Richard Berry Jr. House (Springfield, Kentucky) facts for kids
The Richard Berry Jr. House is a historic home located in Springfield, Kentucky. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in Washington County, Kentucky in 1989, recognizing its importance in history.
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Who Were the Berry Family?
Around 1785, Richard Berry Sr. moved to Kentucky from Virginia with his wife, Rachel Shipley. They had seven children: Joanna, Sarah, Rachel, Richard Jr., Francis, Jane, and Edward. Richard Berry Sr. was a successful landowner in the area.
What Was the Richard Berry Jr. House Like?
The Richard Berry Jr. House was a two-story building made of logs and wood. It had a brick chimney and a pointed roof. It was originally located about eight miles from Springfield, Kentucky, in a place called Litsey. This house was considered a great example of a simple, one-room log home in the county.
The area where the house was located, known as Beechland, was sometimes called Poortown. However, it was actually home to both wealthy landowners and the smaller cabins of people who worked for them. Richard Berry Jr. was a well-off person, and his log cabin was one of the largest houses in Washington County at the time.
A Special Wedding at the House
The Richard Berry Jr. House is famous for a very important event: the wedding of Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks. They were married there on June 12, 1806. The day after the wedding, the Lincolns enjoyed a big dinner at the Berry home, with lots of different foods like lamb, deer meat, and turkey.
Nancy Hanks was a skilled seamstress, someone who sews clothes. She worked for Richard Berry Jr. before she got married. Nancy was brought to the home by her friend Polly Ewing Berry, who was Richard Berry Jr.'s wife. Polly and Nancy were friends from Mercer County, Kentucky. Richard Berry Jr. was also a good friend of Thomas Lincoln. Richard Berry Jr. even signed Nancy's marriage bond, acting as her guardian.
The Francis Berry House: Another Important Home
There is another historic home called the Francis Berry House, or simply the Berry House. Francis Berry was the brother of Richard Berry. This house was originally about a mile east of where it is now. Today, you can find it in the Lincoln Homestead State Park in Springfield, Kentucky.
Some people believe that it was actually this house, the Francis Berry House, where Nancy Hanks and Thomas Lincoln met and got married. Thomas and Nancy Lincoln later became the parents of Abraham Lincoln, who would become the 16th President of the United States.
The Francis Berry House, now in the Lincoln Homestead State Park, is filled with old items from the time when Abraham Lincoln's family lived in the area.
