John Berry (Royal Navy officer)

Admiral Sir John Berry (1635 – 14 February 1689 or 1690) was an English naval officer of the Royal Navy, and was in 1675 the captain of the annual convoy to Newfoundland that took place during the years of the colony's founding. Berry's advocacy of the right of the small number of settlers to remain in Newfoundland, which was opposed by the British Committee for Trade and Plantations, was an important factor in determining the future course of European settlement in Newfoundland.

Berry was born at Knowstone, North Devon, the second of seven sons of Rev. Daniel Berry (1609-1654), vicar of Knowstone cum Molland in North Devon by his wife Elizabeth Moore, daughter of Sir John Moore of Moor Hayes in the parish of Cullompton, Devon. Daniel Berry held the benefice freehold and had inherited it from his father, but was violently deprived of his position and livlihood during the Civil War. Sir John in 1684 erected a mural monument in Molland Church, which survives, which relates the injustices suffered by his father in this regard. Daniel's eldest two sons, thus deprived of their prospective patrimony, sought a career at sea, as was common for West-Country youths seeking their fortunes. The Berry family had been established from the reign of King Edward I (1272-1307) near the north coast of Devon as lords of the manor of Nerbert or Narbor, which manor took their name and became known as Berry Narbor, today known as Berrynarbor. Younger branches settled at Braunton, Eastleigh and Chittlehampton, but from which branch the Knowstone family descended is not recorded in the Heraldic Visitations of Devon.

In Molland Church, Devon, exists a mural monument erected in 1684 by Sir John Berry to his father Rev. Daniel Berry (1609-1654). It is inscribed thus: Under this monument lieth the body of Daniel Berry, B of D sometime minister of this church and that of the parish of Knowstone wherein he was born, who for his zeal in the support of the Church of England and loyalty to that martyr'd King Charles I was first sequestrated by the then rebels and ever after persecuted 'till he died, being the 18th day of Mar. 1653/4 and of his age 45, leaving behind him 7 sons, Robert, John, Daniel, Nathaniel, Anthony, Philip and Thomas, and two daughters Elizabeth and Anne, by Elizabeth his wife, daughter of John Moore of Moorehays, Esq., who died 13 Octob. 1663, and lieth here likewise interred. The second of their sons, who received the honour of knighthood from his present Majesty K. Ch.2 for his long and many good services at sea, honouring the memory of all orthodox and loyal men of the late times and out of a pious regard of his father's sufferings, erected this monument, 17 day of Jul. AD 1684"

...
Wikipedia