John Wesley Berry facts for kids

John Wesley Berry (1857 – August 13, 1931) was an important pioneer, businessman, and local leader in Tacoma, Washington. He was best known for his work in making flour and cereal. John Berry built the very first oat and cereal mill in the western United States, right in Tacoma. He also started the Cascade Cereal Company, which became one of the biggest mills in the city.

John Berry was also a skilled mechanic. He even invented and got a patent for a special kind of pulley. He helped create the Deming-Berry Company, which made mechanical parts. Both of his companies sold their products to many places, including schools and hospitals.

Besides his businesses, Berry was involved in banking and served as a superintendent and teacher for Sunday School. He was also a councilman in Tacoma for a short time. Sadly, in 1903, a big fire destroyed his main businesses. After that, he worked in insurance.

Early Life and Family History

John Berry was born in 1857 near Jacksonville, Illinois. He grew up on his family's farm. He went to a local school until he was fourteen years old.

His parents were Preston A. Berry and Martha Jane Berry (Harris). His father, Preston, was born in Greenfield, Illinois. He moved to a farm near Jacksonville and worked as a livestock merchant, buying and selling animals. Preston also took part in the famous California Gold Rush, where he found and sold gold. Later in life, both of John's parents moved to Tacoma to be with him.

John Berry's Career Journey

Starting Out in Illinois and Indiana

When John Berry was fourteen, he decided to learn a trade. He got a job at a grist mill in Jacksonville, Illinois. He worked there for seven years, learning everything about how a mill operates.

After that, he spent a year working in Marion, Illinois. Then, he became a miller in Montezuma, Indiana. He worked at this mill until he was twenty-six. At that point, he bought the mill and ran the business himself. In 1887, he sold the mill and left the city.

New Beginnings in Tacoma, Washington

John Berry moved to Tacoma, Washington because he wanted to work in flour and cereal production. However, Tacoma was growing very fast at the time, with many new buildings being built. This changed his plans for a bit.

In 1887, he helped start the Tacoma Brick Company and became one of its leaders. He worked as a brick maker for about a year and a half. The bricks he made were used to build the base of Tacoma's first four-story building, which was the headquarters for the Northern Pacific Railway. After that, for six months, John and his father worked together as horse dealers.

Building a Cereal Empire

Eventually, John Berry went back to his original goal: making flour and cereal. In 1888, he built a mill on Jefferson Avenue. This was the very first oat and cereal mill in the entire western United States! It was a large, five-story building with the best equipment. People said the mill's products were "the very best."

In August 1892, Berry officially started the Cascade Oatmeal Company. He became its president. His brother-in-law, Charles W. Quinn, was also one of the owners.

Around 1892, the Cascade Oatmeal mill faced a problem. It was the first mill in the state to have issues with weevils in its wheat. The company explained that the weevils came from wheat imported from San Francisco, and that local wheat was fine. That same year, Berry's company bought a part of another flour mill. But they soon faced business problems, and the mills in Tacoma and Oakesdale had to close for a short time.

By 1893, trade between America and Southeast Asia was growing. Flour was in high demand, and milling was a very profitable business. Berry began to expand, building a new flour mill that could produce a lot of flour each day. This new mill was also on Jefferson Avenue, close to the old one.

In 1895, the Cascade Oatmeal Company was reorganized and became the Cascade Cereal Company of Tacoma. John Berry, N. M. L. Berry, and M. E. Quinn were the main people involved. By 1900, the company grew even more. They built another warehouse and a plant to make pearl barley. The Cascade Cereal Company had 25 employees and produced large amounts of flour, rolled oats, and meal every day.

The company was very successful. It won government contracts and supplied its products to many state institutions. These included the Western Washington hospital, the state reform school, and the Soldier's home.

During a tough economic time in the U.S. from 1893 to 1897, Berry lost some control of the mill. J. G. Deming became the company's president, but Berry continued to work as its manager. Later, a company called Albers Brothers bought the mill, and Berry kept working there under Bernard Albers.

Venturing into Mechanics

John Berry was always interested in mechanics. He even invented and patented a special "automatic self–tightening split–wood pulley." He decided to start a business in this area.

In 1901, he helped organize a new company, which became the Deming-Berry Company in 1902. This company took over from the Tacoma Automatic Scale Company. John Berry held different important roles there, including vice president, treasurer, and manager. The new factory made and sold automatic scales, pulleys, clutches, sprockets, and other mechanical devices. This factory was also on Jefferson Avenue, right next to the Cascade Cereal mill.

At first, the company only needed two employees. But orders quickly grew, and they planned to build a much bigger factory on Center Street. This new factory would have been powered by electricity and included a two-story brick building, a warehouse, and a brick kiln. However, these plans were ruined by a big fire.

The Great Fire of 1903

On July 24, 1903, a terrible fire destroyed the Cascade Cereal Company, the Deming-Berry Company, and all the new equipment for the planned factory. It took only 35 minutes for the Cascade mill building to collapse, and the fire quickly spread to nearby buildings.

It's believed the fire started from a spark from a passing train. The spark landed on wood shavings in one of the Cascade mill rooms on the ground floor. The fire department called it one of the four "largest fires the department ever had to handle."

John Berry lost a lot in the fire. The total value of the destroyed property was very high. The insurance payments covered only some of the losses. Berry himself said it was "a heavy one" and "one which will prove a hard blow to the two big establishments."

Life After the Fire

After the fire, John Berry left the milling business. He started working as an agent for real estate loans and insurance. He became a member of the Berry & Spaulding Company and was the president of the B. S. Security Co.

Even later in his life, Berry sometimes got involved in the milling business again. In 1913, he was put in charge of a new mill for flour, cereal, and feed. In 1921, he also helped start the Sumner Grain & Milling Company in Sumner, Washington.

Other Important Roles

In February 1894, John Berry became a trustee for the Bank of Tacoma. Later that year, he was a director, and in 1895, he became the bank's vice president.

For seven years, Berry was the superintendent of the Washington State Sunday School. He also taught a class of twenty-five girls. In 1900, he was part of the planning committee for the Sunday School convention.

Community Involvement

John Berry was a devoted member of the Epworth Methodist Episcopal church in Tacoma. When he lived in Marion, Illinois for a short time, he was very active in religious work. He also belonged to two friendly organizations: the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Foresters Friendly Society.

Personal Life and Passing

John Berry married Lillian M. Ball in Jacksonville, Illinois, in November 1879. They had four children:

• Preston A., who later worked as a bookkeeper for the Cascade Cereal Company.
• Grace McCune.
• John W., who became an agent for the Tacoma Grocery Company.
• Harry B.

John Berry passed away on August 13, 1931, in Tacoma, Washington. He was buried in the Tacoma Cemetery.