM M. BEERY, was born in Rockingham county, Virginia, Apr. 25, 1836; in 1855, removed to Fairfield county, Ohio.  Commenced as clerk in the dry goods store of Mrs. E. A. Beck, in 1858; was in her employ nine years, except six months in 1862, during which time he served in the Sixty-first Regiment, O. V. I., as Commissary Sergeant.  Was present at the battle of Cedar Mountain and Bull Run No. 2; was discharged at Germantown on the 5th day of October, 1862, on account of Physical disability.  In 1867, commenced his business (dry goods) under the firm name of Berry, Brown & Company, remained with the above firm for six years; sold his interest to P. Rising, and remained with him and his successor until Feb. 1, 1882; formed a partnership, with S. H. Beck, W. W. Obaugh and B. F. Reinmund, under the firm name of Beery, Beck, Obaugh & Company , merchant tailors.  Mr. Beery was married to Miss Low Bury June 16, 1867.  They are the parents of three sons and one daughter.
Source:  History of Fairfield and Perry Counties, Publ. Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co., 1883 - Page 272

EDWARD BERRY, farmer, Walnut township; the son of Edward and Catharine Berry; was born in Walnut township, May 15, 1814.  He enjoyed a common school education, and engaged in farming at home until his marriage, November, 1839, to Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Joseph and Mary Yontz.  He resided on the home place one year after marriage, and another place in the same township three years.  In the spring of 1844, he settled on the place where he now resides, it was then partially improved; they are now the parents of eight children, seven living:  Almeda J., wife of Hiram Sperry, of Walnut township; Emmett C., a resident of Whitley county, Indiana; Arybell Samantha, wife of Geo. Koontz, of Pleasantville; Elizabeth Clementine, wife of Henry W. Geiger, of Walnut township; Henry C., assisting on the home farm; Homer C. and Lomera T. at home.  The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.  He is a successful and prosperous citizen.
Source:  History of Fairfield and Perry Counties, Publ. Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co., 1883 - Page 273

ELIJAH BERRY, farmer, Walnut township; was born in Walnut township, July 27, 1821, the only son of Elijah and Nancy (Mock) Berry. Elijah Berry, Sr., was born in Virginia.  When he married, he came to Ohio with his wife and two children, in 1806 or 1808.  He served in the war of 1812.  From Walnut township, he settled on the place now owned by Frank Foster.  He resided there some ten or twelve years, then removed to Richland township. He resided in Seneca county four years, and then returned to Fairfield county, in 1837, settling on the place now owned by his son.  He cleared the farm, and raised a family of nine children - four sons and two daughters are living.  He died about 1850, his widow surviving him some five or six years.  Elijah, after acquiring a fair education, turned his attention to farming.  He married, in February, 1841, Miss Almira Culp, daughter of Jacob and Mary Culp.  They settled in Walnut township.  To their marriage have been born seven children, of whom four are living: Louisa, wife of Samuel M. B. Miller, a resident of Walnut township; Margaret, widow of David Trovinger, a resident of Walnut township; Marion, a resident of Thorn township, Perry county; Rebecca Jane, married, and is now a resident of Delaware, Ohio.  Mrs. Berry died about 1851.  Mr. Berry resided in Richland and Pleasant townships some six years, subsequently removing to the home place in Walnut township.  After the death of his father, he took charge of the home place.  He married again in 1852, to Victorine Manson.  They have been members of the Methodist Episcopal Church for a number of years. They occupy a residence built by his father about 1837, which they have modernized somewhat.
Source:  History of Fairfield and Perry Counties, Publ. Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co., 1883 - Page 273

HENRY BERRY, farmer, Walnut township; he was born in Walnut township, Mar. 5, 1810; the second son of Edward and Catharine (Eakle) Berry.  Edward Berry, a native of Maryland, came to Ohio with his wife and son about 1807, settling the following year on the place now owned by his son, Henry.  His first building consisted of a log cabin, afterward replaced by a neat hewed log house, about 1825, which is still a portion of the farm residence.  He being a pioneer necessitated the clearing off of the place.  He raised a family of twelve children, four survive:  Henry Edward, a well-known resident of Walnut township; Catharine, wife of Dr. J. D. Nourse, of Lancaster; Eliza Jane, wife of Henry Jewett, of Reynoldsburgh, Ohio.  He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for twenty-five years.  A prosperous and successful farmer.  He died about June, 1850; his widow survived him three years.  Henry Berry was educated in the common schools, and engaged in farming, and clearing a new place.  In 1845, he married Miss Mary, daughter of David Rank, an early settler in Walnut township; she was born in Fairfield county, Mar. 2, 1822.  After marriage Mr. Berry engaged in farming and stock raising.  Mr. and Mrs. Berry are the parents of three children: Theodore E., on the home place; Honora C., wife of L. G. Smith, of New Salem; Sarah E., wife of F. C. Linville, of Salem.  Mr. Berry was township treasurer one term.  The family are members of the Methodist Protestant Church;  he is a member of the Grange.  Theodore E. married about 1865 to Samantha, daughter of D. F. Linville, of New Salem; they are the parents of three sons and one daughter.  Theodore E. owns one hundred and thirty acres of land.  He is a pleasant, genial gentleman, and a substantial citizen.  David Rank settled in Walnut township, on the farm now owned by James Belt.  About 1808, he cleared one-fourth section of land and lived there until 1861.  He raised a family of ten children, eight now living.  David Rank died in New Salem about 1867.
Source:  History of Fairfield and Perry Counties, Publ. Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co., 1883 - Page 273

JOSEPH BIGOMEY, farmer; was born in Licking county, Ohio, Aug. 19, 1845, a son of Francis W. and Henrietta (Fritz) Bigomey.  Francis W. Bigomey was a native of Pennsylvania.  He came to Ohio in 1838, and located in Licking county, where he resided for a number of years.  He then removed to Fairfield county, where he resided until 1851, at which time he purchased the farm known as the Fritz farm.  Here he spent the remainder of his life.  He reared a family of ten children, nine of whom are living.  In 1855 he was elected to a seat in the Legislature, and again in 1857.  He died in 1877, respected and regretted by all who knew him.  His widow still survives him, being in good health.  She still resides on the old home farm.  Joseph acquired a good education in his youth, and took great interest in his vocation, that of farming.  In 1867 he was united in marriage to Miss Hannah Caroline, daughter of John Bury, a prominent citizen of Liberty township.  After his marriage, Mr. Bigomey resided on the Bury home farm for one year, when he purchased the farm, where he now lives.  It contains one hundred acres, to which he has added many a valuable improvement, among them an elegant residence.  Mr. and Mrs. Bigomey are the parents of five children: John Francis, Joseph Henry, Hiram Franklin, Warren Ellsworth, and Winfield Scott.  The family are members of the Reform Church.
Source:  History of Fairfield and Perry Counties, Publ. Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co., 1883 - Page 275

JOHN BURY, farmer, Liberty township; was born in Philadelphia, Mar. 11th, 1811.  Only son of John S. and Mary Ann (Glosser) Bury, who came to America from Switzerland in 1806, settling in Philadelphia, where they lived for twelve years.  In 1818, with their family of two children, they moved to Ohio, locating in Pleasant township for one year.  In the spring of 1819 they settled on the farm now owned by John, Jr.  The improvements were limited, consisting of a small log house and one acre of ground cleared.  Mr. Bury went to work in earnest, chopping down trees and clearing away under brush.  Upon this clearing corn was raised, it being the principal food of the pioneer.  Mr. Bury built a large, fine log house in 1829, and built the first frame barn in the township.  He was very successful in all his efforts, and lived to enjoy the results of his industry and energy, raising his two children to man and womanhood.   Mary, his daughter, married Sebastian Goss; she died in 1837.  Mr. Bury was an honored member of the Reformed Church.  He died in 1861.  After the death of his father, John took charge of the farm, having obtained a fair education.  In 1833, he married Miss Hannah Zerkle, raising a family of nine children, of whom six survive, viz.: Catharine, a widow; Elizabeth, now the wife of Jacob Wildershatt, of Baltimore, O.; Julia Ann, the wife of John Loose, of Seneca county, O.; Joseph H., a well known resident of Liberty township, residing on the farm formerly owned by his grandfather; Hannah Caroline, the wife of Joseph Bigony, also of Liberty township and Jacob Benjamin, who is the owner of one hundred and twenty acres, and has charge of the home place.  Before disposing of the farms to his sons, Mr. Bury owned four hundred and ten acres, and still owns over two hundred acres, also the fine residence, making a very pleasant home.  In politics he is a Democrat, and has filled some of the minor offices in his township - that of township trustee for a period of nine years.  He has been a member of the Reform Church for fifty-five years.  Being a genial and hospitable gentleman, he has held in the highest esteem by his friends and neighbors.  Mr. Bury died March 8th, 1864.
Source:  History of Fairfield and Perry Counties, Publ. Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co., 1883 - Page 281

JOSEPH H. BURY was born in Liberty township, Fairfield county, Nov. 3d, 1834; son of John and Hannah Bury.  Joseph attended the public schools and acquired a good education.  He remained at home until his marriage to Samantha J. Winter, Apr. 18th, 1875.  They are the parents of four children, three of whom - Jennetta A. Nellie H. and Ida Ellen - are living.
Source:  History of Fairfield and Perry Counties, Publ. Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co., 1883 - Page 282