Week 7 2026 - What the Census Suggests - Berry, Dillingham

Over the past several years, I have researched census and related records in an effort to present an accurate account of my second great-grandmother Clarissa (Hoard) Van Riper / Berry. She led a fairly complicated life. Clarissa was the oldest daughter of James Hoard and Hannah Moon. She was born 10 Jan 1813 in New York.


Clarissa (Hoard) Van Riper / Berry

Her first husband John Van Riper was living in Middlesex, Yates County, New York in the 1830 census. There were two persons in the family. A Male aged 20-30 years and a Female aged 15-20 years. John was born 25 Dec 1809 in New York. He would have been aged 21 in 1830. He was married to Clarissa Hoard 11 May 1830 in New York, and she was born 10 Jan 1813 in Yates County, New York. She would have been aged 17 in 1830.

In the 1840 census John and Clarissa still lived in Yates County, New York and had five children. They had a total of eight children: Sarah Jane, Garrett, James, Mary Ann, Betsey Maria, John Jr, Jeremiah and Nelson. The last child (Nelson) was born in 1847. The first five were born in New York and the last three were born in Indiana.

December 1, 1848, John at the young age of 49, died in St Joseph County, Indiana and is buried at Eutzler Cemetery located in Mishawaka, St Joseph County, Indiana.

On 17 October 1849, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, Clarissa married William Berry of Ohio.

In the 1850 census they are living in Penn, St Joseph, Indiana and they had all eight of the Van Riper children living with them. William and Clarissa had two daughters: Ellen born 22 July 1850 (my great-grandmother married to Nathaniel G Dillingham) and Harriet 'Hattie' in August of 1852. Hattie would marry twice: John Beers and George Sandilands.

Somewhere in the next ten years, husband William Berry disappears. Divorced? Died? Nothing is found for him.

In the Penn, St. Joseph, Indiana 1860 census, Clarissa V. Riper age 46, is listed as head of household. The value of real estate owned by the head of household is $170. It does not state if it is a farm or a house.  Listed with her are:

James V Riper - age 43

Betsy V Riper - age 19

John V Riper - age 17

Jeremiah V Riper - age 15

Nelson V Riper - age 13

Emma V Riper - age 10 (myself and a few other researchers feel this is Ellen and last name should be Berry)

Harriet V Riper - age 7 (should be named Berry)

Who is this James V Riper, age 43? Could he be Clarissa's husband or is he just living with her? Her son James would have been age 25 in 1860 so it's not him. 

Her first husband John did have a brother named James, and he was born about 1820 and would have been about age 40 in 1860. Would she have remarried to her brother-in-law? Was he just living there as a boarder? Relationship to the head of household is not listed in 1860. I have not found any further records for the potential husband James. 

Some of her children later moved to Iowa. She died on 31 December 1865 in Dumont, Butler County, Iowa, and is buried in Harlan Cemetery. Her headstone identifies her as Clarissa Van Riper, rather than Berry, which raises the question of whether she remarried to a man named Van Riper.

Census records give us so much information but often creates more questions than answers. Another brick wall to chip away at.

Barbie




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