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PRESTON COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA - BIOS: BERRY, Andy Wirt
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Submitted to the West Virginia Biographies Project by:
Valerie & Tommy Crook
vfcrook@trellis.net
September 24, 1999
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The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume III,
pg. 266-267
Preston County
ANDY WIRT BERRY. Some men are not content with their
home communities, but leave for parts unknown to pursue
there a fortune which oftentimes eludes them, but there
are others, probably more sensible, who, remaining where
they are known and where they are acquainted with the
people and customs, earn their money and make their invest-
ments locally. Centering their holdings and interests, they
are able to acquire means and exert a strong influence along
constructive lines. Such is the case of Andy Wirt Berry,
one of the large landowners of Braxton County, a merchant
and banker of Flatwoods, and one of the city's most repre-
sentative men and public-spirited citizens.
The birth of Mr. Berry took place on a farm near Flat-
woods, which he now owns, November 25, 1876, and he is a
son of William H. and Irene Caroline (Denison) Berry.
William H. Berry was born in Braxton County, October 16,
1834, and still survives. His wife, Irene Caroline (Denison)
Berry, was born near Janelew, Lewis County, West Virginia,
a daughter of Gabriel Denison, and a niece of ''Stonewall''
Jackson. They were reared and educated in the rural dis-
tricts, and Mr. Berry taught school when young. When
the Flatwoods Baptist Church was organized in October,
1889, Mrs. Berry was one of its charter members, and Mr.
Berry also belongs to this church. He is a democrat. For
many years in addition to his farming activities he was a
heavy buyer and shipper of stock, and contributed sub-
stantially to the early development of Braxton County. Of
the seven children born to these parents four survive,
namely: J. G. Berry, who is a contractor in the oil fields
of Oklahoma; Andy Wirt, whose name heads this review;
Martha E., who is the wife of W. F. Duffield; and Ada, who
is the wife of Claude C. Davis.
Growing up on the farm, Andy Wirt Berry attended the
common schools, and when only seventeen years of age began
teaching school. He spent a couple of years at this work,
and then went into his brother's store as a clerk. In 1899
he established himself in business at Flatwoods, and has
been handling staves, lumber and coal ever since. He is also
interested in oil, gas and coal, and owns a number of farms
in Braxton County, as well as stock in the Bank of Sutton
and in many other local enterprises.
In 1901 Mr. Berry married Miss May Fisher, who was
the daughter of Hon. B. F. Fisher, of Braxton County.
She died in 1902, and he subsequently married Miss Anna
Zinn, of Troy, West Virginia. Mr. Berry has six children,
namely: Irene, Elizabeth, A. W., Jr., May Nell, Robert
Zinn, and Richard Waitman.
He is a member of the Flatwoods Baptist Church, which
he is now serving as clerk. A Mason, he belongs to Sutton
Lodge No. 21, A. F. and A. M., of which he has been master
for eight years; Sutton Chapter, Sutton Commandery, K.
T., and the Mystic Shrine of Charleston, West Virginia.
He completed the eighteen degrees of the Scottish Rite at
Clarksburg, West Virginia, and will complete the Scottish
Bite up to the thirty-second degree at Wheeling, West Vir-
ginia, in the very near future. In politics he is a democrat.
He also takes a very active part in county and state politics.
In everything he has undertaken Mr. Berry has been suc-
cessful, but he has made it a point to look into a matter
very carefully before taking action, and to see to his inter-
ests personally. He is very proud of his home community
and is anxious to secure for it a proper amount of improve-
ments, but at the same time he is not willing to sanction
an unwise expenditure of the taxpayers' money. Such men
as Mr. Berry are a valuable asset to any neighborhood, and
he may properly be regarded as one of the best representa-
tives of the substantial American business man of his time
and locality.
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