Montgomery County – Its Early Officers and Citizens

By A. H. H. Rountree, in the Anti-Monopolist , June 06, 1874

John BARRY was born in Barren County, Kentucky in 1806 and in 1828 married Elizabeth ROBINSON, sister of our worthy citizen Henry ROBINSON, and after the birth of their first child, Wilson BARRY, they removed to Illinois in 1830, and bought an improvement from James WILSON, and elder brother of the late Joshua WILSON.  The land was yet government land, but Mr. WILSON had built a cabin and other small buildings; besides finding, and as it was, Mr. BARRY bought it and borrowed some money with which to enter it, and there he has continued to reside ever since.

Mr. BARRY raised on this place nine children: Wilson, Susan Jane, Elizabeth, Josephus, Newton, John R., William Scott, Palmyra and Sarah Amanda.

Wilson who was born in Kentucky but raised in our county married Sarah STEEL, daughter of Luke Lea STEEL, who has been sketched, settled near the old homestead a few miles south of Hillsboro.  They have four living children out of five:  William, John, Frank, and Jesse.  Their oldest child which was a girl died early.