Burton “Birtie” Berry, fourth child of William Huston and Caroline M. (Boone) Berry, was born in 1882 (or 1883) in Missouri, probably near Ash Grove. On July 30, 1897, Birtie—just 15 years old —married the equally youthful Edna Farley (see entry for FARLEY, Sampson). The marriage didn’t last three years. According to an 1897 newspaper article, the marriage began as a shotgun wedding and Birtie left within a few months of the wedding. Edna blamed Bertie’s parents for his departure and brought suit against William Berry for purportedly keeping Birtie from returning to her (Springfield Democrat December 4, 1897). Birtie was granted a divorce on January 23, 1900. One child - Dillard Berry - resulted from Birtie’s brief union with Edna. By June of 1900, Birtie was living with his parents on their farm west of Ash Grove and working as a day laborer. He died in 1902 of unknown causes (Russell 2012).
Grave Marker: The grave marker for Birtie Berry is a tablet style limestone monument with no base. The monument is 18 x 12 x 3 inches in size. The text on the east face of the monument is weathered but readable. The upper surface of the marker has incipient cracks, and the marker setting has apparently been impacted by the growth of an adjacent tree. The associated limestone footstone has the initials BB inscribed on its east side and is located 88 inches east of the marker,
West face of gravemarker with footstone in background
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Text on west face of monument:
BIRTIE Son of W.H. & C.M. BERRY BORN MAY 2 1882 DIED JAN 10 1902 |
East face of gravemarker
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Footstone with B.B. engraved
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