Major Taylor Berry

   Cause of his death was Pnuemonia as a result of a gunshot wound to the lungs during a duel.

  General Notes:

Crack of the Pistol:
Dueling in 19th Century Missouri
A Brief Biography of Abiel Leonard

Considered a “Yankee” by Missouri standards, Abiel Leonard had emigrated West from Vermont to practice law in the Territory of Missouri. A small, near-sighted man with poor health, he was ill-suited to the harsh frontier life. During Leonard’s early struggles to set up a law practice, he found himself forced to teach, farm, and speculate on land to make a living. With the help of a friend and fellow lawyer, he finally obtained the position of prosecuting attorney for the First Judicial District of Missouri in Howard County. This office would not only provide Leonard with a steady source of income, but it would change his life forever.

As part of his duties as prosecutor, Leonard was given the responsibility of trying Major Taylor Berry on charges of forgery and perjury. Major Berry was a well-known War of 1812 veteran and one of the founding fathers of the city of Columbia. Even though Berry was acquitted, his public humiliation demanded satisfaction. Shortly after the trial, Major Berry chose Leonard as his target and assaulted him repeatedly with a rawhide whip. To the surprise of many, the little “Yankee” fought back and issued a challenge.

On September 1, 1824 Abiel Leonard and Major Taylor Berry met on Wolf Island in the middle of the Mississippi near New Madrid. With the first fire, Leonard grazed Berry, but Berry missed. Efforts at reconciliation failed and a second shot was taken missing Leonard but striking Berry in the lungs. Though not immediately fatal, Berry died three weeks after the duel of pneumonia. Consequently, under the 1822 anti-dueling statute Leonard was not charged with murder, but was indicted for challenging Berry to a duel.

Even though the jury could not agree on a verdict, Leonard was found guilty by the Howard County Circuit Court and fined $150. He was also disbarred and disenfranchised. Soon afterward, because of petitions presented to the Missouri General Assembly on his behalf, a special act was passed reinstating all lost privileges. Leonard went on to a distinguished political career, and in 1834 was elected to the Missouri Legislature followed by appointment to the Missouri Supreme Court in 1855.
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from the book From the Darkness cometh the Light

Among those present on the day set apart for the sale was Major Taylor Berry, a wealthy gentleman who had travelled a long distance for the purpose of purchasing a servant girl for his wife. As was the custom, all the negroes were brought out and placed in a line, so that the buyers could examine their good points at leisure. Major Berry was immediately attracted by the bright and alert appearance of Polly, and at once negotiated with the trader, paid the price agreed upon, and started for home to present his wife with this flesh and blood commodity, which money could so easily procure in our vaunted land of freedom.

Mrs. Fanny Berry was highly pleased with Polly's manner and appearance, and concluded to make a seamstress of her. Major Berry had a mulatto servant, who was as handsome as an Apollo, and when he and Polly met each other, day after day, the natural result followed, and in a short time, with the full consent of Major Berry and his wife, were married. Two children were the fruit of this marriage, my sister Nancy and myself, Lucy A. Delaney.

While living in Franklin county, Major Berry became involved in a quarrel with some gentleman, and a duel was resorted to, to settle the difficulty and avenge some fancied insult. The major arranged his affairs and made his will, leaving his negroes to his wife during her life-time and at her death they were to be free; this was his expressed wish.

My father accompanied Major Berry to New Madrid, where the fatal duel was fought, and stayed by him until the end came, received his last sigh, his last words, and closed his dying eyes, and afterwards conveyed the remains of his best friend to the bereaved family with a sad heart. Though sympathizing deeply with them in their affliction, my father was much disturbed as to what disposition would be made of him, and after Major Berry was consigned with loving hands to his last resting place, these haunting thoughts obtruded, even in his sleeping hours.

A few years after, Major Berry's widow married Robert Wash, an eminent lawyer, who afterwards became Judge of the Supreme Court. One child was born to them, who, when she grew to womanhood, became Mrs. Francis W. Goode, whom I shall always hold in grateful remembrance as long as life lasts, and God bless her in her old age, is my fervent prayer for her kindness to me, a poor little slave girl!

We lived in the old "Wash" mansion some time after the marriage of the Judge, until their daughter Frances was born. How well I remember those happy days! Slavery had no horror then for me, as I played about the place, with the same joyful freedom as the little white children. With mother, father and sister, a pleasant home and surroundings, what happier child than I!

As I carelessly played away the hours, mother's smiles would fade away, and her brow contract into a heavy frown. I wondered much thereat, but the time came--ah! only too soon, when I learned the secret of her ever-changing face!

Taylor married Frances S. aka Fanny Christy Berry Wash, daughter of Major William Christy and Martha Thompson Taylor. (Frances S. aka Fanny Christy Berry Wash was born in 1798 in St. Louis, MO.)